Better Together

Every day at CCSD, our students are growing, thriving, and becoming future leaders. They are finding their voice and continuing along their educational journeys with confidence and an intact focus on achieving their dreams. The past week has been a great opportunity to celebrate just some of their extraordinary work.

The 2025-26 cohort of the CCSD Superintendent's Student Advisory Council wrapped up its work for the year on April 1 with their final presentations to district and school leaders at the District Office. These 24 juniors and seniors from Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools met several times this school year with Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott to not only learn more about district operations and decision-making but also discuss ideas and develop proposals relevant to improving the overall student experience in CCSD.

Their proposals revolved around improving student wellness, safety, and connectedness and included the introduction of emotional support animals on school campuses, making period products more readily accessible for students, the installation of vape detectors, streamlining information for students about school events and opportunities, and providing more collaboration opportunities for students at all three of our high schools. District leaders will use these presentations to explore opportunities to make these ideas actionable. Enjoy more photos from the presentations here!

Congratulations to these students:

• Stella James
• Larriest Bentford
• Evan Cornish
• Claire Bruner
• Kori Tatum
• Reece Rodriguez
• Kaitlyn Paige
• Lilliana Cohen
• Tanya Calderon-Salazar
• Cesar Castro
• Gabriel Gordon
• Kimora Patterson
• Gabrielle Sturdivant
• Lucy Buckner
• Gabriel Davila
• Javen Hutchins
• Justin Lee
• Ky'esha Gainer
• Chizoba Emegwam
• David Wang
• Savannah Rawls
• Ki'Mora Hall
• Devyn Capuozzo
• Caitlin Smith

Ten CCSD high school sophomores and juniors were among the 35 outstanding teens representing Athens-area public and private schools who participated in this year's Youth Leadership Athens cohort. The program assists students in developing and/or enhancing their leadership skills, provides them with opportunities to network with adults and students from other area schools, and assists them in developing awareness of relevant community issues.

CCSD students are pictured above with Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott during the recent Youth Leadership Athens graduation.

• From Cedar Shoals: Solomon Caplan and Tatiana Velasquez. (Lauren Neace not pictured)
• From Clarke Central: Anna Feagle, Miriam Widener, Zarema Douris, Anna Flath, Daly Pruitt, Callie Wallace, and Kayla Walker.

Additionally, Tatiana Velasquez was named a High Honor Graduate, while Solomon Caplan, Anna Feagle, and Miriam Widener were named Superior Achievement graduates. These students were recognized for going above and beyond the core activities of the program by completing additional optional leadership activities.

Congratulations to all!

We are excited to announce the 15 extraordinary students who will be taking the stage for this year's CCSD TEDx Youth event next month! Out of more than 50 applicants across elementary, middle, and high schools, 15 were selected to speak and/or perform on Saturday, May 9, at the District Office and will be sharing their bold ideas under the common theme of "Raising the Bar." The CCSD TEDx team had the chance to surprise most of the participants in person around the district this week. Congratulations to the following students!

• From Barnett Shoals Elementary School: Leah Hussain
• From Gaines Elementary School: A'Niyah Grimes and Ruby Smothers
• From Timothy Road Elementary School: Kenji Funato
• From Whitehead Road Elementary School: Emaline Benson
• From Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School: Eden Moye
• From Coile Middle School Aidric Johnson and A'layja Wilson
• From Hilsman Middle School: Caitlin Davis and Ryan Watkins
• From Clarke Central High School: Brandon Frazier and Laila Nobles
• From Clarke Central High School and Athens Community Career Academy: Mariah Carson, Essex Forker, and Kayla Walker

At CCSD, we are committed to building a stronger Culture of Literacy every day, and that extends beyond reading and writing. We join school districts across the nation in recognizing April as Financial Literacy Month, a time to focus on enhancing awareness of the importance of budgeting, saving, investing, and managing debt to improve financial well-being. As our students grow and thrive, teachers at all grade levels across the district are working to equip them with the knowledge they need to make informed financial decisions and build a more secure future.

As our seniors head toward completion of the Gifted Savings financial literacy and education program and taking full ownership of their investment portfolios, we are preparing to welcome the next class of student investors and invite our community to support our efforts!

If you're interested in supporting a student, class, or school with a donation, or if you'd just like to learn more, go to https://giftedsavings.org/ or send us an email at communications@clarke.k12.ga.us, and we'll get you connected!

In the meantime, check out the spring Gifted Savings family newsletter in the attachment below to see what our seniors have been up to!

