Cherokee County Schools (North Carolina) Explained

Cherokee County Schools
Streetaddress:2230 Airport Road
City:Marble
State:North Carolina
County:Cherokee County
Zipcode:28905
Country:United States
Schools:13
Budget:$ 38,240,000
Superintendent:Dr. Keevin Woody
Asst Superintendent:John Higdon
Faculty:249.87 (FTE)
Motto:Locally Grown, Globally Prepared
Grades:Pre-K - 12
Enrollment:3,081

Cherokee County Schools manages the 13 public schools in Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States, with an enrollment of 3,081 students and a 12.7:1 student-to-teacher ratio.[1] [2]

The school superintendent is Dr. Keevin Woody.[3] As of 2023, Cherokee County Schools' graduation rate is 92 percent. The state average is 86.5 percent.[4]

Schools and facilities

Elementary schools

Elementary-middle schools

Elementary-middle schools are schools that teach kindergarten, or pre-kindergarten, to the 8th grade. Cherokee County Schools operated 3 elementary-middle schools (the schools were named as "elementary middle", or "elementary & middle" rather than "elementary-middle") until 2024 - Martins Creek, Ranger, and Hiwassee Dam. These three schools taught K-8.

On January 18, 2024, Cherokee County's school board voted to move Hiwassee Dam Elementary (K-5 Students) to Ranger Elementary School and move Ranger middle school students to Hiwassee Dam, leaving only Ranger Elementary and Hiwassee Dam Middle School (and High School). They also voted to move Martins Creek Elementary Middle students to Murphy Middle School. The reorganization will go into effect for the 2024-2025 school year.[16] In March 2024, the Cherokee Scout wrote the school board also plans to combine Peachtree Elementary School and Martins Creek School in the 2025-2026 school year.

The school board’s decision to reorganize multiple schools and rezone children ignited heated opposition. The board made the choice without public notice, took no public comment about the changes during that meeting, and did not seek feedback from staff or principals who were there.[17] The Scout reported that multiple citizens and the newspaper itself had difficulty getting any response from school board members. The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners called for a joint meeting with the school board, but the school district did not respond, prompting commissioners to delay approving school projects. In March 2024, the Scout wrote that the school district is “at odds with a growing list of local institutions and individuals that includes county government, the county’s Needs and Solutions Advisory Committee, parents, faculty, staff and even the Cherokee Scout.”[18]

Middle schools

Cherokee County Schools operates 3 middle schools, one of which was made into a middle school in 2024.

High schools

Cherokee County Schools operates 3 main high schools in the county, the oldest high school facility being Hiwassee Dam High (1956) and the newest being Andrews (1963). Murphy High School was also built in 1956, but construction of the school ended later in the year than Hiwassee Dam.

Consolidation effort (2020-2022)

In May 2020 the Cherokee County Board of Education voted to build a new high school near Tri-County Community College in Peachtree to consolidate Andrews High, Hiwassee Dam High School, and Murphy High.[28] In September 2022 the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction awarded Cherokee County Schools a $50 million grant to move forward with consolidation.[29] After public outcry, in January 2023 new members of the Cherokee County Board of Education voted to return the money to the state rather than consolidate the schools.[30]

Other schools

Cherokee County Schools also operates an alternative school and an early college. The early college was founded by CCS and Tri-County Community College.

Former schools

Other facilities

Demand to surrender Central Office property (2024)

On May 23, 2024, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to make an alternative use for CCS's Central Office at 911 Andrews Road. The board gave CCS until August 2, 2024 to surrender and vacate the property.[31] A statement from the letter given to Cherokee County Schools on May 24:

"Should Cherokee County Schools fail to vacate the premises by the 2 August 2024 at 5 p.m., Cherokee County Government reserves the right to seek summary ejectment..."

The above statement tells Cherokee County Schools that if they don't vacate the property before August 2, then they will be evicted. An offer was made to Cherokee County Schools by the Board of Commissioners to use the former National Guard Amory at 188 James A. Mulkey Drive. Now a county-owned facility, the building is stated to have a comparable size to the current office. The county is willing to give funds for any renovations to the building for when CCS moves. It was also stated that the Board of Commissioners will be glad to take any requests for other properties CCS would like to use for their Central Office and that they would still fund the renovations.

Key dates of CCS facilities

!School!Constructed!Opened!Temporarily Closed!Reason for Closure!Permanently Closed!Reason For Closure!Reopened!Fate!Notes
Andrews Elementary School(AES)195119511971Burned1975
Andrews Middle School(AMS)19981999
Andrews High School(AHS)c. 1890, 1914, 1962c. 18901961 (Public School), 196261' - Public School Demolished62' - HS Burned1915, 1963
Cherokee County Schools Bus Garage19551955
Cherokee County Schools Central Office1956, ????, ????, 1955 (Mar ES)1970, 1997, 2001, 2024Work was still done during moves
Cherokee County Schools of Innovation (Three Schools)(CCSI)2021-20232023
Cherokee County Schools Career Academy(CCSCA)2021 (CCSI)2023
Hiwassee Dam Middle School(HDMS)19561956
Hiwassee Dam High School(HDHS)19561956
Marble Elementary School(Mar ES)195519552017Low-budget of County SchoolsConsolidation with Andrews and Murphy Elementary,Building For Sale
Martins Creek Elementary School(MCES)c. 1940s, 1997c. 1940s1997Demolition and construction of new school1998
Mountain Youth School(MYS)199719972017Re-established as The Oaks Academy
Murphy Elementary School(MES)1922, 196119221961Demolished for new ES1962
Murphy Middle School(MMS)19971998
Murphy High School(MHS)c.1900, 1925, 1956c.19001925, 195625' - Relocation56' - Relocation1957
Peachtree Elementary School(PES)1900s, 1929, 1947, 19891800s1929, 1945, 198629' - Relocation45' - Burned86' - Burned1929, 1947, 1989
Ranger Elementary School(RES)1950s, 19981950s199797' - Reconstruction1999
The Oaks Academy(TOA)1955 (Mar ES), 2021 (CCSI)2017
Tri-County Early College(TCEC)2006, 2021 (CCSI)2006

