Cherokee Wants Alternative Path to Graduation

The Cherokee County School District's dream of opening a technical high school could be closer to reality.

Two members of the Cherokee County legislative delegation have expressed an interest in helping the school system tackle the necessary steps to open the specialized high school.

The legislators, Republican State Representatives Michael Caldwell of Woodstock and Scot Turner of Holly Springs, both wrote a letter to the district expressing their desire to help in any way they could.

Both legislators met separately with Cherokee County School Board Chair Janet Read and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo to discuss the district's 2014 legislative priorities, which is how they were made aware of the district's plans.

The planning for the proposal is in the early stages, so both representative said they will focus on streamlining the process for the district and cutting through the bureaucratic red tape. 

Current plans call for the district to develop a college and career ready academy that would be housed on the current Teasley Middle School campus after its replacement facility opens, District Spokeswoman Barbara Jacoby said. 

That site could also serve as a location for ACE Academy and a possible additional site for Polaris Evening School and C3 Academy.

There are no plans to require students to submit applications, and if the program grows large enough to exceed capacity, the district could employ a "first come, first serve" model for enrollment similar to some of its Cherokee Academies, Jacoby added. 

Cost estimates have not been determined for the initiative, as it's still in the planning stages, she said.

The school district has for several years clamored for the state to consider additional options to make available for students who do not desire to take the college prep path to career readiness.  

Jacoby added the superintendent's Cherokee Academies Ad Hoc Committee "is seeking opportunities that will increase graduation rates and better prepare more students for successful careers, which may include greater class schedule flexibility, as well as additional course choices not offered at other campuses." 

Both legislators praised the development, specifically because it offers more choice to parents.

"My hope is that this school will give students an opportunity to come out of high school with marketable skills that will serve them immediately and for the rest of their lives," Turner said. "I also think there is a huge benefit to our community as a whole and this makes us more attractive for employers to locate here."

Caldwell noted that since the state has transitioned towards requiring students to embark on a college prep path towards graduation, "we have in many cases forced students down a path they never planned to travel."

This could change all that, the state representative said. Since numerous teenagers do not want to attend a traditional, four-year post-secondary institution, they are left pursuing careers and diplomas that do not have their "individual paths" in mind, he added.

"The introduction of a technical high school in Cherokee County allows parents and students the ability to better tailor their educational experience to their own future," Caldwell stated. "This should help keep students interested, excelling and better prepared to contribute in the real world."