Cherokee Schools Announces Transportation Employees of the Year

The Cherokee County School District recently recognized its Transportation Employees of the Year, the district announced.

The awards recognize an outstanding school bus driver from each Innovation Zone (high school and feeder middle and elementary schools) and one from CCSD’s team of Special Education drivers; from this group, one overall CCSD winner is selected. The winners are selected by their fellow bus drivers and the Transportation department’s administration team.

The program is now in its third year.

This year’s overall winner is Nick Harper, a seven-year CCSD school bus driver for the Sequoyah Innovation Zone.

This year, two Innovation Zone winners were named for the Cherokee Innovation Zone, one North and one South, due to the area’s size. The Innovation Zone winners, in addition to Harper, are: Cherokee North, Joe Farrell; Cherokee South, Jeanie Sheppard; Creekview, Lynn Hudson; Etowah, Marvin Dorsey; River Ridge, Ben MacCracken; Woodstock, Lulu Busby; and Special Education, Lisa Ragsdale

“In addition to being an awesome person, Nick is an awesome bus driver,” said Lisa DuBois, the Sequoyah Zone’s supervisor. “The safety and well-being of the students on his bus is always his first priority.”

Harper’s routes include transporting students from the Sequoyah Zone to ACE Academy, CCSD’s alternative school. “He has become a ‘counselor behind the wheel’” for ACE students, Ms. DuBois said. “He’s friendly, approachable, and always willing to help — he has the best attitude. He always handles any situation with ease and never complains.”

CCSD recognized the winners this week before their peers at the Transportation department’s annual back-to-school kick-off meeting and training session at River Ridge High School. Credit Union of Georgia sponsored lunch for all those in attendance.

Harper received a $500 gift card and the Zone and Special Education winners each received a $100 gift card, sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation and Peach State Thomas Buses.

All the winners additionally received a congratulatory banner and gift bag, which included gifts from Credit Union of Georgia and Cobb EMC, and gift cards from Chick-fil-A, Cherokee County, and Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt at Riverstone.

The recognition program is in addition to CCSD’s Support Staff Employees of the Year program, which all non-educators, including bus drivers, are eligible to win for their school or central office division.