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Candies Creek Cherokee celebrates classroom expansion, attendance gains and PBIS progress
Summary
School leaders at Candies Creek Cherokee highlighted six new classrooms from a recent expansion, improved TCAP scores, a B state report card, PBIS behavior reductions and attendance initiatives at the board’s spotlight presentation.
Candies Creek Cherokee principal Jessica Whitener told the board Wednesday that construction of six new classrooms is complete, staff have adopted behavioral systems and the school saw modest academic gains on state assessments.
"Construction is finished. ... we're just really excited about our six new classrooms," Whitener said, thanking the district construction team and noting teachers are still moving into the new spaces.
Whitener, in her first year as principal, said the school set three overarching goals this year: strengthen systems that support academics, behavior and attendance. She reported the school improved one achievement point in each TCAP area and earned a B report card from the state. Teachers and parents highlighted increases in literacy and engagement.
The school described a PBIS‑style system called "SOAR" (safety, ownership, accountability and respect) and a student council structure that divides students into four councils (Fire, Water, Earth and Air). Staff use council competitions and quarterly rewards to reinforce expectations; Whitener and her staff said office referrals are trending down.
Assistant principal Mr. Swartentrooper and attendance staff described incentives aimed at improving daily attendance: a 94.6% average daily attendance rate and 105 students with perfect attendance at the time of the report, but a chronic absenteeism rate of 12.8% district leaders identified as a primary focus. "Our next focus is looking at the kids that are chronically absent," the assistant principal said, noting kindergarten shows the highest chronic absence rate.
Student leaders from the school's leadership club spoke briefly to the board and described favorite activities and what it means to "soar." Board members thanked school leaders for the update and for the construction work that allowed class relocations.
The presentation was part of the board's regular spotlight series, intended to highlight student work, school culture and recent facility investments.
