CCSD Celebrates 2023 Partners of the Year, Volunteers of the Year

Above: Britt Parramore, ACTIVE Academies’ Volunteer of the Year, reacts as the surprise announcement is made that he's the CCSD 2023 Volunteer of the Year. Below: Paul Hutto and Anna Daily, right, members of the Rotary Club of Woodstock, the Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy Partner of the Year, and Principal Penny Valle, center, hear the surprise announcement that the club is the CCSD 2023 Partner of the Year. 

The Cherokee County School District celebrated outstanding school community partners and volunteers at the annual CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year Recognition Ceremony.

The ceremony on Tuesday evening in the school board auditorium 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 78 honorees.

The Rotary Club of Woodstock, Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy’s Partner of the Year, was named the CCSD 2023 Partner of the Year, and Britt Parramore, ACTIVE Academies’ Volunteer of the Year, was named the CCSD 2023 Volunteer of the Year.

“We’re creating community.  It’s a ‘we’ game – it isn’t an ‘I’ game – and we appreciate your partnership,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said, as he congratulated the auditorium filled with outstanding volunteers and partner businesses and organizations.  “From my first days as a teacher and coach, I’ve seen the positive difference made by caring volunteers and partners.  The time, treasure and talent you share are valuable to us beyond measure.  We see you and we appreciate you more than ever!”

The recognition ceremony was sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises funds and awareness for CCSD.  The ceremony included tributes and the presentation of plaques by the Superintendent of Schools 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. 

After the CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year were announced, excerpts were shared from the nomination letters submitted by the Principals of the schools that they support.  A committee of retired educators and community leaders selected the CCSD winners from the pool of exemplary nominees.

The CCSD Partner of the Year, the Rotary Club of Woodstock, was recognized for its generous donations of members’ volunteer time and their professional expertise, including service as a school robotics team coach; and their significant financial support for school projects and for students and families in need.

“The Rotary Club of Woodstock endeavors to spread goodwill and to benefit others.  They continually live up to their creed by blessing the students, staff and families of Oak Grove STEAM Academy,” Principal Penny Valle wrote in her nomination letter, citing numerous activities such as the holiday party the club sponsors for families in need and the gifts and stockings they give out at its end.  “The club members sincerely want to know the needs of our school and work together to meet those needs.”  

The CCSD Volunteer of the Year, Britt Parramore, was recognized for his work, including hosting a weekly group meeting, to counsel struggling students to overcome challenges.

“During the group meetings Mr. Parramore leads, the 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 tough situations.  Mr. Parramore has made a true impact on the students,” Principal Andy Hall wrote in his nomination letter.  “He takes time from his busy schedule to work with our students, tackling tough issues, and does so with a time commitment that is admirable for someone who is volunteering his time and professional expertise.  Giving of himself and his talents in this way makes him an extraordinary volunteer here at ACTIVE, and we are grateful for him and his hard work with our students!”

Every week, a different school Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year will be featured on CCSD social media platforms.

Above: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower, right, and Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy Principal Penny Valle, left, congratulate Paul Hutto and Anna Daily, members of the Rotary Club of Woodstock, Oak Grove's Partner of the Year, on being named CCSD 2023 Partner of the Year.  Below:  Dr. Hightower, right, and ACTIVE Academies Principal Andy Hall, left, congratulate Britt Parramore, ACTIVE's Volunteer of the Year, on being named the CCSD 2023 Volunteer of the Year. Below:

CCSD 2023 SCHOOL PARTNERS OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academies: EF2 Realty Team with Keller Williams Realty Partners
Arnold Mill ES: Truett's Chick-fil-A Woodstock
Avery ES: Revolution Church
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Foundation Financial
Bascomb ES: Penny + Co Realty Group / Keller Williams Realty Partners
Boston ES: New Victoria Baptist Church
Carmel ES: The Premier Group
CCSD Preschool Centers: Woodstock City Church (Waumba Land)
Cherokee HS: Cherokee Impact Soccer
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Austin Cooley State Farm
Clayton ES: Rack Room Shoes
Creekland MS: Menchie's Frozen Yogurt, Riverstone
Creekview HS: Amber Cloy Photography
Dean Rusk MS: Garth Gherardini | Managing Partner Modern Woodmen of America
E.T. Booth MS: The Premier Group
Etowah HS: Cherokee County Senior Services (Silver Roamers)
Free Home ES: Thompson and Associates Equine Medicine
Freedom MS: Lazy Susan Meal Prep
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: Cherokee Impact Soccer
Hickory Flat ES: Delta Community Credit Union
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Cherokee County Farm Bureau
Indian Knoll ES: Don Archer 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's Frozen Yogurt, Riverstone
Little River ES: Taekwondo of Woodstock, Inc
Macedonia ES: EF2 Realty Team with Keller Williams Realty Partners
Mill Creek MS: Lee Holman Horace Mann Insurance
Mountain Road ES: Nothing Bundt Cakes
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Rotary Club of Woodstock
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Townsend Pipeline Construction, LLC
River Ridge HS: Tuscany Italian Restaurant
Sequoyah HS: BEDOE’S BAR & GRILLE
Sixes ES: The Premier Group
Teasley MS: Harmony Orthodontics
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 VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academies: Britt Parramore
Arnold Mill ES: Mary Ma
Avery ES: Amber Palermo
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Beth Smith
Bascomb ES: Stephanie Franklin
Boston ES: Adam Hapeman
Carmel ES: Jodi Miller
CCSD Preschool Centers: Cherokee Retired Educators Association
Cherokee HS: April Rogers
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Patrick Schade
Clayton ES: Suzanna Alsobrook
Creekland MS: Melanie Rickert
Creekview HS: Michelle Brauer
Dean Rusk MS: Beverly Addison
E.T. Booth MS: Kathy Sanders and Staci Josef
Etowah HS: Michelle Dodd
Free Home ES: Nadia Hernandez
Freedom MS: Trista Reese
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: 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)
Little River ES: Jessica Tilton Wieland
Macedonia ES: Macedonia ES PTA Executive Board
Mill Creek MS: Scott Steinbrenner
Mountain Road ES: Janet Katzenberger
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Lesly Lopez Ventura
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy PTA Executive Board
River Ridge HS: Danny Billingsley
Sequoyah HS: Scott and Sheri Buckley
Sixes ES: Heather O'Donnell
Teasley MS: Danielle Rodgers
Tippens Education Center: Adam and Crystal Bailey
Woodstock ES: Trevor Telman
Woodstock HS: Ana McWethy
Woodstock MS: Emmie Fosburgh

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