Cherokee Schools To Reduce Furlough Days

The Cherokee County School District will reduce its number of furlough days from eight to six, restoring two calendar days for students.

Cherokee Schools To Reduce Furlough Days

The Cherokee County School District will reduce its number of furlough days from eight to six, restoring two calendar days for students.

An additional two classroom instruction days will soon return to the Cherokee County School District. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo announced during Thursday's work session that the district will restore two days to its calendar for the 2013-14 school year. Petruzielo said the district was able to perform the restoration due to the increase in the county's tax digest.  That would get the district's instructional calendar from 175 days to 177 for students. Before furlough days, the district operated on a 180 day calendar for students. The tax digest increased by 2.8 percent for school portion of tax assessments. The entire digest increased by 3 percent.   After exemptions and appeals are applied, the school district is …

• Photos (1)

Student: Furlough Days Hurt Families

The senior class president at Woodstock High School addressed budget cuts at the Cherokee County Board of Education meeting on Thursday night.

Although State School Superintendent John Barge has said that state revenues have improved over the last couple of months, officials with the Cherokee County School District already are working on prioritizing funds for the next budget cycle. Cherokee County Superintendent Dr. Frank Petruzielo told members of the Board of Education during a work session on Thursday that, according to a survey conducted by the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, 2 in 3 school systems responding have cut six school days from their calendars and 6 in 10 responding school systems have increased class size. "I hope (state officials) begin to hear from students and parents about how this is affecting their educational experience," Petruzielo said. The local …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

New Furlough Date: Dec. 21

The Cherokee County School District initially selected Oct. 26 as one of eight furlough days. It is now a school day.

Adjust your calendars, Cherokee County School District parents, students and staff. Oct. 26, previously one of eight furlough days, is now a school day. And Dec. 21 is now a furlough day. "The October date initially was selected for one of the eight required furlough days, as no other school holidays already were scheduled for that month," Cherokee Superintendent Frank Petruzielo said in a letter to parents. "However, parents/guardians, staff and School Board Members have since communicated that the December date would be preferable due to the Christmas holiday’s proximity to the start of Winter Break." Winter break begins Dec. 24. "If parents/guardians already have scheduled medical appointments for students for the October date, such …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)
• Documents (2)

Watch the BOE Hopefuls Talk Furloughs

Danny Dukes said he will eliminate all teacher furloughs. Monday night, he was asked how he would do that.

When he announced his run for county school board chair, Danny Dukes pledged to eliminate all teacher furloughs by reducing a "bloated" central office. During Monday night's debate at the Cherokee County Republican Party headquarters in Towne Lake, he was asked how he would do that. This year, the Cherokee County School District has proposed eight furlough days, a move that is expected to save a total of about $8.8 million during the 2012-13 school year. Watch what Dukes had to say and how his opponent, Cherokee County Board of Education Vice Chairwoman Janet Read, responded. Look for more video coverage from Canton-Sixes Patch later. Related content Don’t miss any of the local news you care about. Subscribe to Canton-Sixes Patch’s free …

•  1 Comment
• Videos (1)
• Documents (1)