Better Together

Approximately 40 students from Burney-Harris-Lyons and Hilsman middle schools visited the University of Georgia libraries on Sept. 21 to do research for their National History Day competition projects and were assisted by a dozen UGA students who are aspiring educators.

In the latest edition of "Studio 595: Superintendent's Cut," CCSD Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker speaks with Chief Financial Officer Chris Griner for an overview of the district's budget, finances, and other initiatives from our Division of Business Services. Check out the interview in the video below!

Athens nonprofit AthFest Educates, a longtime partner and supporter of CCSD, recently awarded $65,738 in grants for the 2024-25 school year for 18 projects to support music and arts education in CCSD schools. The grants, 11 of which went directly to CCSD educators, included more than $36,000 for music and arts programs and experiences for young people, more than $1,200 for professional development, and more than $27,000 for non-consumable equipment.

Read more here!

CCSD students achieved several gains in the mathematics portion of the Georgia Milestones last school year with more than a dozen schools across the district seeing an increase in the percentage of students who scored proficient and above, according to data released this week by the Georgia Department of Education. Read more here.

In addition, CCSD students in the Class of 2024 outperformed their state and national public-school counterparts on the SAT on average, according to data released last week. Read more here.

Five Clarke Central High School seniors have been recognized by the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. Gavin Benitez-Gay, Wyatt Meyer, Jane Ripps, and Riley Wares have been named semifinalists, and Luke Schliekelman has been named a Commended Student.

The National Merit Scholarship Program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. You can read more about the program here.

Cedar Shoals High School students Gabrielle Odister (11th grade), La’bria Moss (10th grade), and Laylah McLain (10th Grade) have been named 2024-25 SAT BigFuture Ambassadors by the College Board. These outstanding students applied and were accepted to be ambassadors for College Board’s program, which is a free online planning guide that helps all students take the right first step after high school. These students will use their leadership abilities to help connect their peers to college and career resources through BigFuture, giving them a leg up on navigating life after high school.

Remember to head to our CCSD Facebook page and Instagram profile for daily spotlights of our school-level teachers and support professionals of the year as we lead up to the announcement of the finalists and the Oct. 24 awards dinner, where the district Teacher and Support Professional of the Year will be revealed.

Clarke County Board of Education District 7 member Dr. LaKeisha Gantt will host a "Community Conversation" event Monday, Oct. 21, from 6-7 p.m. at the Chestnut Grove Baptist Church Historic Schoolhouse, located at 6130 Epps Bridge Pkwy., Athens. This is the second in a series of upcoming town hall-style events with BOE members. The meeting is open to all Clarke County residents. Spanish-language interpreters will be present.

CCSD is partnering with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities, Voices for Georgia's Children, and several other organizations to hold the "Free Your Feels" Teen Summit, a community-driven event dedicated to celebrating and raising awareness about young mental health. The event will be held Saturday, Oct. 26, from noon to 3 p.m. at The Classic Center, 300 North Thomas St., Athens.

Designed for teens aged 13-18, this summit provides a unique platform for young people to connect with their peers, access valuable resources from local service providers and organizations, and engage in various self-expression activities such as journaling and podcasting. Attendees can also enjoy free food and fun throughout the event. Additionally, adult caregivers are welcome to join the event with their teens, with a portion of the day to participate in the “Caregiver Cafe,” a special session led by a licensed clinician that fosters open, group dialogue among caregivers. This event promises a supportive and engaging environment for both teens and their caregivers.

Register at this link or in the form embedded below.

All CCSD students grades 9-11 and their families are invited to the district's AP and Dual Enrollment Night event Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Vernon Payne Meeting Hall at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave., Athens.

The program will cover the Advanced Placement programs at Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools and college-level course options available to students as well as dual-enrollment options through the Athens Community Career Academy, Athens Technical College, the University of North Georgia, and the University of Georgia. High school teachers, counselors, and representatives from local colleges will be be present to talk with students and families about what options might be right for them.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sigma Alpha Iota, the University of Georgia music fraternity, will host its annual "Dreaming of a Redcoat Band Day" event Sunday, Nov. 10, from 9:45 a.m. to noon for elementary school students and from 12:45-3 p.m. for middle and high school students.

During the event, students will play games and instruments, play stand tunes, and split off into sections to learn music. There will also be drum major lessons. At the end of the event, students will do a "Dawg Walk" with a special appearance by the UGA mascot, Hairy Dawg.

