Better Together

In the week leading up to our Class of 2025 high school graduation ceremonies, all 14 CCSD elementary schools are holding senior walks and similar activities, allowing graduates the opportunity to return to their old elementary schools for one final visit as CCSD students. Enjoy these photos galleries from Barnett Shoals Elementary, Barrow Elementary, and Holston Elementary earlier this week and continue to follow us on Facebook (@ClarkeCoSchools) for galleries from events at each school over the next few days! And click the links below to view photo galleries of other events around the district over the past week!

We are excited to share a new partnership with Daybreak Health designed to support our students and families. We hope you can join us on Wednesday, May 21, for a free webinar on social media, technology, and cyber-bullying. This free session will help parents better understand the impact of social media on youth, how to set healthy digital boundaries, and how to recognize the signs of cyber-bullying. A licensed clinician will also be available for a live Q&A session.

The class will begin at 8 p.m. Wednesday and will be available in English and Spanish. Click the buttons below to register.

As part of Daybreak's services, parents/guardians can also submit a care request for their child. The teletherapy program lasts 12 weeks, and appointments are available seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Therapy session content will remain confidential. Click here to submit your request.

On the heels of last week's statewide Teach in the Peach future educator signing event that included representatives from CCSD, we had our satellite ceremony at the Athens Community Career Academy this week, featuring students who completed ACCA's Teaching as a Profession Pathway this semester and are committing to beginning their career in the classroom in Georgia!

Congratulations to Cedar Shoals High School senior Victoria Rena and Clarke Central High School seniors Breanna Darden, Shamia Ellis, and Aubrey Ivey on signing their pledges! (Clarke Central senior Kennedy Royal will also be signing.)

Some additional highlights:

• Aubrey Ivey also received one of this year's Georgia Teach in the Peach $500 scholarships, and Christopher Pendley, CCSD's Director of Career Development, formally extended her an invitation to join CCSD's in-house teaching apprenticeship program starting this fall, which would allow her to gain direct classroom experience while earning her bachelor's degree in education in three years – all while receiving a full-time salary with benefits!
• ACCA had seven seniors in total complete the Teaching as a Profession pathway this semester and is adding 13 new students in the fall for a total of 23 future educators among our high school ranks who will have the opportunity to gain direct experience working with students in classrooms as part of their pathway completion!

At CCSD, we're focused on the "four E's" of student outcomes following high school graduation - Enrolling in college, Enlisting in the military, entering the world of Employment, and becoming an Entrepreneur. Cedar Shoals High School Class of 2025 graduates Austin Trammell and Nolan Debalski have found their "E" at Caterpillar!

Austin and Nolan completed the Advanced Manufacturing and Welding pathway at the Athens Community Career Academy and participated in Caterpillar's apprenticeship program through CCSD's Work-Based Learning program. This week, in a ceremonial signing of contracts, they affirmed their commitment to join Caterpillar as full-time employees after graduation! Congratulations to these young men who will now enter the workforce with high-demand, well-paying jobs with a key industry partner in our area! And thank you to Caterpillar for helping open these doors of opportunity for these students!

The 2024-25 Superintendent's Student Advisory Council wrapped up its business for the year last month, and we congratulate the 13 graduating seniors. The council, which meets quarterly to discuss ideas and offer their perspective to the Superintendent, is open to students in grades 11 and 12 each year. This year, council members shared their feedback on grading practices, graduation ceremonies, and whether high school is preparing them for the workforce. They also learned about how the school district works and made connections across schools. We will welcome this year's 11th-graders back next year and look for new participants in the fall.

Graduating seniors

Alyssa Weiszer

Annie Johnson

Mercy Thang

Ryan Xiao

Ni'Zeah Breanne Carter

Maurlena Thomas

Mekelle Ezekiel

Robyn Barham

Zaila Brown

Finland McGreevy

Aidan Woodward

Kli Klo

William Simpson

Forty-one graduating seniors from CCSD will receive the Georgia Department of Education Fine Arts Diploma Seal when they graduate next week! This honor is given to students who complete a fine arts pathway of three courses plus an additional fine arts course and were involved in fine arts extracurriculars, completed 20 hours of fine arts-related community service, and submitted a report summarizing their involvement in the fine arts during their studies in CCSD. Congratulations to all of these students!

Cedar Shoals

Jasmyne Dowdy

Kaihn Davenport

Ikeem Flournoy

Ryan Xiao

Lily Hefner

Angelica Ramirez

Lorelei Smith

Jaidain Williams

Anniyah Muhammad

Danielle Williams

Azul Navarrete

Angie Umana

Jamar Bailey

Abigail Mejia-Hernandez

Genesis Rodriguez Hernandez

Semuel Pez

Jacorrion Smith

Saniah Norton

Kameran Brown

Clarke Central

Britton Bernstein

Daniela Funez

Madison Hampton-Ellis

Aidan Woodward

Cecilia Ayala Chavarria

Lauren Lane

Alex Emiliano

Wayne Spencer

Sanjaya Elam

Avery (Kai) Menke

Anna McCullough

Onyx Mills

Itzel Delgado Torres

Sofia Morales

Kimberly Estrada-Hernandez

Owen Anderson

Ayana Wade

Kendria Sturdivant

Ayari Briones Ayala

Princess Victoria De Paz

Kimberly Sanabria-Amaya

Hadia Alkhafaji

Congratulations to eighth-grader Xaven Lumbra of Clarke Middle School, who won first place out of 107 teams in CCSD in the Spring Georgia Stock Market Game! Xaven started the game with $100,000 and finished at the end of 10 weeks with $101,678 in an incredibly volatile market.

