The district is also continuing to build new schools to alleviate potential overcrowding and come up with cost-cutting measures to stay in the black without hindering performance and resources in the classroom.
"The No. 1 goal and challenge for 2010 is to attempt to continue to deliver the level of educational excellence and student achievement that our community has come to expect," county Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo said.
Petruzielo added the district takes on this challenge while dealing with issues beyond its control: "massive" state budget cuts, revenue shortfalls because of dwindling property tax collections, rising foreclosures, state caps on property assessments and a student population that grows by 1,000-plus students each year.
Board member Janet Read said the looming state government budget crisis will greatly affect local schools.
Mrs. Read said she is busy informing parents and the greater community about the proposed budget cuts and the impact they will have at the local level.
"It'll call for more tough choices," she said for the crisis. "We still owe it to every kid that comes to our classrooms to give them an education."
Both she and board member Debi Radcliff said they want the district to focus on allocating resources to teachers in the classroom and to lower-performing schools.
"We need to keep the focus on educating our children and to maintain high expectations and performance standards for all of our students during this tough economic period," Mrs. Radcliff said.
Mrs. Radcliff added she would like to see the district continue to pursue federal stimulus dollars to replace E.T. Booth and Teasley Middle Schools as well as "other viable funding options for school construction, replacement or repair."
The district is keeping up with its annual growth by building sales-tax funded new schools and additions to existing facilities.
Both the classroom addition at R.M. Moore Elementary School in Waleska and the new River Ridge High School facility in southeast Cherokee will open in August.
The district is also making progress on its new elementary schools under construction on Univeter Road near Canton and on Hunt Road in southwest Cherokee.
Suitable land has also been found for a replacement Ball Ground Elementary School in the city limits, and the board approved an $18.7 million contract on Thursday night with Hardin Construction Company to build it.
Petruzielo added he was thankful for being able this school year to open Mill Creek Middle School in southeast Cherokee and new gymnasiums and classrooms at both Etowah High School in Woodstock and Macedonia Elementary School.
"We continue to be appreciative to the voters of Cherokee County for renewing the last Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax," Petruzielo said, referring to the tax that is used to fund school construction and technology.
The superintendent and board members said 2009 was a year of great strides - particularly in the academic area.
Last year, the district was one of only three school systems in metro Atlanta to make Adequate Yearly Progress, and all but one district traditional school achieved this state test-based benchmark.
Four of the district's Title I schools, Boston Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary, R.M. Moore Elementary and Woodstock Elementary, were recognized by the state as Distinguished Schools for making AYP for three or more consecutive years.
For the first time, the district's graduation rate surpassed 80 percent. The district's special education programs also continue to win state and national recognition for closing the achievement gap between its special needs and regular education students.
"The performance of our system was above reproach," board member Mike Chapman said.
Post a Comment
