Better Together
1/30/26 • News from the Clarke County School District
We are again closely monitoring the forecast for inclement weather in our area this weekend, with the increasing likelihood of snow from overnight Friday through the day on Saturday. We will be tracking the weather and its impacts and will share an update on the status of school for Monday, Feb. 2, as soon as a decision is made.
And as always, all official updates regarding any changes to our school schedule and operations, as well as weekend and after-school activities, will be shared with our families via text and email through our mass notification system, posted and timestamped to our website (www.clarke.k12.ga.us) and social media channels (@ClarkeCoSchools), and shared with local media organizations and the Atlanta television news stations.
Families: Please be sure your contact information (phone and email) is up to date in Parent Portal. For more on how to update this information, go to www.clarke.k12.ga.us/portalhelp.
CCSD Math Content Coordinator Receives Statewide Award
Congratulations to Desylin Culliver, Math Content Coordinator for CCSD elementary schools, who recently received the 2026 Georgia Council of Supervisors of Mathematics Outstanding Leadership Award! The award is presented to a member of the organization who demonstrates excellence and strong leadership in mathematics education and gives much to others beyond the classroom as a mentor, advocate, and global contributor to the improvement of mathematics education.
Ms. Culliver's leadership and investment in our teachers have resulted in consistent gains in math achievement across our elementary schools. Thank you, Ms. Culliver, for helping lead our educators in Raising the Bar in CCSD classrooms!
School Board Seeks Community Input in Superintendent Search
The Clarke County Board of Education is seeking public participation in a community survey regarding its search for the next Superintendent of the Clarke County School District. The survey includes six questions and can be accessed at this link. CCSD families, staff, students, and community members are asked to complete the survey by Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.
In September 2025, the BOE voted to contract with the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) to lead its superintendent search process.
The position has been posted on the GSBA website, and applications will be accepted through Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. Those interested in applying for the position can find the posting and apply at this link.
The BOE will provide additional updates on the search as they become available. For the latest updates, see our superintendent search page at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/superintendent-search.
Rotary's Polar Plunge to Benefit Food Pantries at BHL, Hilsman
The Rotary Club of Athens will be "freezing for a reason" on Saturday, Feb. 7, when it hosts the 15th annual Plungefest on Saturday, Feb. 7, at Sandy Creek Park, with proceeds benefitting CCSD schools and families!
The Rotary Club's goal is to raise $30,000 through the event to establish in-school food pantries at Burney-Harris-Lyons and Hilsman middle schools, ensuring all students have access to nutritious food throughout the school year, even when they're not at school.
For more information and to donate, go to www.plungefestathensgarotary.org and support this worthy and generous cause!
Nominate an Employee of the Month for February!
Nominations are open for CCSD's Employee of the Month award for February! Anyone in the community may nominate any full-time CCSD employee with at least one full year of service for the award. The winner will be surprised at their school or building, publicly recognized at the Feb. 12 Clarke County Board of Education meeting, and presented with a gift bag from the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce with contributions from several local businesses.
Submit a nomination at bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward or fill the form out directly below!
Peach State FCU Scholarships Available for Seniors, Adult Members
If you are a high school senior or an adult member of Peach State Federal Credit Union seeking career advancement, you are invited to apply for the credit union's 2026 scholarship program by Feb. 27.
The Peach State FCU Scholarship Program was established more than 20 years ago as a way to honor the educators who founded the credit union, and scholarships are awarded on an annual basis. The student scholarships are open to high school seniors planning to pursue higher education, while the career advancement scholarships are for adult members of the credit union whose accounts are in good standing.
Click here for more information about the scholarships and qualifications and to apply.
Protect Your Student and Yourself Against the Flu; Schedule a Vaccine Appointment at a CCSD School-Based Health Center!
We are in the height of flu season, and that can have a significant impact on student and staff attendance in CCSD. Flu activity has been widespread and severe across the state, and cases are likely to continue to increase in the coming weeks, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you have not received a flu shot yet this season and have no medical conditions preventing you from doing so, DPH strongly urges you to take advantage of the health benefits the flu vaccine provides as soon as possible. The CDC recommends that individuals over the age of 6 months receive a once-yearly flu vaccine – not just for their own protection, but to protect others around them who may be more vulnerable to the flu and its complications, including the elderly and immunocompromised.
Flu shots and sick-visit appointments are available for CCSD students and staff at all four of the district's school-based health centers:
- Clarke Middle Health Center - 706-208-1190
- Classic City Health Center - 706-389-1095
- Coile Health Center - 706-352-9244
- Hilsman Health Center - 706-546-7463
The flu vaccine is widely available for the general public at the Clarke County Health Department, doctors’ offices, grocery stores, neighborhood clinics, and pharmacies.
And, as always, we encourage our students, staff and families to practice good hand hygiene and always stay home when you are sick. For more guidelines on when you should keep your child at home, go to our nursing services page at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/nursing.
Calendar Reminders
Click to view the 2025-26 Academic Calendar.
Important dates:
- 2/16 - Districtwide professional learning day (students do not report)
- 3/9 - 3/12: K-12 Conference Week
- 3/11: Early dismissal (Elementary schools, 12:20 p.m., middle/high schools (1:30 p.m.). ASP (After-school Program) will be offered at elementary schools.
