Better Together
3/29/24 • News from the Clarke County School District
CCSD wishes all students, staff, and families a very relaxing Spring Break. Schools will be closed April 1-5, with classes resuming Monday, April 8. The District Office will be open for business on Monday, April 1, and closed April 2-5.
We also want to say thank you again to our families and community members for your continued readership and support of this weekly newsletter. We hope you enjoy this edition and look forward to our next edition on Friday, April 12!
Scenes around CCSD
High School Students Connect with Art, Peers
As part of Youth Art Month, Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals high school art teachers coordinated a visit by their intermediate/advanced art students to the Athens Institute for Contemporary Art gallery, here the second annual CCSD High School Student Art Exhibition was on display over the past week. The goal of the field trip was to enable students who have work in the show to be able to see their work, see the work of others, and discuss their work with their peers. Students did a gallery walk to respond to artwork, completing written responses about what they wanted to compliment, how it inspires them, and how it connects to their life. Students then had the opportunity to speak about their own work, giving individual artist talks for the group. The activity tied back into the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Visual Arts for the categories of connecting, presenting, and responding.
Women's (and Cookie) History!
Students from J.J. Harris Elementary capped their celebration of Women's History Month with a "living museum" where select students from each class researched and dressed up as important women in history. These two students highlighted American chef Ruth Graves Wakefield, credited with inventing the chocolate chip cookie.
Talking Entomology
Clarke Central High School students Copper Callahan and Yuliannybel Castillo Alburjas (not pictured), science teacher Robert Pulliam, and ESOL teacher Carrie Emerson presented at the recent Entomological Society of America’s Southeastern Branch Conference in Augusta. Copper spoke about the Clarke Central Arthropod Club, which he is the president of, while Mr. Pulliam presented on shifting student perspective of insects and Ms. Emerson spoke about making the entomology course accessible to high school ESOL students. Clarke Central is the only high school in the state that currently offers an Entomology course to its students thanks to a healthy relationship with Dr. Kelly Carruthers in the UGA Department of Entomology and great open-mindedness and curiosity from students that have allowed the class to grow during its first two years of being offered as a Hope Rigor science elective.
Learning CPR
Thomas Rhoads from the CCSD Business Services Division gives a big smile during this week's CPR class for district and school staff members. Over the last 18 months, more than 250 of our employees have become certified in areas such as adult and child CPR, AED, first aid, and choking.
Dawgs Visit Panthers
CCSD Accepting Additional Input on Proposed Code of Student Conduct
CCSD is accepting an additional round of feedback from students, families, staff, and other community stakeholders on the proposed Code of Student Conduct for the 2024-25 school year ahead of the April 11 Board of Education meeting when the board is scheduled to vote on its adoption.
Additional information can be found here. You can also click the button below to go straight to the feedback form. Please complete the form by Sunday, April 7.
CCSD Makes Preparations for April 8 Solar Eclipse!
As you may know, there will be a total solar eclipse over North America on the afternoon of Monday, April 8, when the moon’s shadow will block the sun causing the sky to turn unusually dark during the daytime. Clarke County will experience a partial eclipse, and CCSD will operate on a normal school schedule. We will supply all students with special glasses for safely viewing the eclipse, and students will participate in instructional activities to make this rare event a fun and meaningful educational experience.
Read more here!
Get Tips for Child Safety on Internet, Social Media
Parent cyber safety expert Brian Buffington with the Pioneer Georgia RESA region will live-stream a special 30-minute session for parents of students ages 5-11 at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9.
Mr. Buffington will share strategies on how to best manage tech with younger children, as well as safety concerns.
The session can be viewed here.
Catch a New Episode of Studio 595 over Spring Break
In an upcoming special spring break and April Fools' episode of the CCSD "Studio 595" podcast next week, Producer Alex and co-hosts Owen and Jules play out a campaign in the popular game Dungeons & Dragons, with helpful guides for first-time viewers of DND. In a single-session campaign, the trio adventure into a story created by Producer Alex in real-time, encounter many mysteries, a thrilling conclusion that comes down to the wire, and a string of events that become more and more unpredictable.
All this alongside the latest news across CCSD in this episode, premiering on Friday, April 5, at 8:30 a.m. on the CCSD YouTube channel! "Studio 595" can also be heard on Audible, Spotify, and iHeartRadio.
