CCSD Feels 'Painful Pinch' From State Budget Cuts: Superintendent

WOODSTOCK, GA — The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday heard its first report on what it could expect in terms of cash flow for the 2018-19 budget and the outlook appears to be a bit dicey for the system.

The board at its Jan. 18 meeting was informed that the state will continue withholding $4 million in the form of "austerity" budget cuts recommended by Gov. Nathan Deal and "further increase costs to school districts for providing employees with mandated health and retirement benefits."

At the local level, this will create a $7.8 million gap in the district's operating budget, Chief Financial Officer Ken Owen said. If the board approves longevity step increase in employee salaries, this will cost an additional $6.6 million. That would bring the total shortfall to $14.4 million, which will use up nearly all revenue gains stemming from enrollment growth and anticipated improvements in local property values.

Facing a potential net new revenue of $1.5 million or less, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower said the system will likely have to postpone non-essential new hiring and any new initiatives, and will be unable to make significant reductions in class size.

“We continue to feel a painful pinch from ‘austerity budget cuts,’ despite the state government’s financial recovery and increases in its ‘rainy day’ reserve fund,” Dr. Hightower said. “While we’d rather not also be burdened with the state’s cost-shifting for the State Health Benefit Plan and Teachers Retirement System, we had hoped the state – at a minimum – would fully restore the education funding we earn under the state’s own formula. While the governor’s budget does not call for the end of this ‘austerity,’ we have again asked our legislative delegation and our community to lobby on our behalf as it is again our School Board’s No. 1 legislative priority.”

Dr. Hightower asked board members to provide to him by February with their proposed budget priorities, which will be reviewed by himself and his budget committee. The draft budget will be presented to the School Board in May.

As part of the monthly personnel recommendations, board members also accepted the retirement of CCSD Preschool Centers Principal Donna Adams. A longtime educator, Adams joined the district in 1982 as a teacher and has served in her current role since 2011.

“She’s a wonderful educator, and we deeply appreciate the exceptional service and great care she has given to our community’s children and families,” Dr. Hightower said of Adams, who received a standing ovation.

The recommendations also included the transfer of Principal Dr. Abigail “Abby” May from Canton Elementary School STEM Academy to R.M. Moore Elementary School for next school year.

Canton Elementary will be temporarily closed to allow Cherokee High School the use of its campus beginning next school year; the elementary school’s students will be split between R.M. Moore and Knox Elementary Schools. Jan Adamson, principal of R.M. Moore ES, had previously announced her retirement at the end of this school year.

“We wanted to make this appointment as soon as we could,” Dr. Hightower said of Dr. May. “The School Council at R.M. Moore has met her with open arms, and we’re ready for her to start doing the critical planning for this transition.”

The Board held its annual vice chair election on Thursday night, and board member Mike Chapman was re-elected to another one-year term in this role.

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