Ending of First Semester

Hello Students and Families

Letter From your Principal

Dear Classic City High School Community,

As we approach the conclusion of the first semester, I want to take a moment to reflect on the journey we have shared so far and express my sincere gratitude for your continued support and partnership. This has been my first semester as Director of Classic City High School, and it has been both an exciting and rewarding experience working alongside such a dedicated and passionate community.

When I stepped into this role, I knew that it would require hard work, patience, flexibility, collaboration, and a growth mindset. What has truly stood out to me, though, is the unwavering commitment of our students, staff, and families to creating a positive and enriching learning environment. It has been inspiring to witness the resilience, creativity, and enthusiasm of our students as they navigate both academic challenges and personal growth during their high school journey.

Highlights from the First Semester:

• Thriving Students: Students at Classic City engage in online, face-to-face, and blended learning. As many of you know, we have implemented a more comprehensive and rigorous online program, and we are pleased to share that many students have successfully adapted to this new format and earned important elective credits required for graduation. Additionally, numerous students have made significant progress in recovering credits, and we are incredibly proud of their efforts!

• Optimized Talent: Since the start of the school year, we’ve had the privilege of welcoming two amazing new team members to our school. We’ve also focused on targeted professional learning, ensuring our teachers have the tools and strategies they need to best support both students and one another. Moving forward, we are excited to continue developing a personalized and differentiated Professional Learning Community.

• Connected Culture: We’ve worked diligently to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students. Our diversity—of students, staff, and families—is one of our greatest strengths. It has been inspiring to see our community come together through school events, and we will continue to grow in this area, ensuring that all students, staff, and families feel welcome and supported here at Classic City.

Looking Ahead:

As we prepare for the second semester, there are many exciting things to look forward to:

• Upcoming Events: Keep an eye out for more family and student engagement activities. Our clubs are in full swing, and PBIS will host special events for students. Additionally, senior events and privilege planning are currently underway, and we’re already gearing up for a wonderful spring graduation ceremony on May 21, 2025.

• Academic Enrichment: We are committed to continually improving our academic support systems and providing personalized assistance to each individual student. To support our online learners through Georgia Virtual Schools and help students stay on track with credit recovery, we’re implementing new practices and increasing supports to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.

• Ongoing Support: As always, our goal is to ensure that every student and staff member has the support they need to thrive. With this in mind, I am pleased to share that Classic City will become a CCSD Leader in Me school starting in Spring 2025. We are also excited to begin implementing restorative practices, following professional learning in CCSD’s Restorative Practices initiative.

I encourage you to continue being an active part of our school community. Your involvement is crucial to our collective success. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any feedback or would like to join our Local School Governance Team. Together, we can ensure that every student at Classic City thrives.

Thank you once again for your trust, your support, and your partnership. I look forward to continuing this journey with all of you in the new year.

Warm regards,

Jessie Draper
Director
Classic City High School
draperj@clarke.k12.ga.us

School Hours are from 8:30a.m-3:15p.m. Students will have study hall each Wednesday after lunch. Students can enter the school building starting 8:00a.m. Car riders are to be dropped off at the main entrance.

CCSD is implementing updated cell phone guidelines for the 2024-2025 school year to improve students engagement, decrease distractions, and improve the overall educational experience in our classrooms. As a reminder, high school students are asked to either keep their phones in their backpacks or place them in bins inside the classrooms. In addition to adhering to the classroom cell phone rules, students should not engage in phone conversations during transition.

• EOC attendance was OUTSTANDING. Thank you to all teachers and support staff for making testing go so unbelievably well.
• Finals here here! We made it through our first semester together.

Wishing a very Happy Birthday to all of our Students and staff with December Birthdays!!!! We hope your special day is filled with joy and celebration.

Birthday Shout-Out Opportunity

We are excited to offer a fun way for you and your families to celebrate birthdays while helping raise funds for our senior celebrations! You can now purchase birthday announcements to be featured in the school newsletter. This opportunity is available for both students and staff only.

Here are the options available:

1. Shout-out Ad: A simple message like "Happy Birthday , John Doe! We love you -[ Family Name] for only $2

2. Photo Ad: A message with a photo , such as "Happy Birthday , John Doe! We love you" -your family for $5

Club meeting have started meeting every week,

*Student Advisor Meets every Month on the 10th of the month (Dr. Hubbard and Ms. Gemeinhardt)

*Basketball Club meet every Monday during advisement

*Pickleball (Ms. Geimenhardt) meets & play every Tuesday during advisement

* Awards Club meets once a month on Wednesdays

*PBIS Gym Day Every Thursday (have to earn 75pts to attend)

*Life skills for Girls (Mrs. Taylor) meets on Fridays during advisement

* Anna Deaton is our Volunteer Tutor for Spring semester!

We are grateful for Miss Anna’s dedication and look forward to seeing the positive impact she will have on our students!

*Medlink is open and is available to students and their families as well as staff.

Senior Portrait are Jan.13,2025

*Athens Classic Center Summer program (HCA)

*Workshop at Caterpillar as an IT

PBIS

*Alright, everyone, let's talk about why we're kicking off PBIS and how it works. Every Thursday, we'll have Gym Day where students can listen to music, play basketball, and spend time with friends. While it doesn’t cost PBIS points to participate, students must have at least 75 points to attend. Here’s how it works: All students who earn 75 points each week (starting on Thursdays and ending the following Wednesday) are eligible for Gym Day on Thursday. Students who do not earn at least 75 points remain in advisement.

Here’s how you earn these points: In each class, you’ll get 5 points for turning in your phone in the bin and 1 point in each of the SOAR categories for a total of 4 if all behaviors are demonstrated. That’s a possible 36 points a day, easy if you stay on track!

Beyond Gym Day, there are other incentives, too. For example, you can earn a special lunch compliments of Principal Draper at a place students choose (like Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, or Wendy’s). We’ll also have a PBIS store where you can spend points to buy different items, and there will be special PBIS Days where you’re invited based on your behavior, with no points needed to participate.

So what is PBIS? It stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. This means you earn points by showing positive behaviors—no shortcuts. We’re aiming to make this a fun way for students to develop important skills, both social and academic, while recognizing individuals, classrooms, and the entire school for meeting expectations.

Student Of the Month :Isaac Bland

Eagle Eye of the Month: Dr.Hubbard

Sunshine Dues are due on the 30th of every month

*Don't forget to vote every month for student of the Month and Eagle Eye of the Month*

Parents, please help us by ensuring your child arrives on time every day. Attendance is critical to students success!

Understanding High School Grades at Classic City High

There is nothing more frustrating for parents than encountering information that is vastly different than when they were in school. Back in the day, grading practices were different than they are now. The good news is that grading practices now reflect content mastery instead of compliance.

There are 2 categories of grades for face to face classes at all 3 CCSD high schools (Cedar, Central and Classic). Formative grades count 50% of semester grade and are higher in frequency throughout the grading periods. Formative grades are tasks that prepare students for summative assessments. Examples are formative assessments are classwork, demonstrations and lab activities, and other assignments that indicate that a student is working toward mastering a learning standard. Summative assessments count toward the other half of the semester grades, are less frequent (4-5 a semester), and have the greatest impact on the overall grade for a class. These are usually unit tests and projects. Once this semester grade is calculated from formative and summative assessments, students have a final exam at the end of the semester worth 20%.

Please remember that every Friday is Professional Jeans Day for staff. To participate, you must wear an official Classic City Shirt.