Raper
Shannon Raper describes herself as “that mom” – the one who almost never missed anything her daughter was involved with at school.
When her daughter graduated from high school in 2020, Raper began looking for other ways to stay involved in the schools. She now hopes to do that as a District 3 representative on the Cherokee County Board of Education.
“We just have a great need in this community and I want to be part of the solution, whatever it is, to reach out to those young folks,” Raper said. “I just believe now is the time.
“I very much have a burden for children in this county. They face a whole lot more than I ever did when I was younger.”
The Republican candidate works with the sheriff’s office but previously held jobs within the school system, including one in transportation. She has remained involved with the school system through her church’s youth outreach in grades K-5 at Ranger Elementary School. Her role in the sheriff’s office has given her a greater awareness of the struggles Cherokee County students face.
“I know what we consider foster orphans here in this county, that percentage is just through the roof anymore,” Raper said. “It seems like here lately the majority of those placements outside their natural home is due to the increase in drug activity.”
Ranger is near and dear to Raper’s heart because that’s where her daughter went to school, but she has a love for community schools in general. She has seen firsthand how community schools can rally around a person in need.
“When there’s a need and it’s verbalized, it’s put out there, at least in my end of the county, it’s taken care of,” she said. “I’m going to say that across this county it’s like that as well.”
Raper began her own high school days as one of about 2,500 students at Pope High School in Marietta, Ga., before moving to Hiwassee Dam High School halfway through her junior year. She estimates she was one of 300 K-12 students at Hiwassee Dam.
“Once I got past that initial culture shock, they just took me right in,” Raper said. “I really appreciate that, and I want to maintain that as long as possible.”
How long Cherokee County can maintain some of these facilities is one of the biggest questions facing the board of education. The school board and board of commissioners already approved a consolidated high school that is set to be built in Peachtree near the School of Innovation & Technology that is under construction.
Raper said she is excited to see The Oaks Academy being moved to the School of Innovation & Technology, but would have liked to have seen that facility finished before Cherokee County considered the new consolidated high school. Although Cherokee County’s student numbers are on the decline in some areas, Raper said the county needs to be prepared for future growth.
“I know they keep saying numbers are going down and going down, but I just don’t think that’s going to be the case,” Raper said. “In a perfect world, we would keep all of our schools. But if you’re talking about the future, yeah, we’re going to have to consolidate some things.
“I don’t like one central high school. If we’re going to do one high school, not that location.”
Regardless of what happens with future facilities, Raper would like to see parents get more involved in schools above the elementary level.
“PTA is huge in elementary school and is a very strong, supportive group of that school, but at the high school level, no.” Raper said. “Our teachers, our staff, our administration, they do a really good job, but there’s only so much they can do. Other folks have got to step up, whether it be through a school board or what.”