Better Together

This week, a team from the Georgia Department of Education and Georgia Power visited CCSD for a look at our Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education pathways and programs as part of our application to become an Economic Development Partnership District, a designation which recognizes school districts for their strong CTAE programs, work-based learning opportunities, and commitment to workforce development. The team had a chance to tour the instructional labs and learning spaces at the Athens Community Career Academy and the new CTAE building in progress at Cedar Shoals High School and hear from panels of students and teachers representing ACCA, Cedar Shoals, and Clarke Central High School about how the programs are providing students with more access to well-paying jobs across multiple areas that meet local and regional workforce demands. See more photos here and click the links below for more scenes around CCSD over the past week!

CCSD's 21st Century after-school program will hold free, grant-funded summer enrichment camps open to all middle school students as well as students at Fowler Drive, Gaines, and J.J. Harris elementary schools.

All camps will be held June 2-18, Monday through Thursday each week and ending on Wednesday, June 18. Transportation and meals will be provided free of charge.

• The middle school camps are open to all students entering grades 6-8 and will include STEM activities, culinary classes, and field trips and will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. West side students (Clarke Middle and Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle) will attend camp at Clarke Middle. East side students (Hilsman Middle and Coile Middle) will attend camp at Hilsman.
• The elementary camps are open to students entering grades 1-5 at either Fowler Drive, Gaines, or J.J. Harris. The camps will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day and will also include culinary classes, S.T.E.A.M. activities, and field trips. Students at Fowler Drive and J.J. Harris will attend camp at Fowler Drive, while Gaines students will be at Gaines.

Click here or on the button below to register now!

Gladiator Youth Sports will offer a basketball camp and a soccer camp during Spring Break. The camps will be Tuesday through Thursday, April 8-10, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Clarke Central High School. The camps are for ages 8-14, and the registration fee is $75 for each camp. Click here to register today. Email gladiatoryouthsportscamps@gmail.com for more information.

The Athens Rock Lobsters hockey team is celebrating CCSD students with high marks on their report cards! Any student who presents a report card with at least one A (or one 4 on elementary report cards) will receive a FREE student ticket to the team's home game at 4:05 p.m. Sunday, March 30, with the purchase of an accompanying adult ticket.

How It Works:

✅ Bring your report card showing an A to the ticket box office or call the Rock Lobsters at 706-510-2959.

✅ Purchase at least one adult ticket to the game.

✅ Receive one free student ticket per report card.

Clarke Central High School environmental science and biology teacher Enya Granados has been named a state finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) by the National Science Foundation! This is the top honor bestowed by the U.S. government to K-12 STEM teachers across the country.

Ms. Granados and five other educators in Georgia will now submit their applications for national review. Two winners from each state plus other jurisdictions and territories for a total of 110 will receive $10,000, an official certificate signed by the President of the United States, and an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the awards ceremony. In addition, awardees join a national cohort of award-winning teachers, providing opportunities to impact teaching on a state and national scale.

Ms. Granados is in her third year with CCSD and applied for the award thanks to encouragement from her teacher mentor in Ohio, who is a previous winner. She would be the fifth CCSD teacher to earn this honor – the first since 2014 and the first at the high school level since 1984.

(photo courtesy of ODYSSEY Media Group)

Six CCSD high school students — five from Clarke Central High and one from Cedar Shoals High — have been selected as finalists for the 2025 Georgia Governor’s Honors Program (GHP)! GHP is a residential summer program for gifted and talented high school students who will enter either their junior or senior year in the fall. The program offers instruction that is designed to provide students with enrichment in their area of talent so that they can become the next generation of global critical thinkers, innovators, and leaders. This year's program will take place from June 15 to July 12 at Georgia Southern University.

