Better Together

All 800+ CCSD eighth-grade students visited Athens Technical College on March 6 for the Wonders of Work (WOW) Futures Fair, a partnership between the district, Athens Tech, and the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce's Athens Achieves initiative designed to connect students with career pathway options available in high school and beyond and begin forging connections that will strengthen our local workforce pipeline.

Students met community members in different work industries, ATC representatives, as well as representatives of the respective CTAE pathways at Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools and the Athens Community Career Academy. Thank you to all of those who participated in the event and provided our students with an exciting experience! Enjoy these photos and see the full gallery here!

Registration is now open for the Athens Community Career Academy's Summer Career Exploration Program for rising ninth-grade students. Students will have the opportunity to participate in one of the following three-day camps (June 15-17) introducing several of the CTAE pathways they can begin taking courses in as early as 10th grade:

• Advanced Manufacturing and Welding
• Entertainment, Sports, and Event Management
• Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts
• Film and Broadcast Production
• Healthcare
• Fire/EMT
• Teaching as a Profession.

Transportation, breakfast, and lunch will be provided. Apply by May 1 at bit.ly/ccsdsummerprograms. The form is available in English and Spanish. For more information, contact Halo Smart, CCSD Workforce Development Coordinator, at smarth@clarke.k12.ga.us.

If you are or work for a local employer and would like an opportunity to connect with CCSD high school students, you are encouraged to sign up to participate in ACCA's annual Career Fair on May 6!

The goal of the event is to connect students seeking employment, internship opportunities and post-secondary training with businesses and programs in the Athens area seeking talent. Some of our students who are graduating in May are seeking potential full-time employment opportunities right out of high school, while students in their 10th- and 11th-grade years will be looking for opportunities that can be used for traditional part-time work or for school credit through the CCSD Work-Based Learning Program.

Sessions will be held from 10:15 a.m. to noon and 1-2:15 p.m. at ACCA, 440-1 Dearing Ext., Athens. Register for free at bit.ly/accacareerfair. A $25 donation is encouraged, as funds will pay for student awards.

Congratulations to Jailenne Parrott, pre-K teacher at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School, on being named CCSD's Employee of the Month for March! Ms. Parrott was nominated for being "an exceptionally organized educator who consistently advocates for her students and provides high-quality early childhood education" and who "maintains high expectations for all learners while encouraging the development of critical thinking skills at an early age."

Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott and OAES Assistant Principal Darlene Boles surprised Ms. Parrott with the award in her classroom, much to the excitement of her students! Ms. Parrott was also publicly recognized Thursday, March 12, at the Clarke County 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.

The student journalism and literary arts organizations at Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals high schools combined to win more than 70 publication, staff, and individual awards at last week's annual Southern Interscholastic Press Association (SIPA) convention in Columbia, South Carolina.

Clarke Central's ODYSSEY Media Group, ODYSSEY Newsmagazine, and iliad literary-art magazine all won the Scroggins Award (Best of South honors), while Cedar Shoals' BluePrints Magazine and website and Little Blue Book literary-art magazines were all finalists for the award.

Open the attachments below for a full list of awards won by both schools!

CCSD high school seniors are headed into the homestretch towards graduation and taking ownership of their investment portfolio through our partnership with Gifted Savings! At CCSD, we're already looking ahead to next year's class of investors! If you're interested in supporting a student, class, or school with a donation, or if you'd just like to learn more, go to giftedsavings.org, or send us an email at communications@clarke.k12.ga.us, and we'll get you connected! Enjoy these teacher and student video testimonials from the Gifted Savings team to get inspired!

The fourth annual CCSD High School Student Art Exhibition, "Confluence IV: East & West," will be on display March 19-24 at the Athens Institute for Contemporary Art (ATHICA) studio, 675 Pulaski St., Athens.

A public reception celebrating the exhibition is planned for 5-7 p.m. Thursday, March 19.

Each year, The Classic Center Cultural Foundation provides $30,000 in annual scholarships to talented high school students to help them pursue their passion in a career that will allow them to spread their artistic wings. Recipients who are awarded the performing and visual arts scholarships will receive $2,000, and their high school program will be presented $500. The foundation awards scholarships in the areas of dance, visual arts, piano, vocal, drama, and instrumental.

After completing an online application, students will be invited to an audition on Monday, April 13, on the stage of The Classic Center theatre in downtown Athens.

The deadline to apply is Friday, March 13. Click here for more information and the application link.

CCSD is accepting applications from students in grades 3-12 for the upcoming TEDxCCSD event on May 9!

Students are invited to share their ideas, talents, and stories on stage. This year's theme, "Raising the Bar," celebrates young people who challenge themselves to grow, inspire others to aim higher, and turn bold ideas into meaningful impact for their schools and communities. We are looking for bold thinkers and courageous voices ready to challenge expectations, inspire growth, and push themselves and others to new heights.

These "TED Talks" must be original and follow all TedX guidelines. Those selected must commit to mandatory coaching sessions and dress rehearsals ahead of the event. Applications are due Friday, March 20.

