Better Together

We can't wait to see our students and families next week as we kick off a new school year on Wednesday, Aug. 6! Here are a few reminders as the big day draws near.

If you haven't had a chance, please check out our Back to School Guide, which provides a rundown of everything you need for your student to be first-day ready – from school supplies, to uniform policies and dress codes, and more!

Schools will hold their open-house event for students and families on either Monday, Aug. 4, or Tuesday, Aug. 5. Check out the full schedule below and contact your child's school for any additional information.

If you still need to register your new student for school, please do so before Wednesday, Aug. 6 – either online at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/registration or in person. In-person registration next week will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 4-5, in the District Office gymnasium, 595 Prince Ave.

CCSD schools will allow families of students in grades PK-5 to walk their child inside the first three days of the school year (Wednesday through Friday, Aug. 8). Beginning Monday, Aug. 11, students who are car riders or walkers will need to be dropped off at their designated spot. We look forward to seeing everyone on the first day!

Don't forget to print out the sign below, take a photo of your child with it on the first day of school, and tag us on social media (@ClarkeCoSchools) using the hash tag #ccsdfirstday. If you're unable to print, you can also save the image and post with your first-day photos!

Click the links below for photo galleries of happenings around the district over the past week!

More than a dozen CCSD teachers and staff members were surprised at their schools and buildings this week, as the Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County (FFE) announced the winners of its 2025 Teaching and Staff Awards. View more photos and a list of winners here!

The FFE is a non-profit organization whose mission is to recognize and award excellence in CCSD through various awards and classroom grants. This spring, the FFE received more than 300 nominations. Thank you to all in the community who nominated these great teachers and staff members, and thank you to the FFE for your continued support of public education in our community!

This year, we are opening up school-level Teacher of the Year nominations to families and students! Please complete the nomination form linked here or embedded directly below by Friday, Aug. 8. Nominees will be voted on by school staff, and school-level winners will be announced in early September and showcased on CCSD social media platforms along with support professionals of the year leading up to the announcement of the districtwide winner in late October.

The Employee of the Month program recognizes and rewards staff members for their service and dedication to CCSD students and families. Parents/guardians, staff, students, and community members may nominate any full-time employee with at least one full year of service for the award. The program is sponsored by the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, and many local businesses contribute gifts to the monthly Employee of the Month gift basket.

An Employee of the Month will be selected each month from September through May, and nominations for the September award are now open! Nominate someone at bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward or go to www.clarke.k12.ga.us/eom for more information!

• Open to all CCSD students ages 6-12
• Registration fees - $50 for football, $30 for cheerleading
• Teams will compete in the North Georgia Youth Football Association.

See the flyers below for additional information.

It's time for year three of CCSD's regional AdaptED Sports Program! The Classic City Dawgs will start adapted handball in August. Participation is free for any public or private school students with a qualified disability who attend grades K-12 in northeast Georgia.

Wheelchair handball is a GHSA-sanctioned co-ed sport. All athletes compete in wheelchairs regardless of whether they use a wheelchair in everyday life. Wheelchairs are provided by CCSD at no cost to students and families. If you know a student or family who may be interested in participating, please share this link with them: bit.ly/clarkeadapted.

For more information and to sign up, please contact CCSD AdaptED Sports Athletic Director Chris Aiken at aikenc@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz is looking for students in grades 10-12 who are passionate about community and want to serve on the 2025-2026 Mayor's Youth Council! The program is designed to encourage effective youth engagement in Athens and is a great opportunity to learn more about the workings of local government.

Eligible students can attend public or private schools or be homeschooled, but must be Athens-Clarke County residents. Members attend monthly meetings and periodic service activities, adding up to about four hours per months.

Apply online at www.accgov.com/youthcouncil by Sunday, Aug. 17.

In accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, CCSD and all of its schools and programs are required to notify parents/guardians at the beginning of each school year (or at the time of enrollment of the student) of their “right to know” the professional qualifications of their student’s classroom teachers and paraprofessionals.

Learn more about this process here.

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, Aug. 14, 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 Georgia Museum of Art, 90 Carlton St., Athens, hosts a free monthly Family Day event from 10 a.m. to noon on a Saturday. See the flyer below for the upcoming monthly schedule. Printed versions of these bookmarks will be distributed to all elementary schools so be on the lookout for it in your child's take-home folder soon!

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.