Better Together

As we get set for a long weekend and pause on Monday, Jan. 19 — to reflect on the impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and participate in acts of community service to honor his legacy — enjoy the video below featuring the winners of this year's CCSD Martin Luther King Jr. Art and Writing contest!

The video premiered Friday, Jan. 16, during the University of Georgia's annual MLK Freedom Breakfast. The contest winners were also recognized publicly during the Thursday, Jan. 15 Board of Education meeting. Another round of congratulations to all of these students for their amazing work in showcasing Dr. King's legacy through the theme, "My Dream: Our Future."

The Clarke County Board of Education is seeking public participation in a community survey regarding its search for the next Superintendent of the Clarke County School District. The survey includes six questions and can be accessed at this link. CCSD families, staff, students, and community members are asked to complete the survey by Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.

In September 2025, the BOE voted to contract with the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) to lead its superintendent search process.

The position has been posted on the GSBA website, and applications will be accepted through Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. Those interested in applying for the position can find the posting and apply at this link.

The BOE will provide additional updates on the search as they become available. For the latest updates, see our superintendent search page at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/superintendent-search.

Congratulations to Genoveva Gonzalez, student information support specialist in the District Office, on being named CCSD's January Employee of the Month!

Ms. Gonzalez has worked for CCSD since 2007 and has been with the Office of Information Support Services for 13 years. In her role, she assists families with setting up and making changes to their Parent Portal accounts and also provides training and support to schools to provide the same assistance and maximize the use of our Infinite Campus system so that families and students can get the information they need, when they need it.

Ms. Gonzalez was nominated by one of our building leaders, who praised her for taking on extra responsibilities recently due to current vacancies in her office, but still maintaining the office's standard of excellent customer service. She is one of the many CCSD employees whose tireless, behind-the-scenes work is invaluable and keeps operations flowing smoothly.

Ms. Gonzalez was surprised with the award by Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott and publicly recognized at the Thursday, Jan. 15 Board of Education meeting.

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 or by filling out the form directly below!

Thirteen third-graders from Barrow Elementary, led by teacher Sara Clarke, recently participated in the fall Noetic Learning Math Contest held in fall 2025, and one of them ranked at the top of the entire state!

The goal of the competition is to encourage students’ interest in mathematics, develop their problem-solving skills, and inspire them to excel in STEM fields. More than 33,000 students from 619 schools nationwide participated in the fall contest.

The Barrow Buddies were led by Robby Davis, who had the top individual score among all third-graders in Georgia and was named to the National Honor Roll for placing in the top 10% of students nationwide.

Students named to the National Honor Roll for being the top 50% nationwide included Afaque Ahmed, Baker McKown, Charlie Wicker, Evelyn Vogel, Jack Belknap, Jude Knott, and Zi Chen Fan. Other participants from Barrow included Chandler Boyce, Harper Kinsler, Holli Bennett, Isabelle Kamusiime, and Sophie Gad.

"The contest results not only demonstrate our students' mathematical talents but also their hard work," said Ms. Clarke. "This is a proud moment for Barrow Elementary School!"

Congratulations to the four CCSD high school students who have been selected to the Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band!

Clarke Central High will be represented by junior Colin Boyle (oboe) and freshman Melody Morris (bassoon), while Cedar Shoals High will be represented by sophomore Evan Greene (trombone) and senior Thomas Wilson-Adkins (contrabass clarinet) March 5-7 at The Classic Center in Athens.

Click here for more information on the event.

Congratulations to Howard B. Stroud Elementary fifth-graders Claire Babalola and Bailey McDowell on being the top CCSD team in the fall 2025 state Stock Market Game!

Held every fall and spring, the Stock Market Game engages students grades 4-12 in the world of economics, investing, and personal finance. Students are given virtual money to invest in stocks while learning real-world skills in not just economics and math, but even social studies and English language arts.

Under the guidance of their teacher, Ms. Kelly Parker, Claire and Bailey were the top "earners" in CCSD last fall, as they made over $4,000 in profit in just 10 weeks. They ranked No. 388 out of thousands of teams in Georgia across all grade levels.

Twenty-one CCSD students recently received a free and complete eye exam and selected prescription eyeglasses in a December vision clinic at the Clarke Middle Health Center after they had vision challenges identified in initial school-based screenings and a demonstrated barrier to private vision care.

