Better Together

CCSD joins school districts across the nation in recognizing May as Mental Health Awareness Month. We understand that to have Thriving Students and Optimized Talent, the overall health and well-being of our students and staff must be a top priority.

Please take advantage of the resources listed below and consider wearing green throughout this month as a show of support and awareness of the importance of mental health. Green is the international symbol of mental health awareness, renewal, hope, vitality, and healing. This year's theme is "More Good Days, Together."

And follow us on social media (@ClarkeCoSchools) throughout the month for highlights of the district's mental health efforts.

Let's all work together to break the stigma, encourage advocacy, connections, and unite to educate our community.

CCSD has at least one full-time mental health counselor assigned to all four middle schools, as well as Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools, along with two district mental wellness specialists. Our mental health counselors are an integral part of their school’s support team. They provide mental health and wellness services to students and families and can also provide referrals for comprehensive mental health services through one of our many community agencies.

Services provided by our mental health counselors include:

• Individual and group mental health and wellness services to students
• Support with transitioning to middle/high school
• Support in managing stress, anxiety, depression, and grief
• Parent education on understanding mental health
• Collaboration with community partners to access and connect students to more comprehensive mental health supports.

Our team of mental health counselors by school (and counselors for elementary schools and other campuses) is listed below. You can find their contact information at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/counseling.

• Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle - Alycia Garth
• Clarke Middle - Beth Pifer-Mills
• Coile Middle - Shuntay Finkley
• Hilsman Middle - Mary Catherine Hawks
• Cedar Shoals High - Kenadi Goodwin and Kizzy Wingfield
• Clarke Central - Zadie James-Driskell
• District mental wellness specialists - Fran Thompson and Allyn Carey.

Mental health services are also available to all CCSD students at the Coile, Classic City, and Clarke Middle health centers.

• The Coile and Classic City clinics offer behavioral health and mental health services through our partnership with MedLink Georgia. A licensed mental health professional provides services specializing in motivational interviewing, CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), and mindfulness with a primary focus on depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Call the Classic City Health Center at 706-389-1095, Ext. 4700, or the Coile Health Center at 706-352-9244, Ext. 4800 to set up an appointment.
• The Clarke Middle Health Center offers mental health services through a collaboration with the University of Georgia School of Social Work. Call 706-208-1190 to make an appointment.

CCSD offers free telehealth counseling services to middle and high school students and families through Daybreak Health. To date, these services have been funded with support from the Georgia Department of Education through September 2026.

Families can self-refer by creating an account at this link. You can also reach out to your school’s counselor to discuss these supports and additional options to help support your child’s overall wellness and mental health needs.

Families who have already enrolled can request summer care to avoid gaps in services. Submit a care request at this link.

Daybreak also hosts live monthly webinars with licensed counselors on topics related to student wellness. These webinars are free to all CCSD families. Recordings for previous webinars are available in English and Spanish here.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 anytime 24/7 for support through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

• Each of our middle and high schools have Youth Mental Health Advisory Boards. These student groups assist the mental health counselors in our secondary schools in event planning and talking about mental health at school.
• For the last two years, CCSD has held a "Free Your Feels" Mental Health Summit for teens. Stay tuned for information about the 2026 event later this year. View the "Free Your Feels" Mental Health Resource Guide.
• Kate’s Club Grief Groups were held in 12 of our schools and will be expanding further across the district in 2026-27. These groups offer free group support for six weeks of sessions, and students can continue with multiple sessions of six. Groups are open to any student who has lost a family member or a close relationship.
• All CCSD employees have access to five free confidential therapy sessions per issue through the district's Employee Assistance Program. Within employee benefits, Sharecare includes tips for managing stress, anxiety, and more.
• View Mental Health America's 2026 Mental Health Month Action Guide.
• View the JED Foundation's Mental Health Resource Center for Young People.
• View the AIM Youth Mental Health Blog.

It’s time to celebrate the Class of 2026! With just two weeks remaining until the upcoming graduation ceremonies for Cedar Shoals, Clarke Central, and Classic City high schools, plan ahead and check out our CCSD 2026 Graduation Guide 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!

