Better Together

We are pleased to announce the three finalists for 2026-27 CCSD Teacher of the Year: Cindy Alexander of Whitehead Road Elementary School, Montu Miller of Cedar Shoals High School, and Matthew Rubenstein of Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School!

The finalists were chosen from a field of 22 school-level teachers of the year whose applications were evaluated and scored by a district committee in partnership with the Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County (FFE). The winner, along with the district Support Professional of the Year, will be announced on October 22 at the district’s Teacher/Support Professional of the Year awards banquet and will receive the FFE’s annual Mae M. Whatley Teacher of the Year and Janis J. Stephens Support Professional of the Year awards. The winning teacher will then go on to compete at the state level.

Read more about our finalists!

CCSD invites all families, students, staff, and community members to leave a message of support for one or more of our finalists by completing this form by Friday, October 16! You can also find the form embedded directly below. Several of the responses will be showcased in the lead-up to the October 22 awards banquet. You may complete this form multiple times if you want to leave a message of support for more than one finalist.

CCSD families: Our annual Parent Portal student information update window is now open and runs through Friday, October 23. Families will need to complete this update during this window to continue being able to use the various functions in the portal.

Upon logging into Parent Portal, parents/guardians will be asked to review and update the following for their student/students:

• Health information: General updates and new diagnoses.
• Consents and releases: Google consent and media release forms.
• Contact details: Address changes, new phone numbers, and email addresses.
• Emergency contacts: Add/remove household and non-household emergency contacts.

Watch the video above for a quick explainer, and email campus@clarke.k12.ga.us for questions or assistance!

Don't have a Parent Portal account? Now is a great time to set one up ahead of the update window! Having an account allows parents and guardians to access attendance records, class schedules, grades, and assignment information for their students. Go to www.clarke.k12.ga.us/portalhelp for more information.

CCSD students and staff are encouraged to wear pink on Tuesday, October 13, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Families are invited to participate in our "Pink Out" as we show support for survivors, honor loved ones, and raise awareness across our community.

Next week is K-12 parent-teacher conference week, and students at all schools will have early dismissal on Wednesday, October 14, and be out of school Thursday and Friday, October 15-16, and on Monday, October 19.

Early dismissal on Wednesday will be at 12:20 p.m. for elementary schools (the After-School Program will be open at the Conference Day rate) and early learning centers, and middle and high schools will dismiss at 1:30 p.m.

Teachers and most school-based staff will also be off on October 16 and 19, while the District Office will be closed October 16 and open October 19.

Looking for something fun to do with your student on Monday, October 19? All CCSD students can enjoy a free pastry at Paris Baguette, 2357 West Broad Street, between 6 a.m. and noon no purchase necessary! Middle and high school students must present their CCSD student ID to claim the offer. Elementary students may show the flyer. Thank you to Paris Baguette for your support of CCSD!

Schools across CCSD have been celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 through October 15) honoring the history, culture, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors come from the five primary regions of the Hispanic world — North America (Mexico), South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and Europe (Spain). Door decoration contests (as pictured above at Howard B. Stroud Elementary) have been a popular activity, along with several school-centered Hispanic Heritage Month events and family nights. Follow along with communications from your child's school for more information!

Check out these Facebook photo galleries from more recent happenings! Click on the links in the descriptions!

Congratulations to Dr. Marcia Page, School Psychologist for Barnett Shoals Elementary School and Whit Davis Elementary School, for being named CCSD's Employee of the Month for October! Dr. Page has 21 years of service to CCSD and was nominated for using her "exceptional depth of knowledge, experience, and expertise" to "empower students, families, and staff."

"Dr. Page provides parents with practical, thoughtful, and highly knowledgeable information that helps families--and staff--make informed decisions about the educational needs and next steps for their children," her nominator wrote.

Dr. Page was surprised with the award at Barnett Shoals by Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott and was recognized publicly at the Clarke County Board of Education meeting this week!

Nominate any full-time CCSD employee with at least one year of service for this award at bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward.

Another exciting CCSD Elementary Volleyball League season is drawing to a close with the postseason tournament set to begin! First-round matches Monday, October 12 at Clarke Middle School with the top four teams in the East and West divisions squaring off, followed immediately by the semifinal matches. The championship match is set for 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 13, at Clarke Central High School. See the full schedule below, and good luck to all of our teams!

Monday, October 12, Clarke Middle School

First Round

4:15 p.m.: Match 1 - Whitehead Road vs. J.J. Harris

4:15 p.m.: Match 2 - Whit Davis vs. Barrow

5:10 p.m.: Match 3 - Timothy Road vs. Gaines

5:10 p.m.: Match 4 - Winterville vs. Burks

Semifinals

6:05 p.m.: Semifinal 1 - Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 4

6:05 p.m.: Semifinal 2 - Winner of Match 2 vs. Winner of Match 3

Tuesday, October 13, Clarke Central High School

5 p.m.: Championship - Winner of Semifinal 1 vs. Winner of Semifinal 2

Athens-Clarke County youth are invited to register for the ACC Leisure Services winter basketball season. Age groups include 6U (Co-ed), 8U (Co-ed), 10U boys and girls, 12U boys and girls, and 14U boys.

Practices will begin in November and be held once per week, and the season schedule runs December through February. 6U and 8U teams will play their games at Heard Park, while 10U, 12U, and 14U will play at Lay Park.

The participation fee is $65 for Athens-Clarke County residents with scholarship assistance available for eligible families. Register today at accgovga.myrec.com.

