CCSD Celebrates 2026 Partners of the Year, Volunteers of the Year

School Board Chair Janet Read Welch, second from right, and Board member Kelly Poole, left, congratulate honorees.

The Cherokee County School District tonight celebrated outstanding school volunteers and business and community partners and their valued role in our mission to become the highest-performing school district in Georgia!

The annual CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year Recognition Ceremony honored a Partner of the Year and a Volunteer of the Year for each individual school and center.  The evening included the surprise announcement of the CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year selected from that pool of honorees.  A committee of retired educators and community leaders selects the CCSD winners.

School Board members and the Superintendent congratulate the Partner of the Year.

Waleska United Methodist Church, R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy’s Partner of the Year, is the CCSD 2026 Partner of the Year!

Waleska UMC members are surprised with the overall Partner of the Year award. 

“What makes Waleska United Methodist Church truly extraordinary is their unwavering generosity, reliability, and willingness to serve wherever there is a need. Their partnership has strengthened our school culture and exemplifies the power of community collaboration,” Principal Kim Moody shared in her nomination of the church, which is now a two-time winner of the overall award.  “Their support directly impacts students through donations of STEM journals that enhance hands-on learning and help students document the engineering design process.  The church has also shown tremendous appreciation for our faculty and staff through gestures such as raffles and providing breakfast to welcome staff back for the second semester, boosting morale and reinforcing how valued educators are.  Their generosity extends to families as well, including donations to assist with lunch debt and providing Christmas gifts for students in need.  Through volunteering at school events and sponsoring the school’s inaugural golf tournament, the church continues to make a meaningful impact on the entire school community.”

School Board members and the Superintendent congratulate the Volunteer of the Year.

The Sequoyah High School Journey Club, Hickory Flat Elementary School’s Volunteer of the Year, is the CCSD 2026 Volunteer of the Year!  

Journey Club members are surprised with the overall Volunteer of the Year award. 

“The Journey Club is an extraordinary cross-age mentoring program that exemplifies the very best of volunteer service and positive youth development,” Principal Kerry Estep shared in her nomination letter.  “Through a meaningful partnership between Sequoyah High School and Hickory Flat Elementary School, this program intentionally creates positive experiences, authentic relationships, and a supportive environment where students of all ages can grow, connect, and thrive. The Sequoyah HS students serve our students as consistent, caring role models who offer encouragement, guidance, and a sense of belonging.  The program is grounded in the belief that mentorship is most powerful when it is genuine and relational. Mentor students focus on being present, building trust, and leading by example.  They model kindness, patience, accountability, and perseverance — skills that cannot be taught through instruction alone but are learned through shared moments and meaningful connection.  The Journey Club members go beyond traditional volunteering. They transform lives, strengthen community, and plants seeds of hope and purpose that will continue to grow.”

Above: School Board member Erin Ragsdale congratulates honorees. Below: School Board member Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison, right, and Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis.

The ceremony included the presentation of plaques by Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis and School Board members to all honorees, who were joined at the event by their families, Principals of the schools that they support, and other special guests.  The cost of the plaques and reception was sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation.

Cherokee County Educational Foundation Executive Director Lisa-Marie Haygood shares sponsor remarks.

CCSD 2026 SCHOOL PARTNERS OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academies: Ridgeline Floors & Bath
Arnold Mill ES: Eggs Up Grill
Avery ES: Magnolia Garden Group, LLC
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Ball Ground Burger Bus
Bascomb ES: Hagood Injury Law, LLC
Boston ES: New Victoria Baptist Church
Carmel ES: Harry Norman Realtors - Woodstock
CCSD Preschool Centers: Geiger Legal Group, LLC
Cherokee HS: Providence Insurance
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Coosa Valley Credit Union 
Clayton ES: The Pitt Stop
Creekland MS: Lee Holman Horace Mann Insurance
Creekview HS: EF2 Realty Team Powered by Keller Williams Realty Partners 
Dean Rusk MS: First City Church
E.T. Booth MS: Credit Union of Georgia
Etowah HS: HOTWORX Woodstock, GA (Towne Lake)
Free Home ES: Macedonia Methodist Church
Freedom MS: InMotion Counseling, LLC
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: LPA Law Firm
Hickory Flat ES: First City Church
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Spoiled Rotten Photography, Atlanta North
Indian Knoll ES: Rising Hills Church
Johnston ES: Chick-fil-A Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta
Knox ES STEM Academy: ACTIVE Academies - Transition Academy
Liberty ES: Rotary Club of Canton
Little River ES: Cherokee Orthodontics
Macedonia ES: Trotter & Patel Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
Mill Creek MS: Canton Apparel Co. 
Mountain Road ES: SERV International
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Hagood Injury Law, LLC
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Waleska United Methodist Church
River Ridge HS: Woodstock Church of the Nazarene
Sequoyah HS: Trish Greer Realty, LLC
Sixes ES: Hagood Injury Law, LLC
Teasley MS: Northside Hospital Cherokee
Tippens Education Center: Allegro Business Products
Woodstock ES: Camellia Place
Woodstock HS: Roytec Industries, LLC
Woodstock MS: Woodstock City Church

CCSD 2026 SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academies: Sara Samson
Arnold Mill ES: Allison Repic
Avery ES: Lauren Ringer
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Emelia Kammerer
Bascomb ES: Bascomb ES 2025-26 PTA Executive Board
Boston ES: Ann-Marie Breaux
Carmel ES: Judi McCoy 
CCSD Preschool Centers: Cherokee Retired Educators Association
Cherokee HS: C-Club Winterfest Committee
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Julie Baker and Anabel Lopez
Clayton ES: Melodie Richards
Creekland MS: Julie Bales
Creekview HS: Creekview HS 2025-26 PTSA Executive Board
Dean Rusk MS: Dean Rusk MS 2025-26 PTSA Executive Board
E.T. Booth MS: Lisa Schade
Etowah HS: Melissa Bryant 
Free Home ES: Haley Howell
Freedom MS: Kristie Duncan
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy 2025-26 PTA Executive Board
Hickory Flat ES: The Journey Club
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Holly Springs ES STEM Academy 2025-26 PTA Executive Board
Indian Knoll ES: Krysten Little
Johnston ES: Haley Dean
Knox ES STEM Academy: Knox Elementary Stem Academy 2025-26 PTA Executive Board
Liberty ES: Liberty ES 2025-26 PTA Executive Board
Little River ES: LRES Dad’s Club
Macedonia ES: Chris Mack
Mill Creek MS: Meghan Racine
Mountain Road ES: Vanessa Hyde
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Susan Beavers
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Mollie Guy
River Ridge HS: Shea Ferguson
Sequoyah HS: Jason Van Vacter
Sixes ES: Christa Cavaretta 
Teasley MS: James Rodgers
Tippens Education Center: Danny Postell, PharmD
Woodstock ES: Francina Maloney
Woodstock HS: YouthCentric
Woodstock MS: Pamela Dedeaux

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