Click here for more information and to apply.

Athens-based program Get STEMulated and the Athens Toastmasters Club are offering a free, eight-session workshop for up to 25 students ages 14-18, intended to help students build their public speaking, communication, and leadership skills.

The weekly sessions will begin April 1 at the Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St., Athens. Each session will run from 5-6:30 p.m., and the final session and program graduation will be May 13. A virtual info session is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday, March 21.

Space is limited, so register early at this link.

Athens-based nonprofit Chess and Community is launching the Clarke County Youth Mural Art Program, a four-week creative opportunity designed for high school students to explore public art, collaboration, and creative expression while contributing to a community mural project.

Sessions will begin April 13. Participation does not require prior art experience, though an interest in art is encouraged. The goal of the program is to provide students with a supportive environment where they can learn about mural design, teamwork, and the impact of public art in their community.

Register here!

The annual CCSD Youth Art Month Student Exhibition is on display this month at the University of Georgia's Lamar Dodd School of Art, 270 River Rd., Athens, and a celebration reception is planned for Sunday, March 29, from 1-3 p.m.

See the attached PDF below for the full invitation and driving and parking directions (available in English and Spanish).

March 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!

All CCSD families with a Parent Portal account are required to complete the annual information update to be able to continue to access all features. Click the links below for more instructions on doing so.

• Annual update instructions (Mandatory)
• Address change instructions
• Password/username recovery instructions
• (For new users) Setting up an account - With an activation key / Without an activation key

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, April 2, 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.

CCSD will be hosting its next "Find Your Fit Friday" event on Friday, March 20, specifically for special education teachers. The event will run from 3-4:30 p.m. at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave., and contingent contracts will be offered on the spot!

At CCSD, we are committed to student success, meaningful collaboration, positive school culture, and continued professional development. We offer competitive salaries and benefits packages and outstanding professional support.

Register for this event at bit.ly/sped-teachers.

CCSD will hold an information session on Monday, March 23, for the third cohort (fall 2026) of its Residency-based Teacher Apprenticeship program for aspiring special education teachers.

The apprenticeship program allows participants to earn a bachelor's degree in special education in as little as three years with financial support from CCSD, gain direct classroom experience as a SPED paraprofessional in CCSD classrooms while completing coursework, and eventually become a certified SPED teacher in the district.

This opportunity is ideal for:

• Current CCSD employees seeking teacher certification
• Paraprofessionals and interventionists
• Graduating high school seniors with an interest in teaching
• Students completing the Teaching as a Profession (TAP) pathway at the Athens Community Career Academy
• Individuals interested in joining CCSD and serving as a SPED parapro
• Anyone who is passionate about supporting students with disabilities.

The session will be held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave., Athens. Complete the initial form and register at bit.ly/ccsd-sped-apprenticeship by March 20. For more information, email careers@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Fill out the short Google form below or here, and a CCSD Human Resources representative will follow up with you.

The Table UGA, 1250 South Lumpkin St., and RAWToolsSouth will host a "Guns to Garden" event from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 28. Anyone may anonymously bring unwanted (and unloaded and working) guns to be dismantled and transformed into garden tools and art. Those donating guns will be celebrated with a gift card for local grocery stores or gas after that gun has been disabled as a thank you for your donation. Click here for more information on the event.

Children ages 4-18 are invited to tryout for the Classic City Reign Majorette Dance Team from 4:30-6:30 p.m. March 18-20 at 3701 Atlanta Hwy., Athens. Children should wear black bottoms and a white top for tryouts. Contact 803--989-1593 for additional information and the link to the tryout form. You can also follow Classic City Reign on Instagram (@classiccityreign.majorette).

Athens-based nonprofit Chess and Community invites students, families, and community members to participate in its 13th annual tournament and conference on Saturday, March 28, in downtown Athens at The Classic Center, 300 North Thomas St. Register today at this link.

The University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries, 300 South Hull St., Athens, will host a free family day event from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, March 28, centered around the new museum exhibition on the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. The event will include crafts and storytime activities and a scavenger hunt. Click here for more information.

CCSD students in grades 4-12 and their families are invited to participate in the free "Beyond the Bars" program, hosted by the Athens-Clarke County Corrections Department, 2825 County Farm Rd., Athens, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. on the third Saturday of every month.

"Beyond the Bars" is an early-intervention and empowerment program designed to reach at-risk youth before they become involved, or further involved, in the juvenile justice system. The program exposes students to the real-life consequences of crime, violence, and poor decision-making while also providing them with tools, mentorship, and motivation to make positive life choices.

Find more information and sign up here.

The Athens Area Association of Realtors will host a free Family Fun Day event on Saturday, March 28, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at its board office (1720 Meriweather Dr.) There will be numerous educational, fun, and family-friendly activities for children to take part in. For more information, email leslie@athensarearealtors.com or call 706-353-1126.

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 March, 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.

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.