Better Together

CCSD wishes all students, staff, and families a very relaxing and safe Spring Break next week! All schools and district offices will be closed April 7-11, with classes resuming and offices reopening Monday, April 14. We hope all of you take the time to recharge and refocus and come back ready to finish the last six weeks of the school year strong!

The first year of the new Firefighter/EMT career pathway in partnership with Athens-Clarke County Fire and Emergency Services has been a successful one, giving CCSD students at the Athens Community Career Academy a truly immersive experience and an up-close look at a potential career as a first responder. Earlier this week, students were hard at work at the county fire training center going through physical drills and running a fire rescue simulation. Check out the links below for more photos taken across the district over the past week!

Gladiator Youth Sports will offer a basketball camp and a soccer camp during Spring Break. The camps will be Tuesday through Thursday, April 8-10, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Clarke Central High School. The camps are for ages 8-14, and the registration fee is $75 for each camp. Click here to register today. Email gladiatoryouthsportscamps@gmail.com for more information.

The window for parents/guardians and teachers/staff to declare their candidacy for their school’s Local School Governance Team (LSGT) is now open! CCSD believes in the power of collaboration between schools, families, and the community. That’s why we invite parents, guardians, and teachers to take an active role in shaping the future of our schools by serving on an LSGT.

Now through April 16, eligible individuals can submit their Declaration of Candidacy for a seat on their school's LSGTeam. These teams work with school principals and the community to make data-driven decisions that help play a critical role in school decision-making and strategies that directly impact student achievement. Elections will be held April 21-25, and results will be announced by April 28. Elected members will serve a two-year term.

We encourage all eligible parents/guardians and teachers/staff to consider this impactful opportunity to make a difference in our schools. To declare your candidacy, click here!

The School Choice application period for the 2025-26 school year is now open and runs through May 9. School Choice through Georgia House Bill 251 allows parents of CCSD students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade to apply for a transfer to a school outside of their attendance zone, provided that space is available.

Click here for a list of schools that are open for School Choice transfers for next school year, the links to apply for elementary and middle/high schools, as well as other information about the application process.

Families will be notified by email, by June 9, whether their transfer request is approved. If selected for School Choice, the parent/guardian must accept the transfer by July 22.

CCSD's 21st Century after-school program will hold free, grant-funded summer enrichment camps open to all middle school students as well as students at Fowler Drive, Gaines, and J.J. Harris elementary schools.

All camps will be held June 2-18, Monday through Thursday each week and ending on Wednesday, June 18. Transportation and meals will be provided free of charge.

• The middle school camps are open to all students entering grades 6-8 and will include STEM activities, culinary classes, and field trips and will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. West side students (Clarke Middle and Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle) will attend camp at Clarke Middle. East side students (Hilsman Middle and Coile Middle) will attend camp at Hilsman.
• The elementary camps are open to students entering grades 1-5 at either Fowler Drive, Gaines, or J.J. Harris. The camps will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day and will also include culinary classes, S.T.E.A.M. activities, and field trips. Students at Fowler Drive and J.J. Harris will attend camp at Fowler Drive, while Gaines students will be at Gaines.

Click here or on the button below to register now!

We are pleased to share that Dr. Ilka McConnell has been selected to serve as the inaugural Chair of CCSD's Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) District Advisory Council. This appointment aligns with the requirements of the Georgia Department of Education’s Economic Development Partnership Grant and Designation elements, underscoring the district’s commitment to fostering workforce readiness and economic growth.

Dr. McConnell currently serves as the Director of Economic Development for Invest Athens - Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Economic Development and brings tremendous knowledge and passion for economic and workforce development with her to this role.

The CTAE District Advisory Council will play a crucial role in ensuring that Clarke County students have access to high-quality career and technical education opportunities that align with local and regional workforce needs. Dr. McConnell’s leadership is expected to strengthen collaborations between education, business, and community stakeholders to create meaningful career pathways for students.

Congratulations to the Clarke Middle girls and Coile Middle boys on winning the 2025 CCSD middle school soccer championships! The Lady Owls defeated Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle 6-0, with Jayda Mueller scoring two goals and Lyric Caudell, Libba Walls, Emma Arenales, and Delaney Evans notching a goal apiece. Goalkeepers Inara Renz and Caudell combined on the shutout. CMS finished the season undefeated and outscored opponents 37-4. Meanwhile, the Coile boys continued their dynasty with a win over BHL, giving the Cougars their eighth consecutive county championship.

