Better Together

At its May 8 meeting, the Clarke County Board of Education will vote on the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Scott as Interim Superintendent of the Clarke County School District for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. Dr. Scott currently serves as Deputy Superintendent of Academics and Student Support. This interim appointment is to replace Dr. Robbie Hooker, who recently announced his retirement effective June 30, 2025.

Over the next year, the Board will conduct a rigorous search to fill the Superintendent position on a permanent basis. More information about the search process will be shared as it becomes available.

It was a wonderful Saturday with enormous student participation last weekend during the annual CCSD Young Scientist Fair at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School. Numerous awards were handed out to students in grades K-5 in multiple categories in the science fair and science art project competitions, and there were also several on-site skills competitions. See our Facebook photo gallery for more scenes and a full list of winners! And click the links below for more photos from events around the district over the past week.

Congratulations to the Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School String Orchestra for being selected to perform in the 2026 Instrumental Music Festival at Carnegie Hall in New York next March! The orchestra is under the direction of Mr. Matthew Rubenstein. Go Lions!

All local businesses and individuals interested in doing business with the Clarke County School District are invited to Chick-fil-A, 196 Alps Rd., Athens, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, for a Midday Meetup with the CCSD Procurement Team!

Drop in and grab lunch and connect with district representatives to learn about upcoming workshops, vendor opportunities, and general information about doing business with the school district. No RSVP is required.

For more information, contact Veronica Jackson, Purchasing and Contracts Supervisor, at 706-546-7721, Ext. 79711 or jacksonv@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Join us at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 1, at Clarke Middle School, 1235 Baxter St., for an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and a look at the new permanent Clarke Middle Health Center space! We look forward to seeing you there!

District Asks for Input on Potential 5th School-based Health Center

CCSD is considering opening a school-based health center (SBHC) on the campus of Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School that would primarily serve the BHL, Cleveland Road Elementary, Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary, and Whitehead Road Elementary school communities.

As we continue to evaluate the healthcare needs of our district, we invite students, staff, and families at those four schools to participate in a brief survey. The survey is anonymous and confidential and should take less than five minutes to complete. Your participation will be impactful for the further development of health services in our community. Thank you for your assistance!

CLICK HERE to take the survey. The survey will expire on May 20, 2025.

SBHC Reminders
CCSD currently has four SBHCs throughout the district that are open to all students, staff, and families:

• Hilsman Health Center
• Clarke Middle Health Center
• Classic City Health Center
• Coile Health Center.

Services offered at the centers include:

• wellness checks
• urgent care/sick visits
• immunizations
• sports physicals (all sports)
• counseling services
• dental services (Hilsman Health Center only).

Other reminders:

• All CCSD students are required to be up to date with immunizations before Aug. 6, 2025, in order to start next school year on time. Please check on your child's immunization status with your school's nurse or primary care doctor and click here for more information about required immunizations.
• Appointments are preferred at all CCSD school-based health centers, and same-day appointments are available. Call your preferred center to schedule an appointment.
• Parental consent is required for all CCSD students to be seen at a CCSD school-based health center. For links to parental consent and transportation permission foms, satisfaction surveys, and more information about the district's SBHCs, go to www.clarke.k12.ga.us/healthcenters.

Nominations for CCSD's May Employee of the Month are open and are being accepted through April 30! Anyone in the community may nominate any full-time CCSD employee with at least one full year of service for this award.

Head to bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward to get started or fill out the form embedded directly below!

CCSD's Department of Student and Family Support will hold a pair of community town halls on mental health next week to answer questions and provide information about the support available in our schools.

The two town halls will be held:

• Monday, April 28, from 5:30-7 p.m. at Clarke Middle School, 1235 Baxter St.
• Tuesday, April 29, from 5:30-7 p.m. at Hilsman Middle School, 870 Gaines School Rd.

See the above flyers for additional information. Spanish-language interpreters will be present at the town halls.

The Athens-Clarke County Library is once again partnering with Quintet Athens this year on a kids' story writing contest. Children of all ages are invited to send a short story, and 10 stories will be selected to be composed into a piece of music that will be performed by the quintet in a concert at the library this summer. Click here for more information about entering the contest!

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!

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!

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.

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, May 8, 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 annual Athens Twilight Festival is downtown this weekend and will once again feature the Kids' Zone with numerous fun activities for children of all ages. See more information in the flyer above or at athenstwilight.com.

Advantage Behavioral Health Systems will host a community 5K Walk/Run fundraiser on Sunday, April 27, to raise awareness about mental health and intellectual and developmental disabilities. There will also be a free community event with tabling resources and activities for children. The event will be held from 3-5 p.m. at Southeast Clarke Park, 4440 Lexington Rd. Registration for the 5K is $25 prior to the day of the event and $30 the day of the event. Register at classicraceservices.com.

The Athens Area Association of Realtors invites everyone in the community to a free Family Fun Day event Saturday, May 3, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1720 Meriweather Dr., Watkinsville. See the flyer above for more information.