The Cherokee County School System is moving full speed ahead on the new Centre Middle School. Crews have cleared the land on U.S. Highway 411 across from the Cherokee County Highway Department.

Brian Johnson, superintendent, Cherokee County Schools, gave an update during a recent meeting of the Cherokee County Board of Education.

The Cherokee County Board of Education purchased the 66 acres in the early 1990s for the purpose of constructing the new middle school building.

“We are very excited,” said Johnson. “I just encourage anyone if you haven’t been out there to maybe go by and look at the progress we are making. Again, a special thank you goes out to our County Commission and also to our county Highway Department for really going above and beyond to help our school system.”

“We are actually going to let things settle out there for about a month or two and let things dry out,” said Johnson. “I do apologize to the public. I have received complaints from some people in that community of some smoke and those types of things. That is just one ofthose things.

I don’t know any other way around it. I do apologize for any inconvenience.”



The council met in executive session with Doug Davis, principal, Cherokee County High School, but took no action following the session.

In other business, the board:

-Approved out of state travel for Dewayne Pierce, principal, Centre Elementary School, who will attend the NAESP Convention in Nashville, Tenn., April 4-8, to be funded by the board per contract and Barry Bailey, Jill Bailey and students who will attend the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind. Oct. 22-26, 2007.

-Approved 20 percent At Risk money in the amount of $41,318 to go toward the Children’s Advocacy Center of Cherokee County.

-Approved Acceptable Use Policy for employees and students.



-Approved service contracts for The Children’s Advocacy Center of Cherokee County and the Alcoholism/Substance Abuse Council of Cherokee County through the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Program for 2007-2008. According to Johnson CACCC personnel conduct child abuse prevention programs in the schools and CASAC personnel conduct alcohol and drug prevention programs in the schools.



-Accepted bids as follows: Electrical-Inline Electric-total low bid; Propane-Chandler Mountain Propane, $1,489 per gallon; Garbage-Waste Management, $3,510 per month; Paint-The Carpet Shop-total low bid; Lumber-Lumber Mart-total low bid; Battery-Fleet Pride, total low bid; Transmission-Cedar Bluff Oil, total low bid; Oil-Cedar Bluff Oil, total low bid; Fuel-Cedar Bluff Oil-total low bid and Tire-Split Bid-Griffith’s OK Tire Store, Inc. and B&C Tire.

Because of the Fall Break, the board, upon Johnson’s recommendation, approved moving the next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 16, to Tuesday, Oct. 30, beginning at 6 p.m., at the central office. Johnson and the board reserve the right to call a meeting if something comes up