Have you heard the news? Kindergarten enrollment for the 2026-27 school year is open! If your child will be 5 years old by September 1, enroll them now to avoid summer stress and ensure that they are first-day ready on August 5! Please note: Enrollment is only for new students. Current CCSD pre-K students do not have to be re-registered for kindergarten.

Find more information and a list of required documents at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/registration, and enroll your child online from the comfort of your home!

Need help with the online application? Join us next week for special in-person assistance days!

• May 11-12, 14-15
• 8 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
• District Office - 595 Prince Ave., Athens
• Bring your information with you!

If you don't have a child to register for kindergarten but know someone who does, help us spread the word!

Nearly 20 individual teams from across CCSD participated in the 2026 Greater Athens Relay for Life and raised over $36,000 in the fight against cancer, contributing to the area organization's total of more than $200,000! This successful season culminated in the annual Relay for Life event at Oconee County Middle School on May 1, and three CCSD schools won special awards for their hard fundraising work! Timothy Road Elementary had the most money raised by an elementary school ($11,386), Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle had the most raised by a middle school ($3,752), and Clarke Central had the most raised by a high school ($3,649). Congratulations to these teams, and a huge thank you to all CCSD staff, teachers, families, and students who participated!

Earlier this week, CCSD participated in the annual statewide Future Educator Signing Day led by the Georgia Department of Education through the Teach in the Peach initiative! Twelve CCSD high school students from Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals high schools and the Athens Community Career Academy (ACCA) who have completed or are in the process of completing the Teaching as a Profession pathway at ACCA affirmed their commitments to teach full-time in Georgia classrooms after graduating college. These students have already gained hands-on classroom experience as part of this career pathway, and many of them will be taking the GACE paraprofessional certification exam this month, giving them the opportunity to work in classrooms while earning their teaching degrees!

Congratulations to these students:

• Jakia Butts, 12th grade, Cedar Shoals and ACCA
• Mariah Carson, 12th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Camryn Coleman, 12th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Shelby McDaniel, 12th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Gillian Williams, 12th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• (Not pictured) Elise Geier, 12th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Tina Brooks, 11th grade, Cedar Shoals and ACCA
• Cheyenne Hardy, 11th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Duncan Jones, 11th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Elizabeth McArthur, 11th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Vera Mize, 11th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Dar'Maya Ollie, 11th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA.

The Science, Energy, and Adventure Team at Clarke Middle School has once again been awarded National Junior Level School of the Year and Georgia Junior School of the Year honors from The National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project for their efforts in energy conservation and community education.

Students spent the past school year engaged in learning and teaching about science and the environment as part of Audrey Hughes' and Danny Mingo’s classes and extracurricular program. They completed energy and environment projects to recycle, practice conservation, teach others about energy, and consider a variety of pathways for energy and environment careers. The capstone to their experience was the submission of their project, "Sustainability and Service," which was reviewed by a panel from The Need Project and selected for the top state and national awards in their division. Additionally, their work will be honored with the Exemplary Community Education Project Award.

The team will be recognized for their latest slate of awards in June as part of the 2026 NEED Youth Energy Conference & Awards in Washington, D.C.

See a slide overview of the team's project attached below! Congratulations, Owls!

Congratulations to the following CCSD schools, teachers, and students who were recently recognized with awards and honors from Athens-Clarke County 4-H for the 2025-26 school year!

