First Day of School is Monday in Canton

CANTON, GA -- On Monday, tens of thousands of students in the Cherokee County School District will return to class.

The 2016-17 school year starts Aug. 1 and runs through May 25, 2017.

Cherokee County schools will remain the largest employer in the county, with 4,553 full-time workers - including 2,557 classroom teachers.

Here is what you can expect when your little ones head back to school:

-Enrollment: 558 additional students are expected to enroll by the 20th day of school, Aug. 26, for a total enrollment of 41,727.

-Replacement Dean Rusk Middle School will open for students.

-New start and end times will take effect for middle and high schools in the River Ridge, Sequoyah and Woodstock zones:

• Middle school times: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• High school times: 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

-Staffing: 86 new teachers have been hired to lower class sizes and accommodate growth; 215 new teachers were hired due to retirements and resignations (district annual attrition rate is 7 percent while the state average is 11 percent); and 14 bus drivers added to shorten routes and to reduce crowded buses.
-Enhanced lobby security will be installed at eight elementary schools.

• RELATED: New School To Welcome More Than 1,450 Students

-386 buses will transport 70 percent of district students daily on 1,525 routes, covering 4.6 million miles.

-31 percent of students qualify for free or reduced price meals.

-School cafeterias are expected to serve more than five million meals.

-More than 50 native languages are spoken among the student population.

-Demographic breakdown of students:

• 70.2% white
• 16.9% Hispanic
• 7.3% black
• 3.3% multiple
• 1.8% Asian
• <1% other

-New principals: Dr. Mark Merges, Creekview High School; Dr. Carolyn Daugherty, Macedonia Elementary School; Rodney Larrotta, Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy; Izell McGruder, Boston Elementary School; Joey Moss, Clark Creek Elementary School STEM Academy; and Donna Bertram, Holly Springs Elementary School STEM Academy.

-Meal pricing - Breakfast: $1.50; elementary school lunch: $2.35; middle and high school lunch: $2.60; visitor lunch: $4; and visitor special: $5.

-The Special Education department serves more than 500 special needs preschoolers.

-5,500 students receive gifted instruction in district schools (about 13 percent of students).

-All schools are equipped with security cameras, and all schools have “panic button” technology in multiple locations. Lock/buzz&dash;in systems control access at each elementary and middle school.

You can read the entire 2016-17 First Day Facts published by the school district by clicking here.

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