The exams were conducted in partnership with the non-profit organization Prevent Blindness Georgia at the Clarke Middle Health Center, one of four school-based health centers across CCSD that provide basic healthcare services for CCSD students and staff throughout the county. The Clarke Middle Health Center is staffed by University of Georgia School of Medicine faculty and nurses, along with Augusta University/UGA Medical Partnership students.

Read more here about this partnership and how it is helping students in need improve their vision so they can thrive in the classroom!

If you have concerns about your child's vision, you may contact your school nurse for support and a referral.

(Photo by Billy Schuerman/UGA)

The student-led Yellow Jacket Bistro at the Athens Community Career Academy, 440-1 Dearing Ext., will hold its monthly pop-up community lunch Friday, Jan. 23, at 12:45 p.m. with a brunch-themed menu!

The bistro is a joint venture between ACCA's Culinary Arts pathway students, who prepare the food under the supervision of Chef Amee Williams, and the Entertainment and Sports Event Management pathway students, who organize and market the events and work on the front end as hosts, servers, and greeters under the supervision of instructor Celissa Beck.

The brunch is $15 a person and will feature an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Reserve a table at this link and prepay at this link!

There's still time to join CCSD's AdaptED sports program before the start of wheelchair basketball season! The Classic City Dawgs is a regional program hosted by CCSD under the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs and is open to K-12 public and private school students in Clarke and surrounding counties. For more information, or if you're interested in joining, contact area coordinator Chris Aiken at aikenc@clarke.k12.ga.us.

CCSD's Pre-K Lottery registration for the 2026-27 school year will be held Monday through Friday, Feb. 2-6, 2026. This is your "Best Chance for Your First Choice" of where your student will attend pre-K!

Student enrollment in CCSD is an online process. The online registration link will be available starting Feb. 2 and can be found on the district website along with a list of documents required to complete registration successfully. In-person appointments and walk-in assistance will be available during the lottery registration week in the Student Registration Center at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave., Athens, with extended hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

The lottery registration window will close at 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 6; however, pre-K registration for next school year will remain open until all spots are filled. Students must turn 4 years old on or before September 1, 2026, to be eligible to attend pre-K in CCSD next school year.

In advance of the lottery registration period, CCSD encourages families to familiarize themselves with the registration process and begin gathering the required documentation. For more information, go to www.clarke.k12.ga.us/registration.

Registration for the spring Sirius Athletics youth track and field season is open for ages 6-15, and CCSD elementary school students can join now for free!

Sirius Athletics provides a fun introduction to various track and field events by teaching proper techniques and sportsmanship in a safe and encouraging environment. Sirius is CCSD's partner in providing an organized youth track and field experience for students through the Athens Youth Development Initiative.

Registration for middle and high school students for the season is $175; however, financial assistance is available for families in need. Fees for all elementary students currently enrolled in CCSD are waived until the maximum number of waivers is reached.

Go to siriusathletics.org for more information and to register. The first practice of the season will be Sunday, Feb. 8.

If you are a high school senior or an adult member of Peach State Federal Credit Union seeking career advancement, you are invited to apply for the credit union's 2026 scholarship program by Feb. 27.

The Peach State FCU Scholarship Program was established more than 20 years ago as a way to honor the educators who founded the credit union, and scholarships are awarded on an annual basis. The student scholarships are open to high school seniors planning to pursue higher education, while the career advancement scholarships are for adult members of the credit union whose accounts are in good standing.

Click here for more information about the scholarships and qualifications and to apply.

CCSD is seeking advisory board members for each of its career, technical, and agriculture education (CTAE) pathways. The advisory boards provide guidance to improve the district’s CTAE programs. Their purpose is ensure the curriculum aligns with local and regional workforce needs, identify industry trends, strengthen business and industry partnerships, and help students transition smoothly to postsecondary education or the workforce immediately out of high school.

The boards are open to families, business representatives, industry employees, educators, training professionals, and students. They meet three times per year.