- 3/12: Student holiday
- 3/13: Holiday for students and most school-based staff
- 4/6 - 4/10: Spring break
Update or Create Parent Portal Account
Follow these directions for updating the contact information in your Parent Portal account.
Don't have an account yet? An Activation Key is required. Follow these directions to set up an account if you already have an Activation Key. Follow these directions if you don't have an Activation Key yet. Having a Parent Portal account allows parents and guardians to access attendance records, class schedules, grades, and assignment information for their students.
If you already have an account but forgot your password and need a reset, use the links on the login page to reset your password or username or to request help. You may also email campus@clarke.k12.ga.us for additional assistance.
Download the CCSD Mobile App!
Stay up to date with access to event information, documents, school news, student stories, and even emergency notifications. See the video below for a tutorial on downloading and customizing the app to your preferred settings. You can download the app for free on Google Play or Apple App Store.
Download for Android: https://aptg.co/xQ_qX1
Download for iPhone: https://aptg.co/zCh8gX
Download the Edulog App for Bus Info
Parents/guardians of students who ride a bus to and/or from school can use the Edulog page on the district website or download the Edulog Parent Portal mobile app to find information about their student’s bus.
Breakfast and Lunch Menus
Take Advantage of our School-based Health Centers!
School-based health centers make accessing medical and dental care as easy as walking down the hall. Students and families throughout the district are encouraged to take advantage of one of our four school-based health centers for many of their basic healthcare needs. Click the links for additional information.
See Something, Say Something
CCSD considers the safety and security of our students and staff our highest priority, and utilizes the CCSD Tip Line as a critical tool for us to help ensure that our schools remain safe and promote a welcoming environment for learning. It is also another mechanism for us to celebrate good deeds or achievements by our staff members and students that may have gone unreported but deserve recognition and celebration.
Tips can be submitted online at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/tipline or by phone by dialing 706-353-1737. All tips are anonymous by default, but you do have the option of including your name and contact information. Once received, your tip will be investigated by the CCSD response team. The Tip Line can also be accessed online from the home page of the district website and all school websites.
Remember: If you See Something, Say Something. If you see something of concern online, Don't Repost. Report.
How to Address Questions, Concerns
Board Contact Information, Meetings
The Clarke County Board of Education welcomes community feedback. Here are ways you can share your voice:
- Contact BOE Members: Click here to view a list of the BOE members and their contact information.
- Find Your Board Member: Use Athens-Clarke County's online voter information tool at www.accgov.com/voterinfo to enter your address and find your BOE member and your other elected representatives.
- Attend a Meeting: The board's next scheduled meeting is Thursday, February 12, with the work session beginning at 5 p.m., followed by the regular meeting at 7 p.m. All meetings are held in the Vernon Payne Meeting Hall at the CCSD administrative offices building, located at 595 Prince Ave. in Athens. The public is invited to attend meetings in person. Meetings are also streamed live and are available for on-demand viewing on the CCSD YouTube channel. Click here for the board meeting schedule.
- Agendas: Click here to access board meeting agendas.
- Board Briefs: Click to read the "Board Briefs" overview from meetings.
- Public Comments: Click here for information on how to sign up to speak at a BOE meeting.
- Review Policies for Review: View and comment on district policies pending public review.
Register for Our Educator Career Fair!
Whether you're an aspiring teacher planning to begin your career next school year or a veteran teacher moving to the Athens-Clarke County area, sign up today for our Educator Career Fair, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 28!
This event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave., Athens, will be the perfect opportunity to speak with many of our current teachers and principals to understand in detail about their school and the positions they are hiring for. At the event, you may be invited to interview with school teams and potentially offered a teaching position on the spot! Representatives from our Human Resources Division will also be there to answer any questions you may have. Space is limited, so register today to secure your spot!
Enjoy 'Jackie Robinson: A Game Apart' at the Morton Theatre on Feb. 24!
The historic Morton Theatre in downtown Athens will host a public performance of the play, “Jackie Robinson: A Game Apart," presented by Mike Wiley, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m.
All CCSD eighth-grade students will attend a free showing of the play on a school field trip during the school day Feb. 23 and 24, thanks to a continued partnership between the Morton Theatre Corporation and the district. The community at-large is encouraged to attend the public showing on Feb. 24.
Students: Use Your Library PLAY Card!
As part of a collaboration between CCSD and the Athens Regional Library System, the PLAY Card account provides each CCSD student with free materials (books, magazines, etc.) and online resources from the public library to help your child succeed in school, along with fun resources to support a lifelong love of reading. You and your child can check out materials at the libraries by entering their student ID number.
Stay Informed with ACCGov 'Notify Me' Feature
Anyone in the community may sign up for email and/or text notifications from the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government in a wide variety of categories with more than 100 different options. Visit accgov.com/notifyme and select the list you'd like to sign up for.
GaDOE 'Hope Map' Provides Families in Need with Information on Food, Shelter Assistance, Other Support
CCSD families: If you or someone you know are in need of assistance, the Georgia Department of Education has a live-updating online "Hope Map" with information on resources ranging from food pantries to shelter and healthcare.
Go to hopemapgeorgia.org to get started. You can select your language preference, search by zip code or city to find services available in a specific area, and filter by categories of services you are looking for.
211 – Get Connected. Get Help.
211 is United Way of Northeast Georgia’s health and human service helpline – a free and confidential program accessible to anyone. Call 211, text your zip code to 898-211, or visit the online database.