Better Together

From left: The Cedar Shoals High School BluePrints Magazine quiz bowl team of Riley Pepin, Lilly Cohen, Tumelo Johnson, and Eli Stone react to winning their third consecutive Southern Interscholastic Press Association championship last weekend during the annual SIPA convention at the University of South Carolina. The staffs of BluePrints and the Cedar Shoals Yearbook as well as the staffs of Clarke Central High School's ODYSSEY Media Group and iliad Literary-Art Magazine attended sessions and workshops facilitated by professionals, professors, and peers in the field; participated in on-site production competitions; and were recognized for their work over the past year. Both schools combined to win dozens of group and individual awards – including Best of South honors for the BluePrints and ODYSSEY websites, the ODYSSEY print newsmagazine, and the iliad. Click here for a full list of awards! And check out the links below for photo galleries of more events around CCSD this past week.

CCSD continues to see positive trends across the board in its school climate ratings, according to data released this week by the Georgia Department of Education. Congratulations to Fowler Drive, Timothy Road, J.J. Harris, and Whitehead Road elementary schools for receiving 5-star ratings and several of our other schools for receiving 4-star ratings! Read more here!

REMINDER: Complete the 2024-25 School Climate Survey

The window for families to complete the 2024-25 GaDOE School Climate Survey for your child's school closes March 31. At CCSD, we believe learning occurs best in school cultures where staff and students feel a sense of belonging, safety, and support. The results of these surveys help us identify strengths and areas for growth, and we believe it is vital to have as much student, staff, and family participation as possible in completing these surveys so that we can make informed, data-driven decisions to improve student and staff experiences across the district. If you have not received the survey from your child's school, please reach out to their principal for the link.

Congratulations to Sarah Lockman, fourth-grade teacher at Whitehead Road Elementary School, on being named CCSD's Employee of the Month for March! The CCSD veteran is in her fourth year at Whitehead and was nominated by her colleague and ESOL collaborator, Christelle Duncan, who praised Ms. Lockman for creating a safe and loving classroom climate with high expectations and the true belief that every student can achieve. Ms. Lockman was surprised at school this week by Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker, the Whitehead Road administration, and Ms. Duncan and was recognized at the monthly Board of Education meeting.

Thanks again to all members of our community who continue to send in such wonderful Employee of the Month nominations, many of which remain up for consideration! As a reminder, 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.

As we celebrate Youth Art Month, CCSD's Student Art Exhibition is now on public display at the University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art through April 11! Join us for a reception celebrating our many talented student artists on Sunday, March 30 from 1-3 p.m.

ATHICA (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art) will host the annual CCSD High School Student Pop-Up Art Exhibition March 19-24. A public reception will be held Thursday, March 20, from 6-8 p.m. at the studio. We look forward to seeing you there as we celebrate the artworks of our talented high school students!

The annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) window remains open, and CCSD will hold a FAFSA Completion Event to offer assistance to high school students and families from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave.

Students should bring their school laptops, and families should bring their Social Security number or A-number (for non-U.S. citizens), 2023 federal income tax returns, and other financial records. Additional information can be found on the above flyer.

For additional information, contact your student's counselor.

Calling all local businesses: The CCSD Procurement Team from our Business Services Division will host its next "Midday Meetup" networking lunch Tuesday, March 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Metro Diner, 3075 Atlanta Highway, Athens. Drop in anytime, support a local restaurant by grabbing a delicious bite to eat, and learn about upcoming workshops, vendor opportunities, and doing business with CCSD! For more information, contact Veronica Johnson, Purchasing and Contracts Supervisor, at 706-546-7721, Ext. 79711.

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.

Cedar Shoals will host a one-day summer transition camp for incoming ninth-graders July 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. These sessions will be an opportunity for students to be introduced to the Cedar Shoals campus, meet classmates, and learn the responsibilities of high school.

Families of current eighth-grade students at Coile and Hilsman middle schools as well as those of any eighth-graders who will be moving and zoned for Cedar Shoals next school year are encouraged to sign their student up for one of the sessions at bit.ly/FreshmanCamp25. The deadline to register is May 20.

For more information, contact Courtni Reese, Cedar Shoals Family Communication Specialist, at reesec@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Clarke Central High School will host an orientation for families of rising ninth-grade students at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, in the CCHS Mell Auditorium.

The event is for families of current eighth-grade students at Burney-Harris-Lyons and Clarke middle schools as well as any other eighth-graders who will be moving and be zoned to attend Clarke Central next year. The session will give families and students information on transitioning to high school and details about the school's one-day freshman transition camps scheduled for July 28 and 29.

Click the PDF file attached below for a one-page information sheet on the Clarke Central Freshman Academy. For more information, contact Clarke Central Family Engagement Specialist and Academic Support Specialist Christian Barner at barnerc@clarke.k12.ga.us or 706-357-5200, Ext. 17376.

Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School offers a Dual Language Immersion Program in Spanish for students in grades PK-5. Students living in the OAES attendance zone are invited to apply for the bilingual and biliteracy program prior to their pre-K year and, once accepted, continue in the program throughout their time at OAES and then through middle school if they attend Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School. Students receive 50% of their daily instruction in Spanish and the other half in English.

