Georgia PTA Honors Cherokee County Educators and Volunteers

Cherokee County School District educators and volunteers have been honored by the Georgia PTA with its top statewide awards.

The annual awards program recognizes PTA volunteers and educators, with honors recently presented at the educational advocacy organization’s statewide convention, the district announced.

School nurse Betty Miller of Arnold Mill Elementary School is the Georgia PTA Outstanding Nurse Award winner. The honor recognizes school nurses who go above and beyond. She was honored earlier this year as the District 13 PTA winner for elementary schools with less than 750 students.

The Outstanding Principal Award recognizes principals or assistant principals for outstanding contributions to education, and two CCSD leaders won statewide awards.

Principal Matthew May was honored as the Georgia PTA Middle School Principal of the Year. May, who most recently led Mill Creek Middle School and earned the honor for his service there, will lead Creekland Middle School next school year.

Principal Mark Smith was honored as the Georgia PTA High School Principal of the Year. Smith leads ACTIVE Academies, which includes ACE Academy, Cherokee College & Career Academy, i-Grad Virtual Academy and Transition Academy.

May and Smith had been honored earlier this year with District 13 PTA awards.

School PTA units were recognized with various awards, with two earning the state’s top honor, Outstanding Local Unit, which celebrates success in all areas.

Mill Creek Middle School was named the Georgia PTA Outstanding Local Unit Middle School.

The 2023-24 PTSA leadership team consists of Co-Presidents Will Egwu and Scott Steinbrenner; Vice Presidents Felicia Hayes, Gail Peel and Samantha Bowman; Treasurer Lori Harrison, Recording Secretary Brittany Hamlin, Corresponding Secretary Michele Sanchez and Parliamentarian Paige Todd.