Back to School
It’s finally here! We are so excited to welcome your children on the first day of school. The teachers and staff have made all the final preparations and we are so excited to see everyone tomorrow.
A New Message From Dr. Stone
Please click here to view the latest video from Dr. Stone to get you ready for your first day of school.
What to Bring on the 1st Day
Please plan to bring the following items on your child’s first day of school:
Water bottle
Lunch if not buying school lunch
Gym clothes - 6th grade only - no gym clothes until Aug 11th
Snack for the day, and ASP snack if enrolled
School supplies if you didn’t pre-purchase or bring to Open House
Our focus for these first two weeks is making sure students feel safe, happy, and focused; allowing teachers get to know each of their students; and working toward an efficient carline during arrival and dismissal. Things like additional car line tags and a teacher's favorites list will be rolling out after we get into our routine.
Supplies for Teachers
We appreciate all your willingness to help provide paper towels, wipes, tissues, and hand sanitizer. At this time, we have all the supplies we need, and we are distributing them to teachers today. We will also focus on proper hand washing throughout the day. Most classrooms have sinks, and stools are being distributed around the school to ensure that smaller students can reach the sinks.
Welcome to Our New Safety Resource Officer (SRO)
We truly value our partnership with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. We have worked together in the local community to establish relationships with all first responders. They understand who we are, they have already done a threat analysis on our campus, and made recommendations in areas such as carpool and campus security.
This collaboration is evidence of our unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of our students and staff. An on-site SRO will help us build positive relationships, respond quickly to any concerns, and maintain a secure learning environment. We look forward to growing this partnership and further strengthening safety at our school.
The Sheriff’s office has done training in our building already, and we have offered our facility for future training. So in the event of an emergency, they already know who we are and know our facility intimately.
Their partnership has truly underscored that they understand our needs during our first year and share our perspective on safety and stewardship. They have partnered extensively to provide an SRO in a way that really benefits us.
First Day Photos
We want to see your First Day of School photos!! Since there will not be an opportunity to take photos on campus in the morning, we hope all our families will take pictures at home. If you post to socials, please tag @cherokeeclassicalacademy.
Tears and Cheers - First Day of Kindergarten
Wednesday, August 6
8:00 - 8:30 a.m.
Meet in the front office!
We are excited to welcome the Kindergarteners on the first day of school! See the Back to School page for more information.
Sending your kindergartener to school for the first time can be bittersweet, so CCA is inviting all parents of kindergartners to celebrate and commiserate at Tears & Cheers.
All families will go through the carline the first day of school.
If you have older children, please drop them off as instructed above and then go to the parking lot. Do not drop your kindergartner off with the older siblings.
If you do not have older children, you will go through the line to the parking lot. This will give you and your student the chance to see how the line works and where they will be dropped off the following day.
Once you have parked, come into the front office where you will sign in and get a name tag.
There will be teaching assistants and other staff in the front office to then take your child to the cafeteria to be with their other classmates before going to their homeroom where they will have an amazing day!!
Once carline has finished, kindergarten parents will be invited to the cafeteria for coffee and refreshments, (and possibly a tissue), to get to know each other and talk with Dr. Stone and Mrs. Parrish.
Ordering School Lunch
We have partnered with ChefAdvantage to make fresh, nutritious lunches available for our students to purchase. Through BOONLI, the ChefAdvantage online platform, families can view the lunch menu, order or prepay, and manage student lunches from a smartphone, tablet, or computer. For more information about how to use the platform, please click here.
To register for BOONLI, click here.
Click on "Register."
School Password is: CCA66
Navigate to August and click on “Aug: Lunch”
Students are not required to purchase lunches through ChefAdvantage and are always welcome to bring their lunch from home. Each month’s menu will be available by the 15th of the previous month (for example, September’s menu will be available on August 15).
Please note it is too late to order lunch for the first day of school. Please make sure you remember to pack a lunch for your child’s first day if this is the case.
The deadline for ordering is 9am the prior BUSINESS day.
Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL)
We want to be sure all eligible families have accessedFree and Reduced Lunch (FRL). All families who have applied for FRL have been processed. If you believe you are eligible for FRL and the discount is not showing in your Boonli account, please review the Financial Assistance webpage and follow the instructions. You can also email frl@cherokeeclassicalacademy.org.
After School Program (ASP)
We are pleased to announce our After School Program (ASP) which will be offered Monday - Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Because our program will be managed internally, we can ensure that the instruction in virtue and character that our students receive during the school day will continue seamlessly in aftercare. Some members of our ASP staff will also serve on the school staff during the regular school day. This will allow us to know our students and families even better.
Pricing:
Full-time (five days per week): $13/day
Part-time (two days per week): $18/day
Drop-in: $25/day
Families that qualify for Financial Aid will receive a discount for ASP.
ParentSquare
CCA will use ParentSquare to provide a simple and safe way for parents, teachers, program leaders, and administrators to connect.
With ParentSquare, you will be able to:
Receive school and classroom communications via email, text, or app
Complete forms and make payments
View the school and classroom calendar and RSVP for events
Easily sign up to volunteer and/or bring items
And much more… all in one centralized place!
How to activate your account
You should have received an invitation email or text to join ParentSquare. Please click the link to activate your account: it takes less than a minute. You can use ParentSquare on any device, and we encourage you to download the free mobile app for iOS or Android. You can also use the desktop version at parentsquare.com.
ParentSquare uses contact information from CCA's student information system, Infinite Campus. You will be provided with information about Infinite Campus at the Open House.
If you did not receive an invitation or have trouble activating your account, have you had a previous log in at another school? This is usually the case. Please login without old account and make sure you can see your student and “Cherokee Classical Academy” below their name. If the school listed is still your old school, you may need to contact them and remind them to unenroll your child.
If you still have trouble accessing your account, contact support@parentsquare.com.
If you have other questions, please contact parentsquare@cherokeeclassicalacademy.org.
School Supplies
Organizational skills are key to each student’s success in school and in life. To that end, CCA is implementing a school-wide organizational strategy that will build over time. Students in grades K-4 will begin with a color-coding system that is consistent across classrooms and grade levels. Students in grades 5 and 6 will be introduced to a more in-depth organizational system that includes paperwork organization, time management, and forecasting. These skills will provide the foundation for success in high school and beyond. Students benefit most from this system when they all have the same materials.
We ask you to purchase the exact items on the supply list — no substitutions. This includes avoiding items with logos, characters, or decorative designs. All supplies must be plain and match the specifications provided.
Aside from these school supplies, the only additional item students will need is a backpack. While there are no specific style requirements, we do not permit backpacks with wheels.
Uniforms
Our leadership team has thoughtfully assembled our uniform policy and dress code for grades K-6. We have also worked closely with Tommy Hilfiger and Global School Wear to create an easy-to-use online store. Click here to shop.
Global School Wear offers frequent sales, so we recommend joining their email list in order to be notified when one of these sales is announced. Use our school code CHER02 when signing up.
Please review the uniform boards and policy notes thoroughly before placing any orders. Email uniforms@cherokeeclassicalacademy.org with any questions.
If your uniform will not arrive in time for the first day of school, DON'T WORRY. We understand and are here to help!
Please plan to have your child wear a red or blue polo shirt and khaki pants or khaki skirt/skort that can be purchased at local stores. Then please reach out to our Lower School Dean of Academics, Mrs. St. Hill at dsthill@cherokeeclassicalacademy.org and let her know your child’s name and grade, along with the estimated arrival date you were given on your uniform order.
Mrs. St. Hill will keep your teachers informed. For the most up to date information about uniforms, please check the uniform board here.
Arrival & Dismissal
Morning drop-off will take place between 7:25 and 7:55 am. Any vehicles arriving after 7:55 will not be permitted to enter the carline and will need to park in the parking lot and walk their students into the front office to sign them in.