Family Reminders
School Choice Window for 2024-25 Opens April 1
CCSD will open up our annual School Choice application window for the 2024-25 school year from April 1-30. School Choice allows parents and guardians the opportunity to apply for a transfer to a school outside of their attendance zone, provided that space is available. This is open for students in grades K-12 that are currently enrolled in CCSD.
The schools that qualify for School Choice will be posted on April 1 when the application opens on our website. For more information please visit this page.
2024 FFE Award Nominations Open
Nominations are now open for the 2024 Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County teaching and staff awards! Anyone in the community may nominate a CCSD educator or staff member for one of 12 awards. Nominations close at 11 p.m. on April 11. Go to www.athensffe.org/awards-list for a list of awards that will be given out this year and go to bit.ly/2024FFEAwards for the nomination form!
Student and Staff Spotlights
CCSD Students Selected to Governor's Honors Program
Six CCSD students — five from Clarke Central High and one from Cedar Shoals High — have been selected as finalists for the 2024 Georgia Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) and will attend the monthlong residential program this summer at Georgia Southern University. Congratulations to these students for earning the selection in their area of study:
- Wyatt Meyer, a junior at Clarke Central, in the area of Communicative Arts
- Harper White, a junior at Clarke Central, in the area of World Languages (French)
- Peter Atchley, a sophomore at Clarke Central, in the area of Communicative Arts
- Violet Cantarella, a sophomore at Clarke Central, in the area of Communicative Arts
- Noah Kilpatrick, a sophomore at Clarke Central, in the area of Mathematics
- Ella Conway, a sophomore at Cedar Shoals, in the area of Visual Arts.
Read more here!
Clarke Central GHP Finalists
From left to right: Harper White, Noah Kilpatrick, Violet Cantarella, Peter Atchley, and Wyatt Meyer. Photo courtesy of Aza Khan, ODYSSEY Media Group
Ella Conway, Cedar Shoals GHP Finalist
CCSD Young Georgia Authors Contest Winners Announced
We are excited to announce the 2023-2024 Young Georgia Authors Winners from CCSD! Every spring, our students submit work to their schools and the winning entries are then judged by a district team. This year, we had many strong entries from our amazing writers. Congratulations to our winners!
- Kindergarten – Wyatt Parrish, Timothy Road Elementary
- 1st grade – Ava Bell, Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary
- 2nd grade – Sahas Gamage, Barrow Elementary
- 3rd grade – William Marsh, Barrow Elementary
- 4th grade – Heliens Yamileth Contreras Castillo, Gaines Elementary
- 5th grade – Savannah Dunn, Barnett Shoals Elementary
- 6th grade – Penelope Abbe, Clarke Middle
- 9th grade – Eudora Dawson, Clarke Central High
- 10th grade – AJ Lonon, Clarke Central High
- 11th grade – Adrian Giovanni Rangel, Clarke Central High
- 12th grade – Isabella Westrich, Clarke Central High.
Clarke Central, Cedar Shoals Teams Take Top Spots at Chess and Community Conference
Congratulations to the Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals chess teams for finishing first and second, respectively, in the 11th annual Chess and Community Conference in Athens last weekend! In addition, Clarke Central seniors Askia Hylton, Brayana Frazier, and JeNaii Jackson received the Think Before You Move Scholarship at the conference. The scholarship recognizes and encourages writing and public speaking on important topics such as education reform and community awareness by future journalists, scholars, and community leaders.
Clarke Central Team
Team members included Isaac Bergman, Grayson Krause, Ambrose Kerr, Harper White, Durdona Omonova, and Copper Callahan.
Cedar Shoals Team
Team members included Spencer Broome, Sebastian Caillault, and Jason Zhang.
Clarke Central, Cedar Shoals Journalism Students Dominate State Awards
The ODYSSEY Media Group at Clarke Central High School and BluePrints student media organization at Cedar Shoals High School combined to win more than a dozen All-Georgia (best in the state) awards and notched more than 20 “Superior” ratings for their work during this school year in the 2024 Georgia Scholastic Press Association (GSPA) Awards. The awards were announced Monday, March 25, during the GSPA’s annual Spring Workshop and Awards Ceremony in Athens.
Read more here!
Clarke Central Students
Cedar Shoals Students
Clarke Central FBLA Wins Big at State Conference
The Clarke Central High FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) chapter won multiple awards at the state conference in Atlanta last week. The chapter achieved "Gold" status, meaning it has achieved the highest status. The chapter also won first place for largest increase in chapter membership with 112 more members this year over the previous school year and an award for its Membership REACH campaign.
