Better Together

It's hard to believe that we've already been back in school for an entire month, but it has been a great start to the year and we are excited for what's to come! As a reminder, all CCSD schools and district offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 2, in observance of Labor Day, and schools will also be closed on Tuesday, Sept. 3, for a district professional learning day. We look forward to welcoming our students back to school on Wednesday, Sept. 4. In the meantime, we wish everyone a fun, safe, relaxing, and happy long weekend!

Earlier this week, CCSD announced the 2024-25 Teacher of the Year and Support Professional of the Year for each of our schools and program campuses that had eligible candidates according to the district selection criteria. From this group, a district-wide Teacher of the Year and Support Professional of the Year will be selected and announced Oct. 24 at CCSD’s Teacher of the Year and Support Professional of the Year awards banquet. The district Teacher of the Year will then compete at the state level.

School-level winners were voted on by their school colleagues earlier this month based on a set of qualifications that includes inspiring students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn while promoting educational equity and having the respect of students, families, and colleagues while demonstrating tireless service and commitment to the Athens-Clarke County community. They must also have worked for their current school for at least three years and not won the award in the previous three years.

Several schools surprised and celebrated with their winners prior to this week's district announcement (see photos) below. We congratulate all of these winners and we be spotlighting each of them on our social media platforms (@clarkecoschools) in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

One of the new exciting, cutting-edge pathways at the Athens Community Career Academy this school year is Biotechnology! This pathway involves teaching students about using natural biological processes and harnessing living organisms to solve human problems by making products for medicine, agriculture, food science, environmental, and other uses.

Bioscience and Pharmaceuticals are a targeted economic sector for Athens-Clarke County and the State of Georgia, and students completing this pathway can earn the Biotility Biotechnician Assistant certification, giving them a great start toward a high-paying career.

High school students who enroll in the pathway will also have the opportunity to take a class in forensic science, which teaches them methods for collecting and analyzing evidence to help solve crimes.

A brand-new biotechnology lab was constructed inside the ACCA building earlier this year and is stocked with state-of-the-art equipment sourced from real biotech company labs, offering students a truly professional learning environment. Classes are taught by Mr. Stan Harrison (pictured above).

September is National Library Card Sign-up Month, but CCSD already has our students covered! As part of a collaboration between the district and the Athens Regional Library System, each CCSD student has a free PLAY Card account, which provides them with access to free books, magazines, and other resources from your local library branch to help your child succeed in school and support of a lifelong love of reading and learning.

Students can check out up to five physical materials at a time using their six-digit CCSD student number. Library personnel will be on hand to assist with the check-out process if needed.

So take advantage of the long weekend and head to your nearest library branch. Remember: Students who read are students who thrive!

The tuition-free Georgia Youth Challenge Program is part of a nationwide initiative established by Congress 30 years ago to help students who are struggling to complete traditional high school. Led by members of the Georgia National Guard, the program assists male and female students ages 16-18 with credit recovery, obtaining their high school diploma or GED, and helping them enroll in postsecondary options and preparing for the military or workforce.

An informational session about the program will be held Saturday, Aug. 31, from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St. For more information and to confirm attendance, email Jefferey Helms at jeffery.helms@gaycp.org or call 706-993-7808.

As a reminder, CCSD high school students in grades 11-12 who are interested in serving on Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker's Student Advisory Council are invited to complete the online application by Friday, Aug. 30. All students selected to the council will learn about district initiatives and have the opportunity to share their perspectives about being a CCSD student while developing their leadership and advocacy skills. The council will meet five times over the course of the year, and students are asked to commit to attend all meetings.

CCSD students in grades 10-12 also have an opportunity to apply to serve on Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods' advisory council. Students selected will meet with Superintendent Woods throughout the year to discuss the impact of state policies in the classroom and other education-related issues. Interested students should complete and submit the online application by Sept. 6 at 5 p.m. Selected students will be contacted via email.

The Athens Area Human Relations Council is now accepting scholarship applications through Friday, Sept. 27, from all high school seniors in Clarke, Oglethorpe, Madison, and Oconee counties. Find application forms here.

A completed application must include the completed form, an essay, two recommendations, and a high school transcript. All documents must be submitted via email to scholarships@humanrelationscouncil.org.

A downloadable and printable copy of the application can be found below.

We are accepting nominations for our September Employee of the Month Award through Aug. 31.

Any member of the CCSD community (student, parent/guardian, staff member, community member) may nominate any full-time district employee with at least one full year of service. Go to bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward to get started on your nomination or complete the embedded form below!

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.
• Attend a Meeting: The board's next scheduled meeting is Thursday, Sept. 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.

Registration is now open for i9 sports programming in Clarke and Oconee counties. Current sports offerings in the area include flag football, soccer, basketball, and baseball. Register now at a discounted rate with the promo code Clarke2024. Needs-based financial assistance is also available. Go to i9sports.com and see the flyer below for additional information.

Looking for an after-school program to help your child get more physically active through running? Check out Atlanta Track Club’s Kilometer Kids program, which will again being offered at Bishop Park this fall. The free, 10-week, game-based running program for students in grades K-5, is designed to teach them about goal setting, healthy habits, respect, and community building – all through exposing them to the sport of running.

There is no fee to participate, and the program is for all elementary students regardless of running ability or experience. The season starts Tuesday, Sept. 3, and practices will be held every Tuesday from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at Bishop Park Softball Field #2, 705 Sunset Dr., Athens.

Sign up here. The team name is Athens Kilometer Kids.

Local organization Dignidad inmigrante en Athens will host the 15th annual LatinxFest in downtown Athens from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14. Come enjoy live music, food, dancing, children's activities, and more. For the latest updates on the festival, go to the official event page on Facebook.

The Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department will host the annual Athens Water Festival on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sandy Creek Park, 400 Holman Rd. Swim in the lake, hear music, splash around with water activities, meet animals, and take fun in many more fun activities.

Park entry will be $2 per person with free admission available for those who qualify. For more information, go to AthensWaterFestival.com or call 706-613-3729.

Athens nonprofit Casa de Amistad is once again offering free adult ESL (English as a Second Language) and GED (General Equivalency Diploma) classes this fall both online and at locations throughout the community. Scan the QR code on the flyers below or go to athensamistad.com for more information and to register.