Each year, CCSD partners with the Athens YWCO to offer a monthlong Summer Girls Club for elementary and middle school students. Registration is now open for this year's program, which will be open to girls entering grades K-7 and will be held June 2 through July 11 at Bettye H. Holston Elementary School.

The program focuses on educational and recreational activities that build self-confidence, encourage educational achievement, and promote healthy lifestyles. To accomplish this, the Girls Club curriculum includes reading lessons, career discovery, job training skills, nutrition education, financial literacy, and traditional camp activities.

The camp will run Monday through Friday each week, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, with an extended-day option lasting until 5:30 p.m. Tuition is $50 weekly ($60 for extended-day), and there is a one-time registration fee of $25 (which includes a camp T-shirt). There are financial scholarships available for those in need. Lunch will be provided each day, and transportation options are available.

Click here for more information and to register!

Is there a CCSD teacher that inspires you or inspires your student? Is there a district staff member that does tremendous work within the school community and you want to recognize them? If the answer is yes, nominate them for one of the 2025 Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County teaching and staff awards!

The foundation is one of CCSD's enduring partners and presents thousands of dollars in awards and grants each year to educators and students throughout the district. Go to athensffe.org for a full list of awards up for nomination this year.

Nominations will be accepted through April 13, and winners will be announced in July.

CCSD will host its annual Young Scientist Fair for students in grades K-5 on Saturday, April 19, at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary, 1150 Oglethorpe Ave.

The event will feature live, interactive science activities and competitions as well as judging of science projects in multiple categories. Competitions will begin at 8:30 a.m. There will be a public viewing of science fair projects starting at 10:30 a.m., followed by an awards ceremony at 11:30 a.m.

See the flyer above for additional information.

This spring, Clarke Central High School's Glad Players and Cedar Shoals High School's Chicken Wing Theatre are teaming up to bring the community a production of "Mamma Mia!" The beloved musical is packed with ABBA’s greatest hits, a heartwarming story, and non-stop energy. Set on a sun-kissed Greek island, this feel-good production follows a young bride-to-be on a quest to discover her father’s identity – leading to laughter, surprises, and plenty of dancing!

This is a show you won’t want to miss! Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, April 17, 7 p.m. Friday, April 18, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 19. Get your tickets here.

For more information, contact Kayla Griffin (Clarke Central) at griffink2@clarke.k12.ga.us or Rosemary Milsap (Cedar Shoals) at milsapr@clarke.k12.ga.us.

The Athens Community Career Academy will once again host summer enrichment camps in June for rising ninth-grade students featuring several of its pathways and designed to introduce students to pathways they can apply for during their freshman year at their home high school and start taking classes in as early as their sophomore year.

The weeklong camps are half-day camps from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Breakfast, lunch, and transportation will be provided upon request. Spots in each pathway camp are limited and are on a first-come, first-serve basis. The deadline to apply is April 22.

The camps and dates include:

• Firefighting (June 9-12)
• Biotechnology (June 9-12)
• Cosmetology (June 9-12)
• Advanced Manufacturing (June 23-26)
• Culinary Arts (June 9-12)
• Healthcare (June 9-12)
• Teaching as a Profession (June 9-12)
• Broadcast Video Production (June 9-12).

Go to bit.ly/ccsdsummerprograms to select the camp you are interested in attending and select whether your student will need breakfast, lunch, and transportation. For more information, contact Halo Smart, ACCA Workforce Development Coordinator, at smarth@clarke.k12.ga.us or 706-357-5244.

CCSD's Department of Special Education will host a transition fair for students and their families on Friday, April 25, from 9 a.m. to noon at the District Office. There will be more than 30 local and areas resource providers in attendance to share information in the areas of community access programs, job support, financial support, trusts planning, guardianship, social opportunities, and more. There will be snacks, games, and plenty of information. We look forward to seeing you!

For more information about the fair, email Liza Burnsed, CCSD Transition Specialist, at burnsedl@clarke.k12.ga.us. You can also find more information CCSD Special Education transition services at this link.

Each year, CCSD invites students, staff, families, and other community stakeholders to comment on an updated version of the district’s Code of Student Conduct for the following school year prior to adoption of the code by the Board of Education.

