Chapman Intermediate Celebrated for "Sterling Reputation," Academic Success

While Chapman Intermediate School is slated to close at the end of the 2012-13 school year, the community isn't allowing its accomplishments to go unnoticed.

Chapman Intermediate School recognized its current and past leaders during a Legacy Celebration held last Thursday at the school.

The facility will close at the end of the school year and become part of the Etowah High School campus. 

The event, which was open to the community, was attended by current and former staff, students and PTA leaders, Cherokee County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo and members of his staff and School Board Chair Janet Read.

Chapman’s fifth- and sixth-grade model, which opened for the 2000-01 school year, was a community-based solution to critical overcrowding at elementary schools in the Etowah zone. 

"This kind of solution is why we encourage parents to be involved in our annual boundary redrawing process (and) we want you to have a say in how your schools handle growth," Petruzielo said. "The intermediate school solution has exceeded all expectations – students and teachers have excelled, and parents have been very pleased to keep their children in the Etowah zone."

Chapman students consistently have outscored their peers statewide on the Georgia CRCT and nationwide on the ITBS, the superintendent said.

Petruzielo noted this foundation of excellence has contributed to the "incredible successes" Cherokee County School District students are seeing at the high school level, including the highest average SAT scores in the state and Etowah High’s 2013 State academic team championship.

“Chapman Intermediate also has a sterling reputation for character education and community service," Petruzielo said. "An event like this one, for example, which invites parents and families of current and former students; current and former teachers, administrators, PTA leaders and School Board members; and business supporters and volunteers, shows how much the school cares about its role in the community." 

During the ceremony, guests heard remarks from Petruzielo, Read, Chapman Principal Susan McCarthy, the school's first principal Don Jenkins, who provided a video message; and Etowah High Principal Keith Ball. 

Following the remarks, Chapman staff unveiled a sculpture and presented it to Ball for display on the school’s grounds. 

The specific future use of the facility will be determined by the Etowah High community, Petruzielo added.  

When Chapman Intermediate closes at the end of the school year, its current fifth- and sixth-graders will advance to E.T. Booth Middle, which with the opening of its new campus, will become a grade 6-8 school in line with the state model. 

McCarthy will join the school district’s Office of Educational Programs as director for school improvement; Assistant Principal Carolyn Daugherty will move to Johnston Elementary and Dan Fuller will serve at Mill Creek Middle.

Chapman originally opened as an elementary school in 1974 and housed grades first through eighth. The school lost its seventh- and eighth- grade students when Booth Middle was constructed in the 1980s. 

A large two-story classroom building was later added to the Chapman campus in 1990 to accommodate the climbing enrollment.

However, during the 1998-99 school year, the decision was made to transition the school for just fifth- and sixth-grade students who would come from Bascomb, Boston and Oak Grove Elementary.

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