CCSD Celebrates Support Staff Employees of the Year

The Cherokee County School District today celebrated the important role of support staff at its Eighth Annual Support Staff Employees of the Year Awards!

See more photos online here

The celebration, which this year was presented as a luncheon for the first time, honored one Support Staff Employee of the Year from each of CCSD’s schools, centers and central office divisions.  Each of the honorees was joined by a guest and their principal or supervisor and was recognized by School Board members and the Superintendent of Schools.  In addition to lunch, all honorees received a plaque and gifts of appreciation.  

Special presentations were made to one overall CCSD winner each in three categories: Elementary School to Gary Provost, head custodian of Sixes ES; Middle School/High School/Centers to Karen Brown, head custodian of Creekland MS; and Central Office to the late Jami Stefano, who served as a CCSD lead nurse.  These overall winners were selected by a committee of retired educators and community leaders.  

Congratulations to our school, division, and overall winners for their unparalleled talent and unmatched dedication!  Thank you to all sponsors including Presenting Sponsor, the Cherokee County Educational Foundation; Platinum Sponsors, Credit Union of Georgia and Timbers on Etowah; and Gold Sponsors, Cobb EMC and Center Cut Catering and thank you to our School Board for its laser focus on ensuring our students are learning more, growing more, and achieving more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else!

The three overall CCSD winners received: a $500 Visa card funded by sponsors; free event space certificate (valued between $300-$1,000) from Thrive Canton; $200 Amazon gift card from Cobb EMC; $150 voucher for CCSD or school branded apparel from Allegro Business Products; season tickets from Cherokee Theatre Company; $100 gift card from Kroger; $100 gift card from Practically Perfect Day Spa; $50 gift cards from Buffalo’s Café, J. Michael’s Prime and Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q; gift cards from Chick-fil-A of Cherokee County, Golf2Grow and Marco’s Pizza; a “birthday box” gift package from Nothing Bundt Cakes Woodstock; and a bag of fresh ground coffee from Stitch Coffee.

All winners, in addition to the $200 Visa gift card funded by sponsors, also received a swag bag filled with gifts and certificates from CCSD partners including: Buffalo’s Café, Canyons Fresh Grill, Caribou Coffee, Cherokee Theatre Company, Chick-fil-A of Cherokee County, Cobb EMC, Credit Union of Georgia, Golf2Grow, Marco’s Pizza, Mission Escape, Northside Hospital Cherokee, Nothing Bundt Cakes Woodstock, Practically Perfect Day Spa, Riverstone Corner Bistro, Simply Southern, Stitch Coffee, Thrive Canton, Wellstar Health System, and Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q.

School- and division-level honorees were selected by their colleagues, and everyone who works in a support role for CCSD is eligible for the honor.  Teachers, counselors, media specialists and administrators are not eligible, as they are honored through other awards programs. 

This year’s celebration featured special performances and tributes by students: music by the River Ridge HS orchestra, directed by Greg Norman; the presentation of colors by the Etowah HS JROTC, the national anthem performed by Mia Summers of Creekland MS, inspirational remarks by Maddie DeLoach of Sequoyah HS, and a song performed by Ava Zelinsky of Cherokee HS.  Woodstock HS Family & Consumer Science students assisted Center Cut Catering staff in serving lunch.

2025-26 CCSD Support Staff Employees of the Year
ACTIVE Academies: Joyce Edwards, Head Custodian
Arnold Mill ES: Chandler Woodruff, Technology Specialist
Avery ES: Kristi Eno, Registrar
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Ashley Holcomb, Supportive Instruction Paraprofessional
Bascomb ES: Daisy Maina, Head Custodian
Boston ES: Retta Shaw, Bookkeeper
Carmel ES: Amy Hagan, School Nurse
CCSD Preschool Centers: Betsy Montgomery, Paraprofessional
Cherokee HS: Jamie Vogan, Instructional Lead Strategist
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Jerry Jennerson, Custodian
Clayton ES: Amanda Parton, Head Custodian
Creekland MS: Karen Brown, Head Custodian
Creekview HS: Kathy Blalock, Administrative Assistant
Dean Rusk MS: Melissa Mynatt, Records Facilitator
E.T. Booth MS: Michael Barnes, Head Custodian
Etowah HS: Candice Rucker, Athletic Department Secretary
Free Home ES: Chelsea Magee, Paraprofessional
Freedom MS: Jacki Campbell, ISS Instructor/MTSS-RTI Coordinator
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: Ashley Donahue, Title 1 Remedial Paraprofessional
Hickory Flat ES: Jean White, Principal's Secretary
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Blanca Luz Troas, Head Custodian
Indian Knoll ES: Lois Boggs, Supportive Instruction Paraprofessional
Johnston ES: Lauren Godfrey, School Nurse
Knox ES STEM Academy: Lori Smith, Instructional Lead Strategist
Liberty ES: Stephen Crosby, Head Custodian
Little River ES: Nan Ezell, Bookkeeper
Macedonia ES: Craig Lyttle, Head Custodian
Mill Creek MS: Heather Stone, Special Education Facilitator
Mountain Road ES: Melanie Parrott, Front Office Clerk
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Anisha Patel, Speech Language Pathologist
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Karri Manning, Head Custodian
River Ridge HS: Tyler Thomas, School Police Officer
Sequoyah HS: Angie Geiger, Athletic Department Secretary
Sixes ES: Gary Provost, Head Custodian
Teasley MS: Stephanie Lewis, Front Office Secretary
Tippens EC: Adam Parker, Special Education Facilitator
Woodstock ES: Becky Muir, Kindergarten Paraprofessional
Woodstock HS: Zahir Herrera, Paraprofessional
Woodstock MS: John Cody, Head Custodian
CCSD Academics & Accountability: Courtney Jones, Administrative Assistant -- Executive Director
CCSD Financial Management: Kimberly Reynolds, Administrative Assistant -- Chief Financial Officer
CCSD Human Resources: Katie George, Administrative Assistant -- Executive Director
CCSD Safety & Security: Randy Streetman, Safety & Security Specialist
CCSD School Leadership & Operations/Communications: the late Jami Stefano, Lead Nurse
CCSD Support Services: Dina Murtagh, Division Facilitator
CCSD Technology & Information Services: Karl Chima, System Analyst I
CCSD Transportation: Jamye Rechsteiner, Transportation Secretary