Jag News

Upcoming Events at CSHS:

• 5/17: Last Day of Saturday School
• 5/19: Senior Honors Night
• 5/19-20: Final Exams (9th-11th)
• 5/21: Last Day of School
• 5/21: Graduation Practice
• 5/22: Graduation

Clarke County School District Updates:

• Link to the CCSD Newsletter: English/Español
• Link to the CCSD Academic Calendar
• Link to the High School Lunch Menu

We are excited to announce that Cedar Shoals High School's Graduation for the Class of 2025 will take place on Thursday, May 22, 2025 at 6:00 pm. The ceremony will be held at the Akins Ford Arena at The Classic Center, located at 300 N Thomas Street, Athens, GA 30601. Please see the following document for important details for graduates, families, and guests: 2025 Graduation Letter

Admission is free and open to all, and there is no limit on the number of guests for each graduate. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Ms. Reese at reesec@clarke.k12.ga.us We look forward to celebrating this important milestone with you all!

We’re excited to celebrate the achievements of the CSHS Class of 2025 at the Senior Honors Night Ceremony on Monday, May 19th at 6:30 pm in the Cedar Shoals Gymnasium. Students who are receiving an award- and their parents- should check their email for an official invitation from Mrs. Cotsakis Cordon (cotsakiscordonc@clarke.k12.ga.us) Parents are warmly invited to attend and help us recognize the hard work and accomplishments of our amazing seniors!

• GRADUATION PRACTICE- MAY 21st at 4:00 pm: On Wednesday, May 21st, students will participate in a mandatory graduation practice at Akins Ford Arena at 4:00 p.m. All graduates must be present for this practice. Transportation will be provided from Cedar Shoals. Graduates should report to the CSHS bus loop at 3:00 pm to ride the school bus to graduation practice. This is mandatory. Students who do not ride the bus will not be permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony. Cap and gown attire is not required for the practice session.

• BUSES TO PRACTICE & CEREMONY: Seniors must report to the Cedar Shoals High School bus loop by 3:00 pm on May 21st and May 22nd to ride the school bus to the arena. This is mandatory. Students who do not ride the bus will not be permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony.

Any student who does not participate in these two events will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 22nd.

Senior portraits will be taken June 16-18, 2025, in the CSHS Field House. To schedule your appointment, please scan the QR code on the attached flyer or visit bit.ly/cedarseniorjune26 If you are unable to attend in June, a second session will be held July 22-24. Stay tuned for more information regarding those signups.

Don’t miss this opportunity to capture this special milestone! Please reach out to Mr. Ginsberg at ginsbergm@clarke.k12.ga.us with any questions.

As graduation approaches, we are excited to continue a meaningful tradition- Senior Walks at our CCSD elementary schools! Graduating seniors should visit their old elementary school and wear their cap and gown. Please make sure to arrive early enough to check in and line up before the walk begins! See the graphic attached for the times for each CCSD elementary school.

Pre-orders were delivered during classes this week. Students who missed deliveries can pick up their books in room A206 from Mr. Ginsberg. Yearbooks will remain on sale for $90 until we run out. Students can purchase them online at bit.ly/cedaryearbook2025 or with cash or check in room A206. There are a small number of 2024 books still available, too.

The presentation for Cedar Shoals' 2025 Title I Family Engagement and Schoolwide Program Planning Meeting can be found here! We ask the Jaguar community to complete the input survey at bit.ly/cedarfeedback

Questions about Title I can be sent to Ms. Courtni Reese at reesec@clarke.k12.ga.us

Cedar Shoals will host a one-day summer transition camp for incoming ninth-graders July 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. These sessions will be an opportunity for students to be introduced to the Cedar Shoals campus, meet classmates, and learn the responsibilities of high school. Families of current eighth-grade students at Coile and Hilsman middle schools as well as those of any eighth-graders who will be moving and zoned for Cedar Shoals next school year are encouraged to sign their student up for one of the sessions at bit.ly/FreshmanCamp25. The deadline to register is May 20. For more information, contact Courtni Reese, Cedar Shoals Family Communication Specialist, at reesec@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Cedar Families- Your input is requested! We are asking each family to complete at least one survey. Please click the following link to access the survey. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and will help us to continue to move with purpose and pride. The deadline to complete the survey is May 22, 2025.

Congratulations to the 2025 Cedar Shoals High School Prom King and Queen, Kaihn Davenport and Sara Whitehead! Thank you to DSI Photography for the beautiful photos. Way to go Sara and Kaihn!

Congratulations to our March Student-Athletes of the Month! Join us in celebrating Jon Swinsburg, Tybias Lay, Chase Rucker, Amelia Hembree, Ashley Nash, Yuvaniel Barrientos-Miralrio, and Melvin Ramirez Calderon for their hard work, dedication, and excellence both on and off the field!