Our next Midday Meetup for small businesses will be held Wednesday, October 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cafe Racer, 377 Oak Street! Drop in, grab lunch, and connect with the CCSD Purchasing and Contracts team to explore ways your business can do business with CCSD!

Prospective CCSD vendors are also encouraged to attend our third annual "Primetime with Purchasing" event on Thursday, October 29, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the District Office. The event will allow businesses to connect with representatives from every district department and learn more about specific business opportunities within the district. Get assistance with our vendor packet and learn more about business funding assistance. Mayor-Elect Dexter Fisher will be the keynote speaker for the event.

CCSD's next monthly surplus sale will be held Saturday, Oct. 24, of district furniture, equipment, and other items. The sale will run from 9 a.m. to noon at CCSD’s Early Learning Center East location, 280 Gaines School Road.

The event is ideal for local businesses, churches, daycare centers, and other organizations, as well as private residents looking to stock their offices, meeting spaces, or homes with furniture and equipment.

Holdover items for sale include office and classroom desks, tables, chairs, bookshelves and books, filing cabinets, laptop charging stations, cosmetology chairs, and various other items and materials.

The October sale will also include Lenovo Chromebooks and Apple iPads. Technology devices will be sold as is, with no warranty, returns, or exchanges. Chargers and cables will not be included. Purchasers of technology devices must be at least 18 years old, present a valid government-issued photo ID, and sign a document acknowledging the terms of sale. To allow more community members to participate, each person may purchase no more than one Chromebook and/or one iPad, subject to availability. Payment is due at the time of purchase.

All other items will be sold as-is on a first-come, first-served basis, and no items will be held. Purchasers are responsible for the loading and removal of items at the time of purchase. No refunds or exchanges will be granted. Payments can be made with cash or with a credit card through the CCSD online payments portal at bit.ly/ccsdpayments.

CCSD will host its third annual "Free Your Feels" Mental Health Summit for teens and preteens on Saturday, October 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Athens Community Career Academy, 440-1 Dearing Extension.

This free event for students ages 12-18 will offer peer-to-peer interaction opportunities, information about mental health resources, games, yoga, and more fun. Lunch will be provided. Register your student today at bit.ly/ccsdfyf26.

The AI4STEM Education Center at the University of Georgia will be offering a free “AI + Science Explorers Camp” for eighth-grade students to explore how AI can support scientific inquiry, problem solving, and discovery. The daylong camp will be held during days CCSD students are not in school with two options — October 15-16 and Oct. 19 or November 23-25 — from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Space is limited. Register at this link. For more information, email ai4stem@uga.edu.

Each year, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program honors some of our nation’s most exceptional high school seniors who shine through academic achievement, artistic talent, and career and technical excellence. Established by executive order in 1964, the program has grown to recognize more than 150 students annually, celebrating those whose accomplishments reflect the highest ideals of scholarship, creativity, and leadership.

The 2026-27 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program application window is now open through November 1. High school seniors may apply, provided they meet all program qualifications outlined by the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The application, program criteria, and informational brochures are on the Excellence Recognitions PSP webpage. Applications are due by November 1 at 5 p.m.

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, November 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 to access board meeting agendas.
• Board Briefs: 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.

The Georgia Museum of Art, 90 Carlton Street, Athens, will hold its monthly free Family Day event from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, October 10. Celebrate spooky season at this month’s Family Day. A mystery is afoot at the museum, and we need your help to solve it. Follow the clues through the galleries and take a close look at works of art for hidden hints. Come in costume and bring your best detective skills to join in the fun. Learn more about Museum of Art family programming.

The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce's Athens Achieves initiative and Goodwill of Northeast Georgia will hold a career fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, October 22, at Georgia Square Mall, 3700 Atlanta Highway. Please wear professional attire and bring a printed job resume. Registration is requested and can be completed at this link.

The annual "Wild Rumpus" Halloween-themed festival in downtown Athens will be held Saturday night, October 31. The event is free with family-friendly activities, and everyone in the community is invited to join and wear a costume.

Learn more about the event and the "Every Kid Gets a Costume" costume drive at www.wildrumpus.org.

The Clarke County Sheriff's Office invites the community to its fifth annual Fall Festival on Friday, October 23, from 5-9 p.m. at 2900 County Farm Road.

This year’s theme is "Saturday Morning Cartoons," and the event will feature free food and drinks, games, family-friendly activities, a Haunted House, Haunted Hayride, and opportunities for families to connect with more than 30 ACCGov departments and community partners. Free parking will be available at Southeast Clarke Park, and free shuttle buses will run to and from the event.

Follow the Sheriff's Office Facebook page for the latest updates and information.

A PDF (English and Spanish) is attached with details on other upcoming events.

Piedmont Athens Regional and Safe Kids Athens have joined forces to make a positive difference in the lives of children in Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties by providing educational programs, including car seat safety.

The organizations offer the following safety tips for families with young children:

• Keep infants and toddlers rear-facing until they reach height and weight limits for their seat. Once they outgrow their rear-facing seat, switch to a front-facing seat with a harness.
• Wait until your child outgrows their front-facing seat before transitioning to a booster seat.
• Keep your child in a booster seat until they are big enough to fit into a seat belt properly with the lap belt over their upper thigh and shoulder belt snug across their shoulder and chest.
• Ensure children 12 and younger always ride in the back seat with seat belts safely secured.

Contact April Dorsett at april.dorsett@piedmont.org or 706-475-5631 to schedule a free car seat check!

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 October, 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.