Cherokee faces future as longtime school leader retires
The transition from longtime Cherokee County school Superintendent Frank Petruzielo to Brian Hightower comes as the school district encounters a major growth spurt.
Cherokee’s student population has increased by 25 percent over the past decade, the second-largest increase in metro Atlanta, behind Forsyth. New home sales increased by 23 percent between 2013 and 2014, while new construction starts were up 12 percent.
How Cherokee educates the influx of new students will be key to its future.
State data show more low-income students are in the Cherokee system than five years ago, as well as more students who have trouble speaking English. PTA leaders, school board members and others in Cherokee say the school district has done a good job but must do more to teach students skills that will help them get good-paying jobs once they graduate.
Read here for more about Petruzielo's retirement and how the school district faces its future.
About the Author
Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.
