Better Together

As we close out this school year, my last as your Superintendent, I wanted to take a minute to thank each of you for your support of both me and the Clarke County School District. It has been my honor to work alongside each of you — staff and families — as we watched our students grow these past two and a half years.

This week, we sent more than 750 CCSD graduates out into the world filled with knowledge, hope, and big dreams. As I watched each of them cross the stage to accept their diploma, I thought about the possibility of what lies ahead. Some will be starting college in the fall, some will be entering the world of work, some will be enlisting in the military to serve our country, others will start their own businesses, and a few will need a little extra time to find their way. No matter what path they choose, I cannot wait to see who they become.

I have seen great progress during my time at CCSD, but I know there is still much work to be done. I am confident that I am leaving you in great hands with Dr. Jennifer Scott as Interim Superintendent. She is supported by a strong leadership team, who will continue to lead the district in the work we've started together.

I wish all of you a safe and restful summer filled with health, happiness, and all the things that bring you joy. At this time, I won't say goodbye, but rather "until we meet again."

As we go into this Memorial Day weekend, I ask you to pause to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country. It is because of their service that we enjoy so many freedoms.

#BetterTogether

Best,

Dr. Robbie Hooker

Superintendent

The District Office at 595 Prince Ave. will be open throughout the summer to serve families and community members but will operate on a modified schedule. From June 2 through July 4, the office will be open each week Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and closed on Fridays. In addition to Fridays, the office will be closed on the following days during this timeframe:

• Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day)
• Tuesday, May 27
• Thursday, June 19 (Juneteenth)
• Thursday, July 3.

We will resume regular hours of operation (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.) on Monday, July 7.

If you or someone you know has a new student to enroll in grades K-12 in CCSD for next school year — whether they are entering kindergarten and did not attend pre-K in the district or is moving to Athens-Clarke County from elsewhere — enrollment is open and running throughout the summer!

Registration is an online process and can be done entirely from home. In-person appointments for assistance are available at the District Office during office business hours. Go to www.clarke.k12.ga.us/registration for more information on the registration process and a list of everything you will need to get your student enrolled and have them first-day ready on August 6!

Have you moved or are you moving this summer to another school zone?

Please make sure you update your address with the district as soon as possible. A street-by-street index of our school zones can be found here. For more information and requirements on updating your address, go to www.clarke.k12.ga.us/registration. If you plan to unenroll your student, you will need to contact their most recent school directly.

Did you apply for a School Choice transfer?

The district will notify families that applied during the School Choice application period (April 1 through May 9) by June 9 via email whether their application to transfer schools has been approved. If your transfer request is approved, you will have until July 22 to accept the transfer.

This summer, the CCSD School Nutrition program will provide meals to students and our community at select schools and community locations during the month of June.

Students participating in summer enrichment activities hosted at school sites will have access to free breakfast and lunch while at school, and the district has also partnered with several camps in the community to provide free lunch to children. In addition, select school sites will be open to the public for lunch during summer enrichment program operations, and weekend meal bundles will be available for pick up at J.J. Harris Elementary School on a first-come, first-serve basis on Thursday, June 5, Thursday, June 12, and Wednesday, June 18.

For more information on summer meals in CCSD, go to www.clarke.k12.ga.us/summermeals.

Even though school is out, three of CCSD's four school-based health centers — the Hilsman Health Center, Clarke Middle Health Center, and the Classic City Health Center — will be open this summer, providing students, staff, and families with many of their basic healthcare needs! Summer hours are available on each link. The Coile Health Center will be closed this summer but will reopen at the start of the new school year.

Services offered at the centers include:

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

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.

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!

The Athens Youth Development Initiative will offer Fine Arts Camps to students this summer. These camps will provide opportunities to work with certified fine arts educators as well as CCSD student volunteers. Scholarship opportunities are available to CCSD students. Register at www.athensyouthdevelopment.com, starting Saturday, May 24, at 9 a.m.!

Camp Hours

8:30-9:00 a.m. drop off

11:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m. pick up

Theatre Camps:

Elementary School Drama (K-5)

Monday, June 30 - Thursday, July 3

$120 per registration

Middle School Drama (6-8)

Monday, July 7 - Friday, July 11

$150 per registration

Visual Arts Camp:

Elementary Visual Arts (K-5)

Monday, July 7 - Friday, July 11

$150 per registration

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 is now open at www.athensyouthdevelopment.com. We hope you come and read with us!

CCSD encourages all of our students to remain active readers throughout the summer. A wonderful opportunity for doing this is taking your student to a local library to take advantage of their PINES Library Access for Youth (PLAY) Card!

All students can go to their local Athens-Clarke County Library branch and check out five physical items at a time for free using their six-digit CCSD student number while also utilizing the library system's many online resources.