The proposed 2025-26 Code of Student Conduct (Spanish version begins on page 37) is now available for review, and the district is accepting feedback responses through April 30. Please use this form (available in English and Spanish) to submit your feedback. Review the proposed code and then select which sections you would like to comment on. All comments will be submitted to the Board of Education for review and may be used for additional revisions to the code before it is presented to the board for consideration at its monthly meeting on May 8.

CCSD has a new partnership with Varsity Tutors that provides students with virtual, asynchronous assistance, and extended learning opportunities at all levels. These support services include free tutoring anytime, enrichment classes, essay reviews, read-aloud sessions, and self-study resources to name a few!

CLICK HERE for information on how to access Varsity Tutors.

Check out the programs below and stay tuned for more information!

• Elementary School
• Middle School
• High School

You can also check out answers to these frequently asked questions in English and Spanish for more details.

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, April 17, 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.

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

The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government will host a series of 10 public drop-in meetings throughout April, allowing residents to review and comment on the county's future land-use map. The locations for these meetings were selected to provide at least one nearby meeting opportunity for all ACC residents.

At these drop-in style events, county planning staff and Future Land Use Steering Committee members will be present to talk about the map, answer questions, receive suggested map changes, and assist residents with filling out the feedback survey. In addition to the 10 community meetings, planning staff will also set up an informational table during April at several community events and public locations. A list of the 10 scheduled public meeting events is provided below, and more information is available at www.accgov.com/compplan.

Meeting Schedule

• Friday, April 4, 5:30-7 p.m. - Athentic Brewing, 108 Park Ave.
• Saturday, April 5, 10 a.m. to noon - Fire Station #3, 1198 South Milledge Ave.
• Monday, April 7, 5:30-7 p.m. - New Faith Tabernacle Church, 198 Peter St.
• Thursday, April 10, 5:30-7 p.m. - Lyndon House Arts Center, 211 Hoyt St.
• Monday, April 14, 5:30-7 p.m. - East Athens Baptist Church, 4325 Lexington Rd.
• Wednesday, April 16, 5:30-7 p.m. Hilsman Middle School, 870 Gaines School Rd. CCSD will have a Spanish-language interpreter in attendance.
• Thursday, April 17, 5:30-7 p.m. - Athens-Clarke County Extension Office, 275 Cleveland Rd.
• Monday, April 21, 5:30-7 p.m. - Chapelwood Methodist Church, 100 Janice Dr.
• Wednesday, April 23, 5:30-7:30 p.m. - Fowler Drive Elementary School, 400 Fowler Dr. CCSD will have a Spanish-language interpreter in attendance.
• Wednesday, April 30, 5:30-8 p.m. - Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St.

AKF Athens Martial Arts, 2415 Jefferson Rd., Suite C, Athens, will host a six-week women's self-defense course on Wednesdays from 7-8 p.m. beginning April 9. Teens are welcome to join the class. Registration is $40, but needs-based financial assistance is available. Call 706-353-7743 or email kathyelainefowler@gmail.com to register.

CCSD families are invited to participate in a research project being conducted by the Augusta University-University of Georgia Medical Partnership to understand people's dental care experiences locally and how services can be enhanced with families. Survey results will help inform operations at the Clarke Middle Health Center, which is managed by the medical partnership.

Click here to access the survey or scan the code in the flyers above.

International Student Life at the University of Georgia will host its annual International Street Festival event Saturday, April 5, from 12-5 p.m. on College Avenue in downtown Athens. This free community event will be full of performances, activities, and food from all around the world. Held in downtown Athens with 3,000-5,000 visitors each year, it offers something for everyone. Bring family and friends of all ages to explore different cultures without leaving Athens!

The Georgia Museum of Art, 90 Carlton St., Athens, will host its monthly free Family Day event Saturday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to noon. The exhibition “Waffle House Vistas” invites us to remember to look up and recognize the beauty all around us. Artist Micah Cash took photographs focusing on landscapes of the South as seen through the windows of Waffle House restaurants. Families can explore Cash’s perspective alongside Southern works of art from the museum's collection with interactive art cart activities and an art project inspired by the exhibition.

For those who cannot attend in person, Family Day to-go kits will be available for pick-up starting at 1 p.m. Saturday through the end of day Sunday, April 20, while supplies last.