ACS Connect
AUGUST 2023
Our Athens City Schools Board of Education recently approved the 2024-2025 ACS Academic Calendar. View and download at acs-k12.org/calendar.
We Are Building a New School!
March 20, 2024 marked an exciting day in Athens City Schools as we broke ground on the construction site of our new HEART Academy at Julian Newman Elementary! This state-of-the-art building, designed by McKee and Associates and built by Lee Builders, Inc., will encompass more than 85,000 square feet and house over 700 students.
Features include:
29 Standard Classrooms
3 Special Education Classrooms
6 Shared Classroom Spaces
1 Music Classroom
1 Art Classroom
HEART Lab
Cafeteria
Media Center
2 Storm Shelters for students, faculty and staff
2 Renovated Gymnasiums
Watch our progress video at acs-k12.org/jnesprogress. We look forward to welcoming our HEART Academy at JNES students to their new home FALL 2025!
The Hyrum Tatton Phoenix Scholarship
Nominate a student for the $1,000 TES Hyrum Tatton Phoenix Scholarship. Application must be completed by an ACS employee. Click HERE or visit https://tessoftware.com/scholarships-2024. to learn more.
2024 Limestone County Sheriff's Rodeo, Inc. College Scholarship for FFA & 4-H
Click HERE to apply for the 2024 Limestone County Sheriff's Rodeo, Inc. College Scholarship for FFA and 4-H. Two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to one FFA Senior Student and one 4-H Senior Student. Applicant must be a Limestone County FFA and/or 4-H Senior in good standing, an active participant, and nominated by a 4-H representative or FFA Advisor. Applications must be received on or before May 1, 2024. Awardees will be announced on May 6, 2024. If you have any questions contact Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin at the Limestone County Sheriff's Office at (256) 232-0111.
iAcademy at Athens Elementary School Commemorative Bricks
iAcademy at Athens Elementary School invites you to become a permanent part of their new campus by purchasing a commemorative brick to recognize students, teachers, family, and friends in the Athens community. The bricks are incorporated into the design and displayed at the entrance area to the beautiful new school. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to support our teachers and students at iAcademy at Athens Elementary School. Two brick options are available: 4” x 8” - $50 (includes up to three lines with 21 characters per line) and 8" x 8" - $100 (includes up to six lines with 21 characters per line).
- To place your iAcademy at Athens Elementary brick order, click here or visit www.bricksrus.com/donorsite/athenses.
- To pay for your brick, you can either drop off payment at iAcademy at Athens Elementary School or visit website at aes.acs-k12.org and click the "Pay Fees" button.
Thank you for supporting iAcademy at Athens Elementary!
Download the ACS App!
Download the Athens City Schools app today for access to school news, calendars, notifications, quick links, and more! The ACS App is available for free in the Apple App Store or Google Play. Search for “Athens City Schools”. Be sure to set your "phone" settings to RECEIVE/ALLOW notifications. Once you download the ACS app, click "Follow Your School" to receive notifications from the district and your selected school(s).
ACS Athletics Golden Guidelines
In an effort to make all Athens City Schools athletic event experiences GOLDEN for all spectators, fans and families, please take a moment to review the Golden Guidelines, implemented in 2022. Thank you for supporting Athens City Schools Athletics. It's great to be a Golden Eagle!
CLEAR BAGS AT ACS ATHLETIC EVENTS
Athens City Schools implemented the ACS Athletic Events Clear Bag Policy in September 2023. The following bags are permitted inside Athens City Schools Athletics Facilities:
- Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC that do not exceed 12" x 6" x 12" (tote bags, fanny packs, cross-body bags, etc.)
- One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags (Ziplock type bag or similar)
- Small clutch bags, with or without a handle or strap, that do not exceed 4.5" x 6.5" (approximately the size of a hand).
- Please note that individuals are limited to (1) clear bag plus (1) small clutch.
Fans are welcome to bring cameras, binoculars, and small seat cushions/pads, however, cases are not allowed. If you have any questions, please contact Athens City Schools Athletic Director, Linda Moore, at Linda.Moore@acs-k12.org.
LIVESTREAM Athens High School and Athens Middle School Sports
Watch our Athens Golden Eagles HOME games this fall on the NFHS Network. Subscription required. Visit www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/athens-high-school-athens-al for options. NFHS offers access to LIVE and ON DEMAND events, nationwide. View available events and learn more at www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/athens-high-school-athens-al. Please note that this is the only legitimate and authorized livestream for AHS sports (home games only). If you have any questions, please contact Linda.Moore@acs-k12.org.
FREE Teeth Cleaning
Did you know that the Dental Hygiene Clinic at Calhoun Community College offers FREE teeth cleaning for children under 17? Adult teeth cleaning services are also available at a discounted rate of $30. Cleaning appointment includes exam, x-ray, and fluoride. Call 256-306-2815 or scan the QR code to schedule your appointment. Learn more about the clinic at http://calhoun.edu/.../dental.../dental-hygiene-clinic-2
988 - Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Quick Dial
Free and Reduced Lunch Applications
Find out if your family qualifies for Free and Reduced Lunch by completing the 2023-2024 Free and Reduced Lunch Application. Only one application is necessary per family. Families must re-apply each school year to potentially receive this benefit. Apply at acs-k12.org/nutrition.
