Jag News

Upcoming Events at CSHS:

• 3/1: 9th Grade Saturday School
• 3/3: Cap & Gown Orders
• 3/6: Orchestra Concert
• 3/12 & 13: Parent Teacher Conferences
• 3/14: Student/Staff Holiday- No School

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

Jaguar Families! Advisers have begun contacting you this week to schedule spring conferences. Conferences will be held March 12th and 13th. Students will be released at 1:30 pm on March 12th. There will be no school for students on March 13th and 14th. Advisers will be at Cedar Shoals on March 12th until 4 pm. On March 13th, advisers will be available until 8:00 pm to conference with families.

Parents and Guardians: We need your help in ensuring that our students are present and engaged in their learning every day. Currently, 524 students have missed 15 or more instructional days, which significantly impacts academic performance and overall success.

Regular attendance is directly linked to higher achievement, improved grades, and better opportunities for future success. When students miss school, they miss valuable instruction, discussions, and hands-on learning experiences that cannot be fully replaced. Research shows that chronic absenteeism leads to lower test scores, decreased engagement, and a higher risk of dropping out of school.

We encourage you to use Parent Portal regularly to check your child's attendance and grades. Staying informed and engaged can help ensure your child remains on track for success. If your student is facing challenges preventing them from attending school regularly, please reach out to your child’s counselor or teachers—we’re here to support you.

Additionally, seniors must be on track to graduate, in good behavioral standing, and have no more than 15 unexcused absences for the year in order to participate in senior celebratory activities.

Thank you for partnering with us to make attendance a priority!

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!

Junior and Senior Dues are now open for payment! Juniors pay $150 to cover both this year’s and next year’s prom, plus senior activities. Seniors pay $155 for prom and senior events. Pay online through the Cedar Shoals website or bring cash, check, or money order to Ms. Thornton in the Counseling Department. Deadline: March 31, 2025 – no late payments accepted! Questions? See Ms. Thornton or Ms. Doolittle. Don’t wait—secure your prom ticket and senior perks now!

It is time for the Class of 2025 to get geared up for graduation! Cap & gown packages are $86.40 (including taxes and shipping) You can purchase with cash, money order, or debit/credit card. You can also purchase a cap & gown online here: Cedar Cap & Gown Order

A representative from Herff Jones will be at Cedar Shoals outside of the lunchroom during all 4 lunches on the following dates for in person orders:

• Monday, March 3rd

All cap and gowns will be delivered to the school for student pick up on Friday, May 2nd.

The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) Test will be administered on Wednesday, March 26th at 9 a.m. at Cedar Shoals High School. The test is computer based. You will need to arrive by 8:45 a.m. More information will be shared about the testing location closer to the test date. Here's the

Link to Sign Up Form. If you had previously registered for the January test date, you need to register again. This is a new sign up form.

Pathways to Success After-School Program (PSP) provides academic tutoring for any student with an academic need after school each week.

Tutoring Schedule:

• Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 3:45 PM – 5:45 PM

• Zero Period for E2020 students: Monday–Friday from 7:45 AM – 8:45 AM (Room D104)

Students are encouraged to attend PSP to receive additional academic support. Transportation is provided for students who attend PSP. Please complete this form for transportation.

Click below on our Class of 2025 Scholarship Database to explore scholarships available for Cedar Shoals High School seniors. Don't miss out on opportunities to earn money for college—start applying today!

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

Jag Nation, please be reminded that in order to ensure the safety of all students, food deliveries through parents or third-party vendors such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, etc., are NOT permitted.

If your student does not eat school lunch, we kindly ask that they bring their lunch with them at the start of the school day. We greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Together, we can ensure a safe and smooth school experience for all students!

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 note the following important details:

• Graduation Rehearsal:
  Date: Wednesday, May 21st
  Time: 4:00 pm
  Location: Akins Ford Arena at The Classic Center

• Graduation Ceremony:
  Date: Thursday, May 22nd
  Time: 6:00 pm
  Location: Akins Ford Arena at The Classic Center

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

We are excited to announce the 2024-25 Young Georgia Authors contest winners from Cedar! Every spring our students submit work to their schools, and the winning entries are then judged by a district team. This year, we had many strong entries from our amazing writers. Congratulations to these winners who will now be judged by a panel from Northeast Georgia RESA for the opportunity to advance to the state competition!

• 9th Grade - Angeles Olali, Cedar Shoals High
• 11th Grade - Yilana Andre, Cedar Shoals High
• 12th Grade - Luna Patterson, Cedar Shoals High

Last week, Mrs. Milsap and our talented Cedar Theatre students traveled to Columbus, GA for the Georgia Thespian Conference. At ThesCon, students were able to take workshops, perform, and connect with theatre students from across the state! This was an incredible opportunity to learn, grow, and celebrate the arts with fellow thespians. Way to go, Jaguars!

Congratulations to Cedar Senior, London Moore, whose medal design was chosen for the 2025 Classic City Marathon! London designed and sketched this medal in art class last year. Now, runners from all over have crossed the finish line proudly wearing her creation. Congratulations, London!

Congratulations to our February Student Athletes of the Month, Maryland Burgos (Wrestling), Ever Barrera (Soccer), Alynn Robinson (Basketball) and Serinity Finley (Wrestling). Check our their nominations below:

• Marylin Burgos, Varsity Wrestling, Nominated by Coach Stanley Lattimore

Marylin has exemplified toughness on and off the mat. Marilyn has always been a dedicated athlete. She is currently ranked third in the region and has the opportunity to become the first female wrestler in school history to make it to the State Championship. Marilyn also assists with making sure her teammates are supported with transportation and assistance at practice. Marilyn is a perfect example of what it means to be a student-athlete at CSHS.