OAES will host a DLI informational meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, for current DLI families, families with children entering pre-K or kindergarten at OAES for the 2025-26 school year, and anyone else interested in learning more. The meeting will include program registration information for next school year and a discussion on the benefits of students receiving daily instruction in two languages.

CCSD emphasizes the importance of reading, especially from a young age, to build a foundation for a lifetime of success and opportunities for our students. The non-profit Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) helps put children on the path to reading proficiency and a better future by sparking the joy of reading.

RIF highlights the importance of "Imagination" in this month's Rally to Read featuring of authors reading their books aloud, as Matt de la Peña reads his book, "Milo Imagines the World."

Read along by watching the video below and head to bit.ly/RIFrallytoread to take the Rally to Read pledge of reading 100 books!

Clarke Central High School will be host to the international exhibition, “Anne Frank: A History for Today,” beginning later this month and will hold an opening public reception from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, March 20, in the school media center, 350 South Milledge Ave., Athens. The event is being held in conjunction with the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina and the University of Georgia Jewish Studies Program.

Directly from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam via the USC Anne Frank Center (the only one in North America), the exhibit provides visitors with a historical overview of the Holocaust through the perspective of Anne Frank and her family. It includes photographs and other artifacts and utilizes passages from Frank’s diary. Clarke Central will be the only K-12 school in Georgia hosting the exhibit during the current tour.

Clarke Central students will serve as docents for the exhibit and will undergo extensive training from members of the staff at the USC Anne Frank Center in preparation. In addition, Clarke Central students who visited Europe for a Holocaust history-based tour will be in attendance at the reception to speak with visitors about their trip and experiences. The reception will also feature music from the school’s string orchestra.

Members of the community are encouraged to attend the opening reception, which will also feature traditional Jewish foods.

The Georgia Student Finance Commission has partnered with the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, and private institutions to provide application fee waivers to Georgia high school seniors through the Find Your MATCH in March initiative. More than 60 Georgia colleges and universities have agreed to waive their application fees for high school seniors between March 1-31.

Read more about the initiative here. You can also find a full list of participating colleges, application instructions, and contact information on our Facebook post from earlier this week!

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 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.

Registration is now open for the fall 2025 season of Gladiator and Jaguar Youth Football and Cheerleading! All CCSD students ages 6-12 are eligible to participate. Registration is $50 football and $30 for cheerleading. Teams will compete as members of the North Georgia Youth Football Association. Click or tap on the flyers above to enlarge them, and click on the buttons below to register! Team spots go quickly so register soon to secure your child's spot!

Barnett Shoals Elementary School invites members of the community to MAC Fest, the school's annual Music, Art, and Culture Festival, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 22. This event celebrates creativity, diversity, and the vibrant talents within the community. It will feature a wide range of performances, interactive activities, and displays.

Community members and groups are invited to participate in the celebration in the following ways:

• Performances – All types of music, dance, theater, or other cultural expressions are welcome.
• Activity leaders – Lead a hands-on activity or workshop that engages attendees and promotes creativity, learning, and fun for all ages.
• Cultural or artistic experiences – Set up a display or interactive experience that allows participants to learn about different cultures, artistic expressions, or traditions.
• Community resource table – Share valuable information about your organization, provide resources, or showcase community programs that support the arts, culture, and education.

If you are interested in participating, please fill out this form or email Barnett Shoals family engagement specialist Jennifer Flores at floresj@clarke.k12.ga.us if you have any questions.

Is your company hiring, providing internship opportunities, or looking for more ways to connect with high school students? The Athens Community Career Academy, 440-1 Dearing Ext., Athens, will host a career fair on Wednesday, April 2, 10:30 a.m. to noon and 1-2:15 p.m.

The event connects local employers with CCSD students seeking full-time jobs, summer positions, or internships starting in August. Graduating seniors are looking for employment, while sophomores and juniors will be in search of part-time work or Work-Based Learning credit opportunities. If you or a colleague are interested in recruiting, please complete this registration form by Friday, March 21.

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.

CCSD is currently recruiting for our Special Education Residency-Based Teacher Apprenticeship Program. Selected candidates will have the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree and Georgia teacher certification in just three years! Those selected to participate will earn college credits toward their degree while working in a full time, benefits-eligible position serving students in CCSD.

Tuition will be partially subsidized by CCSD, and we are currently recruiting applicants for fall 2025! Space in this program is very limited. Interested candidates can find more information and a link to apply here. All applications are due no later than April 18.

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

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.

The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Communication Department has published the 2025 version of "ACC from A to Z: A Guide to the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government and Community Services." The guide is available for download and contains contact information and descriptions for over 700 entries related to county government programs and services, as well as community organizations.

Click here for more information and to access the guide.

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!

Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services is rewarding CCSD students who earn high grades with a free summer pool pass! In order to be eligible, any student in grades K-12 who resides in Athens-Clarke County must take a copy of their final report card or equivalent to the Leisure Services Department’s park office where a swimming pool is located.

A report card with all A's or all E's guarantees a free summer pool pass. A report card with all A's and B's, or all 3's and 4's, is good for 10 free trips. The passes may be used at all of the department’s five pool and both splash pads located throughout the county this summer.

For more information and a list of pool and splash pad locations, visit www.accgov.com/aquatics.