Better Together

CCSD and the Athens Community Career Academy invite all current ninth- and 10th-grade students and their families to a Pathway Showcase on Thursday, March 6, from 5:30-7 p.m. at ACCA, 440-1 Dearing Extension.

This event will introduce students interested in attending ACCA to career pathway programs that still have openings for the 2025-26 school year. Teachers and current students will be leading tours of the instructional labs and student workspaces, doing demonstrations, and providing additional information about the career opportunities presented by each pathway.

See the flyer above and read more at this link for additional information!

Clarke Central High School won big at last week's SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta. Senior Grayson Krause won a Gold medal in Computer Programming to qualify for this summer's national competition and a Silver in Math Applications, while junior Zach Bergman won Gold in Technical Computer Applications to qualify for nationals and a Bronze in Math Applications. Sophomore Daniel Bray also brought home a medal, winning Silver in "Internet of Things."

A big congratulations to these three students and a thank you to Clarke Central SkillsUSA faculty advisor John Walker for his mentorship of these students throughout the year!

Congratulations to the Hilsman Middle School Student Council for being named the Student Council of Excellence for the 2024-25 school year by the Georgia Association of Student Councils at the GASC State Convention in Rock Eagle last week!

This award is given to the student council which demonstrates integrity in its work throughout the year and commitment in serving its students, school community, and the community at large. The Hilsman council also won an award for Outstanding Citizenship/Patriotism Project and Outstanding Faculty and Staff Recognition Project!

Meanwhile, eighth-grader Kate Graichen represented HMS in the State Speech Contest, and faculty advisor Joshua Truitt was elected to be the Advisor Liaison for the GASC, serving on the executive board working with all District 1 advisors.

Congratulations to Dr. Elizabeth Dubberly, Dual Language Academic Support Specialist at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School, who won second place last week at the National Association of Bilingual Education Conference in Atlanta for her dissertation on Dual Language Immersion programs titled “Creando con Ciencia: Creative Entanglements in the DLI Spanish Classroom."

OAES offers a Dual Language Immersion Program in Spanish for students in grades PK-5. Students living in the OAES attendance zone are invited to apply for the bilingual and biliteracy program prior to their pre-K year and, once accepted, continue in the program throughout elementary school. Students receive 50% of their daily instruction in Spanish and the other half in English.

Zoned students have the opportunity to continue DLI instruction in grades 6-8 at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School and, upon successful completion of the middle school program, will have earned high school Spanish I and II credits.

CCSD has a new partnership with Varsity Tutors that provides students with virtual, asynchronous assistance and extended learning opportunities at all levels. These support services include free tutoring anytime, enrichment classes, essay reviews, read-aloud sessions, and self-study resources to name a few!

CLICK HERE for information on how to access Varsity Tutors.

Check out the programs below and stay tuned for more information!

• Elementary School
• Middle School
• High School

You can also check out answers to these frequently asked questions in English and Spanish for more details.

CCSD emphasizes the importance of reading, especially from a young age, to build a foundation for a lifetime of success and opportunities for our students. The nonprofit Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) helps put children on the path to reading proficiency and a better future by sparking the joy of reading.

This month, RIF highlights the importance of "change-makers" with videos of authors reading their books aloud. Check out the video below to read along with your child as Sy Montgomery reads her book, "Becoming a Good Creature!" Then head over to bit.ly/RIFrallytoread to take the Rally to Read pledge of reading 100 books!

Mardi Gras is next week, and community members are invited to reserve their spot at the Athens Community Career Academy's Yellow Jacket Bistro on Tuesday, March 4, at 12:45 p.m. for a special pop-up lunch prepared by our very own culinary arts pathway students!

Each month, our students collaborate with Athens-area chefs in preparing a special menu for these pop-up lunches. Come enjoy a great meal and support our future chefs! Reservations are required. Go to bit.ly/yjbistro for more information and to reserve your seat!

Is your company hiring, providing internship opportunities, or looking for more ways to connect with high school students? The Athens Community Career Academy, 440-1 Dearing Ext., Athens, will host a career fair on Wednesday, April 2, 10:30 a.m. to noon and 1-2:15 p.m.

The event connects local employers with CCSD students seeking full-time jobs, summer positions, or internships starting in August. Graduating seniors are looking for employment, while sophomores and juniors will be in search of part-time work or Work-Based Learning credit opportunities. If you or a colleague are interested in recruiting, please complete this registration form by Friday, March 21.

Find more information at this link or register directly for the tournament here or scan the QR code in the flyer above.

Congratulations to the Classic City Dawgs, CCSD's own AdaptED wheelchair athletic program, for qualifying for the GHSA basketball playoffs beginning March 1!

This free program, coordinated by CCSD, is open to all students grades 1-12 throughout northeast Georgia with a qualifying physical disability. Wheelchair football practice starts March 9. If you're interested in signing your student up, please complete this interest form or contact CCSD AdaptED coordinator Chris Aiken at aikenc@clarke.k12.ga.us.

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, March 13, 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.

Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services is rewarding CCSD students who earn high grades with a free summer pool pass! In order to be eligible, any student in grades K-12 who resides in Athens-Clarke County must take a copy of their final report card or equivalent to the Leisure Services Department’s park office where a swimming pool is located.

A report card with all A's or all E's guarantees a free summer pool pass. A report card with all A's and B's, or all 3's and 4's, is good for 10 free trips. The passes may be used at all of the department’s five pool and both splash pads located throughout the county this summer.

For more information and a list of pool and splash pad locations, visit www.accgov.com/aquatics.

The Athens YWCO and Step Into Swim are offering youth swim lessons for children ages 4-9 this spring and offering scholarships to students who cannot otherwise afford private lessons. There will be eight 30-minute sessions offered from 5:30-6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, either from March 4-27 or April 1 through May 1. See the flyer above or click here for additional information. For questions, call 706-354-7880, Ext. 3.