• Ever Barrera, Varsity Boys Soccer, Nominated by Coach Conor Naughton

Ever is one of our returning upperclassmen on the varsity boys soccer team this year and, after earning all-region honors and a spot on the Georgia HS Soccer All-Star team in 2024, is in for a big 2025. Although our first game is not until February, Ever has already stepped up as a leader in the offseason and the preseason, attending all of our morning workouts before school and setting a strong example for the younger guys. He is able to strike a delicate balance between being focused and expecting the best out of himself and his teammates, while still providing an infectious sense of humor and enthusiasm to anyone he comes across. He also represented Cedar Shoals and Athens well last month when his club team, Athens United - along with fellow Cedar teammates Hank Ruder, Sammy Teran-Juarez, and Joshua Malave Guaiquirian - traveled to Arizona to play in the quarterfinals of the US Youth Soccer National League!

• Alynn Robinson, Varsity Basketball, Nominated by Coach TaKesha Wall

Alynn excels in the classroom and on the court. She takes pride in working hard and improving each day. She is respectful, dependable, coachable, and dedicated to the program. She always has a positive attitude, shows great sportsmanship, and tries her best to persevere through difficult situations. Alynn is a great representation of a student-athlete at Cedar Shoals

• Serenity Finley, Varsity Wrestling, Nominated by Coach Ka’lah Paige

Serenity is a quiet yet highly observant student who demonstrates hard work and dedication in everything she takes on. She has a strong passion for wrestling, showcasing both toughness and determination every time she steps onto the mat. Beyond athletics, Serenity is a respectful and driven young woman with a deep love for music. Her focus, discipline, and passion make her a standout in all that she does.

We have a considerable amount of construction on our campus that will affect fan parking, team drop off and pick up, etc for the remainder of the school year. For everyone's safety, we have made changes to our game day operations this spring. We have shut down the home side of our stadium. Any events in the stadium will have all fans on the visitors side. We will have the softball concession stand open for refreshments and you may use restrooms at the softball and baseball fields. I am attaching a map with parking and drop off information for each game location. Handicap parking will be at our baseball entrance. You can drive your car all the way up the hill and park close to the bleachers. The home side of our stadium is under construction and will not be used this spring. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!

We are excited to share that Rusty Charpia has been hired as the next head football coach of Cedar Shoals High School! Coach Charpia’s coaching career in football, baseball, and track and field has spanned more than 30 years. He brings to Cedar Shoals a proven track record of not only winning games but connecting student-athletes with opportunities to further their education and continue their playing careers after high school. Please join us in welcoming Coach Charpia to Cedar Shoals and CCSD and read more about him at this link! https://www.clarke.k12.ga.us/article/2041542

• Show your Eastside pride by ordering a shirt from the soccer team's Spirit Shop. All proceeds go directly to supporting the girls and boys soccer players.
• Sponsor a player by covering their player fee $50. Pay online and include "Scholarship" in the place of a player's name.

The Cedar Shoals track and field program is raising funds to provide our student-athletes with:

• Snacks and drinks for meets
• Updated track equipment and uniforms
• Sponsorships for our hardworking athletes
• A much-needed track tent for competitions

Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference in helping our Jaguars excel on and off the track. Donate today at here on GOFAN to show your East Side pride and support the our student athletes!

We are proud to announce The 2025 Dean Stuart Feldman Summer Science Institute for this year. We are happy to have this summer program again where we provide an introduction and overview of the many career opportunities available in the pharmacy profession to select group of lucky students. The six-day summer program exposes high school students to unique classroom and laboratory experiences, including an early look at the components students should expect from a college experience. This year’s Institute will take place from June 1 – June 6, 2025.

This unique program includes…

· An opportunity to live the “college” life: You will not only enjoy academic discussions during the day but also make new friends (and meet caring, college-age mentors) during exciting activities!

· College-level academics: You will conduct scientific research and participate in academic discourse with renowned faculty.

· Site visits to several research laboratory environments: You will get a behind-the-scenes look at where life-saving work in the pharmaceutical sciences takes place on UGA’s campus.

· Research teams project presentations: Working as a team, you will experience what it feels like to be a college student as you present your research findings.

· Guest presenters: You will hear from the brightest minds in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences today.

Students can submit their application for The 2025 Dean Stuart Feldman Summer Science Institute here.

Seniors can receive a seal on your diploma and a black & white honor cord if you:

• Complete a Fine Arts Pathway

• (3 Fine Arts Credit in a Content Sequence (for example, Band I, Band II, Band III)

• Complete a 4th Fine Arts Credit

• (same area as pathway or different)

• Complete 2 Extracurricular Fine Arts activities in 2024-25

• 20 hours of Arts-related Community Service in 2024-25

• Complete a capstone presentation of Fine Arts experience in CCSD (Here is the Fine Arts Seal Capstone Template)

If you are approved, you will receive a seal to be applied to your diploma and black and white honor cord to wear at graduation. This distinction will honor and recognize your dedication and achievement in the CCSD Fine Arts. Please see the following presentation and attached flyer for more information. Please submit all required information to Dan Smith, Fine Arts Curriculum Coordinator no later than April 12, 2024, at 3 p.m.

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

As a parent, you can monitor your student’s performance by using Campus Parent Portal. Parent Portal provides current information on course and assignment grades as well as attendance. It can be accessed through a computer or your phone. For instructions on how to create an account, click here. Questions? Email campus@clarke.k12.ga.us.

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