Sept. 6, 2022
Dear School Family,
We have had an outstanding start with staff and now with our enthusiastic students! This has been one of the strongest openings we have had in years. Each one of you should be extremely proud of your service and dedication to our Cherokee families and precious children. It has been an absolute honor serving with you during the past five years during some of the most challenging times any educator has faced. With our new Cognia accreditation and all of the tools secured this system is truly poised to finally reach the achievement scores with our children that we know they deserve. I have absolute confidence in the teams that have been established to review and focus research-based strategies to help leverage the support the Tribe consistently provides to our school system. Tribal Council approved our budget requests last month and with these resources secured we will be able to continue implementing strategies as we finally transition out of this global pandemic.
With that being said it is with mixed emotions that I formally announce that I will be retiring as your superintendent effective Dec. 31, 2022. This should provide our school board the time needed to conduct a proper superintendent search and select a person that can passionately support our school family as it builds on the strategic plan that all of you worked so hard to create. My decision was reached after conversations with my wife and family and a great deal of thought and consideration. My mother continues to need my care as her health has taken a turn for the worse. I also have ten grandchildren that I can spend time with and make sure they know how much they are loved.
I want to thank the Cherokee Central Schools Board of Education for providing me the opportunity to serve as the superintendent. They have consistently supplied the support needed to carry each of us through the dangerous COVID years and made sure we had everything we needed to not just survive but actually thrive as we have successfully come out of these quarantine infested waters! Our school system is one of the few that actually has grown in average daily membership and is currently in position to grow even bigger. I have complete confidence that our school board will select the next leader that will help continue the awesome work done in each school. With the continuity and stability found currently within our organization they will have the time needed to select an individual that can follow the strategic plan that you have created and empower all of you to keep moving progressively forward! I will leave the Qualla Boundary with some of the greatest memories and it has been an absolute pleasure serving with this school family in one of the most unique opportunities in the world. I can sincerely say that the children we work with here are truly the most creative, multi-talented, unique gifts from God that I have found in all my many years as an educator. Please always remember you are shaping a Nation when you are allowed the blessing to teach Cherokee children! May God continue to bless and protect all of you. It is truly a ‘Great Day to Be a Brave!”
Michael Murray, Ed.D
Superintendent
Cherokee Central Schools
