Better Together

CCSD and nearly 50 other school districts across the state participated in the statewide Teach in the Peach future educator signing day event in downtown Atlanta earlier this week. We were thrilled to be represented by and celebrate with Mallory Davis and Kate Lamb of Barnett Shoals Elementary School. Mallory and Kate have spent the year as student teachers at Barnett Shoals through the University of Georgia and will be officially joining the school as fifth-grade homeroom teachers next school year! They were accompanied to the signing event at the College Football Hall of Fame by Barnett Shoals principal Dr. Aliceson Nobles, and Mallory was one of eight educators in the room invited to sit on the stage for the signing. Check out the links below for more scenes from around the district over the past week!

At its Thursday, May 8 meeting, the Clarke County Board of Education voted to appoint Dr. Jennifer Scott as Interim Superintendent of the Clarke County School District for the period of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.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.

Dr. Scott, who currently serves as the district's Deputy Superintendent of Academics and Student Support, has been with CCSD since 1998. Read more about her here!

It’s time to celebrate the Class of 2025! As we get set for the upcoming graduation ceremonies for Cedar Shoals, Clarke Central, and Classic City high schools, click HERE 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!

Congratulations to the Clarke Middle School Science Energy, and Adventure Team (SEAT) on once again earning Georgia School of the Year and National Junior Level School of the Year honors from the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project! The team also earned the Exemplary School Energy Efficiency Project recognition for their 2024-25 project, "Conservation and Compassion: Saving Resources and Helping Others!"

The team has been invited to participate in the 45th Annual NEED Youth Energy Conference and Awards in Washington, D.C. this summer. Great work by these students and teachers Audrey Hughes and Javan Winston, and thank you for all you do to promote energy and resource conservation education throughout the community!

Congratulations to Lasonja Hunt, campus security officer at Cedar Shoals High School, on being named CCSD's Employee of the Month for May! Officer Hunt is finishing up her second year at Cedar and was nominated by a parent who praised for her daily uplifting and positive attitude and having a smiling face to greet and say goodbye to campus visitors each day. Officer Hunt was surprised with the award at the school this week and was recognized by Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker and Board of Education members Thursday, May 8, at the monthly BOE meeting. Thank you to Officer Hunt for all you do in setting a great example for all CCSD staff! And thank you to everyone who took the time to submit Employee nominations this school year! We look forward to resuming the program after the start of the 2025-26 school year.

CCSD is blessed to have many Thriving Students whose excellence, hard work, dedication, and commitment extends beyond the classroom. Cedar Shoals High School junior Derriana Smith is one of those students.

In addition to being a straight-A, dual-enrolled AP/Honors student between Cedar, Athens Community Career Academy, and Athens Technical College who ranks near the top of the Class of 2026, she is active and holds officer positions in several student organizations and clubs. This spring, she also took time out of her busy schedule to serve as a coach of CCSD's 10U elementary school volleyball team through the Athens Youth Development Initiative and loved every minute of the team's inaugural season. This is a wonderful example of one of our older students serving as a positive role model for younger students and inspiring them on their own educational journeys.

Congratulations to Derriana on all of her hard work and accomplishments to this point in her educational journey, and we look forwarding to seeing her continue to shine and be a perfect student ambassador and representative for CCSD.

(Photos courtesy of Ethan Greene/Athens Youth Development Initiative and Shakena Smith)

Fifteen graduating seniors from CCSD in the Class of 2025 have earned Georgia's Seal of Biliteracy, which recognizes high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English.

The seal is intended to encourage the study of foreign languages, provide universities with a method of recognizing and awarding academic credit to students seeking admission, and to provide employers with a method of identifying prospective candidates with language and biliteracy skills.

Congratulations to these students!

Congratulations to Cedar Shoals High School junior Zulma Valdivieso-Gutierrez, who has been named DiVarsity Georgia Class 4A Girls' Soccer Player of the Year and the Athens Area Girls' Player of the Year at the Next Up Sports Awards!

Zulma, who led all scorers in the entire state in all classifications this season with 58 goals, was also named Region 8-AAAA Girls' Forward of the Year to go along with her first-team all-region selection.