Xaven is pictured with his social studies teacher, Charlie Wing.

Several athletes from Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools made it on the podium with top-eight finishes last week in the GHSA state track and field championships. Cedar Shoals competed in the Class 4A championships, while Clarke Central took part in the 5A championships. Congratulations to these Jaguars and Gladiators on a strong finish and all of the state qualifiers from the two schools on a terrific season!

Cedar Shoals

• Anisa Willis placed third in the girls' triple jump and broke the school record with a jump of 40 feet, 1 inch.
• Kenante Freeman placed fourth in the boys' long jump.
• Chase Rucker placed sixth and Dorian Thrasher seventh in the boys' triple jump.

Clarke Central

• The boys' 4x100-meter relay team of Davion Richardson, Derrion Richardson, LaGracion Little, and Gyasi Miller placed fourth.
• Jackson Brooks placed fifth in the boys' 800-meter run and was part of the 4x800-meter relay team along with Torin Trotter, Luke Schliekelman, and Ryker Comstock that finished sixth and set a new school-record time of 8:01.87.

The Athens Youth Development Initiative invites CCSD students in grades 4-5 to join free book clubs this summer!

These clubs will be hosted at Clarke Middle School and led by CCSD students alongside CMS media specialist Shawn Hinger. Participants will receive a free copy of the book for their club. Students who complete their book and attend all three sessions of their club will receive a reward. Clubs will meet from 5-7 p.m.

Book club No. 1 is mystery-themed ("To Catch a Thief" by Martha Brockenbrough), and its dates are May 29, June 12, and June 26. Book club No. 2 is sports-themed ("The Academy" by T.Z. Layton), and its dates are July 1, July 15, and July 29.

Registration opens Saturday, May 17, at 9 a.m. at www.athensyouthdevelopment.com. We hope you come and read with us!

Mark your calendars for another Midday Meetup with the CCSD Business Services procurement team! Join us next Wednesday, May 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Johnny's Pizza, 1040 Gaines School Rd., Suite 219, Athens, grab lunch, and connect with our team to learn more about upcoming workshops, vendor opportunities, and doing business with CCSD - all while supporting a great local restaurant! No RSVP required, just drop on in! For more information, contact Veronica Jackson, CCSD Purchasing and Contracts Supervisor, at 706-546-7721, Ext. 79711, or jacksonv@clarke.k12.ga.us.

It’s time to celebrate the Class of 2025! As we get set for the upcoming graduation ceremonies for Cedar Shoals, Clarke Central, and Classic City high schools, click HERE for a rundown of the schedule and other information for graduates’ families and guests.

The Graduation Guide includes the graduation schedule, venue, parking, and shuttle information, and much more. Have a question that's not covered here? Email feedback@clarke.k12.ga.us and we'll help you with the answer!

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 J.J. Harris, while Gaines students will be at Gaines.

Click here or on the button below to register now!

The Clarke Central High School Athletic Department will offer numerous youth sports camps this summer. The camps are open to students ages 6-14. Scholarship opportunities are available. Click here for more information!

Registration is open for the 2025 Jaguar Youth Football and Gladiator Youth Football programs. Football players and cheerleaders must register for the program that matches with the high school they are zoned for. All registration information can be found at https://www.clarkecentralathletics.com/gladiatoryouthfootball and https://www.cedarshoalsathletics.com/jaguaryouthfootball.

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!

Parents/guardians of all current CCSD eighth-grade students: you should have received an email this week regarding the option to decline credit for any high school course that your student passed (received a 70 or higher). Students and their families typically choose to decline this credit if they believe their student will receive a higher numerical grade taking the course again in high school.

Read more information 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, June 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 open for the "Creative Explorers" Summer Day Camp programs hosted by the University of Georgia Mary Frances Early College of Education and the Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development. The camp is for students who will be entering grades 3-5 and covers six different topics. The program fee is $350 per week. Needs-based scholarships are available. For more information, go to tinyurl.com/ugakids25 and see the flyer above.

Registration is open for the First Tee Athens summer program. The program is for children ages 7-19 who are looking to develop their skills, build confidence, and have fun through golf. Sessions will be held on Saturdays at the UGA Golf Course Driving Range. For more information and to register, go to firstteeathens.org or scan the QR code in the flyer above.

Michael Thurmond, Clarke Central alum and former Georgia Labor Commissioner, will be the featured speaker at a community conversation on Saturday, May 17, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, 780 Timothy Rd. The event will take place from 3-5 p.m. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. See the above flyer for more information.

The Northeast Georgia Food Bank will holding several upcoming food pantry events throughout Athens-Clarke County for families in need over the next several weeks. See the flyer above for more details and go to www.FoodBankNEGA.org/find-food for a full list of pantry events in the area.