Better Together

This month, CCSD is joining Parent ProTech in promoting good digital citizenship among our students, and we encourage you take advantage of Parent ProTech's vast library of *FREE* resources with tips and strategies for keeping your child safe online and talking to them about using technology responsibly.

Parent ProTech regularly publishes new content — available in English and Spanish — including videos and articles to help you start these important conversations with your child and take action steps to monitor their online habits and activity. Sign up today and get access to these resources and many more titles related to social media and messaging apps, mobile devices, online gaming, streaming platforms, and AI tools.

• "The Ultimate Guide to Safe Smartphones for Kids and Teens"
• "What is TikTok?"
• "Roblox: The Ultimate Guide"
• "Is ChatGPT Safe?"
• "How Does Social Media Impact the Way I View Myself and My Friends?"

Go to bit.ly/clarkeparentprotech or scan the QR code to open a free account and to find solutions for keeping your student safe online and thriving!

Note: Please make sure you are signing up for the free Parent ProTech-sponsored CCSD account at the link provided rather than a separate account. For questions, please email communications@clarke.k12.ga.us.

CCSD and its schools continue to encourage students to maintain regular school attendance and remind our families that Every Day Counts. It may not seem like a lot, but missing just two days per month translates to 20 absences over the course of the academic year. That's more than 10 percent of the school year and well over 100 hours of instructional time. Increased and chronic absences in early grades have also been tied to lower achievement across subject areas — particularly reading and math among upper elementary school students — and lower graduation rates.

As we continue on our mission of creating educational journeys that empower all students to fulfill their potential, we invite families to be our partners in supporting great student attendance. Be Present. Be Active. Be Thriving. All Year Long.

Check out this news story from Atlanta News First Local businesses on the "Get Comfortable" literacy initiative, in which CCSD and more than 40 local businesses and organizations have been joining forces to improve reading skills among elementary school students!

The program through Creature Comforts Brewing Company has been matching students at Howard B. Stroud Elementary with reading mentors from local businesses and from Books for Keeps, and provides students with free books over the summer to help prevent learning loss.

CCSD is excited to see the program expand to Fowler Drive Elementary this school year and hopes to see it continue to grow and thrive every year!

CCSD's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Writing and Art Contest is now underway and open to students in grades K-12! Schools have or will be sharing contest details and guidelines with students and families. The submission deadline is Monday, Nov. 3. Schools will submit their winners' work in the district contest, and district winners will be announced later this fall. District winners will be showcased in a special video and are invited to attend the annual Freedom Breakfast at the University of Georgia in January and will also be honored at a Clarke County Board of Education meeting. We look forward to another year with record numbers of submissions from our many, many talented students!

The CCSD Family Advisory Board (FAB), which includes representatives from each school, will hold its first quarterly meeting of the school year Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 6 p.m. in the media center at Hilsman Middle School, 870 Gaines School Rd. The FAB exists to promote discussion and development of a shared vision of the educational needs of all students in the Clarke County School District.

Additional FAB meetings this school year are scheduled for Nov. 19, Feb. 18, and April 22. For more information on the Family Advisory Board, email ccsd.parentab@gmail.com. To send questions or concerns to the FAB, please complete this form.

If you own or work for a company or organization that is interested in becoming a vendor or bidding on contracts with CCSD, mark your calendars and make plans to attend a pair of informative events coming up in October!

• CCSD will be joining the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government and the University of Georgia for a three-part series about how to do business with those agencies. CCSD's session will be Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 9:30-11 a.m. at the Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St., Athens. Find more information and register at accgov.com/doingbusiness. Space is limited. For more information, call 762-772-8090.
• CCSD's Business Services Division will also host its second annual Prime Time with Purchasing Event on Thursday, Oct. 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave., Athens! Join us to explore ways in which you can do business with CCSD. The event will feature representatives from multiple departments who will be on hand to provide information about vendor opportunities. Attendees will also be able to receive assistance in completing the district vendor packet forms. For more information, call Veronica Jackson, CCSD Purchasing Supervisor, at 706-546-7721, Ext. 79711 or email jacksonv@clarke.k12.ga.us.

High school students who are interested in taking classes at the Athens Community Career Academy (ACCA) are invited to a Future Student Fair from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at the ACCA building, 440-1 Dearing Ext.

ACCA is open to CCSD high school students in grades 10-12 and offers courses in more than a dozen high school and college level career pathways as part of CCSD's Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program. The Future Student Fair is designed to introduce students to these pathways and allow them to tour the building and learning spaces.

Students interested in applying for ACCA for the 2026-27 school year can apply now at bit.ly/accainterest.

High school seniors are invited to apply for the 2025-26 Athens Area Human Relations Council scholarship by Friday, Sept. 26. A completed application will consist of the following items:

• the completed scholarship application form (attached below).
• an essay
• two (2) recommendations
• Copy of high school transcript.