2023-2024 ACS Student Daily Lunch Pricing:
$2.75 - PAID (Family does not qualify for free or reduced lunch)
$0.40 - REDUCED (apply to see if your family qualifies)
$0.00 - FREE (apply to see if your family qualifies)
If you have any questions or need help with your Free and Reduced Lunch Application, contact Dr. Tandy Blackwell, Director of Child Nutrition, at Tandy.Blackwell@acs-k12.org or (256) 233-6600.
Apply to see if your family qualifies today!
Free Breakfast!
Did you know that Athens City Schools offers free breakfast to all students each and every morning during the school week? Our Child Nutrition Program works to ensure every child is ready to start their day, well-fed and ready to learn. Click HERE to learn more about our CNP program.
MY SCHOOL BUCKS
An easy way to add lunch money to your student account is through MySchoolBucks. Create or log in to your student account at myschoolbucks.com and view immediate information about your student account balance and purchases. Need help? Click HERE to learn more. Funds can be added to your student's account at MSB on the web or download the MSB app. You may also submit a checkto the school lunchroom. All checks must be made payable to Athens City Schools CNP or ACS CNP. Please write your child's name and homeroom on the check or envelope. Click HERE to more about meal prices and budgeting.
PowerSchool Parent Portal
PowerSchool Parent Portal is a web-based platform and app that can be used to access information such as student grades, attendance, assignments, class announcements, class schedule and more. Parent Portal is accessible from any device with internet access (i.e. computer, tablet, smartphone) or download the app for free. Learn more about PowerSchool Parent portal at acs-k12.org/powerschool. If you have any questions, please contact your school.
Planning for Retirement?
RSA would like to make you aware of their supplemental retirement plan RSA-1 Deferred Compensation. Whether you are a new employee or an employee who is getting ready to retire, it is to your advantage to participate in the RSA-1 Deferred Compensation Plan. Please watch the short video found here to find out more about the plan and how to enroll. Enrollment forms are located in the back of the RSA-1 Member Handbook. For additional information, contact RSA by email rsa1info@rsa-al.gov or toll-free 1.877.517.0020. RSA-1 representatives are available Monday-Friday 8:00a.m.-5:00p.m. Members can also view this information on the RSA-1 page on the RSA’s website: https://www.rsa-al.gov/rsa-1/.
Register Your School Related Social Media Accounts
Reminder that ACS requires that all social media pages/accounts that represent ANY team, club, or organization affiliated with our school system be approved by the school principal AND registered with the Office of Communications. The purpose is to ensure that all school-associated social media is managed, monitored, and maintained while providing trusted and accurate information. Athens City Schools currently only authorizes the establishment and use of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts on behalf of the school system. To register an account, check on the registration status or create an account, please contact Christy at christy.hubbard@acs-k12.org or (256) 233-6602. Click HERE to learn more.
TEACHER CERTIFICATE EXPIRATION
If your certificate is set to expire this summer, you should have received renewal information from Tammie Brand. If you did not receive this message, please contact Tammie at tammie.brand@acs-k12.org or ext. 1101. If you are unsure of when your certificate expires, click HERE to view your information or reach out to Tammie Brand.
Website Update
We have recently updated our district website to a design that we hope will be more user friendly on all devices. We appreciate your patience in the weeks ahead as we continue to make updates and refinements to all pages. Please note a couple of important changes:
Our SCHOOL addresses have changed slightly. Be sure to update your bookmarks.
- FAME Academy at Brookhill: bes.acs-k12.org
- HEART Academy at Julian Newman: jnes.acs-k12.org
- iAcademy at Athens Elementary: aes.acs-k12.org
- SPARK Academy at Coward Elementary: ces.acs-k12.org
- Athens High School: ahs.acs-k12.org
- Athens Intermediate School: ais.acs-k12.org
- Athens Middle School: ams.acs-k12.org
- Athens Renaissance School: ars.acs-k12.org
- Renaissance Virtual School: renaissancev.acs-k12.org
- Athens City Schools District: acs-k12.org
TEACHER BIOS/PERSONAL PAGES are not available with the new template. If you have anything on your teacher page or school site that you need to access or would like to keep (bios, etc.), please visit https://al01901370.schoolwires.net/ to retrieve it. This link will only be active until April 15.
FACULTY AND STAFF PHOTOS will be added to the "Our Team" page soon.
Take a look around and please let us know if you run across a broken link, missing information or if there is anything that you would like to see added or changed. Website feedback can be emailed to Christy.hubbard@acs-k12.org.
Thanks!
Need an Employee Badge?
If you are a new employee or need an ID Badge, please send your photo to Tammie.Brand@acs-k12.org. Reminder, all employees must wear an ID badge. Your badge is also your ticket into Athens High School and Athens Middle School HOME games.
Leave Request Forms
Employee leave request forms are now available electronically on our timekeeping system. Visit timeclock.athens.tescore.io to enter leave requests such as Jury Duty, Personal, Professional, Field Trip, Sick and Vacation. Click here to learn more.
Docusign Forms
ACS is now using DocuSign, a fast and reliable way to electronically sign documents and agreements. No more paper forms! Find the ACS Professional Leave*, Fundraiser, Field Trip, and Expense Report on DocuSign. Click here to learn more!
Share Your Good News!
We love sharing about all of the amazing things that are happening in our schools and in the lives of our outstanding students and employees! Do you have a story, event, award/ recognition or something cool going on in your classroom that you would like to share with our #oneAthens community? Please click here or email Christy.Hubbard@acs-k12.org.
