Better Together
2/13/26 • News from the Clarke County School District
Congratulations to Macy Cross, first-grade teacher at Fowler Drive Elementary School, for being named CCSD's February Employee of the Month! Ms. Cross is in her fifth year at FDES and was nominated by second-grade teacher Samantha Yvellez for consistently going above and beyond to support her students’ academic and personal growth and demonstrating dedication through thoughtful lesson planning, strong classroom management, and a genuine commitment to meeting the diverse needs of all learners.
Ms. Cross was surprised with the award by Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott and publicly recognized at the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, Feb. 12.
Anyone in the community may nominate any full-time CCSD employee with at least one full year of service for this award at bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward. You can also find the nomination form embedded directly below!
17 Students Qualify for State Science and Engineering Fair
Seventeen CCSD students from Clarke, Burney-Harris-Lyons, and Coile middle schools and Cedar Shoals High School have qualified a combined 12 projects for the 2026 Georgia Science and Engineering Fair next month after the district's strong showing in the Northeast Georgia regional fair last weekend! More than 40 students in the district won medals and special awards at the regional fair.
Read more here and see the attachment with the full list of regional fair results below!
22 Students Named Governor's Honors Semifinalists
Out of the 30 CCSD high school sophomores and juniors nominated for the 2026 Governor's Honors Program, 22 have advanced to the semifinalist round of consideration, including 12 from Clarke Central and 10 from Cedar Shoals!
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.
Students will be notified next month whether they have been selected to attend the program or as alternates. Congratulations to these students, and best of luck in the semifinalist interviews and auditions!
Clarke Central
- Elle Cranston, Agricultural Research, Biotechnology, and Science
- Kate Hinger, Agricultural Research, Biotechnology, and Science
- Lea D'Angelo, Communicative Arts
- Lucca Fleenor, Communicative Arts
- Daniel Bray, Computer Science
- Jovi Grantham, Dance
- Simon Scott, Music
- Samuel Lorenzini, Science
- Scarlett Alston, Visual Arts
- Katyal Bagayogo-Zeltner, Visual Arts
- Tess van Wagtendonk, Visual Arts
- Mariel Sanford, World Languages
Cedar Shoals
- Savannah Rawls, Communicative Arts
- Sebastian Marotta, Computer Science
- Kitty Dennison, Dance
- Jack Justice, Engineering
- Spencer Broome, Math
- Evan Greene, Music
- Braylen Grier, Music
- Caitlin Smith, Science
- John Driscoll, Social Studies
- Kenia Gonzalez-Chavez, Social Studies
Cedar Shoals, Clarke Central Swimmers Record Top-10 Finishes at State Meet
The Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central swim teams had strong showings in last week's GHSA State Swimming and Diving Championships. Senior and Georgia Tech signee Christopher Koch led Cedar Shoals, finishing second in the Class 4A boys' 200-yard individual medley and third in the 100-yard breaststroke, while sophomore Lauren Neace finished sixth in the girls' 100-yard butterfly.
For Clarke Central, sophomore Patrick Coverdill and senior Thomas Brown finished eighth and ninth, respectively, in the Class 5A boys' 50-yard freestyle. Coverdill also finished ninth in the 200-yard individual medley.
Congratulations to these student-athletes!
Elementary Soccer League Season Starts Next Week!
We are excited to kick off another exciting season of the CCSD Elementary Soccer League through the Athens Youth Development Initiative! The season begins Tuesday, Feb. 17, with six matches spread across the county. See the full schedule below, and be sure to come out and support our young student-athletes all season long!
YDI Announces Spring Volleyball Tryouts, Open Gym Sessions
Volleyball Open Gyms
The Athens Youth Development Initiative will once again be hosting Open Gyms for all girls interested in developing fundamental volleyball skills, beginning Sunday, February 15, at the District Gymnasium, 595 Prince Avenue, Athens. Sessions will be 2-3 p.m. for grades 2-4 and 3-4 p.m. for grades 5-7.
Volleyball Tryouts
The Athens Youth Development Initiative is excited to hold tryouts for spring volleyball teams on Sunday, February 15, and Wednesday, February 18! These teams will compete against area recreational department teams with both home and away matches. See below for more specific information regarding ages, dates, times, and location.
Ages:
8U - must still be 8 years old or younger on September 1, 2026
10U - must still be 10 or younger on September 1, 2026
12U - must still be 12 or younger on September 1, 2026
Where: CCSD District Gymnasium, 595 Prince Avenue, Athens (across the parking lot from the main District Office building)
When:
Sunday, 2/15
Girls in grades 2-4: 2 - 3 p.m.
Girls in grades 5-7: 3 - 4 p.m.
Wednesday, 2/18
Girls in grades 2-4: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Girls in grades 5-7: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
For questions, contact YDI Volleyball Coordinator Nora Fowler at fowlern@clarke.k12.ga.us.
CCSD Family Advisory Board to Meet Feb. 18
CCSD's Family Advisory Board will hold its next meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, 1600 Tallassee Rd., Athens.
The board is made up of representatives from every elementary, middle, and high school in CCSD. Its purpose is to advise the administration on issues related to the overall success of the district. If you would like to submit a question or concern for the board to discuss, please complete this form.
Community Volunteers Needed for ACCA Student Mock Interviews!