A detailed description of requirements can be found on the application itself. For more information, email scholarships@humanrelationscouncil.org.

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, September 11, 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.

Are you or someone you know looking to learn Spanish or build your Spanish-speaking skills this fall? Athens-based Casa de Amistad will be offering Spanish classes for all levels Sept. 16 through Dec. 10 at the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce office, 246 West Hancock Ave., Athens.

The grammar-focused class for beginning and intermediate learners will be held on Tuesdays from 6:30-8 p.m., and the conversation class for all levels will be held on Wednesdays from 6:30-8 p.m.

Register today by scanning the QR code in the flyer above or visiting athensamistad.com.

The Athens-Clarke County community is invited to the Child Safety and Health Festival on Tuesday, Sept. 23, from 4-6 p.m. at Georgia Square Mall, 3700 Atlanta Hwy., Athens. The event will include information about educational and other community resources, children's activities, and giveaways and prizes. For more information, call 706-410-6074.

Registration is open for the 2025–2026 Northeast Georgia Youth Ice Hockey season. Boys and girls ages 4–18 are welcome. No ice skating experience needed, and loaner equipment and scholarships are available. The association offers a two-week trial period before committing. Sign up today and see the full schedule at www.negahockey.org.

HEART Music in Athens invites CCSD band and orchestra students in grades 6-12 to audition for the Hearth Youth Symphony community orchestra! The orchestra holds weekly rehearsals with fall and spring concerts. There is no deadline to apply.

Students should submit a video audition online and will be placed in the Open Participation or Advanced-level Ensemble based on musical strength, experience level, and teacher assessment. Scan the QR code in the flyer above or visit www.heartmusicathens.org for more information!

Students in grades 2-12 are invited to audition for the Georgia Children's Chorus 2025-26 season! The Georgia Children's Chorus includes five different ensembles and performances at the University of Georgia and allows singers to build confidence in their singing abilities while being part of a creative community. Financial assistance is available. For more information, go to www.georgiachildrenschorus.org or email jkanegcc@gmail.com.

Looking for an after-school program to help your child become more physically active through running? Check out Atlanta Track Club’s Kilometer Kids program, which will once again be offered at Bishop Park in Athens this fall!

The free, 10-week, game-based running program for children in grades K-5 is designed to teach them about goal setting, healthy habits, respect, and community building, all through exposing them to the sport of running. Practices will be held on Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. starting Sept. 10.

There is no fee to participate, and the program is for all elementary students regardless of running ability or experience.

To sign up, go to atlantatrackclub.org/kilometerkids. For more information, email kilometerkids@atlantatrackclub.org or call 404-231-9064.

Registration for the weekly fall sessions of the Little Bellas mountain biking program is open. The program is open to girls ages 7-13 and will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Mondays beginning on Sept. 8 and running through Nov. 3 at Walker Park, 200 Trail Creek St., Athens. Learn more and register at littlebellas.org.

As part of Sun Day, a nationwide event on September 21 promoting solar and wind power, local organizers are including a youth photography competition. The top two dozen photos – each one depicting a tree or trees – will be on display at the Winterville Cultural Center. Cash prizes ($50 for first prize and $25 for second) will be awarded for each age group (6-10, 11-14, and 15-18).

The Winterville Cultural Center at 371 North Church St. will display the photos from Sept. 16-21. The Center’s hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The center will be open during the Sun Day event, when winners will be announced.

One photo per child should be sent via text to 706-372-5406 with the following information:

• the young person’s name
• age
• the general location (such as Green Acres, Sandy Creek Park, or Nellie B.) A title is optional. AI-generated images are not allowed.

Judges for the contest include wildlife photographer and instructor Chuck Murphy; macro photography expert and frequent national workshop leader Heather Lickliter Larkin, and photographer Kidd Fielteau, mentor for the Teen Media Arts group at the Lyndon House.

The contest is part of the Athens-area Sun Day celebration from 2:30-5:30 p.m. on Sept. 21. "Sun Day Sunday" is free and open to the public. For more information about the event, contact Sun.Day.GA2025@gmail.com.

"Spread the Love" in September and support the peanut butter and jelly food drive sponsored by the Beechwood/Alps Road branch of Synovus Bank in Athens – running Sept. 2-30! All proceeds will benefit the Athens Community Council on Aging and the support it provides to older adults living in the community.

Throughout the month, you can donate and drop off jars of peanut butter and jelly at the bank, located at 310 Alps Rd., during business hours (9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. - noon Saturday).

The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government will host its annual Athens Water Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at Sandy Creek Park, 400 Bob Holman Rd. Athens. Meet animals, listen to music, swim, and take part in plenty of other family-friendly activities!

Admission is $2 per person. For more information, go to athenswaterfestival.com.

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.