Better Together

CCSD joins the rest of the nation in celebrating October as National Principals Month and thanks all of our school principals and academic program campus directors for their leadership in creating a positive school culture and promoting a welcoming environment where all students and staff can thrive. Now we want to hear from you!

Students, staff, families, community members: Go to bit.ly/clarkeprincipalmonth and leave a message of support for one or more of our principals and program directors! Your message may be showcased on this page the week of Oct. 27-31 during our full week of School Principals Month celebrations!

In the meantime, continue to check out our Facebook page for some responses to questions we asked principals, reflecting on their time in education and their advice for aspiring school leaders!

Congratulations to Timothy Road Elementary School on winning the 2025 CCSD Elementary Volleyball League championship and finishing off an undefeated season! Also, a big congratulations to Whitehead Road Elementary School on its runner-up finish and to all of our teams on an outstanding, well-played inaugural season. See more photos from the Thursday, Oct. 16 championship match at Clarke Middle School here!

At CCSD, we're focusing on a Culture of Literacy as the foundation for student success. And what better way for families to help us grow that culture than taking advantage of the annual Books for Keeps Community Book Fair!

The book fair at the Books for Keeps warehouse, 420 Athena Dr., Athens concludes this weekend and runs through 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18-19.

Admission and books are *FREE!* Attendees are encouraged to bring their own bags, boxes, bins, etc. to transport books. Book donations are also welcomed. Parking will be available on-site in marked spaces (please do not park in the loading dock). Contact info@booksforkeeps.org for directions on ADA ramp accessibility at the warehouse.

Teen students and families: CCSD is pleased to partner with First American Bank & Trust on an amazing opportunity for students ages 13-18! Students are encouraged to enter the local portion of the American Bankers Association's national "Lights! Camera! Save!" contest. FABT will sponsor the local winner, give them a $500 checking account in their name, and submit their entry to the national contest for a chance to win $10,000!

To enter the local contest, go to bit.ly/SavingVideoSubmission, complete the entry form, and submit a video (30 seconds or shorter) on a topic related to personal finance! Find all contest details and information at bit.ly/SavingVideo.

The deadline to enter is Nov. 30! Questions? Email communications@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Casa de Amistad will be offering English as a Second Language classes to families of CCSD students enrolled in ESOL classes starting next week! Sign up for classes on Mondays, starting Oct. 20, from 6:30-8 p.m. at City of Refuge, 565 Tallassee Rd., or on Tuesdays, starting Oct. 21, from 6:30-8 p.m. at Country Corners, 1495 U.S. Hwy. 29.

Classes are being offered with support from CCSD's Title III federal programs funding. Register at this link, by clicking the button below, or by using the QR code on either flyer above. For more information, email athensamistad@gmail.com.

Congratulations to Evan Cornish, senior at Clarke Central High School, who has been selected to serve on State School Superintendent Richard Woods' 2025-26 Student Advisory Council!

Evan was one of 79 students selected out of 1,235 applicants from across the state. As part of the application, students wrote essays addressing a wide variety of issues in education, including curriculum and graduation requirements; the impact of federal- and state-mandated assessments in the classroom; the importance of teacher recruitment and retention efforts to students’ classroom experience; and access to opportunities and resources for students in rural areas.

Council members will serve as ambassadors for their schools and will meet with Superintendent Woods several times throughout the year to provide feedback on the impact of state policies in the classroom.

(Photo courtesy of ODYSSEY Media Group)

Georgia Possible is a program led by the University of Georgia Fanning Institute for Leadership in partnership with CCSD designed to help high school students succeed academically and showcase the variety of postsecondary education and career options available to them to continue their educational journeys while also helping them and their families better understand the college admissions process.

Check out this story about how Georgia Possible has impacted Genesis Rodriguez-Hernandez, a Cedar Shoals High School Class of 2025 honor graduate who joined the program as a high school freshman and is now a college freshman with a full-ride academic scholarship at Duke University! She is on a pre-med track and is the first in her family to pursue a four-year college degree.

(Photo credit: UGA Today)

This week, we've been spotlighting our three district Teacher of the Year finalists on the CCSD Facebook page with their responses to questions reflecting on their time so far with CCSD and their advice for new and aspiring teachers, as well as quotes from their principals about what makes them deserving of the district Teacher of the Year honor.

Be sure to check those out and remember to submit your message of support for one or more of these finalists this weekend to possibly be showcased on our Facebook next week in the lead-up to the announcement of the winner on Oct. 23!

