Better Together
11/14/25 • News from the Clarke County School District
CCSD joins school districts across the country in recognizing November as National Family Literacy Month and highlighting the importance of reading together as a family. Literacy — both reading and writing — is at the center of our mission to create educational journeys that allow all students to fulfill their potential.
But the starting point is at home. Spending time with your child reading and writing not only strengthens family connections; it helps them build confidence and fundamental skills for both the classroom and in life.
We encourage our families to join us in promoting a Culture of Literacy throughout CCSD and Athens-Clarke County. We recommend taking advantage of the many online resources through the Reading is Fundamental (RIF) Literacy Network, including the tips for at-home reading attached below.
You can also join in on RIF's "Rally to Read" initiative and follow along with interactive read-alouds with a monthly theme. The theme for November is "nature."
Enjoy reading!
2025-26 CCSD REACH Scholar Cohort Announced
We are pleased to announce our 2025-26 cohort of REACH Scholars! These 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 2025-26 cohort includes:
- Mary Jane Okoli of Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School. Okoli also had the top overall score on the district REACH application.
- Freidom Baldwin of Clarke Middle School
- Aaliyah Fox and Sofia Ramirez-Ramirez of Coile Middle School
- Dayanna Martinez of Hilsman Middle School.
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. The program is coordinated statewide by the Georgia Student Finance Commission and locally by CCSD’s Department of School Counseling.
Read more about the program and see more photos from the scholars' recent signing ceremonies here!
Mary Jane Okoli
Freidom Baldwin
Aaliyah Fox and Sofia Ramirez-Ramirez
Dayanna Martinez
Congratulations to bus driver John Herrera on being named CCSD's Employee of the Month for November! Mr. Herrera is in his 18th year with CCSD Transportation and currently drives routes for Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School. He was nominated by a member of the OAES staff who praised him for supporting students in more ways than just transporting them to and from school, but also for advocating for them and helping connect them and their families with the right people at school if they need assistance or additional support.
Mr. Herrera was surprised with the award by Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott during a transportation team meeting and was publicly recognized and celebrated at the Thursday, Nov. 13 Board of Education meeting.
Thank you to everyone in the community for continuing to submit so many wonderful nominations for very deserving employees. Anyone in the community may nominate any full-time CCSD employee with at least one full year of experience for the award at bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward. The form is also embedded directly below for your convenience!
6 CCSD Schools Recognized by State for Achievement, Growth in Math, Reading Scores
CCSD had three middle schools recognized as Math Leaders and three elementary schools designated as Literacy Leaders by the Georgia Department of Education for demonstrating exceptional achievement or growth in mathematics and reading scores during the 2024-25 school year compared to 2023-24.
For the second consecutive year, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School earned the High School Achievement award in math for having more than 90% of its eighth-grade students who took the Algebra: Concepts and Connections end-of-course exam score proficient or above. Hilsman and Clarke middle schools earned High School Growth recognitions in math with nearly 30% increases in the number of eighth-grade students scoring proficient or above on the Algebra exam. Both schools needed at least a 5-point increase to earn the recognition.
Meanwhile, Bettye H. Holston, Fowler Drive, and Winterville elementary schools all earned 3rd Grade Gateway Growth awards as part of GaDOE’s Literacy Leader recognitions for their exceptional increases in the number of third-grade students reading at or above grade level on the Georgia Milestones assessment system.
Put Your Income Tax Dollars Toward CCSD Initiatives and Receive a Credit!
Did you know that all Georgia taxpayers are eligible to receive a dollar-for-dollar state income tax credit in exchange for a contribution to the Georgia Foundation for Public Education? The 2025 PEACH Education Tax Credit application is now open and offers individuals and businesses an opportunity to advance public education by directing their tax dollars directly to projects and initiatives in their communities – at no additional cost to you or your corporation.
Approved contribution funds in Clarke County will go toward supporting programming at the Athens Community Career Academy, a future dental clinic at the Clarke Middle Health Center, and various projects and initiatives related to CCSD's Culture of Literacy campaign.
The PEACH Education tax credit is capped at $15 million and is approved on a first-come, first-served basis, so don't hesitate to apply for yourself or your corporation before the cap is met! See the flyer above for more information, and click here to get started on applying for the credit and choosing your project to support!
CCSD Family Advisory Board to Meet Nov. 19
CCSD's Family Advisory Board will hold its next meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, at Clarke Middle School, 1235 Baxter St., 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.
Vote for our CCSD 'Hidden Heroes!'
We are thrilled to have seven people from our CCSD family who have been nominated in the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement "Hidden Heroes" online voting campaign!
- Latasha Ball, CCSD bus driver, nominated by a member of the Cleveland Road Elementary community
- Chantal Brown, MTSS specialist at Hilsman Middle
- David Diaz, receptionist and After-School Program coordinator at Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary
- Arnulfo Flores, receptionist at Cedar Shoals High
- Ariel Gordon, counselor at the Athens Community Career Academy
- Lt. Jerry Johnson, CCSD Police Supervisor
- Dr. Utevia Tolbert, Director of the CCSD Learning Center.
Voting is NOW OPEN! Follow these directions to cast your votes:
- Go to this link: https://hiddenheroes.glisi.org/2025/gallery
- Search for the nominee
- Vote once per day for this person through Nov. 21!
The top three vote-getters for GLISI's three regions will be given the title of 2025 Hidden Heroes and receive a cash prize. Let's make sure at least one of our own is a part of those awardees in December!
High School Seniors: Apply to College for FREE This Month!
November 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! Each high school senior in CCSD should have also by now received their personal Georgia Match letter informing them what colleges and universities they are eligible to attend based on their most recently calculated HOPE grade-point average. For questions, please contact your school counselor.
Calendar Reminders
Click to view the 2025-26 Academic Calendar.
Important dates:
- 11/24 - 11/28: Thanksgiving Break (all schools and district offices closed)
- 12/1 - 12/5: Pre-K Parent-Teacher Conference Week
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
Have a question or concern that you'd like to address? CCSD has put together a matrix of who to reach out to depending on the situation. Please click here to view this information. You can also go to CCSD's main site at clarke.k12.ga.us, go to the "I Want To" tab from the menu at the top of the page, and select “Ask a Question/Submit a Concern.”
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, December 11, 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.
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.
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.