The debate continues: CWHS vs CHS

Cherokee School District will likely acquire bids for new signage at the high school building. 

Supt. Tom Ryherd told the school board in a meeting earlier this month that the sign outside the high school will read “Cherokee Washington High School.” Board member Patty Brown asked Ryherd why the high school is still called Cherokee High School in certain instances.

When the debate about changing the school’s name began last spring, a compromise was offered that in official documents and communications outside of the district the school would be called Cherokee Washington High School while for internal circumstances, Cherokee High School, or CHS, could be used in order to align with the other buildings in the district. 

Brown disagreed with this strategy, referencing several complaints she said she has received from parents over the course of this school year. She indicated that Cherokee High School or CHS has been used more frequently and in many circumstances beyond what could be considered “unofficial.” She cited morning announcements and Facebook posts as examples.

“This is getting around what the board voted for,” Brown told Ryherd.  She believes by calling the school anything other than Cherokee Washington High School, confusion and inconsistency arises. By using CHS or Cherokee High School, she said: “That’s what the kids and teachers will think it is and it’s not.” 

Ryherd said he would address the issue.

Other agenda items covered: 

The board reviewed ISASP results from 2023 with a short presentation by the data management team. 

Angela Carver, Kasey Stowater and Tim Stoneking said the test, taken around March and April, showed proficiency was the average for Cherokee students. 

Food Service Director Cara Jacobson notes that the district serves between 850-900 lunches per day and an average of 300 breakfasts. 

Regular business also included approval of cooperative sharing agreements for the 2023-2024 school year including Spencer CSD for swimming and MMCRU for bowling. There will be no wrestling agreement this year, as the numbers are high enough to allow for school teams. Two out-of-state field trips were also approved for the FTC Robotics team to travel for league competitions and the annual high school science trip to the NASA competition in Houston, Texas.