Cherokee Charter Academy has hired Vanessa Suarez as its founding principal.

She most recently served as assistant principal at Woodstock High School for the past four years, and previously worked for Charter Schools USA, which is launching the new local school.

Ms. Suarez began her educational career as an English teacher at Coconut Creek High School in Florida. After seven years as an English teacher, she became an assistant principal with Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based Charter Schools USA’s Coral Springs Charter School. There she oversaw curriculum and the teacher mentoring program.

“We are very excited to have Ms. Suarez return to Charter Schools USA,” said Sherry Hage, vice president of education. “Her professionalism and caring attitude toward the students was an asset when she worked with us before and will continue to represent a high value to the students and parents at Cherokee Charter Academy.”

The charter school, which will be the first in Cherokee, plans to open in August in the former American Heritage Academy campus in Sixes.

Spots for 710 students will be filled through a lottery system later this month, as more than 2,400 students applied to attend.

The school initially will offer five kindergarten classes, four classes in each grade for first through sixth and two seventh-grade classes.

Eighth-grade classes will be offered beginning in the 2012-13 school year.