The Athens Community Career Academy seeks to prepare CCSD high school students with all of the skills needed to meet Athens-area workforce needs and help them achieve their postsecondary goals. In addition to academic and technical skills, ACCA is dedicated to ensuring that students have the employability and social skills needed to succeed after high school.
With that in mind, ACCA will be hosting its annual "Project Yellowjacket" student mock interview competition on Wednesday, March 4, and is seeking community volunteers to help! Community members are invited to sit down with students and conduct brief (5- to 10-minute) interviews using questions and a scoring rubric provided by ACCA. Awards will be earned by classes and individual students based on their professionalism ratings.
Volunteers can sign up for either or both of the morning (10:15 a.m. to noon) and afternoon (1:15-2:15 p.m.) sessions at bit.ly/accamockinterviews or in the form directly embedded below. The event will be held at ACCA, 440-1 Dearing Ext., Athens. Lunch will also be provided on-site to volunteers at the Yellowjacket Bistro from noon to 1 p.m.!
If you are unable to attend but are still interested in supporting the event, ACCA will accept donations for prizes for the competition winners. Email Halo Smart, CCSD Workforce Development Coordinator, at smarth@clarke.k12.ga.us for more information!
Calendar Reminders
Click to view the 2025-26 Academic Calendar.
Important dates:
- 2/16 - Districtwide professional learning day (students do not report)
- 3/9 - 3/12: K-12 Conference Week
- 3/11: Early dismissal (Elementary schools, 12:20 p.m., middle/high schools (1:30 p.m.). ASP (After-school Program) will be offered at elementary schools.
- 3/12: Student holiday
- 3/13: Holiday for students and most school-based staff
- 4/6 - 4/10: Spring break
Update or Create Parent Portal Account
Follow these directions for updating the contact information in your Parent Portal account.
Don't have an account yet? An Activation Key is required. Follow these directions to set up an account if you already have an Activation Key. Follow these directions if you don't have an Activation Key yet. Having a Parent Portal account allows parents and guardians to access attendance records, class schedules, grades, and assignment information for their students.
If you already have an account but forgot your password and need a reset, use the links on the login page to reset your password or username or to request help. You may also email campus@clarke.k12.ga.us for additional assistance.
Download the CCSD Mobile App!
Stay up to date with access to event information, documents, school news, student stories, and even emergency notifications. See the video below for a tutorial on downloading and customizing the app to your preferred settings. You can download the app for free on Google Play or Apple App Store.
Download for Android: https://aptg.co/xQ_qX1
Download for iPhone: https://aptg.co/zCh8gX
Download the Edulog App for Bus Info
Parents/guardians of students who ride a bus to and/or from school can use the Edulog page on the district website or download the Edulog Parent Portal mobile app to find information about their student’s bus.
Breakfast and Lunch Menus
Take Advantage of our School-based Health Centers!
School-based health centers make accessing medical and dental care as easy as walking down the hall. Students and families throughout the district are encouraged to take advantage of one of our four school-based health centers for many of their basic healthcare needs. Click the links for additional information.
See Something, Say Something
CCSD considers the safety and security of our students and staff our highest priority, and utilizes the CCSD Tip Line as a critical tool for us to help ensure that our schools remain safe and promote a welcoming environment for learning. It is also another mechanism for us to celebrate good deeds or achievements by our staff members and students that may have gone unreported but deserve recognition and celebration.
Tips can be submitted online at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/tipline or by phone by dialing 706-353-1737. All tips are anonymous by default, but you do have the option of including your name and contact information. Once received, your tip will be investigated by the CCSD response team. The Tip Line can also be accessed online from the home page of the district website and all school websites.
Remember: If you See Something, Say Something. If you see something of concern online, Don't Repost. Report.
How to Address Questions, Concerns
Board Contact Information, Meetings
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, March 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.
Register for Our Educator Career Fair!
Whether you're an aspiring teacher planning to begin your career next school year or a veteran teacher moving to the Athens-Clarke County area, sign up today for our Educator Career Fair, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 28!
This event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave., Athens, will be the perfect opportunity to speak with many of our current teachers and principals to understand in detail about their school and the positions they are hiring for. At the event, you may be invited to interview with school teams and potentially offered a teaching position on the spot! Representatives from our Human Resources Division will also be there to answer any questions you may have. Space is limited, so register today to secure your spot!
Enjoy 'Jackie Robinson: A Game Apart' at the Morton Theatre on Feb. 24!
The historic Morton Theatre in downtown Athens will host a public performance of the play, “Jackie Robinson: A Game Apart," presented by Mike Wiley, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m.
All CCSD eighth-grade students will attend a free showing of the play on a school field trip during the school day Feb. 23 and 24, thanks to a continued partnership between the Morton Theatre Corporation and the district. The community at-large is encouraged to attend the public showing on Feb. 24.
Students: Use Your Library PLAY Card!
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.
Stay Informed with ACCGov 'Notify Me' Feature
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.
GaDOE 'Hope Map' Provides Families in Need with Information on Food, Shelter Assistance, Other Support
CCSD families: If you or someone you know are in need of assistance, the Georgia Department of Education has a live-updating online "Hope Map" with information on resources ranging from food pantries to shelter and healthcare.
Go to hopemapgeorgia.org to get started. You can select your language preference, search by zip code or city to find services available in a specific area, and filter by categories of services you are looking for.
211 – Get Connected. Get Help.
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.