Better Together

Dear CCSD families,

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I'd like to take a moment to express my gratitude for the support and partnership we share in our school community. This time of year is an opportunity for reflection, and I am deeply thankful for the dedication of our students, staff, and families. We have much to be proud of, and it is your continued involvement and commitment to the well-being of our children that helps make our school district a place where students thrive.

I hope you all enjoy a well-deserved break, filled with joy and time spent making memories with friends and family. My wish for you all is that this holiday season brings peace and happiness to your homes.

On behalf of our entire school district, thank you for all you do. We look forward to seeing your children back at school after the holiday, ready to continue learning and getting better ... together.

Best,

Dr. Robbie P. Hooker

Superintendent

Barnett Shoals Elementary brought the fun to the community last weekend with a "Friendsgiving Pop-Up Play" event at the Pinewoods Apartments complex. School staff joined families from Pinewoods and other surrounding neighborhoods for a fun day of festivities. Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services brought its Pop-Up Park bus along, and families also were able to take advantage of the CCSD Innovative Learning Lab bus. Families also had a chance to access information and resources from the Pinewoods Library and Georgia Department of Public Health.

CCSD students continue to gain enriching experiences through Experience UGA, a partnership program between the University of Georgia and CCSD that strives to bring every student in the district to the UGA campus for an educational field trip every year. Each trip seeks to connect to the standards being taught at the grade level that is visiting. Recent activities included a trip by Cedar Shoals sophomores to the College of Environment and Design, where students rotated through three modules to explore the use of history, science, and art that influenced various design structures, and a trip to the Georgia Museum of Art by Cleveland Road Elementary fifth-graders where students explored exhibits, learned about different art styles, and discovered how art connects to their lives and studies.

We are pleased to announce our 2024-25 cohort of REACH Scholars. Five eighth-grade students are on track to be awarded academic scholarships through REACH Georgia (Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen), a needs-based mentoring and scholarship program providing students a framework of educational and financial support to aid their successful journey through high school and beyond.

The 2024-25 cohort includes:

• Natalia Calderon-Salazar and Kimberly Trigueros of Coile Middle School. Natalia and Kimberly also tied for the top score on the district REACH application.
• Inza Kamagate, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School
• Shacori Griffith, Clarke Middle School
• Khloe Brown, Hilsman Middle School.
  
  

These five students were selected by CCSD through a multi-level process, including an extensive application, school-based semifinalist selection, and a panel interview with REACH Committee members and district staff. Scholars must maintain at least a 2.5 grade-point average, exhibit good behavior, and maintain attendance throughout middle and high school to remain part of the program. Upon program completion, students are awarded a $10,000 scholarship, which can be used at any HOPE-eligible institution in Georgia. A majority of Georgia colleges and universities match or double-match this scholarship, meaning that students can earn up to $30,000 in REACH scholarship money coming out of high school.

Each of the five REACH scholars participated in individual “signing” ceremonies at their schools with their families this month, signifying the students’ commitment to successfully complete the program and their families’ commitment to support them in their educational journeys. They will also be recognized and celebrated at the Dec. 12 meeting of the Clarke County Board of Education.

View photos from the signing ceremonies here and check out the video below!

Thirty-two CCSD students — 17 from Cedar Shoals High School and 15 from Clarke Central High School — have been nominated for the 2025 Governor's Honors Program! GHP is a monthlong 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.

These 32 nominees (listed in the graphics below) will now go through an extensive online application process. Semifinalists will be announced in February, and finalists (those selected for the program) and alternates will be announced in March.

Several schools around CCSD are holding holiday gift markets this year for students to shop at for items for loved ones. Donations of new and gently used items are currently being accepted. Click here for details on each school's market and information on how to donate!

Clarke Central High School social studies teacher and Academic Team coach Drew Wheeler is set to appear on the popular TV game show "Jeopardy!" on Wednesday, Nov. 27. Be sure to tune in to NBC at 7:30 p.m. and cheer Mr. Wheeler on!

CCSD is in the process of reviewing the district's Code of Student Conduct for potential edits and changes for the 2025-26 school year and is seeking public feedback.

