Jag News
Upcoming Events at CSHS:
- 12/15-16 EOC Make-ups
- 12/18-19: Early Release at 12:45
- 12/20: Parent Meeting for Senior Trip
- 12/22-1/5: Winder Break
- 1/6: First Day of Second Semester
Clarke County School District Updates:
Fall Semester End of Course & Final Exams
Please note the following important information regarding final exams for the fall semester. All courses at Cedar Shoals end with a final exam. If your student is enrolled in Literature and Composition II (10th Grade Language Arts), Biology, United States History, or Algebra, they are required to take an End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment for that subject. Please see the attached letter in English and Spanish for additional information, including review opportunities and more detailed guidance about the assessments.
EOC Dates:
- December 15-16th: EOC Make-ups
Final Exams:
- December 11th: Final Exams for Seniors (1st & 2nd Period)
- December 12th: Final Exams for Seniors (3rd & 4th Period)
- December 18th: Final Exams for Grades 9-11 (1st & 2nd Period), Early Release at 12:45
- December 19th: Final Exams for Grades 9-11 (3rd & 4th Period), Early Release at 12:45
Senior Trip- GradBash Information Meeting: December 20th
We are excited to announce that Cedar Shoals High School will be offering a Senior Trip to Orlando, Florida in April 2026! All graduating seniors are invited to participate in this memorable experience as we celebrate their hard work and accomplishments. To provide more details about the trip, we will host an Information Meeting on Saturday, December 20th at 11:00 AM in the Cedar Shoals Cafeteria. All seniors and parents who are interested in attending the trip should plan to be present. During this meeting, we will review the itinerary, costs, deadlines, and expectations for the trip. If you have any questions prior to the meeting, please feel free to contact our Senior Advisory Board Sponsor, Ms. Thornton, for additional information at thorntonv@clarke.k12.ga.us We look forward to celebrating our seniors with this exciting opportunity!
East Athens Students- Share your voice!
East Athens Development Cooperation wants to hear from our students! There will be a Youth Listening Session at the Miriam Moore Community Room (410 McKinley Drive Athens, GA 30601) on Sunday, 12/14! They are creating space for teens to share their ideas, experiences, and hopes for our community. Pizza provided-your voice matters!
Catch the Cedar Shoals Basketball Teams in Action at Akins Ford Arena Next Weekend!
The Cedar Shoals High School varsity basketball teams will be taking part in a day full of hoops action Saturday, Dec. 13, in the Classic City Showcase at Akins Ford Arena! The Jaguar girls will face off with Jefferson at 6 p.m., while the Cedar boys will take on Jefferson at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 apiece and will also get you access to the other four games between area teams. The games will start at 10 a.m. Click here to view the full schedule, purchase tickets, and find more information about the event!
Hilsman Holiday Market
As you are preparing for your holiday breaks, shopping, and house cleaning, please consider purchasing and/or donating gently used/like new items that our students would like to “purchase” for their families at our 5th Annual Hilsman Holiday Market. This is a student incentive where students can spend points they earn for positive behaviors, so that they can go holiday shopping for their loved ones with no cash required!
Some items of interest include, but are not limited to: toys and games, wrapping paper and gift bags, electronics, books, jewelry, small stuffed animals/dolls, gloves, hats, scarves, mugs, candles, balls, fidgets, dishes, vases, ceramics, journals, art supplies, holiday décor, photo frames, bath and body products, fleece blankets, home goods, reusable water bottles, make-up, gift cards, crafts, ornaments, and art. Alternatively, you can also donate by purchasing items off the school’s Amazon Wishlist at bit.ly/hhm2526. Please email Mr. Conor Naughton at naughtonc@clarke.k12.ga.us with any questions.
Cap & Gown Orders
It is time to begin preparing for graduation. On January 26th, a representative from Herff Jones will be at Cedar Shoals during all four lunches to take cap and gown orders. Payment can be made by cash, check, card, or money order. The required cap and gown package is $86.40. Families may also place orders online at www.herffjones.com. All cap and gown orders will be delivered to the school in person in April.
Parking Information
Students are not permitted to drive to school unless they hold a valid driver’s license and have purchased an official Cedar Shoals parking pass. This rule is in place to ensure the safety of all students and proper use of campus parking spaces. Please remind your student to follow these guidelines- vehicles parked on campus without a valid pass are subject to being towed.
December Parent Institute Newsletter
Check out the monthly Parent Institute newsletter! This information is 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 button below to access this month's high school parent newsletter!
Donate to our Clothes Closet!
