Better Together

Thriving Students, Optimized Talent, and Connected Culture are the three anchor priorities at the forefront of CCSD's mission of creating educational journeys that empower all students to fulfill their potential. Recent programs and events facilitated by our Office of Special Education have reinforced those priorities.

As part of our work to grow and optimize our talent to support thriving students, this school year, CCSD offered its inaugural year-long professional learning series for all new special education teachers. Beginning in July 2025, newly-hired SPED teachers participated in five different learning opportunities designed to foster professional growth, refine instructional skills, understand behavior strategies, and enhance student achievement by focusing on best practices in the department's three priorities: Instruction, Compliance, and Procedures. A total of 48 teachers attended and participated in these sessions and received certificates of completion during the closing sessions on Thursday, March 26.

Cedar Shoals High School was the place to be on Wednesday, March 25, as CCSD held its annual Spring Special Olympics. This event brought many triumphs for our students and cheers and smiles from spectators and volunteers, creating a memorable experience for all. View more photos from this incredible event which emphasizes our focus on Connected Culture and our district and community Better Together.

And speaking of community: CCSD also hosted its annual Transition Fair on Thursday, March 19, an event designed to connect students served by the district’s adapted curriculum and their families with resources that are available to them locally and help them develop a plan for postsecondary success.

Thank you to the more than 30 vendors who participated and shared information about access programs, employment opportunities and assistance, financial support, trusts planning, guardianship, social opportunities, and more with our families.

View more photos, and learn more about CCSD's transition program and resources.

CCSD has special-education teacher, paraprofessional, and support staff openings for the 2026-27 school year If you or someone you know is looking for a rewarding experience and an opportunity in the classroom to make a difference in children's lives, apply today at ccsdjobs.org.

Congratulations to Angela Gay, school social worker for Howard B. Stroud Elementary and Cedar Shoals High schools, on being named School Social Worker of the Year by the School Social Workers Association of Georgia (SSWAG)!

Given by SSWAG at the district and then state levels each year, this award recognizes school social workers for their dedication, leadership, and impact on students and families in their school communities.

Last fall, Ms. Gay was named School Social Worker of the Year by SSWAG for District 9, which includes more than 20 northeast Georgia counties. She was surprised with the statewide award announcement earlier this week during SSWAG’s annual Spring Conference in Braselton.

Read more about Ms. Gay and the award here!

Eleven CCSD high school students — including eight from Clarke Central and three from Cedar Shoals — have been selected to participate in the Georgia Governor's Honors Program (GHP) this summer, and two more have been named alternates.

GHP is a month-long residential summer program for high school sophomores and juniors held on the campus of Georgia Southern University, where students attend classes in the mornings and afternoons in specific areas of study and participate in a wide variety of social and instructional opportunities every evening.

More than 4,000 students across the state are nominated and apply for the program every year. Out of this group, approximately 1,500 are named semifinalists, and then around 600 are selected as finalists, meaning they are selected to participate in the program. CCSD had 30 nominees this school year (15 from each traditional high school) and 22 semifinalists (12 from Clarke Central, 10 from Cedar Shoals).

Congratulations to the following students!

Clarke Central:

• Scarlett Alston, Visual Arts
• Lea D'Angelo, Communicative Arts
• Lucca Fleenor, Communicative Arts
• Jovi Grantham, Dance
• Kate Hinger, Agricultural Research, Biotechnology, and Science
• Samuel Lorenzini, Science (Biology/Environmental Science)
• Simon Scott, Music (Percussion)
• Tess van Wagtendonk, Visual Arts

Cedar Shoals:

• Spencer Broome, Math
• Braylen Grier, Music (Brass; Tuba)
• Sebastian Marotta, Computer Science

Alternates:

• Katyal Bagayogo-Zeltner, Clarke Central, Visual Arts
• Kenia Gonzalez-Chavez, Cedar Shoals, Social Studies

The annual CCSD Youth Art Month Student Exhibition is on display this month at the University of Georgia's Lamar Dodd School of Art, 270 River Rd., Athens, and a celebration reception is planned for Sunday, March 29, from 1-3 p.m.

See the attached PDF below for the full invitation and driving and parking directions (available in English and Spanish).

Spring Break is coming soon! If you'll be in town and are looking for activities to keep your child busy, here are some opportunities that will be available for CCSD elementary and middle school students the week of April 6-10.

• The Athens Youth Development Initiative will once again host free half-day (9 a.m. to noon) visual and dramatic arts camps. Camps and age levels vary by days. Find more information and register at this link! Spots are limited!
• Clarke Central High School will host a youth soccer camp for ages 8-14 April 6-8 from 9 a.m. to noon each day. The cost is $90. Click here for more information and to register.

The Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) is now accepting applications for its 2026 Youth Advisory Council (YAC).

The YAC is a student leadership program formed by GSBA to give high school students the opportunity to provide meaningful input to school board members and aid them in their decision-making. In addition, YAC members will have the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills and contribute to their community by affecting positive change for students across Georgia.

Applications are now open and will close on April 10. Find more information here, and apply here!

CCSD is proud to once again partner with the Athens YWCO on its Summer Girls Club, which will be held June 1 through July 10 at Howard B. Stroud Elementary School!

Registration is now open for girls who will be entering grades K-7 for the 2026-27 school year. The camp will offer S.T.E.M., reading, swimming, music and dance, sports and games, arts and craft, and career exploration activities as well as educational field trips. lt will be held every weekday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.. The cost is $50 per week ($60 for extended care before or after hours) with a $25 registration fee.

