Board Business Briefs: Safety & Security Report, Clean Financial Audit

The Cherokee County School Board at its regular meeting on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, reviewed plans to further improve safety and security, including the planned installation of bus stop-arm cameras to catch drivers illegally passing stopped school buses.  The board also reviewed the latest independent audit of CCSD’s finances, which marks the 12th consecutive year of clean audit reports with no findings. 

Superintendent of School Mary Elizabeth Davis during her welcome remarks spoke to the district’s College and Career Ready Performance Index highest-ever overall “single score” of 87 recently announced by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. 

She praised the School Board for its role in this student performance success, citing its investment of significant time over the past 18 months to strengthen governance.  This work included setting the board’s first student performance goals, developing the board’s first accountability policy, and “embracing a culture unapologetically focused on learning.”

Superintendent Davis also noted the board’s investment in fostering a positive, supportive, and engaging workplace with the approval last month of a third-party anonymous personnel survey.  The survey, which will be administered this month by Hanover Research, is designed to gather insightful feedback on the CCSD employee experience, recruitment, retention, culture, climate, and overall health of the organization.

School Board member Chance Beam during board member announcements spoke to the importance of the survey, emphasizing it is “100% anonymous” and a “critical tool to help [board members] listen.”

The meeting began with a work session at 5:30 p.m. followed by the regular business meeting at 7 p.m.  Both were livestreamed via YouTube, and the videos are archived on the CCSD website in the Board of Education area online here.

SAFETY & SECURITY REPORT

CCSD Police Chief Buster Cushing gave the district’s second semi-annual safety and security report for the school year, a practice that began last school year in response to community recommendations for more regular updates.

The report, which is published online here, focuses on improvements made in each of the school district’s three pillar areas for safety and security: prevention, preparation and response.

A major highlight from the report is the development of a plan to install stop-arm cameras on school buses to identify drivers who illegally pass stopped buses that are actively loading or unloading students.

The Transportation department conducts an annual audit during which all CCSD bus drivers on the same day record how many drivers illegally pass their stopped bus while students are loading and unloading.  During last school year’s audit, 262 drivers illegally passed CCSD’s bus drivers in one day.

The stop-arm cameras will be installed on the exterior of all CCSD school buses later this semester and, as soon as they’re ready to go live, the school district will publicize them in the community. 

Illegally passing a school bus is considered a high and aggravated misdemeanor in Georgia, with a minimum fine of $1,000.  Repeat violators, in addition to repeat fines, also can face insurance repercussions.

The cameras are installed at no cost to the district, as the company keeps a portion of the fines collected.  The district also receives a portion of the fines collected, and those funds will be used to further invest in safety and security, as required by law.

Chief Cushing also highlighted the successful implementation this school year of body cameras as standard equipment for all school police officers; the addition of security monitors to the district’s multi-building high school campuses; and the expanded role of school safety committees to enhance continuous improvement of safety and security. 

He additionally reported on the positive results of the crisis alert system badge covers invested in by the School Board.  These protective covers, which were provided to every school and district employee who wears a crisis alert system badge, have eliminated accidental alarms and the associated disruption of class time and false alert of CCSD police and public safety partners.

School Board Vice Chair Patsy Jordan shared her appreciation for Chief Cushing and the department.

“Thank you for all you do every day to keep our kids safe and our employees,” she said.  “Thank you so much.”

ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT AND INDEPENDENT AUDIT

During its work session, the board reviewed CCSD’s newly published Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, which includes its most recent independent audit.

An Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) is the gold standard in financial reporting and a higher level of accountability and transparency than required for school districts -- less than 3% of school districts nationally produce this rigorous set of financial records.  Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Owen and his staff prepare an ACFR each year; the newest report, which is for the financial year that ended June 30, is posted online here.  

The annual reports contain existing records, such as financial statements and independent audit reports, but presents them all in one publication with a focus on clearly communicating financial information to stakeholders. 

As part of his presentation on the report, Mr. Owen reviewed the latest independent audit of CCSD’s finances, which marks the 12th consecutive year of clean audit reports with no findings. 

This means the independent auditors found: no material weaknesses, no significant deficiencies, no issues of material noncompliance, and no findings or questioned costs related to financial statements and/or federal awards.

School Board member Kelly Poole thanked Mr. Owen and the division’s staff for their work to create the annual report.

“Thank you for being ‘extra,’” she said, referencing the optional additional workload to compile the rigorous financial reporting.  “I love getting this report and reading it.  It really is appreciated knowing you don’t have to do this and only 3% of school districts do.  Cherokee County is really invested in being transparent to our taxpayers and stakeholders.”

BUDGET DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

The School Board on Thursday continued its budget development process with a report reviewing their budget priorities and revenue and expenditure estimates.

The board will receive additional budget development updates next month, with the Superintendent’s recommended tentative budget and millage rate to be presented in March.  Public millage rate hearings are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on April 2 and 16 and at 6:30 p.m. on April 16. The School Board is scheduled to vote on the final budget and millage rate at its April 23 meeting.

The outlook for next year’s budget forecasts decreases in federal and state funding, with expenditures to increase for the district’s portion of Teacher Retirement System (TRS) costs.

The local property tax digest is projected to grow by 4%, which would generate an estimated growth of $11.9 million for the district.  This growth would offset federal and state revenue declines as well as increases in TRS contributions but would not cover annual step salary increases for employees — estimated at $5.87 million.