Finalists from CCSD invited to attend the program this summer include:

• Max Burnham, a junior at Clarke Central, in the area of Agricultural Research, Biotechnology, and Science
• Andreas Dillies, a sophomore at Clarke Central, in the area of Mathematics
• Cara Flath, a junior at Clarke Central, in the area of Social Studies
• Quinn Pendley, a junior at Clarke Central, in the area of Agricultural Research, Biotechnology, and Science
• Eli Stone, a sophomore at Cedar Shoals, in the area of Social Studies
• Waylon Vaughn, a junior at Clarke Central, in the area of Visual Arts.

Cedar Shoals junior Lilly Cohen was selected as an alternate in the area of Communicative Arts.

Congratulations to Clarke Central High School seniors Gavin Benitez-Gay, Wyatt Meyer, Janie Ripps, and Riley Wares, who have all been selected as National Merit Scholarship Program finalists! These students were recognized for their exceptional performances on the PSAT/NMSQT exam, which evaluated their skills in critical reading, math, problem solving and writing. They will now be evaluated to receive $2,500 scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Winners will be announced in May.

Congratulations to Rowan Sarvis of Barnett Shoals Elementary School on being named the Northeast Georgia RESA regional winner for first grade in the 2025 Young Georgia Authors contest! Rowan's submission, "The Sting of the Jellyfish," will now advance to the state competition!

Clarke Central High School's ODYSSEY Media Group and Cedar Shoals High School's BluePrints Magazine and WJAG-TV continued their dominance on the state high school journalism stage this past week at the annual Georgia Scholastic Press Association awards.

Overall, Clarke Central students won eight All-Georgia (best in state) recognitions (including best newsmagazine and website), 10 Superior ratings, and a General Excellence win – in addition to the previously announced Georgia Champion Journalist (Wyatt Meyer), Georgia Champion Journalist runner-up (Janie Ripps), and Georgia Junior Champion Journalist (Peter Atchley) awards.

Cedar Shoals students also won eight All-Georgia awards and received six Superior ratings and one Excellent rating.

A slideshow video with the full list of GSPA awards can be found in the video below. Congratulations to all CCSD winners!

Here are a few ongoing fundraisers and upcoming events that will support school programs and students around CCSD.

• The Clarke Central High School FFA chapter and agricultural education program will hold its annual Spring Plant Sale from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 2-4 and 8 a.m. to noon April 5 at the school greenhouse, 350 South Milledge Ave., Athens. Annuals, perennials, vegetables, ferns, succulents, house plants, and tropicals will be available for purchase. Visitors are asked to enter the campus from Waddell Street behind Billy Henderson Stadium to access the greenhouse. Follow the Clarke Central Agricultural Education Facebook page for updates. For more information, email carrl@clarke.k12.ga.us or brooksa2@clarke.k12.ga.us.
• The Clarke Middle School Science, Energy, and Adventure Team (SEAT) is holding its annual online flower fundraiser through May 15. The SEAT team works in the school and community to educate others about resource conservation. Funds earned from this fundraiser will help the team expand educational outreach efforts and fund field trip scholarships for student team members. For more information, email hughesa@clarke.k12.ga.us or winstonj@clarke.k12.ga.us.

As we celebrate Youth Art Month, CCSD's Student Art Exhibition is now on public display at the University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art through April 11! Join us for a reception celebrating our many talented student artists on Sunday, March 30 from 1-3 p.m.

The annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) window remains open, and CCSD will hold a FAFSA Completion Event to offer assistance to high school students and families from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave.

Students should bring their school laptops, and families should bring their Social Security number or A-number (for non-U.S. citizens), 2023 federal income tax returns, and other financial records. Additional information can be found on the above flyer.

For additional information, contact your student's counselor.

Nominations for CCSD's April Employee of the Month are open and are being accepted through March 31! Anyone in the community may nominate any full-time CCSD employee with at least one full year of service for this award.

Head to bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward to get started or fill out the form embedded directly below!

