Gainesville parent André Cheek is going to have a little more say in how education is run in Georgia.

Cheek, along with 29 other parents from around the state, was named to State School Superintendent John Barge's 2012 Parent Advisory Council. The council meets with Barge three times a year to discuss education issues.

"I just feel honored that I was selected to represent Gainesville City Schools," Cheek said.

"Being a very active parent and community leader, I feel my experience will be extremely important."

Cheek, whose son is a sophomore cross country runner at Gainesville High School, has been active in the community and school system for years. She sometimes records educational radio shows for kids on Brenau University's radio station. She wrote and produced the play "Do You Remember When" that chronicled the history of Hall County's African-Americans since 1930, and she developed the Women's Luncheon at Gainesville State College. She is also on the board and fundraising committee for the Edmonson-Telford board, which works with victimized children.

Cheek's accolades include the 2007 Diversity Champion Award from the Women Putting their Stamp on Atlanta luncheon honoring the late Coretta Scott King and recognition from the National Association of Professional Women.

"I've always been active (in the schools)," Cheek said.

One of her projects included a Winter Around the World fall festival, where students were given passports and had to have them stamped in different classrooms, each representing a different country.

Now she's working on a program with Gainesville Middle and Gainesville High schools called Men of Distinction.

"We're thrilled she was so interested," Gainesville City Schools Superintendent Merrianne Dyer said of the appointment. "Their role is to bring issues from the parents' perspective to Superintendent Barge."

Parents are nominated by their school system at the beginning of each school year, and are chosen by Department of Education representatives.

"We're very fortunate in that we've had a parent every year since I've been superintendent," Dyer said.

Parents on the council will serve as ambassadors to their communities, giving feedback to schools on policies, projects and materials, according to a news release from the state Department of Education.

"I want to find out what other systems are doing for student engagement, student retention and parent engagement and see things maybe we could look into," Cheek said. "Also, share the wonderful things Gainesville City Schools are doing with their parents. It's not just to get information, but to give it."

The first meeting of the council is on Oct. 21, followed by two meetings in 2012.

"Parents play a vital role in the education of their children," Barge said in the news release. "I look forward to working with these parents and seeking their advice on how to encourage and strengthen parent and family engagement in our state."

Council members will be able to attend the first statewide Family Engagement Conference, a networking opportunity sponsored by the state Department of Education and the Georgia PTA.

"Gainesville City Schools is not your typical public school system. There are maybe four like us in the state, with the longevity of system and demographics," Dyer said. "It's helpful for a parent to bring our perspective to the big picture of the state."

Cheek applied for the position after a fellow parent suggested it to her. The parent contacted the school board to recommend her.

"It's going to be very exciting for me to share (Gainesville) with these systems, and maybe there will be something they're interested in modeling," Cheek said.