Afternoon pick-up will take place between 2:55 and 3:25 pm. Any vehicles arriving after 3:25 will need to park in the parking lot and retrieve their student(s) from the ASP door on the right side of the building near the cafeteria. A drop-in rate for ASP will be charged for any student(s) who are not picked up during normal afternoon pick-up operation. Students will not be held in their classrooms or the front office for any amount of time after afternoon pick-up ends.
This will be enforced starting on the first day of school.
Click here to view information about parking, carline, and more.
What Happens After Dropoff?
Once your children exit the car, they will gather in the gym where they will socialize with their classmates and teachers. This is going to be a fun time for them to form friendships and get excited about the day. This is a special time for the kids and teachers, and we hope knowing this will give you confidence as you drop your children off for the first day!
Let’s be friendly neighbors. Please don’t block driveways.
We ask you to be kind to our neighbors during carline, so we ask that you please do not line up in front of our neighbors driveway. We really want to love on our neighbors and be good stewards of their entry and exit from their homes.
How do I get my car tag if I don’t have it yet?
If you have not received your carline tag, we ask you to come to the office Wednesday between 10 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
You must have this tag in order to pick your child(ren) up in the afternoon on Wednesday.
Infinite Campus
The Infinite Campus app is having technical difficulties which is why many of you have had problems activating your account. Until it is resolved, we ask that you please use this link to get into Infinite Campus to set up your Parent Portal account. Please do not attempt to activate your account via the App on your phone. The issues with the App are the reason you are being asked for a “district code.”
It is highly recommended that you use a laptop or desktop computer.
If you did not receive your Activation Code at the Open House and have not set up your account, please look for an email that will be forthcoming with your information.
Student Handbook & Required Forms
These will be coming in another communication via ParentSquare this week! Please be on the lookout.
Financial Assistance
Cherokee Classical Academy is committed to providing a classical education that produces students whose hearts and minds are focused on the good, the true, and the beautiful and who are able to reflect these things into the world around them. We recognize that, although CCA is a tuition-free institution, the costs associated with attending can present a major financial commitment for families. Therefore, we aim to provide assistance to all those who qualify in two separate ways: through our own Financial Aid program, and by participating in the Free & Reduced Lunch (FRL) program.
Information about both programs, including how to apply and frequently asked questions, can be found here.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are always critical to the success of our school, and are always so appreciated. There are still many needs we have to help make opening day perfect for our children. If you have time to spend even an hour helping out, we’d love to see you on campus!
Click here to see the available volunteer opportunities,
You may also contact the school at communications@cherokeecharteracademy.org if you have special talents or just have an available block of time available that is different than what is listed on the signup page.
Reminder: If you have not yet completed your volunteer training, please do so now as this will be required for the year if you are going to be at the school and volunteering around the children. Please click here to access the training.
Previous Summer Communications
Summer Newsletter No. 1 | May 23, 2025
Zoom Call Recordings
Summer Newsletter No. 2 | June 2, 2025
Parent Surveys
Summer Newsletter No. 3 | June 5, 2025
School Supplies, Financial Assistance
Summer Newsletter No. 4 | June 6, 2025
Office Hours
Summer Newsletter No. 5 | June 18, 2025
Volunteer Opportunities & Training
Summer Newsletter No. 6 | June 19, 2025
Business Partnerships, Grandparents Day
Summer Newsletter No. 7 | June 27, 2025
Uniform Policy Notes
Summer Newsletter No. 8 | July 1, 2025
Open House, Tears & Cheers, ASP, FRL
Summer Newsletter No. 9 | July 11, 2025
Kindergarten Preview Day, Uniform Updates
Summer Newsletter No. 10 | July 21, 2025
School Lunch, ASP Registration, ParentSquare
Summer Newsletter No. 10 | July 21, 2025
School Lunch, ASP Registration, ParentSquare
Summer Newsletter No. 11 | July 29, 2025
Open House, Preparing for Sixth Grade, Kindergarten Preview Day