Outstanding Project Achievement School Recognition

Howard B. Stroud Elementary

Coile Middle

Hilsman Middle

Outstanding Teacher Recognition

Zubaida Adres, Barrow Elementary

Beth Selleck, Barrow Elementary

Tempestt McWhorter, Gaines Elementary

Benton Ravenell, Fowler Drive Elementary

Chris Anani, Stroud Elementary

Tori Wynder, Stroud Elementary

Tvisha Desai, Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary

Megan Makin, Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary

Elsa Zuniga, Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary

Volunteer Recognition

Timothy Pritchett, Barnett Shoals Elementary

Ali Edwards, Timothy Road Elementary

Outstanding Cloverleaf 4-H’ers of the Year

Charlie Edwards and Joey Edwards, 6th grade, Clarke Middle

Outstanding Junior 4-H’er of the Year

Emerson deDufour, 8th grade, Hilsman Middle

Marylyn Poole Award for Outstanding Achievement

Ashley Gershon, 12th grade, Clarke Central High

Athens-Clarke County 4-H Honor Society

Platinum Award level:

Carolyn Griffeth, 11th grade, Clarke Central

Gold level:

Emerson deDufour, Hilsman

Charlie Edwards, Clarke Middle

Joey Edwards, Clarke Middle

Jacqueline Freeman, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle

Joan James, BHL Middle

Kaylee Maldonado, BHL Middle

Shenandoah Viores, Hilsman Middle

Silver level:

Ashley Gershon, Clarke Central

Derek Pokoski, Clarke Central

Bronze level:

Miracle Brown, Hilsman Middle

Robin Card, Hilsman Middle

Aurelia DeWald, Hilsman Middle

Ruby Falke, BHL Middle

Phoebe Geisenhof, BHL Middle

Alivia Hart, Clarke Middle

Naomi Heard, Hilsman Middle

Yuliana Heard, Hilsman Middle

Allison Larios, Coile Middle

Carmelo Salguero, Clarke Middle

Alina Sanchez, Hilsman Middle

Londyn Smith, Hilsman Middle

Kaedyn Wynder, Coile Middle.

Congratulations to Josie Shuman, eighth-grader at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, who finished fourth in her division and category (Environmental and National Resources) in the Agriscience Fair at last month's Georgia FFA Convention! Josie joins a large group of students from Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools who won top honors and awards at the convention and were spotlighted in last week's "Better Together" newsletter!

Several athletes from Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools will be competing next week in the GHSA state championships, and you won't have to travel far to watch them!

Championship meets for all classifications will be held May 11-14 at the Spec Towns Track at University of Georgia Track and Field Complex. Cedar Shoals will be competing in the Class 4A championships on Monday, May 11, while Clarke Central will take part in the 5A championships on Wednesday, May 13. A full schedule, ticket information, and more details on the meets can be found on the GHSA website.

Congratulations and good luck to all of our Jaguars and Gladiators listed below!

Cedar Shoals

Girls’ 4x100-meter relay – Jamari Allen, Sequia Collins, Jewel Daniels, Riley Freeman

Girls’ 4x200-meter relay – Jamari Allen, Aniyah Bolton, Sequia Collins, Riley Freeman

Jamari Allen – girls’ 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash

Ella Conway – girls’ discus

Deston Foote – boys’ triple jump

Keantae Freeman – boys’ long jump

Riley Freeman – girls’ long jump

Tybias Lay – boys’ 110-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles

Clarke Central

Boys’ 4x400-meter relay – Jackson Brooks, Dante Yancey, Torin Trotter, Ryker Comstock

Boys’ 4x800-meter relay – Joshua Hutchens, Charlie Black, Ryker Comstock, Torin Trotter

Trent Baily – boys’ triple jump

Elijah Brice – boys’ triple jump

Jackson Brooks – boys’ 400-meter dash

James Daniel – boys’ 800-meter run and 1600-meter run

Noah Kilpatrick – boys’ 1600-meter run

Paul Newel – boys’ discus

Zaylen Sheats – boys’ long jump

Waylon Vaughn – boys’ 1600-meter run and 3200-meter run

CCSD is pleased to partner with the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech APEX Accelerator on a "Business" Connect series at the CCSD District Office. If you own or are part of a local and/or small business and interested in learning more about procurement opportunities with CCSD and other government contracts, join us!

Sessions are free and will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 27 (UGA) and 11 a.m. Thursday, May 28 (CCSD and Georgia Tech APEX Accelerator) at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave., Athens. Representatives from the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce will also be on hand to provide local business networking insights.

