Catoosa County Public Schools
A Georgia Charter System
Catoosa County Public Schools: Superintendent's Message
Dear Catoosa County Families and Community,
On Tuesday, we hosted one of my favorite and most inspiring events of the entire school year: the CCPS Teacher of the Year Luncheon.
In Catoosa County Public Schools, we are exceptionally blessed to have some of the most dedicated, skillful, and compassionate educators in the State of Georgia. During the luncheon, I shared that receiving the CCPS Teacher of the Year award is a lot like winning college football’s Heisman Trophy.
The Heisman Trophy is made of about $150 worth of bronze. If it were cast in solid gold, it would be worth around $1.5 million! Yet, no recipient ever cares about the value of the metal. What makes that trophy priceless is what it symbolizes.
The Teacher of the Year award is certainly not about the value of the plaque; it is about the profound dedication behind it.
We are living through one of the most challenging times in history for educators. Right on the heels of navigating a global pandemic, teachers are facing the challenges posed by student cell phones, social media, and artificial intelligence (AI), and how these impact students in their classrooms. However, day in and day out, our teachers show up in the classroom with unwavering dedication to our students and that is where the magic happens.
I left the luncheon thinking, what if we designed our own Heisman-style trophy, not of a football player evading a tackle, but of a teacher leaning in to help a student. That would be pretty cool. If we were to do that, which one of your past teachers do you picture on that trophy? Right now, I have one clearly in my mind.
Watching each principal stand up to introduce and brag on their school’s Teacher of the Year recipient is a memory I will always carry with me. I hope you will take some time out of your schedule today to send a text, write a quick email, or call a teacher who made an impact on your life. These things really do make a teacher's day.
To our 2026–2027 Teachers of the Year and to every educator across our district: THANK YOU. You are our heroes every day, without exception!
Did you know? CCPS ranks as the #1 Best School District in the Chattanooga Area according to Niche rankings, serving over 10,000 students across 18 primary, middle, and high schools!
Catoosa County Public Schools will prepare every child to reach their full potential, so they graduate prepared to be good citizens and leaders of the future.
Catoosa County Public Schools is a student-focused learning community, where excellence is expected from staff and students, every day, without exception.
Every child, every day, without exception.