GLISI (Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement) has launched its sixth year of Hidden Heroes, a crowdsourcing campaign to illuminate the difference-makers in education across the state. CCSD would like to encourage families, staff, and students to nominate and celebrate the educational professionals who serve our community in a variety of ways – from bus drivers, nutritionists, custodians, nurses, counselors, school resource officers, and other support staff, to teachers, principals, coaches, and administrators.

Nominate today at hiddenheroes.glisi.org/2025. Nominations are open through Oct. 31 at 5 p.m., and voting will run Nov. 3-21.

If you are a vendor who does business with CCSD or are interested in learning more about getting involved in business with the district, join us on Thursday, Oct. 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the District Office for the second annual Prime Time with Purchasing!

The event is hosted by CCSD's Business Services Division and Office of Purchasing and Contracts and will feature representatives from multiple departments who will be on hand to provide information about vendor opportunities. Attendees will also be able to receive assistance in completing the district vendor packet forms and other business funding information assistance. There will be a Chick-fil-A food truck on-site for those who wish to purchase lunch at the event.

For more information, call Veronica Jackson, CCSD Purchasing Supervisor, at 706-546-7721, Ext. 79711 or email jacksonv@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Come check out the work of some of our talented student performers as the Cedar Shoals High School Theatre Program will present its fall one-act play competition production of "Antigone" to the public Oct. 29-30.

The show will begin at 7 p.m. both nights in the Cedar Shoals Performing Arts Center on the school campus, 1300 Cedar Shoals Dr. Tickets are available for purchase through GoFan. Student tickets are $4 and can be purchased here, while adult tickets are $8 and can be purchased here.

At its meeting last week, the Clarke County Board of Education approved a handful of district-recommended changes to the 2026-27 academic calendar. Student-related changes include moving the first day of the second term from Jan. 5 to Jan. 4, 2027, and moving the last day of school from May 21 to May 19, 2027 (from Friday to Wednesday). All other changes are related to staff only.

Please note: There have not been any changes to the current academic calendar (2025-26). As a reminder, you can find the current and approved future calendars here.

It's time for a new season of the CCSD Elementary School Basketball League through the Athens Youth Development Initiative!

Games will start Monday, Oct. 20, and will be held Monday through Thursday of each week at 4 and 5 p.m. at either the District Office gymnasium, 595 Prince Ave., Athens, or the Whitehead Road Elementary gymnasium, 555 Quailwood Dr., Athens. The regular season will conclude on Thursday, Dec. 11, and be followed by the postseason tournament the following week.

See the full schedule in the photo below and follow the Youth Development Initiative Facebook page for the latest updates!

CCSD, in partnership with Voices for Georgia's Children, will hold the second annual "Free Your Feels" Youth Mental Health Summit for students ages 12-18 on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Athens Community Career Academy, 440-1 Dearing Ext., Athens.

This *FREE* event will include peer-to-peer interaction opportunities to students, information about mental health resources available to them in their school and in the community, food, yoga, and more fun activities.

Please register at this link or by scanning the code in the flyer above.

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, November 13, 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 Athens-Clarke County Unified Government's Housing and Community Development division has received a federal grant that is intended to help prepare the community to better prevent and respond to lead hazards in homes—especially those built before 1978 where children 6 and under reside or visit often.

ACCGov will host a community session about its efforts on Thursday, Oct. 23, from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St. The event will include:

• resources regarding lead hazards and creating and maintaining a healthy and safe home environment
• educational presentations from various experts
• information regarding future funding for residential lead-based paint hazard remediation.

Find more information about the event here and register directly at this link.

The Athens-based DL Handy Foundation will hold the kick-off event for its upcoming "Healing My Trauma" series Thursday, Oct. 23, from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Lay Park Community Center, 297 Hoyt St.

The event is free and open to all and will focus on the importance of healing and resolving one's trauma. Enjoy giveaways, snacks, and inspiring stories.

The community is invited to the annual "Wild Rumpus" Halloween-themed festival in downtown Athens on Saturday, Oct. 25. Come dressed in your costume and participate in the parade and other family-friendly activities!

Go to wildrumpus.org for more information.

The Women's Council of Realtors of Athens will host a Fall Festival on Sunday, Oct. 19, from 4-7 p.m. at Titan Realty, 400 Hawthorne Lane, Athens. This free event will include a trunk-or-treat, line dancing with broker Shawna Huff of Huff Realty, vendors, face-painting, and other fun and family-friendly activities. Those in attendance are encouraged to either wear a costume or wear pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

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.