Click here for more information and to register! A full PDF flyer is also attached below in English and Spanish.

Registration is now open for the Athens Community Career Academy's Summer Career Exploration Program for rising ninth-grade students. Students will have the opportunity to participate in one of the following three-day camps (June 15-17) introducing several of the CTAE pathways they can begin taking courses in as early as 10th grade:

• Advanced Manufacturing and Welding
• Entertainment, Sports, and Event Management
• Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts
• Film and Broadcast Production
• Healthcare
• Fire/EMT
• Teaching as a Profession.

Transportation, breakfast, and lunch will be provided. Apply by May 1 at bit.ly/ccsdsummerprograms. The form is available in English and Spanish. For more information, contact Halo Smart, CCSD Workforce Development Coordinator, at smarth@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Athens-based nonprofit Chess and Community is launching the Clarke County Youth Mural Art Program, a four-week creative opportunity designed for high school students to explore public art, collaboration, and creative expression while contributing to a community mural project.

Sessions will begin April 13. Participation does not require prior art experience, though an interest in art is encouraged. The goal of the program is to provide students with a supportive environment where they can learn about mural design, teamwork, and the impact of public art in their community.

Register here!

March is Apply to College Month in Georgia, and numerous colleges and universities throughout the state are waiving their application fee for the entire month through an ongoing initiative with the Georgia Student Finance Commission.

Click here for a list of participating colleges and universities!

Registration is now open for the Autism Awareness and Acceptance 5K and Fun Run at Barnett Shoals Elementary School on Friday, May 1. The event will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. at the school, located at 3220 South Barnett Shoals Rd., Athens. Awards by age and gender groups will be given, and the event will include other kids' activities. Register for the 5K and Fun run by Wednesday, April 1, for discounted fees. Register online at this link.

CCSD invites the Athens-Clarke County community to participate in a public design charrette for the West Broad School Complex revitalization project on Tuesday, March 31, from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Vernon Payne Meeting Hall at the District Office, 595 Prince Avenue, Athens. Read more about the meeting and the project at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/westbroadschool.

CCSD invites the Athens-Clarke County community to the official dedication ceremony for the Cedar Shoals High School baseball field, which has been renamed in honor of the late James Holston, the school's first baseball coach and a longtime member of the Cedar Science Department faculty who worked there from the school's opening in 1972 until his retirement in 1994.

The dedication ceremony will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, leading up to the Jaguars' home game against Greene County at 6 p.m. Read more about Coach Holston's remarkable legacy at this link, and enjoy this post with more photos from the past!

Nominations are open for CCSD's Employee of the Month award for April! Anyone in the community may nominate any full-time CCSD employee with at least one full year of service for the award. The winner will be surprised at their school or building, publicly recognized at the April 2 Clarke County Board of Education meeting, and presented with a gift bag from the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce with contributions from several local businesses.

Submit a nomination at bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward or fill the form out directly below!

The Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County has opened nominations for its 2026 Teaching and Staff awards and is accepting nominations until April 15 at 11 p.m. Nominate a teacher or support staff member who has made an incredible impact on students. Click here for more information on the awards and to get started on your nomination! Award winners will be announced this summer.

MedLink Georgia now provides behavioral health services for CCSD students at the Classic City Health Center and Coile Health Center, which are intended to help students develop healthy coping skills, better emotional regulation, and provide them with a more positive school experience.

The program provides support for:

• depression and mood issues
• school and social anxiety
• behavior and anger problems
• coping with bullying
• ADHD and focus issues.

Confidential and convenient on-site counseling services are available during school hours. For more information, call the Classic City Health Center at 706-389-1095 or the Coile Health Center at 706-352-9244.

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, April 2, 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 Georgia Museum of Art, 90 Carlton St., will host its monthly free Family Day event on from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 28.

This month's theme is "No Place Like Home." Experience the vibrant sculptures and drawings of artist Beverly Buchanan. Discover how Buchanan captured the spirit of place through bold color and found materials with hands-on Art Cart activities and a take-home project inspired by the show.

For more information on the Georgia Museum of Arts and its programs and upcoming events, go to georgiamuseum.org.

The University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries, 300 South Hull St., Athens, will host a free family day event from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, March 28, centered around the new museum exhibition on the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. The event will include crafts and storytime activities and a scavenger hunt. Click here for more information.

The annual Twilight Festival and bicycle races will be held in downtown Athens April 17-18 and will also include races and many other fun activities for children. The "Kids Zone" will be set up both days in the 300 block of Lumpkin Street with bounce houses from 5-9 p.m. on April 17 and other activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 18. Kids' 1K bike races will also begin at 1:30 p.m., and there will be a kids' parade lap at 5:50 p.m. on April 18. View the full event schedule here and check out the Kids Zone flyer attached below in English and Spanish.

Advantage Behavioral Health Systems will host the "Health Meets Hope" 5K Run and Walk on Sunday, April 26, from 3-5 p.m. at Southeast Clarke Park, 4440 Lexington Rd., Athens. Registration for the 5K is $25 per person in advance and $30 on the day of the event. There will also be many free and family-friendly activities for those who don't plan to participate in the 5K but still want to support the event. Click here to register.

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.

Click the links to view the Leisure Pursuits newsletter for March, which contains information about upcoming events and programs in Athens-Clarke County:

• English
• Español

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.

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.