Is there a CCSD teacher that inspires you or inspires your student? Is there a district staff member that does tremendous work within the school community and you want to recognize them? If the answer is yes, nominate them for one of the 2025 Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County teaching and staff awards!

The foundation is one of CCSD's enduring partners and presents thousands of dollars in awards and grants each year to educators and students throughout the district. Go to athensffe.org for a full list of awards up for nomination this year.

Nominations will be accepted through April 13, and winners will be announced in July.

CCSD will host its annual Young Scientist Fair for students in grades K-5 on Saturday, April 19, at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary, 1150 Oglethorpe Ave.

The event will feature live, interactive science activities and competitions as well as judging of science projects in multiple categories. Competitions will begin at 8:30 a.m. There will be a public viewing of science fair projects starting at 10:30 a.m., followed by an awards ceremony at 11:30 a.m.

See the flyer above for additional information.

This spring, Clarke Central High School's Glad Players and Cedar Shoals High School's Chicken Wing Theatre are teaming up to bring the community a production of "Mamma Mia!" The beloved musical is packed with ABBA’s greatest hits, a heartwarming story, and non-stop energy. Set on a sun-kissed Greek island, this feel-good production follows a young bride-to-be on a quest to discover her father’s identity – leading to laughter, surprises, and plenty of dancing!

This is a show you won’t want to miss! Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, April 17, 7 p.m. Friday, April 18, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 19. Get your tickets here.

For more information, contact Kayla Griffin (Clarke Central) at griffink2@clarke.k12.ga.us or Rosemary Milsap (Cedar Shoals) at milsapr@clarke.k12.ga.us.

The Athens Community Career Academy will once again host summer enrichment camps in June for rising ninth-grade students featuring several of its pathways and designed to introduce students to pathways they can apply for during their freshman year at their home high school and start taking classes in as early as their sophomore year.

The weeklong camps are half-day camps from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Breakfast, lunch, and transportation will be provided upon request. Spots in each pathway camp are limited and are on a first-come, first-serve basis. The deadline to apply is April 22.

The camps and dates include:

• Firefighting (June 9-12)
• Biotechnology (June 9-12)
• Cosmetology (June 9-12)
• Advanced Manufacturing (June 23-26)
• Culinary Arts (June 9-12)
• Healthcare (June 9-12)
• Teaching as a Profession (June 9-12)
• Broadcast Video Production (June 9-12).

Go to bit.ly/ccsdsummerprograms to select the camp you are interested in attending and select whether your student will need breakfast, lunch, and transportation. For more information, contact Halo Smart, ACCA Workforce Development Coordinator, at smarth@clarke.k12.ga.us or 706-357-5244.

CCSD's Department of Special Education will host a transition fair for students and their families on Friday, April 25, from 9 a.m. to noon at the District Office. There will be more than 30 local and areas resource providers in attendance to share information in the areas of community access programs, job support, financial support, trusts planning, guardianship, social opportunities, and more. There will be snacks, games and plenty of information. We look forward to seeing you!

For more information about the fair, email Liza Burnsed, CCSD Transition Specialist, at burnsedl@clarke.k12.ga.us. You can also find more information CCSD Special Education transition services at this link.

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.

The window for parents/guardians and teachers/staff to declare their candidacy for their school’s Local School Governance Team (LSGT) is now open! 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 serving on an LSGT.

Now through April 16, eligible individuals can submit their Declaration of Candidacy for a seat on their school's LSGTeam. 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 April 21-25, and results will be announced by April 28. Elected members will serve a two-year term.

We encourage all eligible parents/guardians and teachers/staff to consider this impactful opportunity to make a difference in our schools. To declare your candidacy, click here!

Each year, CCSD invites students, staff, families, and other community stakeholders to comment on an updated version of the district’s Code of Student Conduct for the following school year prior to adoption of the code by the Board of Education.