Our Clothes Closet needs your help! We’re collecting new, unused items: jogging pants, t-shirts, underwear packs, jackets, and shorts- or you can donate funds to help us restock. Every donation makes a difference! You can bring donations to the CSHS Counseling Office. Please contact Ms. Reese at reesec@clarke.k12.ga.us for more information.
Clothing Basics (new and unused only)
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Jogging pants / sweatpants (neutral colors: black, gray, navy)
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T-shirts (solid colors or Cedar Shoals spirit shirts)
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Shorts (athletic or casual)
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Leggings (black, gray, navy)
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Hoodies and jackets (lightweight + warm options)
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Undergarments (packs of underwear- various sizes for boys/girls)
Seasonal Items
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Winter coats, gloves, scarves, beanies
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Rain jackets / ponchos
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Warm hats
Other Helpful Items
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Belts
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Slip-on shoes or sneakers
Student Handbook
Families, stay informed and prepared for a successful school year! Please take a moment to review our 2025–2026 Student Handbook for important policies, expectations, and resources. It outlines important guidelines, expectations, and supports that help make Cedar Shoals a safe and positive learning environment for all students. Student Handbook: English / Spanish
CCSD's Employee of the Month for December: Ms. Winfrey
A BIG CONGRATULATIONS to our nursing clinic assistant, Sonja Winfrey, on being named CCSD's Employee of the Month for December! Ms. Winfrey was nominated by Cedar Shoals Nurse Eve Bisard, who described her as a respectful, professional, caring, and approachable employee who is dedicated to serving the entire Cedar Shoals community and also commended her on her work ethic and performance, including receiving a 100 from the Georgia Department of Public Health on the school's 11th-grade immunization audit the last three consecutive years.
Ms. Winfrey was surprised with the award this afternoon by Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott, Cedar Shoals principal Dr. Makeba Clark, and members of the district nursing support team. She will be recognized publicly this Thursday night during the Board of Education meeting!
Jags to Owls
We continued with our Instant Decision Days on Friday with students applying and gaining preliminary acceptance into Kennesaw State University! Congratulations to these students for taking a massive leap towards their future!
Student Athlete of the Month
Congratulations to our Student Athletes of the Month! Jeffrey Bailey and Dorian Thrasher were nominated by Coach Lattimore and Coach White from Varsity Football. London Davenport and Jeania Brownlee were nominated by Coach Reese from Junior Varsity Cheerleading. We are proud of these student athletes for shining on and off the field and exemplifying what it means to be a Jaguar. Go Jags!
Cocoa & Chill!
Before Thanksgiving Break, Cedar Shoals PBIS team hosted “Cocoa & Chill” for the 520 students who were passing all classes, have no discipline referrals, and have only 0-2 absences. We had a hot chocolate bar filled with toppings, holiday music, and delicious cookies for the students who show Jaguars PRIDE in the classroom! Goooo Jags!
Cedar Shoals Students Excel at Youth Assembly Engage Conference
Cedar Shoals High School students proudly represented the Jaguars at the Youth Assembly Engage Conference in Atlanta this week. Demonstrating outstanding leadership, professionalism, and a deep commitment to civic engagement, our delegates excelled in debate, decorum, and collaborative problem-solving. All participating students showcased exceptional poise and critical thinking, earning praise for their respectful conduct and strong public-speaking skills. The Cedar Shoals delegation truly stood out as a model of academic excellence and civic responsibility.
Governor's Honors Nominees
Cedar Shoals High School is proud to recognize our students nominated for the 2026 Governor’s Honors Program. These nominees exemplify academic excellence, creativity, and leadership in the content area they were nominated in. They will now move on to the state competition to compete for a spot at GHP this summer. Congratulations to each student selected for this prestigious honor and good luck as they move through the selection process!
Basketball Fundraiser
Your Jaguars are Fundraising! Please consider clicking the link and donating.
https://gofan.co/event/4025340?schoolId=GA4880
Support Cedar Soccer!
Support Cedar Shoals soccer on this week of Giving Tuesday by making a donation to our soccer program! Your donations will help us provide scholarships, equipment, meals, and more for our student athletes. Donations can be made online at jaguarsoccerclub.com/donate, or via CashApp at $JagSoccer. Thank you for helping us make a difference!
