Good News from the Sequoyah Zone

Check out the latest good news from schools in the Sequoyah Innovation Zone…

Sequoyah High School
Sequoyah High School has been named to two more lists of top U.S. high schools: 2013 “Best High Schools” in the U.S. list published by U.S. News & World Report and “America’s Best High Schools 2013” List published by Newsweek and The Daily Beast.
Sequoyah is making its 10th consecutive appearance in the elite rankings published by Newsweek.
Schools are ranked based on factors including: graduation rate; percent of graduates accepted to college; Advanced Placement (AP) tests per student; average SAT and/or ACT score; average AP exam score; and AP courses offered per student.
Sequoyah High, led by Principal Elliott Berman, moves up in the rankings to No. 580 in the U.S., the highest ranking among the four Cherokee County School District schools selected for the list.
On the U.S. News & World Report list, Sequoyah High is ranked at No. 18 in Georgia and No. 1,033 in the U.S. and received a National Silver Medal.
The magazine reviewed 21,000 U.S. public high schools; 47 Georgia schools, including Sequoyah HS, made the list.
The rankings methodology factors in performance on standardized reading and math test results by all students and by economically disadvantaged students and participation in Advanced Placement testing and passage of those tests.
“To be named to one of these prestigious lists is an honor, so I couldn’t be more proud of our four high schools that have made two of them and Sequoyah High, which is ranked not only to all three, but also has reached its 10th year as one of ‘America’s Best High Schools,’” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo said.  “We already know that every one of our high schools is outstanding thanks to the efforts of everyone involved – students, teachers, parents, administrators, volunteers and the entire community that supports public education – but it’s gratifying to receive national recognition for doing our best to ensure every child receives the highest quality education possible.” 

Sequoyah High School students Sydney Anderson, Dylan Carson and Wyatt Miller recently won top awards at the International DECA Career Development Conference held in Anaheim, Calif. from April 24 to 27.  All three received an Award of Excellence for finishing in the Top 20% of their competitive area at the event, which was attended by 16,500 students and teachers. While in California, they also visited the Santa Monica Pier and Disneyland.  Sequoyah High DECA Advisor Beth Carey said she is very proud of the students for their performance. 

Two riders from the Sequoyah High School Equestrian Club are advancing to Nationals next month.  Brooke Redfern and Ashley Bates, both sophomores, will be competing in the event held next month at In Your Dreams Farms in Alpharetta.  RIFNA State Finals Results for the students are: Ashley Bates: first place, Hunter Over Fences Team; second place, Three Person Dressage Individual, Three Person Dressage Team, Hunter Flat Team and Hunter Over Fences Individual; third place, Hunter Flat Individual; and Brooke Redfern: first place, Dressage; second place, Hunter Flat; third place, Western Horsemanship and Hunter Over Fences.  This is the inaugural year of the school’s Equestrian Club, and all Sequoyah High students with a love of horses and interest in riding are invited to join.  School sponsors are Dr. Wendy Roberts, Emily Helf and Meriam Freeman. 

Sequoyah High School’s Air Force Junior ROTC Unit has won the the 2012-2013 Air Force Junior ROTC Distinguished Unit Award.  It was also one of only 64 units in the Nation to receive this honor “With Merit” – and one of only six from Georgia.  The award recognizes Air Force Junior ROTC units that have performed above and beyond normal expectations, and that have distinguished themselves through outstanding service to their school and community while meeting the Air Force Junior ROTC mission of producing better citizens for America. 

Hickory Flat Elementary School
Hickory Flat Elementary School and Sequoyah High School recently teamed up to raise awareness about bullying.  Sequoyah High students visited classrooms at Hickory Flat Elementary to read books on the subject and talk to the students about bullying prevention.  “This is a wonderful mentoring opportunity for both the high school students and the elementary students,”  Hickory Flat Elementary School Principal Dr. Keith Ingram said. 

Holly Springs Elementary School STEM Academy
Holly Springs Elementary School has won its second annual Fit Friendly Gold Worksite Award from the American Heart Association, and is the only school in the Cherokee County School District to achieve this honor.  The program recognizes employers that take extra steps to create healthy workplaces such as by providing walking routes, promoting walking programs and allowing staff to wear athletic shoes on designated “sneaker days.”  For more information, see the program’s website at http://ffc.heart.org. 

Holly Springs Elementary School STEM Academy was recognized by the Holly Springs City Council this week, when it presented a proclamation in honor on Teacher Appreciation Week.  The proclamation, which states appreciation for teachers and the role they play in molding future leaders, was accepted on behalf of Holly Springs Elementary School STEM Academy and Cherokee County School District by teacher Lisa Naliwajka. 

Indian Knoll Elementary School
Indian Knoll Elementary School Counselor Colleen DeLosh recently was honored with a Cherokee CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Children Light of Hope Award.
The annual awards recognize people in Cherokee County who advocate and support children.
Ms. DeLosh was honored as the school personnel winner.  A former teacher, Ms. DeLosh is in her second year as a counselor and has taken on such projects as creating a food pantry for the school’s needy children and their families.

Mountain Road Elementary School
Tonya Slease-Cannon, the cafeteria manager at Mountain Road Elementary School, has received state honors.  Ms. Slease-Cannon won third place in the State Culinary Competition.  She was honored for this achievement at the Georgia School Nutrition Association’s Annual Conference recently held in Savannah.