This week, in a ceremonial signing of contracts, Cedar seniors Austin Trammell and Nolan Debalski affirmed their commitment to join Caterpillar as full-time employees after graduation! Austin and Nolan completed the Advanced Manufacturing and Welding pathway at the Athens Community Career Academy and participated in Caterpillar’s apprenticeship program through CCSD’s Work-Based Learning program. Congratulations to these young men who will now enter the workforce with high-demand, well-paying jobs with a key industry partner in our area! And thank you to Caterpillar for helping open these doors of opportunity for these Jaguars.

19 graduating seniors from CSHS will receive the Georgia Department of Education Fine Arts Diploma Seal when they graduate next week! This honor is given to students who complete a fine arts pathway of three courses plus an additional fine arts course and were involved in fine arts extracurriculars, completed 20 hours of fine arts-related community service, and submitted a report summarizing their involvement in the fine arts during their studies in CCSD. Congratulations to all of these students: Jasmyne Dowdy, Kaihn Davenport, Ikeem Flournoy, Ryan Xiao, Lily Hefner, Angelica Ramirez, Lorelei Smith, Jaidain Williams, Anniyah Muhammad, Danielle Williams, Azul Navarrete, Angie Umana, Jamar Bailey, Abigail Mejia-Hernandez, Genesis Rodriguez Hernandez, Semuel Pez, Jacorrion Smith, Saniah Norton, and Kameran Brown!

Congratulations to the Jaguars who had a special night of recognitions at the Board of Education meeting last night! Many were recognized including:

•Georgia National History Day competition winners from Cedar Shoals High School

•Lasonja Hunt, Campus Security Officer at Cedar Shoals High School, as CCSD's May Employee of the Month

•FFA members from Cedar Shoals High School for their recent wins in the state Agriscience Fair

•Representatives from Cedar Shoals High School's BluePrints Magazine for their many staff and individual awards at the state, regional, and national levels this school year.

Senior celebrations are here! We had a blast celebrating our seniors with Decision Day, as soon-to-be-graduates from the Class of 2025 celebrated the next steps of their journey, whether it be in the armed forces, colleges and universities, or the workforce! Congratulations to all students who celebrated Decision Day!

Last week, we celebrated academic excellence and achievement at our 9th-11th Grade Honors Day Ceremony! Congratulations to all our outstanding students for their hard work and achievements this school year! Photos by Katie Kulik of @cedarblueprints

Congratulations to this month’s JAG PRIDE Faculty Award winners! These staff members have been chosen by their colleagues for their hard work and dedication to Jaguar Nation. We are grateful for our amazing staff here at Cedar Shoals!

Our Jaguar Track & Field team represented Cedar Shoals with pride at the GHSA AAAA State Championship.

Congratulations to Anisa Willis for placing 3rd in Triple Jump and breaking the school record with a 40-1 jump!

Kenante Freeman placed 4th in Long Jump and 19th in High Jump.

Tybias Lay finished 9th in the 110m Hurdles prelims.

Chase Rucker placed 6th in Triple Jump.

Dorian Thrasher placed 7th in Triple Jump.

Our 4x200m Relay team — Chase Rucker, Ta’Marion Martin, Jeremiah Barnett, and Tybias Lay — finished 12th.

We are proud of all our athletes for their determination, hard work, and strong performance at state. Go Jags!

Next school year, Cedar Shoals Athletics is going cashless! For the 2025-2026 athletic season, all ticket purchases will be available exclusively through GoFan- no cash accepted. Stay prepared and download the GoFan app today!

Remarkable accomplishment by Cedar Shoals High School junior Zulma Valdivieso-Gutierrez, who topped the girls' soccer scoring list for the entire state this season with 58 goals! Go Jags!

The grind never stops! Spring football practice is in full swing as we kick off the new season. Let’s go, Jags!

We’re excited to announce that we are now hiring a The Classic Center for the Summer session of Bread for Life (BFL)—a workforce development program that has quickly become one of the most sought-after opportunities for first-time job seekers ages 16–21 and pays $13.96/hour!

The summer session begins June 3 and runs for four weeks, meeting Tuesday through Friday daily from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It’s a BIG commitment—but one that pays off in lasting value.

More information here: Bread for Life in Athens | Classic Center, GA

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

Jaguar parents can stay connected and informed by checking emails from Cedar Shoals High School regularly. Parents can see student grades and attendance daily by downloading Parent Portal. Instructions English/Spanish For assistance with setting up a Parent Portal account, you can come to the school in person or email Ms. Reese at reesec@clarke.k12.ga.us

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

Volunteer Opportunities:

Please consider volunteering in support of any of the 24-25 events:

March: Conference Week — providing dinners for teachers during student conferences

May: Teacher Appreciation Week

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

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/shop/mens/tops-t-shirts

Keep up with all things Cedar Shoals! Please contact us if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

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