The Cherokee County School District celebrated outstanding school community partners and volunteers at an awards ceremony on Tuesday.
Tuesday night ceremonies in the school board auditorium awarded Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year awards for each school and center, 78 honorees in total. There, the school district made a surprising announcement regarding the CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year, who were selected from this group.
The Rotary Club of Woodstock, Oak Grove Elementary School STEAM Academy Partner of the Year, was named CCSD 2023 Partner of the Year.
CCSD 2023 Volunteer of the Year is Britt Paramore, ACTIVE Academy Volunteer of the Year.
“We create community. This is ‘we’ game – this is not ‘me’ game – and we value your partnership,” Inspector Brian Hightower told volunteers and business partners and members of the organization. “Since my first day as a teacher and trainer, I have seen the positive difference that caring volunteers and partners make. Your time, treasures and talents are invaluable to us. We see you and we appreciate you more than ever!”
The recognition ceremony is sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation. The school board and trustees presented plaques to all the awardees, who were joined in the event by their families, Principals they supported and other special guests.
After the CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year were announced, excerpts from the nomination letters submitted by the principals they supported were shared.
The winners were selected by a committee of retired educators and community leaders.
CCSD Partner of the Year, Rotary Club of Woodstock, recognized for its generous contribution of members’ volunteer time and professional expertise, including service as coach of the school’s robotics team; and their significant financial support for school projects and for students and families in need.
“The Rotary Club of Woodstock strives to spread goodwill and benefit others. They continue to fulfill their faith by blessing Oak Grove STEAM Academy students, staff, and families,” Principal Penny Valle wrote in her nomination letter, citing activities such as sponsoring a holiday party for families in need, during which they distributed gifts. and stockings. “Club members sincerely want to know the needs of our school and work together to meet those needs.”
CCSD Volunteer of the Year, Britt Parramore, was recognized for her work, including hosting weekly group meetings, to counsel struggling students to overcome challenges.
“During group meetings Mr. Parramore leads, students feel safe to open up about everything from divorce and suicide to peer pressure and everything in between. He gives students strategies on how to handle these difficult situations. Mr Parramore has truly made an impact on students,” Principal Andy Hall wrote in his nomination letter. “He took time out of his busy schedule to work with our students, tackle difficult problems, and did so with an impressive time commitment for someone who gave up his time and professional skills. Giving herself and her talents in this way made her an amazing volunteer at ACTIVE, and we thank her for working hard with our students!”
The school district will feature Partners of the Year and Volunteers of the Year each week on social media.
CCSD 2023 SCHOOL PARTNERS OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academy: Team EF2 Realty with Keller Williams Realty Partners
Arnold Mill ES: Chick-fil-A Woodstock Truett
Avery ES: Revolutionary Church
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Foundation Finance
Bascomb ES: Penny + Co Realty Group / Keller Williams Realty Partners
Boston ES: New Victorian Baptist Church
Carmel ES: Main Group
CCSD Preschool Center: Woodstock City Church (Waumba Land)
Cherokee HS: Cherokee Impact Soccer
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Austin Cooley State Farm
Clayton ES: Shelf Space Shoes
Creekland MS: Menchie Frozen Yogurt, Riverstone
Creekview HS: Amber Cloy Photography
Rusk MS Dean: Garth Gherardini | Managing Partner of Modern Woodmen of America
ET Booth MS: Main Group
Etowah HS: Cherokee Territory Senior Service (Silver Cruiser)
Free Home ES: Thompson and Associates Equine Medicine
Freedom MS: Lazy Susan’s Meal Prep
Hasty ES Academy of Fine Arts: Cherokee Impact Soccer
Hickory Flat ES: Delta Community Credit Union
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Cherokee County Bureau of Livestock
Indian Knoll ES: Don Archer’s Independent AMSOIL Dealer
Johnston ES: The Original Hot Dog Factory and Spice Wing
Knox ES STEM Academy: Atlanta Area Council, Boy Scouts of America
Liberty ES: Menchie Frozen Yogurt, Riverstone
Little River ES: Taekwondo from Woodstock, Inc
Macedonia ES: Team EF2 Realty with Keller Williams Realty Partners
Mill Creek MS: Lee Holman Insurance Horace Mann
Mountain Road ES: No Bundt Cakes
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Rotary Club of Woodstock
RM Moore Academy ES STEM: Townsend Pipeline Construction, LLC
River Ridge HS: Tuscany Italian Restaurant
Sequoyah HS: BAR & GRILLE BEDOE
Sixes ES: Main Group
Teasley MS: Orthodontic Harmony
Tippens Education Center: Xpress Auto Glass Becky Thompson
Woodstock ES: Woodstock Fire Department
Woodstock HS: LGE Community Credit Union
Woodstock MS: Woodstock Fire Department
CCSD 2023 SCHOOL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academy: Britt Parramore
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Beth Smith
Bascomb ES: Stephanie Franklin
CCSD Preschool Center: Cherokee Educator Retired Association
Cherokee HS: April Rogers
Clark Creek ICE CHOICE Academy: Patrick Schade
Clayton ES: Suzanna Alsobrook
Creekland MS: Melanie Rickert
Creekview HS: Michelle Brauer
Dean Rusk MS: Beverly Addison
ET Booth MS: Kathy Sanders and Staci Josef
ES Free Home: Nadia Hernandez
Hasty ES Academy of Fine Arts: Jessica Dukes
Hickory Flat ES: Hickory Flat ES PTA Executive Board
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Dreama Smith
Indian Knoll ES: Kenny and Jennifer Griggs
Johnston ES: Johnston ES PTA Executive Board
Knox ES STEM Academy: Ginny Starr
Liberty ES: Cherokee HS Student Athlete Leadership Team (SALT)
ES Creek: Jessica Tilton Wieland
Macedonia ES: Executive Board of PTA Macedonia ES
Mill Creek MS: Scott Steinbrenner
ICE Mountain Road: Janet Katzenberger
Oak Grove ES Steam Academy: Lesly Lopez Ventura
RM Moore ES STEM Academy: PTA Executive Board of RM Moore ES STEM Academy
River Ridge HS: Danny Billingsley
Sequoyah HS: Scott and Sheri Buckley
Sixes ES: Heather O’Donnell
Teasley MS: Danielle Rodgers
Tippens Educational Center: Adam and Crystal Bailey
Woodstock ES: Trevor Telman
Woodstock HS: Ana McWethy
Woodstock MS: Emmie Fosburgh