For more information, contact Veronica Jackson in the CCSD Office of Purchasing and Contracts at 706-546-7721, extension 79711.

Please note: These dates were rescheduled from April.

Through Jaguar and Gladiator Youth Football, the Athens Youth Development Initiative is excited to offer a positive, exciting tackle football and cheerleading experience for the youth of Clarke County.

There will be teams at the 6U, 7U, 8U, 9U, 10U, 11U, and 7th grade (12 and 13) levels coached by skilled and knowledgeable individuals. The teams are members of the North Georgia Youth Football Association and play their home games in Cedar Shoals’ Waters-Wilkins Stadium and Clarke Central’s Billy Henderson Stadium, respectively.

Early registration is now open and is $50 per family for football and $35 per family for cheer. After June 21, registration for both is $100 per athlete. Needs-based scholarships are available. For information, email gladiatoryouthfootball@gmail.com or athensjaguarsfootball@gmail.com.

• Clarke Central High School will be hosting its annual Gladiator Youth Sports Camps for ages 6-14, beginning May 26. Camp opportunities are available for soccer, basketball, volleyball, football, and cheerleading. Learn more here and register here.
• Girls who will be entering grades K-7 for the 2026-27 school year are invited to sign up for the Athens YWCO Summer Girls Club, which will be held June 1 through July 10 at Howard B. Stroud Elementary School. Click here for more information and to register!
• Registration is open for summer camp at all Boys and Girls Clubs of Athens locations. The camps begin June 1. See the attached PDF below with site-specific flyers (available in English and Spanish).
• The Northeast Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of American will host Cub Scout Summer Day Camps for boys and girls ages 5-10 at two locations – Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Athens (June 8-12, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.) and Watkinsville United Methodist Church (June 15-19, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.) Register here and see the attached form below for additional information.
• Registration is open for students ages 12 and under for the Pinewoods Library Summer Reading Program, which will be held June 1 through July 16, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Register at this link.
• Students entering grades 6-9 are invited to register for Media Camp, hosted by the Athens-Clarke County High School Completion Initiative June 1-23, Monday through Thursday of each week. Click here for more information and to register.
• Students ages 5-10 are invited to register for the Learning Voyage Summer Camp at 895 Oglethorpe Ave. English and Spanish flyer PDFs are included below.
• Athens-Clarke County youth are invited to register for the Faith Walk Summer Camp, which will be held May 27 - July 3, Wednesday through Friday of each week. The camp will include games, sports, group leadership lessons, and field trips. Register at this link. For more information, call Jeremiah Parks (470-270-1482) or email faithwalkyouthdept@gmail.com.
• Students ages 14-17 are invited to register for the University of Georgia's Summer Art Camps, which will be held June 15-19. Available camps include drawing and painting, printmaking and book arts, photography, and fiber and 3D art. Day and residential camp options are available. Click here for more information and to register. For questions, email SummerArtCamp@uga.edu.
• The University of Georgia will host its annual Creative Explorers summer camp for students entering grades 3-5 with sessions offered July 20-24 and July 27-31. The camp offers a different theme daily, including creativity in art, music, nature, words, and cooking. Find more information and register today. A PDF flyer (English and Spanish) is included below.

The monthly Parent Institute newsletter, available in English and Spanish with early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school versions, is intended to:

• help families effectively support their children's education at home
• provide practical, proven information families can act on right away
• offer guidance on a comprehensive array of school success topics
• reinforce the importance of the school-home partnership.

Click the buttons below to access each version!

CCSD still has pre-K space available at both of Early Learning Center locations and several elementary schools for the 2026-27 school year! Children must turn 4 years old on or before September 1, 2026, to be eligible to attend pre-K in CCSD.

Space is available for next school year at the following locations:

• Early Learning Center East
• Early Learning Center West
• Bettye H. Holston Elementary
• Fowler Drive Elementary
• Gaines Elementary
• Howard B. Stroud Elementary
• J.J. Harris Elementary
• Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary
• Whit Davis Elementary
• Winterville Elementary.