Chris Koch Signs to Georgia Tech
Congratulations to senior and Cedar Shoals Aqua Jags star Christopher Koch on signing his letter of intent to join Georgia Tech Swimming & Diving! Chris signed to join Georgia Tech following graduation and was celebrated by Cedar Shoals staff, coaches, teachers, and fellow classmates and teammates for this incredible achievement! A signature quality of Chris noted by his coaches was giving a fist bump to all fellow swimmers during each practice, congratulations to Chris and we hope to see a lot more fist bumps cheering him on at Tech!
Rank One Physicals
For the 2025-26 school year, CSHS Athletics will be using, Rank One, to store all pre participation forms. All prospective students must complete the required forms on Rank One before being cleared to participate in any CSHS Athletic program. LINK: Pre Participation Forms 2025-26 School Year
All student-athletes must also have a valid physical on file to participate in any CSHS Athletic program. The link to upload it to the Rank One platform is below. A blank copy of the GHSA Physical form is located below also.Students or parents upload a completed physical directly to Rank One here. Here is a copy of a GHSA Blank Physical. Please reach out to your coach for more information!
All-Sport Passes
Support the Jaguars! Students can purchase an all-sport pass here for $49.25 and adults can purchase an all-sport pass here for $80.75. This pass will admit one person to every regular season home athletic event - Freshman/Junior Varsity/Varsity.
Meet our College & Career Adviser, Ms. Medina!
We are excited to welcome Ms. Medina as our new College and Career Adviser at Cedar Shoals! She is here to support students with their post-graduation plans—whether that’s college, trade school, the military, or entering the workforce. Seniors are required to meet with her at least once this year to ensure they are on track for success after high school.
Ms. Medina can help with:
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College applications & financial aid
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Scholarships & SAT/ACT registration
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Career advising & more!
Schedule an appointment: calendly.com/cedarshoalsadvising/30min
Parent ProTech November Focus: Influencer Culture and Online Identity
CCSD families: Many children look up to YouTubers, TikTok stars, and other social media influencers and may want to build up their own online presence. However, they may not fully understand the privacy implications of sharing their information on the internet.
CCSD encourages all families to sign up for a *FREE* Parent ProTech account and get tips on how to talk with your child about fame, privacy, peer and societal pressure, and setting healthy boundaries to ensure they maintain a safe online profile.
Class of 2026 Graduation Ceremony Dates, Times Announced
We are excited to announce the dates and times for the Cedar Shoals High School Class of 2026 graduation ceremony! Cedar Shoals High School ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 23, at Akins Ford Arena, 300 North Thomas St., Athens, GA at 10 a.m.
Admission is free and open to all, and there is no limit on the number of guests for each graduate. We will communicate directly with seniors and families regarding additional information on the ceremony, including rehearsal dates and times and other details at a future date.
We wish all of our seniors a great year and we look forward to celebrating the Class of 2026 in May!
Join Parent Portal
Join our Parent Teacher Organization!
Cedar Shoals High School's PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) is easy to join and is a great way to show support to Cedar Shoals High School! Any parents interested in joining PTO should join the GroupMe here for communication. Please contact Brandy Justice with any questions at cedarshoalspto@gmail.com
Donate:
You can support our teachers and staff by donating to the PTO! The mission is to fund events that show our appreciation for the hard work and dedication of our educators. Your contributions help us create memorable experiences and provide much-needed support, ensuring our teachers and staff feel valued and motivated. Donate to Cedar Shoals PTO via PayPal here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=JT7YCAS4NYW6L
Order Jag Gear Today!
Do you want Jag Gear? Here is the link to our sideline store where you can get countless Jaguar apparel customized. Check out our Jaguar Sideline Store here!
https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/georgia/athens/cedar-shoals-high-school
Immunization Information for Students Under 16
This is a friendly reminder that The Georgia Department of Public Health requires all students who are 16 years of age be up to date with the State's Meningitis Immunization requirement. Students who are not in compliance with the State of Georgia's immunization requirements are subject to withdrawal from school. Please contact one of our CCSD School Based Health Centers listed below, or your child’s pediatrician, in order to find out if your child needs an additional vaccination.
CCSD SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS:
HILSMAN HEALTH CENTER: 706-546-7463
COILE HEALTH CENTER : 706-352-9244 EXT 4800
CLARKE MIDDLE HEALTH CENTER: 706-208-1190
CLASSIC CITY HEALTH CENTER: 706-389-1095 EXT 4700
Connect with Cedar Shoals
Email: reesec@clarke.k12.ga.us
Website: https://www.clarke.k12.ga.us/Domain/26
Location: 1300 Cedar Shoals Drive, Athens, GA, USA
Phone: 706-546-5375
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CedarShoalsHS
Twitter: @CedarShoalsHS