In addition, faculty advisor Jaclyn Brown was named Regional Advisor of the Year.
Coile FFA Members Win SAE Awards
Congratulations to these Coile Middle FFA chapter students who earned gold and silver emblem awards in the middle school Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) awards program for the north region. They will each be honored at the area FFA banquet in May:
- Taraji Peek - Gold
- Kiersten Scott - Gold
- Mia Ventura-Ortiz - Gold
- Cristina Acevedo - Gold
- Brooklyn Hanson - Gold
- Noah Gamiz-Perez - Silver
- Kamora Ellis - Silver
- Jordan White - Silver.
Sports Updates
Clarke Central Boys' Soccer Team Crowned Region Champs
Congratulations to the Clarke Central High boys' soccer team on winning the GHSA Region 8-AAAAA championship with its victory over Jefferson last week. The undefeated Gladiators were ranked second in the state as of this week and had a record of 13-0-2 heading into their Friday, March 29, match against Winder-Barrow.
BHL Girls' Soccer Wins County Championship
The Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle girls' soccer team defeated Clarke Middle School on Thursday, March 28, to win the 2024 county championship. Congratulations, Lions!
Coile Boys' Soccer Wins County Championship
The Coile Middle boys' soccer team won its seventh consecutive county championship, defeating Clarke Middle on Thursday, March 28. Congratulations, Cougars!
Clarke Central Boys' Tennis Team Claims Region Title
The Clarke Central High boys' tennis team followed up its regular-season GHSA Region 8-AAAAA title by also winning the region tournament this week to claim the No. 1 seed for the region in the upcoming state playoffs.
The Gladiators defeated Loganville 3-1 in the region championship match.
Adapted Football Team Wins First Game
The Classic City Dawgs adapted football team won its inaugural game last weekend, 12-8 over the Atlanta Wolfpack! The team scored a touchdown on the final play of the game to take the lead and has two more games scheduled for April 13 and 27.
The team is still accepting additional players. Participation is free and open to qualified students grades 1-12, both in CCSD and from other school systems and private schools in northeast Georgia. Interested families should contact area coordinator Chris Aiken at aikenc@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Clarke Central's Gillespie Selected to All-State Team Again
Congratulations to Clarke Central High boys' basketball player Marcus Gillespie, who recently earned his second straight GHSA Class 5A first-team All-State selection!
Registration Open for Gladiator Youth Summer Sports Camps
Registration for the 2024 Gladiator Youth Summer Sports Camps at Clarke Central High School is now open! Camps offered include soccer, basketball, baseball, flag football, cheerleading, football, and track and field. Camps are four days each and are half-day in the mornings. The cost is $120 per camp.
Click here for additional information and here to start registering.
Student Opportunities
Registration for CCSD's 21st Century Summer Camps Now Open!
CCSD will host our 2024 summer 21st Century program summer camps for elementary and middle school students this June. The camps are free to attend, and breakfast and lunch will be provided and transportation will be available at no charge.
The elementary camp, open to CCSD students who will be entering grades 2-5, will be held from June 3-18, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily Monday through Thursday of each week. They will include integrated math and English language arts instruction, hands-on projects, field trips, and other engaging and educational activities. The camp locations will be Barnett Shoals Elementary for students who attend east side elementary schools (Barnett Shoals, Fowler Drive, Gaines, Howard B. Stroud, J.J. Harris, Whit Davis, and Winterville) and Timothy Road Elementary for students who attend west side elementary schools (Timothy Road, Barrow, Bettye H. Holston, Cleveland Road, Johnnie Lay Burks, Oglethorpe Avenue, and Whitehead Road). Click HERE to register your child.
The middle school camps, open to CCSD students who will be entering grades 6-8, will be held from June 3-18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily Monday through Thursday of each week. They will include an introduction to middle school for incoming sixth-graders, music education, field trips, and other activities. Register your child HERE. The camps will be held at each of our four middle schools. Current middle school students should sign up for the school they already attend, while rising sixth-graders should sign up for the school they will be zoned for.
See the flyers below for additional information. For questions, please email phillipsa3@clarke.k12.ga.us or call 706-546-7721, Ext. 79413.
Application Fees Waived at Several Colleges in Georgia This Month
March is Apply to College Month in Georgia, and dozens of colleges and universities across the state are waiving their application fees as part of a partnership between the Georgia Student Finance Commission, University System of Georgia, Technical College System of Georgia, and several private colleges and universities. Go to bit.ly/ApplyToCollegeMonthGA for the full list of schools participating!