These locations are open to all Clarke County families, and children do not have to be zoned for a school to attend pre-K there; however, parents or guardians are required to provide transportation for out-of-zone students. The early learning centers are not assigned zones. If a student attends pre-K out-of-zone, they will be reassigned to their zoned school beginning in kindergarten.

Student enrollment in CCSD is an online process and can be done entirely from the comfort of your home. In-person appointments and walk-in assistance are also available at the District Office, located at 595 Prince Avenue in Athens. More information about the registration process and required documents can be found at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/registration.

CCSD's School Choice application period for the 2026-27 school year opened April 1 and runs through May 9, 2026.

CCSD school assignments are based on the boundaries of the district’s attendance zones; however, under state law, School Choice allows parents/guardians of students currently enrolled in CCSD (including those who do not currently attend but have already enrolled for the 2026-27 school year) to apply for a transfer to a school outside of their attendance zone, provided that space is available. Currently, School Choice transfer space is available at all CCSD schools except for Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary, Timothy Road Elementary, and Clarke Central High schools.

Families have until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, to complete the School Choice application. If the number of applications exceeds the spaces available at a particular school, selections will be made by random lottery. Families will be notified by email by June 9 whether their transfer request is approved. If selected for School Choice, the parent/guardian must accept the transfer by July 22. If a student is approved for a transfer out of zone, guardians are responsible for transportation to and from school, as the district does not provide out-of-zone transportation. Regular school attendance and positive behavior are also required to maintain enrollment.

The School Choice application is available at this link in English and Spanish.

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.
• Find Your Board Member: Use Athens-Clarke County's online voter information tool at www.accgov.com/voterinfo to enter your address and find your BOE member and your other elected representatives.
• Attend a Meeting: The board's next scheduled meeting is Thursday, May 14, 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 hiring for special education teacher positions at several schools for the 2026-27 academic year. At CCSD, we create educational journeys that empower all students to fulfill their potential. We offer competitive salaries and benefits and alternative paths to and assistance with obtaining full teaching certification. We have supportive schools and leadership that optimize talent to support thriving students.

SPED positions for next school year are available at:

• Barnett Shoals Elementary
• Bettye H. Holston Elementary
• Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle
• Cedar Shoals High
• Clarke Central High
• Coile Middle
• Gaines Elementary
• Hilsman Middle
• Howard B. Stroud Elementary
• Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary
• Winterville Elementary.

Apply today at ccsdjobs.org. Questions? Email careers@clarke.k12.ga.us. Join our team where we are Better Together!

Due to anticipated inclement weather, the Clarke County Sheriff's Foundation's Vehicle Showcase originally scheduled for this weekend has been rescheduled to Saturday, June 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Georgia Square Mall. All registrations will remain valid for the new date.

This is a free, family-friendly event designed to bring the community together in a positive and engaging environment. Attendees will enjoy a display of classic and modern cars, emergency vehicles, trucks, and motorcycles, along with food, vendors, and activities for children. It’s a great opportunity for families to spend time together and connect with local organizations and community partners.

Vehicle registration is available for those who would like to participate in the showcase for $20 per vehicle. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes, which provide safe, nurturing homes and support services for children in need across Georgia.

As part of a collaboration between CCSD and the Athens Regional Library System, the PLAY Card account provides each CCSD student with free materials (books, magazines, etc.) and online resources from the public library to help your child succeed in school, along with fun resources to support a lifelong love of reading. You and your child can check out materials at the libraries by entering their student ID number.

Click the links to view the Leisure Pursuits newsletter for May, which contains information about upcoming events and programs in Athens-Clarke County:

• English
• Español

Anyone in the community may sign up for email and/or text notifications from the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government in a wide variety of categories with more than 100 different options. Visit accgov.com/notifyme and select the list you'd like to sign up for.

211 is United Way of Northeast Georgia’s health and human service helpline – a free and confidential program accessible to anyone. Call 211, text your zip code to 898-211, or visit the online database.