Peachtree – The new Cherokee County Schools of Innovation & Technology was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 22 that brought out school administrators, teachers, students, elected officials, law enforcement officers and the public.
The new building is big, bright and spacious, sitting beside a newly paved parking lot while overlooking beautiful mountains. Teachers and students voiced joy over the new school.
Amanda Fleischer of Marble is a senior at Tri-County Early College High School, which is located on the new campus along with The Oaks Academy alternative school and a Career & Technical Education Academy offering vocational classes.
“I am in love with the kitchen,” she said. “I work at a restaurant so I’m comparing it to that and, oh my gosh, the kitchen and cafeteria are spectacular. I also love the big ceilings and the auditorium.”
The rooms and hallways are spacious as well. The Early College previously used portables next to Tri-County Community College, while The Oaks Academy has been at the former Martins Creek and Marble schools.
Lexie Graves, a senior at the Early College, is happy to be coming to the Schools of Innovation.
“I’m excited this year to finally have a big and more connected space,” she said. “We’ve all come from the Early College, and it was all separated. It’s gonna open up so much room for us to do our projects.”
The facility doesn’t have a gymnasium, so students will need to travel elsewhere to participate in extracurricular activities.
“I like that sports are separated,” Fleischer said, “so here you can mainly focus on academics.”
Sophomore Victoria Jimenez enjoys swimming and will soon take up soccer. She doesn’t view traveling to participate in sports as a problem.
“It’s ginormous and it’s really cool,” she said of her new school. “I’m thankful to be a part of this.”
It isn’t just the additional space that has students and teachers happy, but the quality and quantity of the equipment as well.
“There’s more technology, computers and cameras,” said Trinity Mickens, a senior involved in journalism. “That way we can get more people involved in making the yearbook. In the past, we’ve only had small rooms with only like five MacBooks.”
Murphy Mayor Tim Radford said he was excited and proud to see the new, modern Cherokee County Schools of Innovation campus.
“This campus is a state-of-the-art facility that will provide our students with the best possible education. The classrooms are spacious and well-equipped, the labs are state of the art and the cafeteria facilities are top-notch. I am confident that this campus will help our students reach their full potential and prepare them for success in college, career and life,” Radford said.
“I am also proud of the way that this campus brings together Tri-County Early College, The Oaks Academy and the Career & Technical Education programs. This collaboration will provide our students with a more well-rounded education and give them the skills they need to succeed in whatever they choose to do.”