Better Together
2/6/26 • News from the Clarke County School District
Instructional Activities, Special Programs Planned Across District
CCSD celebrates February as Black History Month, recognizing and honoring the progress, impact, and leadership within the African American community both locally and on a national scale. All schools throughout the district have various instructional activities planned, including a special focus on reading with district staff and community guest-reader sessions planned!
Be sure to follow CCSD (@ClarkeCoSchools) and our schools on social media throughout the month as we share highlights of these activities like Howard B. Stroud Elementary's daily videos where students will give facts about important figures in African American history. Several schools also have evening events scheduled that will be open to the entire community, including Clarke Middle (Feb. 20) and Cedar Shoals High School (Feb. 26). See the flyers below for more information!
Celebrate Black History Month Through Reading!
CCSD also encourages our families with young and beginning readers to take advantage of the Reading Is Fundamental online collection of Black History-themed books.
This collection celebrates the power of stories that reflect Black history, culture, and lived experiences. When children see themselves in books, they feel seen, valued, and inspired to read more. You can also check out the monthly featured read-aloud through the organization's Rally to Read initiative!
February is also CTAE Month, which recognizes the importance of career, technical, and agricultural education programs in our schools.
CCSD offers more than two dozen CTAE career pathways for high school students at Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools and the Athens Community Career Academy, all designed to prepare students for regional and local high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand industry sector occupations based on existing and emerging workforce development needs in Athens-Clarke County and the surrounding region. Our agricultural programs also include introductory courses for students at the middle school level.
Visit www.clarke.k12.ga.us/ctae for more information on CCSD's CTAE program and resources for students and families, including our CTAE Career Planner Guide (available in English and Spanish) and our CTAE program highlight video, which can be viewed below!
BHL's Geisenhof Crowned District Spelling Bee Champion
Congratulations to Phoebe Geisenhof, seventh-grader at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, on winning the 2026 CCSD District Spelling Bee! Phoebe outlasted the other 17 competitors representing each of CCSD's elementary and middle schools and will now advance to the regional competition, which will be held Feb. 28 at Clarke Middle School. Congratulations also goes to Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary fifth-grader Nora Varsa, who finished as the district runner-up and all of our other school-level winners!
Click here for a full photo gallery from the district bee and here to view the replay of the bee!
Check Out Round 2 of Cedar Shoals vs. Clarke Central Varsity Basketball This Saturday!
The Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central varsity basketball teams will take on each other for the second and final time this season Saturday, Feb. 7, at Clarke Central, with tipoff of the girls' at 2 p.m., followed immediately by the boys' game!
Purchase tickets on GoFan using this link for a web browser. You can also download the GoFan mobile app:
Tickets will be sold until gym capacity is reached.
Here are some other important reminders to keep in mind before you arrive:
- A clear bag policy will be in effect.
- Any children middle school age and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
- Anyone who does not have a ticket to the games is asked not to be on campus outside of the gym during the games. If you are dropping off someone at one or both of the games, please return to campus to pick them up at the conclusion of the games.
Community Volunteers Needed for ACCA Student Mock Interviews!
The Athens Community Career Academy seeks to prepare CCSD high school students with all of the skills needed to meet Athens-area workforce needs and help them achieve their postsecondary goals. In addition to academic and technical skills, ACCA is dedicated to ensuring that students have the employability and social skills needed to succeed after high school.
With that in mind, ACCA will be hosting its annual "Project Yellowjacket" student mock interview competition on Wednesday, March 4, and is seeking community volunteers to help! Community members are invited to sit down with students and conduct brief (5- to 10-minute) interviews using questions and a scoring rubric provided by ACCA. Awards will be earned by classes and individual students based on their professionalism ratings.
Volunteers can sign up for either or both of the morning (10:15 a.m. to noon) and afternoon (1:15-2:15 p.m.) sessions at bit.ly/accamockinterviews or in the form directly embedded below. The event will be held at ACCA, 440-1 Dearing Ext., Athens. Lunch will also be provided on-site to volunteers at the Yellowjacket Bistro from noon to 1 p.m.!
If you are unable to attend but are still interested in supporting the event, ACCA will accept donations for prizes for the competition winners. Email Halo Smart, CCSD Workforce Development Coordinator, at smarth@clarke.k12.ga.us for more information!
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.
CCSD Family Advisory Board to Meet Feb. 18
CCSD's Family Advisory Board will hold its next meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, 1600 Tallassee Rd., Athens.
The board is made up of representatives from every elementary, middle, and high school in CCSD. Its purpose is to advise the administration on issues related to the overall success of the district. If you would like to submit a question or concern for the board to discuss, please complete this form.
Check Out the February Parent Institute Newsletter!
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!
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.