Along with the Gifted Savings partnership that is putting the CCSD Class of 2026 ahead of their peers in financial readiness, they'll be receiving an additional resource from the Georgia Department of Education and State School Superintendent Richard Woods as they prepare to walk across the graduation stage.

This spring, all graduating seniors statewide – more than 124,000 students – will receive a copy of "The Talk (About Money): A Young Adult’s Guide to the One Decision That Changes Everything" by Dale Alexander, a Georgia native and certified financial planner.

The effort is supported through a private donation from The Alexander Family Charitable Fund.

“For many students, graduation is the first time they’ll be earning a steady paycheck, paying their own bills, or making decisions about loans and credit. Those are big, real-world choices, and they come quickly,” Superintendent Woods said in a press release. “We want to ensure Georgia students aren’t learning about personal finance through trial and error. That’s why we expanded the personal finance content in Georgia’s required economics course, and why we’re so proud to partner with Dale Alexander to provide this resource to graduating students. This book will provide a practical touchstone for students as they begin earning, spending, and making financial decisions. We want to help them avoid some of the hard lessons and step more confidently into adulthood.”

A trio of Clarke Middle School seventh-graders had a strong showing at last week's Georgia Science and Engineering Fair.

Alex Call won the Inspiring Excellence Award for her project, "Lighting Up Photosynthesis" and also received a nomination for the nationwide Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, the nation’s premier science fair competition for middle school students. She and other nominees will be awarded an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. in October to compete for more than $100,000 in prizes.

Meanwhile, Henry Wojdynski was the Junior Division winner of the UGA Mathematics Department Award and was the overall category winner among middle school competitors for his project, "How to Win: Calculating Predictors of Winning Percentages in the NBA."

Alex and Henry also both received second honors, meaning their projects were rated in the top 20% of projects entered in the competition. Emma Arenales received third honors as her project, "Fantastic Bioplastic," ranked in the top 30%.

CCSD had 16 students in total qualify for and compete in the state fair. Congratulations to all the other state competitors!

• Ryn Brown, Clarke Middle (CMS)
• Tristin Bryant, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle (BHL)
• Clark Crawford, BHL
• Kennedy Gates, CMS
• Ma’Kayla Johnson, Coile Middle
• Trevor Johnson, BHL
• Georgia McKown, CMS
• Elise Newman, CMS
• Zilynn Skelton, BHL
• Angel Jones, Cedar Shoals High School
• Grayson Oliver, Cedar Shoals
• Israel Ortiz, Cedar Shoals
• Savannah Rawls, Cedar Shoals

Congratulations to Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School seventh-grade student Raziel Romero Navarro, who has earned a full Gretsch Musician Leadership Academy scholarship from the University of Georgia, a summer music camp traditionally open to rising 10th-12th-grade students!

Raziel began his musical education journey on guitar and now also plays viola, cello, violin, and bass. He was selected to District Honor Orchestra on cello this year.

Matthew Rubenstein, BHL Director of String Programs, shared: "In my 22 years of teaching, I have not encountered a student with this combination of talent, versatility, and musical intuition."

Congratulations to Dominique Green, special education paraprofessional at Barrow Elementary School, on being named CCSD's Employee of the Month for April!

Ms. Green supports students in Ms. Lexie McCollum's third-grade class at Barrow and also provides instructional support during specials classes (PE, art, music, etc.) for grades 1-2 and 5. She was nominated by one of her colleagues, who noted that she has established strong relationships with students and coworkers and is always eager to learn and to grow her own knowledge and abilities.

Ms. Green was surprised with the award in her classroom by Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott and Barrow Principal Dr. Ellen Sabatini and was recognized publicly at the Thursday, April 2 Board of Education meeting.

Anyone in the community may nominate any full-time CCSD employee with at least one full year of service for the Employee of the Month award at bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward.

At its Thursday, April 2 meeting, the Clarke County Board of Education approved the appointment of Dr. Kristina Lerch-Batson as Assistant Principal of Barrow Elementary School beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

Dr. Lerch-Batson has been an assistant principal at Clarke Middle School since 2020. She will replace outgoing Assistant Principal Jennifer Leahy, who is retiring after 12 years at Barrow and 31 years in education in Georgia – including time as a special education teacher at Coile Middle and Clarke Central High schools.

Read more about Dr. Lerch-Batson.

The window for parents/guardians and teachers/staff to declare their candidacy for their school’s Local School Governance Team (LSGT) is now open! From April 1-29, eligible individuals may submit their Declaration of Candidacy.

