Cherokee Schools See Drop in Writing Test Averages

Although 92 percent of students met or exceeded the state standard during the 2013 writing test, almost every Cherokee County school saw its average score decrease from 2012.

Six of seven Cherokee County middle schools saw decreases in the average scores on the 2013 eighth grade writing assessment, despite an increase in the overall percentage of students meeting or exceeding the state standard this year. Only Teasley Middle School in Canton saw its average score increase, from 206 in 2012 to 209 in 2013. The six other middle schools in Cherokee County suffered on average a three point drop in scores. According to documents available at the Georgia Department of Education's website, 2,967 eighth grade students were tested in 2013, and scored on average 218. In 2012, 2,862 eighth graders scored an average of 219 on the writing assessment. Cherokee Charter Academy had 49 students take its inaugural writing test …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)

94% of Cherokee Charter 8th Graders Pass Writing Exam

Georgia Charter Schools Association Outreach Director RaShaun Holliman visited the school last week and learned of the test results.

Cherokee Charter Academy's eighth graders have matched the success of their counterparts in the Cherokee County School District on the recent writing assessment. Nina Rubin, director of communications at the Georgia Charter Schools Association (GCSA) reported that GCSA Outreach Director RaShaun Holliman visited Cherokee Charter Academy last week and learned that 94 percent of the academy's eighth graders met or exceeded standards laid out in the writing assessment. "They were very happy about their writing scores," Holliman said. The Cherokee County School District had similar success on the writing assessment, with 92 percent of eighth graders meeting or exceeding the standards. Students were given a persuasive or explanatory writing …

•  7 Comments
• Photos (1)

UPDATE: Cherokee Schools Closed Due to Weather

Both the Cherokee County School District and Cherokee Charter Academy will be closed today.

UPDATE (12:20 p.m.): Chattahoochee Technical College (CTC) has announced in a press release that it closed its Canton campus and its Appalachian campus in Japser at 11:30 a.m. Friday. According to the release, all other CTC campuses are operating as usual. ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Officials at the Cherokee County School District (CCSD) and Cherokee Charter Academy have cancelled classes for their respective schools due to Friday's inclement weather. CCSD cancelled classes shortly before 6 a.m. Friday. School district policy dictates that all extracirricular activities at all CCSD schools on Friday are cancelled as well. The school district has yet to announce any cancellations of weekend events, says Barbara Jacoby, director of Public Information…

• Photos (1)

Cherokee Charter Academy Gets Extension, Adds High School

The Georgia Board of Education accelerated the charter approval process during their Thursday meeting.

Cherokee Charter Academy was one of 14 Georgia charter schools that got a welcome surprise in the form of an early charter approval from the Georgia Board of Education. Although the petition to renew all the charters was included on agenda for the Thursday evening, they were originally going to be presented as information items only and were not to be voted on until a meeting next month. A spokesman from the Georgia Department of Education told the Cherokee Tribune that instead of waiting until February, the board moved all the petitions to their consent agenda for that night's meeting and approved the agenda unanimously. Cherokee Charter Academy's newest petition included plans to open a high school, which will allow the school to serve …

•  8 Comments
• Photos (1)

Cherokee Charter Academy Seeks Charter Renewal

The new term for the academy will last from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2018.

Cherokee Charter Academy Seeks Charter Renewal

The new term for the academy will last from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2018.

Cherokee Charter Academy (CCA) will be applying for a five year extension of its charter in February, according to an information item filed with the Georgia Department of Education for its Jan. 17 meeting. Cherokee Charter Academy has been seen by charter school advocates as the standard-bearer of the school choice movement in Georgia, with Gov. Nathan Deal signing important school choice legislation on CCA grounds last year. Charter school advocates say that the recent passage of the school choice amendment to the Georgia Constitution seems to have reinforced the notion that parents want to see more educational options available for their children. CCA has performed at or above Cherokee County School District levels for the CRCT exam …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)
• Documents (5)

Kelly Marlow: We Must "End the Political Posturing and Work Together"

The charter school advocate sets her sights on what she'd like to achieve during her first term on the Cherokee County School District.

Kelly Marlow is preparing for her first term on the Cherokee County School Board. Marlow was elected in the July Republican primary to the Post 1 seat, which was created during the reapportionment process. The new district includes the BridgeMill, parts of Sixes Road and Holly Springs and portions of the Toonigh and Univeter areas. Marlow received a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia and before becoming a full-time parent, she worked as a project manager in the health care, technology and alternative energy sectors. She's also worked as a preschool teacher, a substitute teacher, a room parent and a PTA leader. Marlow, who lives in BridgeMill with husband Mark and her twin children, has also served on the boards of several …

• Photos (1)

Mike Chapman, long-time Cherokee BOE member, Bids Farewell

Chapman, who was first elected in 1998, plans to focus on his work and his family after he leaves office, but "doesn't know" if he will re-enter politics.

After more than 10 years of service on the Cherokee County School Board, Canton resident Mike Chapman will soon leave behind his political career advocating for the Cherokee County School District. Chapman, 52, opted not to seek re-election after the reapportionment process left him without a district to run in. Chapman is a member of the Rotary Club of Canton and also serves as the chair of the Canton Building Authority and the G. Cecil Pruett Community Family YMCA.  Chapman and wife Mary have two adult children, Matt and Mark, who are both graduates of Cherokee High School. They are members of Canton First United Methodist Church. Chapman has lived in Cherokee County since 1989 when he opened a manufacturing facility in Canton. In the …

• Photos (1)

Michael Geist Defends Reputation

The Cherokee County Board of Education member said he needed to respond to accusations made last month by Board Chair Mike Chapman.

Despite not wanting to make waves during Cherokee County Board of Education Chairman Mike Chapman's last meeting, fellow board member Michael Geist said on Thursday night that he had to defend his reputation from comments Chapman made at the board's meeting in November. Geist said that Chapman accused Geist of trying to sway opinons and bully people at a meeting held regarding Cherokee Charter Academy.  "I made it clear at the start of this meeting that I was attending as nothing more than a CCA parent," Geist said. However, two days letter, a letter was sent to the Cherokee County School District stating that Geist had said he was attending as mediator and asked for the names of CCSD employees in attendance, allegations that Geist denies…

• Photos (1)

BOE Chair Mike Chapman Attacks Fellow Board Member

The county's longest serving school board member criticized fellow member Michael Geist for allegedly violating board policy during the board's meeting on Thursday.