As part of the budget development process, School Board members each are invited to share their priorities, which are published online here as part of the budget development report.  Common themes included maintaining competitive compensation for employees, while keeping the millage rate steady and preserving low class sizes.

The report also provided the board with a chart comparing financial and academic data points for Cherokee and surrounding counties.  The chart outlines the positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars as measured by student academic performance. 

It shows that, as CCSD maintained a historic low millage rate for school property taxes and further reduced central office spending -- to the sixth-lowest general administration budget in the state (down from the ninth lowest last year) – and shifted more funding into classrooms through competitive teacher pay, new instructional resources and classroom consumables … student academic performance and progress increased. The district’s score on the state’s College and Career Ready Performance Index accountability system, which measures student academic performance and progress, has soared to the eighth-highest student performance in the state, up from 21^st last school year! 

This return on investment is even greater when considering, as the chart illustrates, that the School Board’s generous expansion of the senior property tax exemption for school taxes to remove any caps, and other exemptions such as homestead, have now grown to remove more than 25% of property from school tax, meaning more property owners are paying less in property taxes and/or are paying no property taxes for schools.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The Georgia General Assembly convened Monday for its annual session, and Chief of Staff Tyler Gwynn presented his first monthly legislative report to the School Board Thursday.

He recapped highlights of the Governor’s “state of the state” address that was delivered Thursday morning, during which he announced a $2,000 one-time bonus for state employees, including educators and public safety officers, and a continuation of school safety grants.

The legislature also is weighing proposals to reduce taxes for Georgians including the possible elimination of state income taxes; as state income taxes are the primary source for state educational funding to school districts, Mr. Gwynn noted that this is an issue he will closely track.

The School Board is advocating for tax relief for Cherokee County residents with its unanimous approval last month of a resolution supporting local legislation establishing a cap to annual residential property value growth based on historical, 30-year tax digest data.

This measure would protect homeowners from unpredictable property valuation growth, while ensuring the school district maintains funding stability to continue providing students high-quality teachers and support staff.

In another legislative matter, the board heard an update during its work session on House Bill 845.

Since April, the district has been anticipating guidance from the Cherokee County state legislative delegation regarding the qualified companies or individuals who could conduct the legislatively required external financial audit, as well as the expected timeline. In November, the district received the name of one entity identified by the delegation: Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC.  In December, Superintendent Davis and staff met with the delegation’s selected auditor to discuss scope of work and cost estimates. 

That scope of work, which is posted online here and will cost $3.28 million over five years, was presented to the School Board as an action item Thursday. 

The board, with a motion made by School Board Chair Janet Read Welch, unanimously voted to table approval to allow for the board chair and vice chair to meet with the legislative delegation to ensure the scope of work fulfils the requirements of the state law and achieves the delegation’s intended outcomes. 

“Everyone wants to be in compliance,” School Board member Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison said.

School Board member Erin Ragsdale said, in addition to ensuring they and the delegation are “on the same page,” she also emphasized the importance of taxpayers understanding the scope of work enacted by the state law “and the cost to the school district and, ultimately, the taxpayers.”

The School Board also:

• Re-elected Vice Chair Jordan to serve as board vice chair for another one-year term;
• Student Delegate Joshua DeLima of Creekview High School shared the Student Delegate remarks.  Each Delegate takes a turn at the dais, on a rotating basis, and shares remarks on behalf of the group, adding an opportunity for student insight at every board meeting. Josh reflected on what he and his fellow Delegates learned from their Delegate work session, which this month featured the School Leadership & Operations team.  “Strong leaders always create the strongest schools,” Josh said of the team’s approach in its role overseeing and developing school leaders, adding how appreciative he is for their work to ensure students have an “amazing place to learn, grow and develop.”  The Delegates also learned about the division’s student support services, student athletics and activities, and student discipline responsibilities;
• Heard the monthly financial report for December, which is online here;
• Heard the monthly capital outlay report, which is online here.  All projects, including construction of the new replacement Cherokee HS campus and improvements to River Ridge, Sequoyah, and Woodstock High School campuses, are on schedule and within budget.  Board Chair Read Welch thanked Chief Support Services Officer Trey Moores for the reporting, noting it’s “exciting to see what we’re doing across the district – not just in specific places.”
• Recognized Georgia STEM Scholar teachers, Keith Furstenburg of Free Home ES and Tammy Owen of Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy.  Learn more here;
• Recognized Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District Essay Contest Cherokee County winner and regional runner up, Eden Amosa of Woodstock MS and her English language arts teacher, Lacy Caplan.  Learn more here;
• Recognized CCSD Elementary School Math Competition individual and team winners including overall winner, Woodstock ES.  Learn more here;
• Recognized GHSA State and Region Champions: Sequoyah HS football and Woodstock HS flag football.  Learn more here;
• Adopted the 2026-27 School Board Meeting Calendar, which is online here;
• Declared 20 unused mobile classrooms as surplus property and authorized disposal through sale and/or auction;
• Approved the renewal of a Partnership Agreement with longtime partner, Northside Hospital Cherokee.  Board Chair Read Welch thanked the hospital for its many years of strong support of CCSD and of the community overall; and,
• Approved monthly human resources employment recommendations including the retirement at the end of the school year of four longtime leaders: Principals Dan Fuller (Arnold Mill ES), Robert Horn (Etowah HS), and Joey Moss (Clark Creek ES STEM Academy) and Executive Director for Employee Resources Melissa Whatley.