For the Cedar Shoals boys, Damon Davis made first-team all-region and was named Boys' Forward of the Year. Hank Ruder, Ever Barrera, and Joshua Malave Guaiquirian made second team.

At its Thursday, May 8 meeting, the Clarke County Board of Education approved the hire of Chastity Harris as assistant principal of Barnett Shoals Elementary School for the 2025-26 school year. Ms. Harris, who currently serves as the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Implementation Specialist at Barnett Shoals, will assume her new role effective July 1. Current assistant principal Sabrina Lumpkin will become the school's new principal on that day, taking over for Dr. Aliceson Nobles, who will be taking over as principal of Gaines Elementary.

Congratulations to our 2025 LSGT election winners! These parents/guardians and teachers/staff members have been elected to serve a two-year term on their local school governance team beginning July 1. Thank you for your willingness to serve and and help play an active role in its future!

• Barnett Shoals Elementary: Nandana Weliweriya (parent/guardian) and Kenneth Davis (teacher/staff)
• Cleveland Road Elementary: Webster Wong (parent/guardian)
• Gaines Elementary: Leeann Brewer (parent/guardian), Natalie Malone (teacher/staff), Chantel Johnson (teacher/staff), Alicia Worthy (teacher/staff)
• Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary: Janell Bloom (parent/guardian), Shannon Shipley Henson (parent/guardian), Sean Dunlap (parent/guardian)
• Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary: Cheri Howard (teacher/staff), Elsa Zuniga (teacher/staff), Jemelleh Coes (parent/guardian)
• Timothy Road Elementary: Jeff Crooks (parent/guardian), Suzanne Girdner-Chalmers (parent/guardian), Kayleigh Cronic (parent/guardian)
• Whit Davis Elementary: Gail Flint-Derricotte (parent/guardian), Melina Cole (teacher/staff)
• Whitehead Road Elementary: Kathryn Kipling (parent/guardian), Marjorie Varin (parent/guardian), Dila Chambers (teacher/staff)
• Winterville Elementary: Stephanie Gavrielides (parent/guardian)
• Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle: Jennifer Striepe (parent/guardian), Kathleen Falke (parent/guardian), Megan Hardy (teacher/staff)
• Hilsman Middle: Curtis Blackmon (parent/guardian), Paul Walker (parent/guardian)
• Cedar Shoals High: Erick Hopkins (teacher/staff).

The Family Advisory Board (FAB), formerly known as the Parent Advisory Board, exists to promote discussion and development of a shared vision of the educational needs of all students in the Clarke County School District. The board is made up of representatives from every elementary, middle, and high school in CCSD. Its purpose is to advise the administration on issues related to the overall success of the district. The board last week held its final meeting for the 2024-25 school year and will announce its 2025-26 meeting schedule at a later date. To learn more about the FAB and access the meeting minutes, go to www.clarke.k12.ga.us/fab.

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!

Registration is open for the 2025 Jaguar Youth Football and Gladiator Youth Football programs. Football players and cheerleaders must register for the program that matches with the high school they are zoned for. All registration information can be found at https://www.clarkecentralathletics.com/gladiatoryouthfootball and https://www.cedarshoalsathletics.com/jaguaryouthfootball.

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!

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.

Registration is open for the "Creative Explorers" Summer Day Camp programs hosted by the University of Georgia Mary Frances Early College of Education and the Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development. The camp is for students who will be entering grades 3-5 and covers six different topics. The program fee is $350 per week. Needs-based scholarships are available. For more information, go to tinyurl.com/ugakids25 and see the flyer above.

Registration is open for the First Tee Athens summer program. The program is for children ages 7-19 who are looking to develop their skills, build confidence, and have fun through golf. Sessions will be held on Saturdays at the UGA Golf Course Driving Range. For more information and to register, go to firstteeathens.org or scan the QR code in the flyer above.

Michael Thurmond, Clarke Central alum and former Georgia Labor Commissioner, will be the featured speaker at a community conversation on Saturday, May 17, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, 780 Timothy Rd. The event will take place from 3-5 p.m. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. See the above flyer 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.