Holly Springs Elementary STEM Academy Gets New Principal

HOLLY SPRINGS, GA -- The Cherokee County School Board at its Thursday meeting approved a few personnel changes, one of which will bring a new leader to Holly Springs Elementary School STEM Academy

The monthly personnel recommendations included the appointment of Donna Bertram, a longtime school district teacher and administrator most recently serving as assistant principal at Carmel Elementary School, to lead Holly Springs as its next principal.

She is succeeding Dr. Dianne Steinbeck, who will serve in a grant writer role for the CCSD Office of Educational Programs.

Taking Bertram's spot will be Julie Peppers, a longtime teacher most recently assigned to Bascomb Elementary School.

Board members also took the first step in expanding its social worker program to meet the explosive student enrollment growth experienced by the district over the last two decades by hiring a third social worker: Dr. Tara Quinn-Schuldt, who has worked as a social worker in Carroll County’s school system for 13 years.

Also approved during Thursday's meeting were second readings of policy changes updating the board's mission statement and new motto.

The new mission statement is: “We, the School Board of the Cherokee County School District, are committed to educating the emerging generation through learning environments designed to increase the performance of all students.”

The new motto is: “Educating the Emerging Generation.”

Partnership agreements with the Cherokee County Farm Bureau and East Cherokee Baseball both were renewed, and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower praised the Farm Bureau, which was represented at the meeting by longtime staff member, Shirley Pahl.

“We truly value all that you and the Farm Bureau do to teach our students about agriculture and opportunities to pursue careers in that field,” he said, noting the numerous greenhouses, school gardens and programs made possible in the district with the organization's support.

School Board Vice Chair Patsy Jordan, a former classroom teacher, spoke of how the Farm Bureau’s “amazing” professional development programs for teachers gave her great tools to use in the classroom.

“I’m so appreciative for everything you do,” she said.

Pahl thanked the board for its support and noted more help from the Farm Bureau is on the way to district schools, such as through a new partnership with Indian Knoll Elementary School and a $1,000 grant for a Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy teacher’s school garden project.

“We really enjoy teaching the children about the importance of agriculture in their lives,” she said. “We have fun… and we hope the children are benefitting.”

During its regular meeting, the School Board also:

• Recognized Bascomb Elementary School and Principal Kathleen Chandler as winner of 2016 Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals’ School Bell Award;
• Recognized Macedonia Elementary School Media Specialist Jennifer Rice as the Regional Library Media Specialist of the Year;
• Recognized five Woodstock High School students and their coach for earning second place at the 2016 TEAMS (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science) Best in Nation competition;
• Recognized Georgia Positive Athlete Award winner Katie Beckham of Woodstock High School, the statewide honoree for volleyball;
• Recognized Cherokee High School senior Megan Johnson and Sequoyah High School senior Erin Wehunt as recipients of the 2015-16 Judy Johnson Memorial Scholarship presented by CCSD’s School Nutrition Association;
• Approved ballot language for the Education SPLOST renewal vote called by the board for Nov. 8;
• Approved monthly financial reports;
• Approved authorized school fundraising activities for the 2016-17 school year;
• Approved out-of-state travel;
• Approved out-of-state and overnight student field trips;
• Approved the monthly capital outlay projects report;
• Approved the annual establishment of a tribunal hearing panel for certified employees;
• Approved the annual contract with Ninth District Opportunity for Head Start and prekindergarten programs; and,
• After meeting in executive session to review real estate and student discipline matters, returned to open session and voted to reverse a student discipline decision.

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Photo: Sequoyah High School senior Erin Wehunt, left, and Cherokee High School senior Megan Johnson, right, were recognized by CCSD School Nutrition Supervisor Tina Farmer, center, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower, far right, and the School Board as recipients of the 2015-16 Judy Johnson Memorial Scholarship presented by CCSD’s School Nutrition Association.
Photo credit: Cherokee County School District