ACCA to Offer Summer Pathway Camps to Rising Ninth-graders
The Athens Community Career Academy will host free summer enrichment camps in six of the pathways it offers to high school students for rising ninth-graders. The weeklong camps will be held daily at the ACCA campus, 440-1 Dearing Extension, Athens, and are intended to introduce incoming to ninth-graders to pathways they'll be able to apply for and start taking classes in starting in 10th grade.
Camps being offered this summer include:
- Advanced Manufacturing, June 3-6
- Cosmetology Basics, June 3-6
- Culinary Arts, June 3-6
- Healthcare, June 3-6
- Teaching, June 3-6
- Film, June 17-20.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided at no cost, and transportation will also be available. Space is limited. Sign up by April 22 at bit.ly/accasummer9.
Quintet Athens Elementary School Writing Challenge: Your Chid's Writing Could be Set to Music!
Students in grades K-5 are invited to participate in this year's Quintet Athens Story Writing Challenge. Now through April 27, students may submit an original story of up to 500 words using the printable online form linked below. Stories can be any genre as long as they are an original work by the student.
Up to 10 winners will be chosen based on creativity, originality, organization, and use of descriptive language. Winners will be announced on May 1, and their stories will be set to original music compositions by local composers and performed as part of the Quintet Athens Symphonic Story Time: Stories by Classic City Kids event on June 2 at the Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St.
Click here for contest instructions and here for the submission form.
Coile FFA to Hold Spring Plant Fundraiser
The Coile Middle School FFA will host its spring plant sale starting Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and continuing April 15-19 from 4:15-6:15 p.m. daily at the school, located at 110 Old Elberton Rd., Athens.
All plants and vegetables are student-grown and will be $1 apiece. The chapter is steadily adding inventory and posting updates to its Instagram profile.
Calendar and Other Reminders
Calendar Reminders
Click to view the 2023-24 Academic Calendar.
Important dates:
- 4/1 - 4/5: Spring break
- 5/22: Last day of school (High schools will dismiss at 12:45 p.m. on May 21 and 22.
- 5/23: Cedar Shoals High School graduation (9 a.m.) and Classic City High School graduation (5 p.m.)
- 5/24: Clarke Central High School graduation (9 a.m.)
Update or Create Parent Portal Account
Follow these directions for updating the contact information in your Parent Portal account. Don't have an account yet? Follow these directions to set one up. Having a Parent Portal account allows parents and guardians to access attendance records, class schedules, grades, and assignment information for their students. If you already have an account but forgot your password and need a reset, use the links on the login page to reset your password or username or to request help. You may also email campus@clarke.k12.ga.us for additional assistance.
How to Address Questions, Concerns
Have a question or concern that you'd like to address? CCSD has put together a matrix of who to reach out to depending on the situation. Please click here to view this information. You can also go to CCSD's main site at clarke.k12.ga.us, go to the "I Want To" tab at the top of the page, and select “Ask a Question/Submit a Concern.”
Download the Edulog App for Bus Info
Parents/guardians of students who ride a bus to and/or from school can use the Edulog page on the district website or download the Edulog Parent Portal mobile app to find information about their student’s bus.
Breakfast and Lunch Menus
Check out our monthly breakfast and lunch menus and find more school nutrition information here.
Take Advantage of our School-based Health Centers!
- The Clarke Middle Health Center (CMHC) is a free clinic that serves students and staff and is an extension of the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership’s mobile clinic. Click here for hours, contact information, and more.
- The Hilsman Health Center, the first school-based health clinic to open in northeast Georgia, is a partnership between CCSD and the Athens Neighborhood Health Center and is a comprehensive medical office. It is staffed by a nurse practitioner, dentist, and support staff. Click here for a list of services provided, hours, contact information, and more.
Board of Education News
Board Contact Information, Meetings
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, April 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.
Careers at CCSD
Interested in a Career at CCSD?
Community Information and Resources
Library PLAY Card
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.
Teen Newsletter from ACC Library
Click to view the latest ACC Library Teen Newsletter.
211 – Get Connected. Get Help.
Community Food Resources
Search for Jobs in Athens-Clarke County
Website: www.clarke.k12.ga.us
Location: 595 Prince Avenue, Athens, GA, USA
Phone: 706-546-7721
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.