Click here for more information and remember: Students who Read are students who Thrive!

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!

While this weekly newsletter will be going on a summer hiatus before returning shortly before the start of the new school year, you can stay up to date with the latest news on district events, student and staff achievements, and more by continuing to visit our website at www.clarke.k12.ga.us and following us on social media (@ClarkeCoSchools). You can also download the CCSD Mobile app for free on Google Play or the Apple App Store.

And be on the lookout for our Back to School Guide in mid-July, which will contain all the information you need to know to get the school year off to a successful start on Aug. 6!

Congratulations to the more than 750 Class of 2025 graduates from Clarke Central, Cedar Shoals, and Classic City high schools who walked across the stage this week and into a new and exciting chapter of their lives. We've got you covered here with links to full photo galleries from and video replays of each of the ceremonies and more!

• Classic City graduation - Photos / Video Replay
• Clarke Central graduation - Photos / Video Replay
• Cedar Shoals graduation - Photos / Video Replay

Photo galleries from senior honors/awards events

• Cedar Shoals Senior Honors Night photos
• Clarke Central Senior Honors Night photos
• Classic City Honors Day
• ACCA Academy Awards

Senior Walks at elementary schools

• Barnett Shoals
• Barrow
• Bettye H. Holston
• Cleveland Road
• Fowler Drive
• Gaines
• Howard B. Stroud
• J.J. Harris
• Johnnie Lay Burks
• Oglethorpe Avenue
• Timothy Road
• Whit Davis
• Whitehead Road
• Winterville

Read more here about each of our Class of 2025 valedictorians and salutatorians from Cedar Shoals, Clarke Central, and Classic City high schools. In addition to recognizing these distinguished graduates, CCSD also congratulates the top-10 ranked students from Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central who led a group of more than 220 honor graduates between the two schools. See the graphics below for each top-10 list.

The Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County (FFE), a longstanding partner of CCSD, has announced its 2025 student awards, which were presented to students in recent weeks during schools' end-of-year ceremonies.

See a full list and read more here!

Congratulations to Enya Granados, biology and environmental science teacher at Clarke Central High School, who has been selected for the prestigious HHMI BioInteractive Ambassador Academy!

Ms. Granados is one of only 30 life and environmental science educators chosen from over 800 applicants across the U.S. and Canada for this highly selective three-year professional development program. This incredible opportunity will allow Ms. Granados to collaborate with HHMI BioInteractive in advancing science education and fostering classroom environments where all students have access to authentic and engaging science.

The community is invited to join us for a retirement reception for outgoing Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, June 1, at Epting Events, 1055 Barber St. We hope to see you there!

CCSD's Business Services Division will host the latest in its series of vendor workshops on Thursday, May 29, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave. Athens native, Clarke Central High School alum, and former Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond will share strategies on how to unify the community around workforce development, economic advancement, and fostering sustainable local business growth.

The workshop is free of charge. For more information, contact Veronica Jackson, CCSD Purchasing and Contracts Supervisor, at jacksonv@clarke.k12.ga.us or 706-546-7721, Ext. 79711.

The Athens-based Heart Youth Symphony will be holding auditions for the 2025-26 school year. Auditions are open to all CCSD band and orchestra students in grades 6-12. Rehearsals for performances will begin in September. Click here for audition and participation information.

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.

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

Canopy Studio, 160-6 Tracy St, Athens, will hold a free, family circus arts workshop on Tuesday, May 27, from 5-6:30 p.m. Artist Kevin O'Keefe will use juggling, theater games, basic acrobatics, and more to foster social-emotional learning, collaboration, and team building.

The event is open to ages 7 and up. Registration is required and can be completed at this link. Scroll down to "CircusYoga - The Human Art of Play Family Workshop with Kevin O'Keefe."

The Georgia Museum of Art, 90 Carlton St., will host its monthly free Family Day event from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 31. Jump into a world of color and discover the bold and bright art of conceptual artist Sol LeWitt. Add your mark to a collaborative wall drawing in the Jane and Harry Willson Sculpture Garden, meet local muralist Marisa Mustard, and create your own take-home masterpiece in the Michael and Mary Erlanger Studio Classroom.

For those who cannot attend in person, Family Day to-go kits will be available for pick-up starting at 1 p.m. Saturday through the end of day Sunday, June 1, while supplies last.

The University of Georgia women's basketball team will hold a summer skills cam for students in grades 3-7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 14-16. For more information, email ugawbbcamp@gmail.com.

The Athens YMCA will offer fall youth programming from Aug. 11 through Oct. 30 – including soccer, swim lessons, cross country, girls' flag football, a football academy, S.T.E.A.M. Club, dance, and teen fitness and gardening. Registration opens July 7. Click here 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.