How Accreditation, Training and Advance Prep are Important to Safety at CCBS
A Parent’s First-Hand Account of Our Staff’s Preparation and Getting the Boys Through Hurricane Helene
For over 21 years, our goal at CCBS has been to help our students and their families rediscover a sense of hope and optimism for their future. Our foundational values are a very important part of our program: Safety, Quality, Creativity, Fun and Self-Discovery for the entire family. And Safety is FIRST in everything we do.
We are committed to following the highest standards and complying with accreditations and membership affiliations with trusted bodies of oversight … even when it is not required. Our accreditations and membership affiliations include:
- The State of South Carolina | Child Caring Institution; The Joint Commission; Cognia; The Gurian Institute and NATSAP (National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs)
- According to Ginelle Kohl, our Human Resource & Compliance Manager, “At CCBS, accreditation is a key part of our program. In September, when Hurricane Helene came over the Carolinas, trees were down and we lost power, phones, and internet for close to a week. But thanks to our accreditation with The Joint Commission, we had a plan in place and we were able to keep everyone safe and maintain routine care for our students.”
Safety and Preparedness in ACTION!
While all this was going on, we had a parent who had just arrived on campus to visit his son for his birthday. This CCBS Dad ended up going through the experience with us. Here’s a letter he shared with other CCBS parents of his first-hand account of his experience on our campus.
Hello Cherokee Creek Family,
We’ve all been receiving updates about the conditions on campus and the safety of our boys. Rest assured, everything is under control. I can confirm this because I was there for my son’s birthday this weekend and wanted to share my perspective as a parent.
I arrived in Atlanta on Thursday, just before flights were grounded due to the incoming storm. My son’s Primary Staff contact advised me to stay on campus due to the storm’s potential impact.
When I reached campus the staff was fully prepared. In the main lodge, they’d set up sleeping bags and air mattresses in case of flooding.. It was only light rain when I arrived, but they were ready for anything. The next morning things intensified -we woke up to a power outage. Staff remained calm, reassuring us the generator would keep everything running.
Friday, the staff focused on keeping the boys’ routine as normal as possible. Despite roads being flooded and leaving us stranded, they handled it all smoothly, keeping the boys entertained with indoor activities and games.
Now that I’m home, I realize the full severity of the storm. Entire towns were wiped out, and many people had no power and water. Yet the CCBS staff kept our boys safe and largely unaware of the chaos beyond campus. What impressed me most was the staff’s resilience. And, despite everything, they made my son’s birthday special, complete with cupcakes.
I’m deeply grateful for their dedication … ensuring that the boys felt secure in such uncertain times. While the region faces difficult days ahead, know that our boys are in great hands. The CCBS staff went above and beyond. I couldn’t have asked for more in such challenging circumstances.
Thank you to the Cherokee Creek community … you truly are an inspiration.Warm regards to all whose boys are currently enrolled.
— With gratitude, a fellow CCBS parent
Our Program Director, Stephen Cornelius was a key leader throughout the hurricane. Steve summed it up this way:
“Having a plan ahead of time gives our team a common starting point, and then we can adapt as needed. But the plan is only as good as the people who execute it, and our CCBS team went above and beyond. Several members of the team volunteered to stay the night and help out during the whole event. We were extra thrilled when a member of the kitchen staff said they could stay so everyone had their favorite meals!”
Thanks to our CCBS Dad for sharing his personal account of how our CCBS staff handled a potentially dangerous weather event.
And may this be a reminder to all of us that being prepared in advance is important for our own safety and the world around us … our homes, friends, families and communities.
I visited Cherokee Creek Boys School a week after Hurricane Helene struck and the campus felt like an oasis in the middle of flooded roads and felled trees. The boys were going to class and then playing outdoors during recess. The adults were in control. It was clear that the boys didn’t suffer any distress or trauma as a result of the weather. Nothing is interrupting their emotional growth, their academic and personal growth. As an educational consultant who visits many programs for kids with special needs, I can say confidently that the boys are so loved and well taken care of here!