CCSD believes in the power of collaboration between schools, families, and the community. That’s why we invite parents, guardians, and teachers to take an active role in shaping the future of our schools by declaring their candidacy for a seat on their school's LSGT! These teams work with school principals and the community to make data-driven decisions that help play a critical role in school decision-making and strategies that directly impact student achievement.

Elections will be held May 4-8, and results will be announced by May 13. Elected members will serve a two-year term.

Learn more about LSGT elections, including a school-by-school list of available seats at this link.

CCSD will hold its annual Young Scientists Fair for elementary school students Saturday, April 18, at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School, 1150 Oglethorpe Avenue, Athens.

The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. with hands-on science activities and competitions running all morning. Public viewing of student science fair projects submitted by each school will begin at 10:30 a.m., and the awards ceremony will follow at 11:30 a.m. See the full schedule in the attachment below. English is on page 1, and Spanish is on page 2.

CCSD will join other districts across the nation in recognizing and celebrating April 13-17 as Exceptional Children's Week. This celebration honors students with disabilities and promotes awareness, inclusion, and acceptance in schools, recognizing the unique needs and abilities of exceptional learners.

This year's theme is "Turn the Page to Possibility: Literacy Success in Special Education." All schools are invited to participate in daily celebrations with different attire.

• Monday, April 13 - Arts, Crafts, and Sensory: Wear your favorite hat.
• Tuesday, April 14 - Motivated in Reading: Wear your sunglasses.
• Wednesday, April 15 - "Make it Make Sense" Math: Wear your unique socks.
• Thursday, April 16 - Appreciation Day: Wear your school colors.
• Friday, April 17 - Health and Wellness: Wear your favorite jersey.

Spring Break is coming soon! If you'll be in town and are looking for activities to keep your child busy, here are some opportunities that will be available for CCSD elementary and middle school students the week of April 6-10.

• The Athens Youth Development Initiative will once again host free half-day (9 a.m. to noon) visual and dramatic arts camps. Camps and age levels vary by days. Find more information and register at this link! Spots are limited!
• Clarke Central High School will host a youth soccer camp for ages 8-14 April 6-8 from 9 a.m. to noon each day. The cost is $90. Click here for more information and to register.

The Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) is now accepting applications for its 2026 Youth Advisory Council (YAC).

The YAC is a student leadership program formed by GSBA to give high school students the opportunity to provide meaningful input to school board members and aid them in their decision-making. In addition, YAC members will have the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills and contribute to their community by affecting positive change for students across Georgia.

Applications are now open and will close on April 10. Find more information here, and apply here!

CCSD is proud to once again partner with the Athens YWCO on its Summer Girls Club, which will be held June 1 through July 10 at Howard B. Stroud Elementary School!

Registration is now open for girls who will be entering grades K-7 for the 2026-27 school year. The camp will offer S.T.E.M., reading, swimming, music and dance, sports and games, arts and craft, and career exploration activities as well as educational field trips. lt will be held every weekday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.. The cost is $50 per week ($60 for extended care before or after hours) with a $25 registration fee.

Click here for more information and to register! A full PDF flyer is also attached below in English and Spanish.

Registration is now open for the Athens Community Career Academy's Summer Career Exploration Program for rising ninth-grade students. Students will have the opportunity to participate in one of the following three-day camps (June 15-17) introducing several of the CTAE pathways they can begin taking courses in as early as 10th grade:

• Advanced Manufacturing and Welding
• Entertainment, Sports, and Event Management
• Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts
• Film and Broadcast Production
• Healthcare
• Fire/EMT
• Teaching as a Profession.

Transportation, breakfast, and lunch will be provided. Apply by May 1 at bit.ly/ccsdsummerprograms. The form is available in English and Spanish. For more information, contact Halo Smart, CCSD Workforce Development Coordinator, at smarth@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Athens-based nonprofit Chess and Community is launching the Clarke County Youth Mural Art Program, a four-week creative opportunity designed for high school students to explore public art, collaboration, and creative expression while contributing to a community mural project.

Sessions will begin April 13. Participation does not require prior art experience, though an interest in art is encouraged. The goal of the program is to provide students with a supportive environment where they can learn about mural design, teamwork, and the impact of public art in their community.

Register here!

Registration is now open for the Autism Awareness and Acceptance 5K and Fun Run at Barnett Shoals Elementary School on Friday, May 1. The event will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. at the school, located at 3220 South Barnett Shoals Rd., Athens. Awards by age and gender groups will be given, and the event will include other kids' activities. Register for the 5K and Fun run by Wednesday, April 1, for discounted fees. Register online at this link.

The Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County has opened nominations for its 2026 Teaching and Staff awards and is accepting nominations until April 15 at 11 p.m. Nominate a teacher or support staff member who has made an incredible impact on students. Click here for more information on the awards and to get started on your nomination! Award winners will be announced this summer.

CCSD's School Choice application period for the 2026-27 school year opened April 1 and runs through May 9, 2026.

CCSD school assignments are based on the boundaries of the district’s attendance zones; however, under state law, School Choice allows parents/guardians of students currently enrolled in CCSD (including those who do not currently attend but have already enrolled for the 2026-27 school year) to apply for a transfer to a school outside of their attendance zone, provided that space is available. Currently, School Choice transfer space is available at all CCSD schools except for Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary, Timothy Road Elementary, and Clarke Central High schools.

Families have until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, to complete the School Choice application. If the number of applications exceeds the spaces available at a particular school, selections will be made by random lottery. Families will be notified by email by June 9 whether their transfer request is approved. If selected for School Choice, the parent/guardian must accept the transfer by July 22. If a student is approved for a transfer out of zone, guardians are responsible for transportation to and from school, as the district does not provide out-of-zone transportation. Regular school attendance and positive behavior are also required to maintain enrollment.

The School Choice application is available at this link in English and Spanish.

The CCSD Family Advisory Board will hold its next meeting on Wednesday, April 22, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Coile Middle School, 110 Old Elberton Rd., Athens.

The Family Advisory Board exists to promote discussion and development of a shared vision of the educational needs of all CCSD students and is made up of representatives from every elementary, middle, and high school in the district. Its purpose is to advise district administration on issues related to the overall success of the district.

The monthly Parent Institute newsletter, available in English and Spanish with early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school versions, is intended to:

• help families effectively support their children's education at home
• provide practical, proven information families can act on right away
• offer guidance on a comprehensive array of school success topics
• reinforce the importance of the school-home partnership.

Click the buttons below to access each version!

MedLink Georgia now provides behavioral health services for CCSD students at the Classic City Health Center and Coile Health Center, which are intended to help students develop healthy coping skills, better emotional regulation, and provide them with a more positive school experience.

The program provides support for:

• depression and mood issues
• school and social anxiety
• behavior and anger problems
• coping with bullying
• ADHD and focus issues.

Confidential and convenient on-site counseling services are available during school hours. For more information, call the Classic City Health Center at 706-389-1095 or the Coile Health Center at 706-352-9244.

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, May 14, 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.

Fill out the short Google form below or here, and a CCSD Human Resources representative will follow up with you.

The annual Twilight Festival and bicycle races will be held in downtown Athens April 17-18 and will also include races and many other fun activities for children. The "Kids Zone" will be set up both days in the 300 block of Lumpkin Street with bounce houses from 5-9 p.m. on April 17 and other activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 18. Kids' 1K bike races will also begin at 1:30 p.m., and there will be a kids' parade lap at 5:50 p.m. on April 18. View the full event schedule here and check out the Kids Zone flyer attached below in English and Spanish.

Advantage Behavioral Health Systems will host the "Health Meets Hope" 5K Run and Walk on Sunday, April 26, from 3-5 p.m. at Southeast Clarke Park, 4440 Lexington Rd., Athens. Registration for the 5K is $25 per person in advance and $30 on the day of the event. There will also be many free and family-friendly activities for those who don't plan to participate in the 5K but still want to support the event. Click here to register.

Beginning June 1, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Athens will offer a special eight-week summer camp experience for youth from Athens Housing Authority communities at its two freestanding club facilities.

Each weekday morning during the summer programming, youth will meet at their clubhouse facility between 7:30-8 a.m. and be transported by club staff to one of two freestanding facilities and then be transported back home to their community site pickup between 5-5:30 p.m. for pickup. Youth who live in Nellie B and Parkview will attend programming at the Joel E. Smilow Clubhouse, while youth who live in Rocksprings and Broadacres will attend programming at the H.T. Edwards Clubhouse.

This model will allow for a more comprehensive summer experience, including access to gymnasiums and additional program spaces, field trips, and other special activities. The summer camp fee will be waived for all Athens Housing Authority children, ensuring that the opportunity remains accessible to all families.

During this time, Athens Housing Authority staff will be refreshing the facilities at the community club sites in preparation for the new school year. After-school programming at the Athens Housing Authority community centers will resume at the start of the 2026-27 school year.

Contact the Boys and Girls Clubs of Athens directly for more information.

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.

Click the links to view the Leisure Pursuits newsletter for April, which contains information about upcoming events and programs in Athens-Clarke County:

• English
• Español

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.

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.