The cost to attend is $18 per student if signed up before Oct. 15 and $20 if signed up after Oct. 15, and the price includes a T-shirt for all participants and snacks during the event. You can register here.

Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 15, from 6-8 p.m. for a reception celebrating the CCSD Biennial Student Art Exhibition. The event and art exhibition will be at the Lyndon House Arts Center, 211 Hoyt St., Athens. Stay tuned for more information!

Race registration is officially open for the inaugural Clarke Central High School "Glads Run ATH" 5K on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 8 a.m. Volunteer opportunities are also available for those who don't want to run, jog, or walk the course as well as "virtual runner" and sponsorship opportunities.

• To register to run, go to bit.ly/glads5Krun.
• To volunteer, go to bit.ly/glads5Kvolunteer.
• To be a sponsor, go to bit.ly/glads5Ksponsor.
• To purchase a T-shirt, go to bit.ly/glads5Kshirt.

If you are the owner or representative of a local or area company and would like more information about doing business with CCSD, join us on Saturday, Oct. 26, for our "Prime Time with Purchasing" event!

Hosted by CCSD's Office of Purchasing and Contracts, the event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the CCSD District Office, 595 Prince Ave., and will give potential vendors an overview of ways to do business with the school district as well as current bids and opportunities that are available. Small businesses and minority- or women-owned businesses who are interested in becoming a vendor are strongly encouraged to attend.

To register for this event, scan the QR code in the flyer or go to bit.ly/CCSDPrimeTimeRegistration.

The state and national award-winning Clarke Middle School Science, Energy, & Adventure Team (SEAT) Fall Flower Fundraiser is active and runs through Tuesday, Oct. 15.

The team will earn 50% of the customer's purchase price for team field trips and service projects. Customers can type in a team member's name so that an individual team member will get credit for the sale. The team goal is to earn $1,250 or more this fall.

Flower Power will ship each customer's order to the address that is provided (continental US only). Click here for more information and to order!

If you want to get an early start on your Christmas decoration planning and get that tree purchase out of the way, the Clarke Central High School baseball program is holding its annual Christmas Tree and Greenery fundraiser through Sunday, Oct. 27.

Fraser Fir trees ranging from 5 to 11 feet tall, wreaths from 16 to 32 inches, and garlands in both Fraser Fir and White Pine (25 or 75 feet) are available for purchase. Orders will be delivered for free to homes in the Athens area on Sunday, Dec. 1.

Orders can be placed here. For more information and questions, email cchsbaseballtreesale@gmail.com.

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.
• Attend a Meeting: The board's next scheduled meeting is Thursday, Oct. 17, 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.

The Georgia Museum of Art, 90 Carlton St., will host Teen Studio: Mystery Masquerade from 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24. Teens ages 13-18 are invited to this studio-based workshop led by local artist and educator Kristen Bach. Teens will create their own masks and then play a “whodunit” game by solving clues hidden within works of art. Costumes are encouraged.

This program is free and includes a pizza dinner from DePalma’s Italian Cafe. Seats are limited; register for the program here or email gmoa-tours@uga.edu.

The Ashton Hope Keegan Foundation is currently seeking enthusiastic and reliable volunteers to help run concession stands during University of Georgia volleyball matches this season. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to earn volunteer hours while supporting UGA athletics and serving the local community. Students who participate will also be able to count their hours towards the Georgia Student Service Award, recognizing their dedication to community service. Roles include assisting with food and drink sales, customer service, and maintaining a friendly environment at the concession stands.

All matches will be held at Stegeman Coliseum, and opportunities are available on the following dates:

• Oct. 11 - match at 7 p.m. (report by 5:15 p.m.)
• Oct. 13 - match at 1 p.m. (report by 11:15 a.m.)
• Oct. 18 - match at 7 p.m. (report by 5:15 p.m.)

Sign up at this link for a slot that is labeled “Concessions."

CCSD students and families are encouraged to the University of Georgia home volleyball match against South Carolina at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11. Admission is free for all spectators. There will be a kids zone featuring a photo booth, face-painting, a balloon artist, and more. The first 2,000 fans in attendance will receive a free T-shirt. Go to georgiadogs.com for more information.

Celebrate the holidays and make exciting new memories at The Classic Center Cultural Foundation's Breakfast with Santa event, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Akins Ford Arena at the Classic Center, 300 North Thomas St., Athens. The event will include a breakfast buffet with crafts in Santa's Workshop, a photo opportunity with Santa, and much more!

Tickets are now on sale. Click here to purchase.