Please complete this brief survey to share your feedback with the Code of Student Conduct committee! We look forward to using your feedback in our work. The survey is available in English and Spanish and should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. For questions, please reach out to committee chairs Tessa Barbazon at barbazont@clarke.k12.ga.us or Jabari Cobb at cobbja@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Nominations are open for the CCSD Employee of the Month for December! 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 and recognized at the Dec. 12 Clarke County Board of Education meeting.

Go to bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward to get started or complete the nomination form embedded below!

Clarke Middle School and the 21st Century Community Learning Center Program will host a free Family STEM Night event open to all CCSD students on Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 5-7:30 p.m. The event will include interactive STEM activities, several exhibitors, and awards. See the flyer below for more information!

Contemporary Art Studio (CAS) is a free after-school art program for CCSD middle schoolers. The program is hosted by University of Georgia Pre-service Art Education students and is focused on contemporary art practices. Applications for the spring 2025 sessions are now being accepted. Sessions will be held weekly on Tuesdays from 4:30-6 p.m. starting Feb. 4 and ending April 15 (no session on March 4 or April 8).

Participants will engage with the work in the gallery and experiment with various contemporary approaches to art-making. CAS is offered in connection with the Lamar Dodd School of Art’s contemporary art gallery, the Athenaeum, and is made possible with funding from a Parents Leadership Council Grant and AthFest Educates funding.

Transportation from CCSD middle schools to the Athenaeum will be provided via UGA vans and approved UGA student drivers. Students will need to be picked up from the Athenaeum, 287 West Broad St., by a parent/guardian at 6 p.m. after each session. Spots in the program are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Middle school art teachers are being provided with the information, and application forms will be due to them by Wednesday, Dec. 11.

For more information, contact program director Lauren Copelan at lhc21670@uga.edu or Dr. Christina Hanawalt, Associate Professor of Art Education, at hanawalt@uga.edu.

It's Apply to College Month in Georgia, and CCSD high school seniors have the opportunity to apply to participating University System of Georgia, Technical College System of Georgia, and private institutions for free throughout November! For more information, reach out to your counselor or get started by following this link for a list of participating colleges and universities and their application process.

High school students: Are you interested in joining the Army and applying to the United States Military Academy at West Point?

Ret. Lt. Col. Ed Postell, field representative for Georgia's 10th Congressional District, will host an informational Zoom session featuring three current cadets on Tuesday, Nov. 26, from 7-8 p.m. The meeting will give students a great opportunities to interact directly with the three cadets, all of whom are graduates of area high schools, and learn more about the West Point application process.

Those interested in attending should email Lt. Col. Postell at postell71@gmail.com or call him at 610-420-6765 and he will provide the Zoom info for the meeting.

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.
• Attend a Meeting: The board's next scheduled meeting is Thursday, Dec. 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.

Fill out the short Google form below or here, and a CCSD Human Resources representative will follow up with you.

The Pollack Family Foundation will host the Banquet of Blessings, a free Thanksgiving community feast, on Sunday, Nov. 24, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the Classic Center Grand Hall, 300 North Thomas St., Athens. The goal of the event is to provide a warm meal to those in need along with fellowship and hospitality during the holiday season. Items such as jackets, gloves, hats, socks, sleeping bags, children's books and toys, and baby items will also be given away.

The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia and City of Refuge Athens are teaming up to host a holiday drive-thru food pantry beginning at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Athens Church, located at 10 Huntington Rd., Athens. Food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Synovus Bank Beechwood branch, located at 310 Alps Rd., Athens, is hosting its annual Toys for Tots Holiday Toy Drive. Donations can be dropped off at the branch, which is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays, and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. For more information, contact Latoria Robbins at latoriarobbins@synovus.com.

Athens Area Habitat for Humanity will hold a community bake sale from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, at the Globe, 199 North Lumpkin St., Athens. The sale will feature baked goods from local businesses, and proceeds will benefit the Athens Habitat Global Village Project, which will consist of volunteers constructing and making improvements to houses in Guatemala.