Social, Emotional Learning To Be Bigger Focus In Cherokee Schools

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — In the upcoming school year, more focus will be put on the well being of students, including their mental health.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, June 20 unanimously approved the Superintendent’s proposed budget for next school year.

More will be spent on assisting students’ academic and emotional needs beginning with this budget, including the hiring of CCSD’s first two mental health counselors. This investment is in line with the findings of the Superintendent’s first Ad Hoc Committee studying Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), a national movement in education to ensure the health and well-being of students and school employees.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower reviewed the Committee’s report, which is online here, with the School Board during the meeting.

Hightower praised the Committee, which was made up of teachers, administrators and school counselors, nurses and psychologists, for its dedication, and he committed to phasing in its recommendations, with work already underway on first implementation steps. The recommendations are numerous, with both specific and broad goals ranging from identifying a staff person to lead these initiatives to redefining counselor responsibilities to allow more focus on SEL counseling.

While CCSD wants every student to excel academically at the highest level possible, Hightower said it’s clear that stress related to school can have detrimental effects on students’ health and well-being.

“We want them to be challenged, but we also want them to be healthy,” he said, noting the alarming nationwide trends in rising levels of student anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts, which are triggered by numerous factors in addition to school. “We know this isn’t just on us, but we just can’t put our heads in the sand. We need to work together as a District and a School Board to take good care of our kids.”

School Board Chair Kyla Cromer joined Hightower in this commitment and added that she’s very glad to see the recommendations also address employee mental health.

“I really believe we will be a leader in helping our kids,” she said.

Hightower also announced CCSD’s first educator summit in 25 years: “CCSD Ed Talks” will be an annual professional development event held one morning during July pre-planning for all certified staff. This year’s session will feature nationally renowned educator, author and speaker Weston Kieschnick. In addition hearing the “Bold School” author, Hightower will speak about CCSD’s expanded efforts to focus on SEL.

The budget also increases investments in hiring and supporting the best teachers and staff possible, continues classroom size reductions and funds new efforts to help at-risk students, all while keeping the millage rate steady and paying down construction debt. Three public hearings were held on the budget and millage rate, with no speakers signing up.

The $481 million general fund day-to-day operating budget includes a $3,000 raise for all certified employees, a 2 percent raise for all classified employees, annual longevity step increases for all eligible employees and increases in starting teacher pay and salaries for specific positions, including police officers. Of all spending, 67 percent is in the classroom, 27 percent is in student support, such as counselors and nurses, and 6 percent is in other operating costs.

The zero-based budget continues CCSD’s focus on fiscal conservatism, with a half a mill being shifted from operations to debt service to further reduce borrowing for construction and technology, which both limits interest costs and positions CCSD for an improved credit rating; and calls for reduced short-term borrowing and maintenance of a healthy cash reserve.