Superintendents

  1. Lloyd Hendrix (1939-1969)
  2. John Jordan (1969-c.1973)
  3. William R Pipes (1983-????)
  4. Dr. Donald Bentley (c.1991)
  5. Gary Steppe (????-2002)
  6. Dr. Jeanette F. Hedrick (2002-2008)
  7. Dr. Stephen Lane (2008-2014)
  8. Dr. Jeana Conley (2014-2022)
  9. Dr. Keevin Woody (2022-present)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NC Educationbug.org - Cherokee County School District . North-carolina.educationbug.org . 2007-06-01 . 2012-05-02.
  2. News: Foster . Randy . Overcrowded with campuses . Cherokee Scout . Murphy, N.C. . Community Newspapers, Inc. . 2023-09-06 . 9A .
  3. Web site: Cherokee County Schools . Cherokee.k12.nc.us . 2012-05-02.
  4. News: Foster . Randy . Schools improve in state grading . Cherokee Scout . Murphy, NC . Community Newspapers, Inc. . 2023-12-19 . 8A .
  5. Web site: Jan 29, 1961, page 77 - Asheville Citizen-Times at Newspapers.com . 2024-03-21 . Newspapers.com . en.
  6. 1952-08-21 . Cherokee scout. (Murphy, N.C.) 188?-1961, August 21, 1952, Image 1 . 1952/08/21 . 0746-3987.
  7. News: School bond vote set . The Cherokee Scout . Murphy, NC . 1971-09-23 . A1 .
  8. Web site: Official Website . Cherokeecounty.nc.schoolwebpages.com . 2011-02-21 . 2012-05-02.
  9. Web site: Murphy Elementary on . Psk12.com . 2012-05-02.
  10. Web site: Murphy Elementary on Greatschools . Greatschools.org . 2010-09-07 . 2012-05-02.
  11. News: Fire destroys high school at Andrews . The Cherokee Scout . Murphy, N.C. . 1962-02-22 . A1 .
  12. Web site: North Carolina ABC top 25 Schools . PDF . 2012-05-02.
  13. Web site: Martins Creek Elementary Middle School Official Website . Cherokeecounty.nc.schoolwebpages.com . 2011-06-19 . 2012-05-02.
  14. Web site: Martins Creek Elementary Middle on . Psk12.com . 2012-05-02.
  15. Web site: Martins Creek Elementary Middle on Greatschools . Greatschools.org . 2010-09-07 . 2012-05-02.
  16. Web site: Divided school board in Cherokee County, N.C. votes to reorganize schools .
  17. News: Foster . Randy . 2024-02-20 . Parents scold school board . 2024-03-25 . . . Murphy, NC.
  18. News: Foster . Randy . 2024-03-19 . County won’t OK school projects . . . Murphy, NC . 1A.
  19. Web site: Andrews Middle Home Page . Cherokeecounty.nc.schoolwebpages.com . 2009-10-04 . 2012-05-02.
  20. Web site: Andrews Middle on Greatschools . Greatschools.org . 2010-09-07 . 2012-05-02.
  21. Web site: Andrews Middle School on . Psk12.com . 2012-05-02.
  22. Web site: Hiwassee Dam Elementary Middle Homepage . Cherokeecounty.nc.schoolwebpages.com . 2009-10-09 . 2012-05-02.
  23. Web site: Hdems On . Psk12.com . 2012-05-02.
  24. Web site: Murphy Middle School Official Website . Greatschools.org . 2010-09-07 . 2012-05-02.
  25. Web site: Murphy Middle on . Psk12.com . 2012-05-02.
  26. Web site: Murphy Middle on Greatschools . Greatschools.org . 2010-09-07 . 2012-05-02.
  27. News: Fire destroys high school at Andrews . The Cherokee Scout . Murphy, N.C. . 1962-02-22 . A1 .
  28. News: Cherokee County votes to consolidate three high schools. Thompson. David. Asheville Citizen-Times. May 29, 2020. May 29, 2020.
  29. https://www.cherokeescout.com/local/county-receives-50-million-grant-consolidated-high-school
  30. News: Putnam . Jared . County officially turns down grant . Cherokee Scout . Murphy, N.C. . Community Newspapers, Inc. . 2023-01-10 .
  31. Web site: WTVC . 2024-05-24 . Cherokee County, NC Schools district headquarters ordered to vacate its current location . 2024-05-26 . WTVC . en.
  32. Web site: Jan 29, 1961, page 77 - Asheville Citizen-Times at Newspapers.com . 2024-03-21 . Newspapers.com . en.