The proposed 2025-26 Code of Student Conduct (Spanish version begins on page 37) is now available for review, and the district is accepting feedback responses through April 30. Please use this form (available in English and Spanish) to submit your feedback. Review the proposed code and then select which sections you would like to comment on. All comments will be submitted to the Board of Education for review and may be used for additional revisions to the code before it is presented to the board for consideration at its monthly meeting on May 8.

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, April 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.

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

The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government will host a series of 10 public drop-in meetings throughout April, allowing residents to review and comment on the county's future land-use map. The locations for these meetings were selected to provide at least one nearby meeting opportunity for all ACC residents.

At these drop-in style events, county planning staff and Future Land Use Steering Committee members will be present to talk about the map, answer questions, receive suggested map changes, and assist residents with filling out the feedback survey. In addition to the 10 community meetings, planning staff will also set up an informational table during April at several community events and public locations. A list of the 10 scheduled public meeting events is provided below, and more information is available at www.accgov.com/compplan.

Meeting Schedule

• Friday, April 4, 5:30-7 p.m. - Athentic Brewing, 108 Park Ave.
• Saturday, April 5, 10 a.m. to noon - Fire Station #3, 1198 South Milledge Ave.
• Monday, April 7, 5:30-7 p.m. - New Faith Tabernacle Church, 198 Peter St.
• Thursday, April 10, 5:30-7 p.m. - Lyndon House Arts Center, 211 Hoyt St.
• Monday, April 14, 5:30-7 p.m. - East Athens Baptist Church, 4325 Lexington Rd.
• Wednesday, April 16, 5:30-7 p.m. Hilsman Middle School, 870 Gaines School Rd. CCSD will have a Spanish-language interpreter in attendance.
• Thursday, April 17, 5:30-7 p.m. - Athens-Clarke County Extension Office, 275 Cleveland Rd.
• Monday, April 21, 5:30-7 p.m. - Chapelwood Methodist Church, 100 Janice Dr.
• Wednesday, April 23, 5:30-7:30 p.m. - Fowler Drive Elementary School, 400 Fowler Dr. CCSD will have a Spanish-language interpreter in attendance.
• Wednesday, April 30, 5:30-8 p.m. - Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St.

AKF Athens Martial Arts, 2415 Jefferson Rd., Suite C, Athens, will host a six-week women's self-defense course on Wednesdays from 7-8 p.m. beginning April 9. Teens are welcome to join the class. Registration is $40, but needs-based financial assistance is available. Call 706-353-7743 or email kathyelainefowler@gmail.com to register.

The Athens-Clarke County People and Belonging Department will host a Women's Resource Fair on Saturday, March 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lyndon House, 211 Hoyt St., Athens.

Women in the community are invited to get free health screenings, career coaching, and learn more about mental health and other community resources available to them.

U-Lead Athens, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting immigrants and children of immigrant students in their pursuit of higher education, will host its 11th annual DREAMFest event Saturday, March 29, from noon to 5 p.m. at Heard Park, 400 McKinley Dr., Athens. The event will feature live performances, community organizations tabling and informing the community of their services, music, family-friendly activities, food, and raffles.

Brightpaths, the nonprofit previously known as Prevent Child Abuse Athens, will hold a "Pins for Prevention" event Sunday, March 30, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Showtime Bowling Center, 555 Macon Hwy., Athens. Find more information here.

CCSD families are invited to participate in a research project being conducted by the Augusta University-University of Georgia Medical Partnership to understand people's dental care experiences locally and how services can be enhanced with families. Survey results will help inform operations at the Clarke Middle Health Center, which is managed by the medical partnership.

Click here to access the survey or scan the code in the flyers above.

International Student Life at the University of Georgia will host its annual International Street Festival event Saturday, April 5, from 12-5 p.m. on College Avenue in downtown Athens. This free community event will be full of performances, activities, and food from all around the world. Held in downtown Athens with 3,000-5,000 visitors each year, it offers something for everyone. Bring family and friends of all ages to explore different cultures without leaving Athens!