Meet the Applicant for BOE: Charles Cooper

Chattooga County Schools Superintendent Jared Hosmer has shared the question and answer email exchange between the BOE Chairman Eddie Elsberry and the six applicants for consideration to fill the unexpired term of Seat 4, Lyerly district. The term will expire December 31, 2022 and the election process of 2022 will decide who will hold the seat starting in January 2023.

My name is Charles Cooper; I am a retired teacher, Coach, and the former Principal of Lyerly Elementary School. I started my education career here in Chattooga County 30 years ago as a teacher and coach at Chattooga High School. I have also served as teacher, Coach, and Athletic Director at the Summerville Middle School, Leroy Massey Elementary School, Principal of Chattooga Academy, and Assistant Principal at Chattooga High School. Currently, and for the past 20 years I have served as a volunteer Firefighter for the Summerville Fire Department. I am a member and Deacon of the First Baptist Church in Summerville. My wife and I have been married for 26 years. We have a daughter who graduated from CHS in 2019 and will be graduating from the University of Georgia Spring 2022 and a son that will be entering the eighth grade.

I would like to serve on the Chattooga County Board of Education for the District of Lyerly. I feel that with the experiences I have had will benefit the decision making that will impact our administration, faculty, staff and most importantly our students. I have served the Chattooga County School System for 30 years. It would be an honor if chosen to serve on the board for the system I have been so blessed by.

The role of the board is over watch. The board should work with the Superintendant and their staff on things that are needed for our system. We should take the recommendations from the Superintendant and their staff and make sure the maximum benefits are reaching our students or those impacted. You can’t have 5 people going in different directions and expect the system to be successful. As an individual board member you have to remember you are an individual. You serve not only the members of your district, but your yes or no vote has an effect on the system as a whole. Communication and working together as a group without personal agendas will lead to the most successful process for the system.

The biggest challenge facing education today is finding quality teachers and keeping them.

The biggest challenges facing our school system is finding quality teachers and keeping them.  Another challenge is the financial impact from Covid and the plan for when the federal money is gone.  Where are we going to be financially in 2 years?

My vision for Chattooga County Schools is to have the best teachers working with our students to meet their needs and having a working relationship and partnership with parents. Our vision is to be the system other systems want to be.