The Cherokee County schools are the first in Georgia to launch a program to help parents learn more about the public schools.

The school district is piloting the Volunteer Instructional Leadership Learning Academy, a parents’ academy developed by the Georgia School Boards Association. It will be featured in a GSBA video to promote the program, officials said.

“The goal is for you to learn more about CCSD and take what you learn back out into the community and be advocates for CCSD,” School Board Chairman Kyla Cromer told the inaugural class.

The 16 participants will attend six sessions this fall, learning about district governance, the role of school board members, major system priorities and day-to-day operations. They will speak with board members and staff, visit schools and end the program with a graduation dinner sponsored by the Credit Union of Georgia.

Schools Superintendent Brian V. Hightower said he hopes to make the free program an annual offering.

Information: http://bit.ly/2vQsNws