Advisory boards include:

• Agriculture and Animal Science
• Animation, Digital Media, Broadcasting
• Automotive
• Biotechnology
• Business
• Computer Science
• Cosmetology
• Criminal justice, Law, Public Safety
• Culinary Arts, Hospitality, and Event Management
• Engineering
• Education (all levels)
• Firefighting, EMT, Public Safety
• JROTC
• Graphic Design, Digital Media, Marketing
• Healthcare, Medicine, Public Health
• Public Sector - Local Government.

For more information, contact Halo Smart, CCSD’s Workforce Development Coordinator, at smarth@clarke.k12.ga.us.

We are in the height of flu season, and that can have a significant impact on student and staff attendance in CCSD. Flu activity has been widespread and severe across the state, and cases are likely to continue to increase in the coming weeks, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you have not received a flu shot yet this season and have no medical conditions preventing you from doing so, DPH strongly urges you to take advantage of the health benefits the flu vaccine provides as soon as possible. The CDC recommends that individuals over the age of 6 months receive a once-yearly flu vaccine – not just for their own protection, but to protect others around them who may be more vulnerable to the flu and its complications, including the elderly and immunocompromised.

Flu shots and sick-visit appointments are available for CCSD students and staff at all four of the district's school-based health centers:

• Clarke Middle Health Center - 706-208-1190
• Classic City Health Center - 706-389-1095
• Coile Health Center - 706-352-9244
• Hilsman Health Center - 706-546-7463

The flu vaccine is widely available for the general public at the Clarke County Health Department, doctors’ offices, grocery stores, neighborhood clinics, and pharmacies.

And, as always, we encourage our students, staff and families to practice good hand hygiene and always stay home when you are sick. For more guidelines on when you should keep your child at home, go to our nursing services page at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/nursing.

CCSD families: In the ever-expanding digital universe, AI tools are everywhere, and children need guidance on how to navigate them safely and wisely. While AI can be helpful and useful, that are also potentially harmful consequences in the form of fake information, video deepfakes, and more.

Take advantage of the free Parent ProTech resource library offered to CCSD students, families, and teachers, and help provide your student with age-appropriate guidance on how to recognize AI and use it safely and smartly. Sign up for your free account at bit.ly/clarkeparentprotech today! Once you're logged in on the home screen, you can filter resources by category. Resources are available in English and Spanish.

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, February 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.

The University of Georgia baseball program will host a single-day Lil Dawgs Baseball Camp on Monday, Jan. 19, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Foley Field, 1 East Rutherford St., Athens. The camp is open to ages 5-12 and is designed to help young players enhance their skills and love for the game. Find more information and register HERE.

The Georgia Children's Chorus is welcoming new singers for its 2025-26 season and invites students in grades 2-12 to audition. The organization includes five separate ensembles and has rehearsals and performances throughout the year. Financial scholarships are available. Click here for more information and to register for a placement audition.

The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government's Waste Reduction Division is hosting its annual Green Life student art exhibition contest and invites all students grades PK-12 to submit an entry. Students are invited to explore and express their unique perspectives on sustainability and nature in the Classic City by depicting stewards of the environment as "Hometown Heroes" through a painting, drawing, sculpture, photograph, or poem. Submissions are due March 4, and winning entries will be displayed during the exhibition at the Lyndon House Arts Center in April. Click here for more contest rules and to enter.

Registration is now open for the spring 2026 season of Athens Little League baseball and softball. Go to athenslittleleague.org for more information, including league rules and age classifications, and to register. You will be prompted to create a free account to complete the registration process. Registration runs through Feb. 6, and the season begins in March.

Registration is now open for ages 4-16 for the spring 2026 season of East Athens Little League baseball. Go to eastathenslittleleague.org for more information, including league rules and age classifications, and to register. You will be prompted to create a free account to complete the registration process. For more information, email playeastathens@yahoo.com.

The Georgia Museum of Art, 90 Carlton St., will host its monthly free Family Day Event on Saturday, Jan. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Enjoy a "trip to space," as the museum highlights the exhibition, “We, Too, Are Made of Wonders.” Families will explore art and poetry with gallery activities and a take-home art project that celebrates the night sky.

There will also be a community open house immediately following the Family Day event, featuring door prizes, more art activities, mini astrology readings, and intuitive poetry. Find the full schedule here.

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.

Click here for more information and tickets.

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 January, 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.

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 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.