Of all the issues facing our school system, by far the largest and most prevalent is school overcrowding.  Unfortunately, this is not a problem affecting only Cherokee county; it is a nation wide epidemic.  Faced with unprecedented growth and a population boom, many school systems are looking for new and innovative ways to deal with overcrowding.  Here in Cherokee, one of the newest ideas on the table is that of Magnet Schools and Magnet Programs.

First, a little background.  Magnet schools and programs are well

NOTE:  These are the thoughts of one individual board member, Kelly Campbell, Post 4 representative.  This article does not necessarily reflect the views of the full school board, the superintendent or the school system.  If you would like to contact Ms. Campbell, please e-mail her at campbell4cherokee@juno.com or call her at (770) 549-7082.

Kelly Campbell is a member of the Cherokee County School Board.

over twenty years old, the first magnet school beginning in Dallas, Texas in 1971.  It began as an educational solution to address the impact of integration but soon become an easy and cost-effective way to dealing with the diverse needs and interests of all students.  A Magnet school is when the entire school serve a particular program (remember "Fame" and the performing arts school?).  A Magnet program, where the Magnet subject is placed within a regular high school, is what the Blue Ribbon Committee and the School Board is researching.

Some of the potential Magnet programs currently under consideration include Fine and Performing Arts, Law/Criminal Justice/Public Service, Tourism/Restaurant/Hospitality, and the Health Occupations.  These programs will help our school system met its new system priority of Technology and Vocations by using technology as a fundamental part of all magnets and opening career doors to our students.

Why is this important?  During the last school board work session, we learned two surprising facts:  Immigrants accounted for 12 percent of U.S. workers in 2000, the most in 70 years.  Silicon Valley companies in need of skilled workers persuaded Congress to raise the quota on temporary visas for immigrants with technical skills.  Congress also repealed a law that capped how much retirees can earn before forfeiting Social Security benefits, a change expected to bring thousands of people aged 65-69 back into the work force.   We are simply not turning out the skilled workers our technology-rich work environment requires.  Magnet programs not only prepare our students for such jobs but also gets them involved in the community through internship programs, community service,
and mentors.

Magnet programs are economically feasible for our system and present a way to deal with the growing student population that is very beneficial to the children and the community.  Magnet programs are a definite advantage for Cherokee County Schools.

In today's fast paced global society, learning about other cultures and other languages has become imperative.  Many Towne Lake area families are learning about other cultures and languages by hosting foreign exchange students.

"We have brought the world home and made new friendships" commented host Katrina Rivero. 

"You learn so much about other cultures and ways of looking at the world.  I would recommend the program to anyone who has the desire to share their life for a short time with a young person ," commented  Annemarie Schwarzkopf.

Families interested in the Foreign Exchange Program should call Katrina Rivero, (770) 321-1528.