CALHOUN, GA — Calhoun City Schools (CCS) is proud to announce that the Georgia State Board of Education has officially approved the renewal of the district’s System Charter for the five-year term spanning 2026-2031. This renewal reaffirms the district’s commitment to utilizing local flexibility to drive high academic achievement and student success.
As a Charter System, Calhoun City Schools operates under a performance-based contract with the State Board of Education. This status grants the district critical "flexibility waivers" from many state mandates, allowing for innovative educational models, unique scheduling, and localized decision-making through School Governance Teams (SGTs).
The recommendation for renewal comes as no surprise to those familiar with the district's track record. Calhoun City Schools remains one of the few districts in the state to be named the Georgia Charter System of the Year on two separate occasions. This prestigious accolade recognizes systems that demonstrate:
Exceptional Governance: Empowerment of local School Governance Teams to influence school-level decisions.
Academic Innovation: Significant improvements in graduation rates and CCRPI scores through flexible learning environments.
Community Partnerships: Strong ties with local industry and higher education that bridge the gap between the classroom and the workforce.
Recent recognitions from the Georgia Department of Education reflect the district’s commitment to innovation and academic excellence through the Charter System model. Calhoun High School was recently named a 2026 Advanced Placement (AP) Honor School, highlighting the strong AP opportunities and high student achievement in AP STEM courses.
Strong governance teams will continue to provide support for our schools. SGTs provide a platform for parents, teachers, and community members to collaborate with school leadership in decision-making. As part of the district’s Charter System, SGTs play a key role in supporting student success, offering input on school initiatives, and strengthening community partnerships. These teams help guide school improvement efforts while ensuring that stakeholders have a voice in shaping the future of education.
Elections and appointments were recently held to fill vacant parent, teacher, and community member seats for the 2026-2027 school governance teams in accordance with each school’s bylaws. School Governance Teams for 2026-2027 include:
Calhoun Early Learning Academy: Hailey Amick, Savannah Cecil, Lauren DePerro, Amberle Dillard, Will Harper, Nikki King, Kat Quist, Amanda Swift and Dr. Steven Waters
Calhoun Primary School: Miranda Bentley, Crystal Chapman, Devon Davis, Ashley Everett, Rachel Holbert, Candace Mason, Jason Smith, Jenny Stewart, Brenda Timms and Tiffany Watson
Calhoun Elementary School: Samantha Altmann, Jamie Bramblett, Beckey Brown, Ryan Land, Nichol Linn, Michelle Noffsinger, Casey Parker, Blake Silvers, Meagan Walraven, Ashley Williams and Jenna Young
Calhoun Middle School: Allison Davis, Scope Denmon, Trey Gibson, Crystal Hathaway, Cassey LeBouef, Dr. Matt Maynor, Cynthia Sanchez, Johnathan Stone, Heather Taylor and Madison Wilfong
Calhoun High School: Mike Afdahl, Skylar Benham, Daniel Bennett, Leann Bone, Dr. Allison Eubanks, Josh Millican, Garrett Nudd and Emilee Smith
Calhoun College and Career Academy Board of Directors: Tracy Farriba, Lacey Fuquea, Dr. Brandi Hayes, Elizabeth Howard, Emily Hurd, Jeni Ingersoll, Kathy Johnson, Kurt McCord, Heidi Popham, Mike Schutz and Johnathan Stone
Calhoun City Schools’ System Governance Committee: Susan Bennett, Dr. Peter Coombe, Dr. Allison Eubanks, Dr. Jaime Garrett, Becky Gilbert-George, Joni Harbin, Melanie Harwell, Dr. Brandi Hayes, Kim Kiker, Hal Lamb, Dr. Matt Maynor, Heather McCrone, Casey Parker, Kayla Ralston, Ben Riley, Amanda Schutz, Shane Shelton, Amanda Swift, Hope Stephenson, Dr. Michele Taylor, Dr. Tricia Waters, Tiffany Watson and Dee Wrisley. Co-Chairs from each School Governance Team are included on the System Governance Committee. Co-Chairs are selected at the first SGT meeting of the school year.
The 2026-2031 charter term will focus on further enhancing the district’s tradition of excellence in Academics, Arts, and Athletics. Key initiatives under the new charter include expanded career pathways, enhanced STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) integration, and the continued development of flexible learning spaces that prepare students for a rapidly evolving global economy.