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Better Together
2/23/24 • News from the Clarke County School District
![Better Together 2/23/24 • News from the Clarke County School District](https://cdn.smore.com/u/29c9/501b7ff87117285689b519663781c2fc.jpg)
Scenes around CCSD
Black History Month Celebrations Continue
Students in Stephanie Clair's kindergarten class at Holston Elementary celebrated Black History Month this week with none other than the school's namesake, Bettye Henderson Holston! Mrs. Holston, one of the great pioneers of the integration of the CCSD teaching staff in the 1960s, talked to the students about her love of gardening, farmers' markets, and reading and read them a book about the childhood of the late world-renowned chef, Edna Lewis. Mrs. Holston and several other community members visited the school to read books by African American authors to students. Be sure to follow us and our schools on social media for more photos of Black History Month festivities!
Rockets and History
Students in Dawn Phillips' science class at Winterville Elementary learned about Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to travel into space, and experimented with air pressure to help them "launch" paper rockets. Students also linked the activity to their Wit and Wisdom curriculum learning through an analysis of how Jemison's life connected to other historical figures they've been reading about and how her life was impacted by injustices prior to the civil rights movement.
A Special Episode of 'Studio 595'
Check out the video below for a brand-new special "solo" edition of CCSD's Studio 595 podcast. In this episode, Producer Alex highlights the names of some of our school buildings in recognition of Black History Month. Also, watch a special presentation courtesy of the Athens Community Career Academy. All of this and our regular district and pop culture updates on this episode of Studio 595!
Take the Georgia Parent Survey from GaDOE
This year, the Georgia Department of Education has mandated that schools administer the 2023-24 Student Health Survey to all students grades 3-12 and is also inviting school personnel and parents/guardians of students to complete versions of the survey.
The Georgia Parent Survey (available in English and Spanish) was developed to measure parent perceptions of school climate at your child’s school. Survey responses are confidential and will be combined with the survey responses of other parents/guardians at your child's school to identify areas in need of improvement. All survey data from students, staff, and families will be used by GaDOE to calculate School Climate Star Ratings for the 2024-25 school year.
If you haven't already done so, please consider taking the survey by Friday, March 1, by clicking here or the button below. The survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Thank you for your time and participation!
Register for the CCSD Educator Career Fair
Interested in or pursuing a career in teaching or know anyone who is? CCSD will host an educator career fair on Saturday, March 2, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Clarke Central High School, 350 South Milledge Ave., Athens. The fair will be the perfect opportunity to speak with many of our current teachers and principals to understand in detail about their school and the positions they are hiring for. At the event, you may be invited to interview with school teams and potentially offered a teaching position on the spot. Representatives from CCSD's Human Resources Division will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have.
Space is limited, so register today here to secure your spot! And check out the video below highlighting some of our educators and why they enjoy being a part of the CCSD team!
Student and Staff Spotlights
Coile FFA Chapter Awarded Another 'Living to Serve' Grant
Congratulations to the Coile Middle School FFA chapter and faculty advisor Chasity Tompkins, who have been awarded another $1,200 "Living to Serve" grant by the National FFA and achieved the rare honor of winning two such grants in the same school year!
The chapter will use the spring semester grant funds to grow their poultry science program with quail. Students will be able to care for the birds, and meat and eggs will be offered to the community once the operation gets up and running.
The Coile chapter was awarded a $1,200 Living to Serve Grant last semester, and members and chapter officers used funds from that grant to build raised plant beds at the Avery Place assisted living facility in Winterville. The chapter has been invited by the National FFA to give a live, on-stage presentation about that project at the National FFA Convention this October.
"It is very uncommon for the same program to be awarded this huge honor twice in a school year," said Ms. Tompkins. "I am so thankful to work at a school district that supports Ag Ed (and CTAE), at a school that supports our program, and with students whose leadership is unmatched. Agriculture is my passion. Students make teaching it fun, and (the district and community) make it possible."
Hilsman Student Council, Advisor Win Big at State Convention
Hilsman Middle's Student Council has been recognized as a leading council at the state level in recent years and had a strong showing again this week at the Georgia Association of Student Councils (GASC) state convention. Lead advisor Barbara Gaertig won the coveted Advisor of the Year award, and Hilsman, as a school, won the highest convention honor. The Quenzer Loving Cup is awarded for years of dedicated service going above and beyond for one's school, community, and GASC. It recognizes a council or individuals who exemplify leadership and service.
"(The award) very rarely goes to a school, so this was really special and amazing!" said Joshua Truitt, a sixth-grade science teacher at Hilsman who assists with advising the Student Council. "We’re very proud of our Student Council and especially Ms. Gaertig!"
In addition, Mr. Truitt was elected to the GASC Board of Directors at the convention.
Celebrating Scholastic Journalism Week
This week, CCSD joins other school districts across the state and country in celebrating Scholastic Journalism Week. The Journalism Education Association has been supporting scholastic journalism for a century with resources and educational opportunities. Here at CCSD, we want to give a shoutout to our two main student media organizations at our high schools — the ODYSSEY Media Group at Clarke Central and BluePrints Magazine at Cedar Shoals! Click on the links to explore more coverage of their school communities.
Clarke Central Boys' Basketball Team Wins Region Title, Honors
Congratulations to the Clarke Central High boys' basketball team for pulling out an upset victory over Winder-Barrow last weekend to win the GHSA Region 8-AAAAA championship tournament! Although the Gladiators' season came to a disappointing end earlier this week in a state playoff loss to Jackson High School of Atlanta, the Gladiators had a terrific season.
Junior Marcus Gillespie earned Region Player of the Year honors, while head coach Stefan Smith was named Coach of the Year. In addition, senior La'Neric Gill was named to the boys' All-Region First Team, and Clarke Central sophomore Alexandra Ozuna was named to the girls' All-Region First Team.
(Photo above courtesy of DSI Photography)
Family Reminders
Provide Your Feedback on Proposed 2024-25 Code of Student Conduct
In January, CCSD received feedback from students, staff, families, and other community stakeholders on the district's current Code of Student Conduct and utilized it in the development of a proposed Code of Student Conduct for the 2024-25 school year to take to the Board of Education for a vote.
The district is now inviting the community to review the proposed Code of Student Conduct for 2024-25 (Spanish version begins on page 35) and provide feedback through this form (available in English and Spanish) by Friday, March 1, before the Board of Education holds a final vote on adoption of the code at its meeting on March 21.
For questions or more information about the CCSD Code of Student Conduct, please contact Jabari Cobb, Director of Behavior Support and Discipline, at cobbja@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Sign Up Now for CCSD Adapted Sports League!
CCSD is now ready to start its own adapted sports program for students grades 1-12! The district now has all the new sport wheelchairs, Adidas jerseys, and equipment necessary to begin full participation. The adapted football season will start next month, and practices are only once a week. The whole season is only three games total, and participation is free!
Families interested in signing their student up are asked to complete this short form (available in English and Spanish).
Click here for additional information about the adapted sports programming or contact Chris Aiken, the district’s area coordinator, at aikenc@clarke.k12.ga.us.
CCSD Transition Fair Set for March 22
CCSD's Special Education Department will host a spring Transition Fair on Friday, March 22, to help connect students with disabilities and their families with community resources and information about post-secondary opportunities.
The fair will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave. Click here to RSVP! See the flyer below for more information and direct questions to Liza Burnsed, CCSD Transition Specialist, at burnsedl@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Calendar and Other Reminders
Calendar Reminders
Click to view the 2023-24 Academic Calendar.
Important dates:
- 3/11 - 3/14: PK-8 conference week
- 3/13: Early dismissal for all CCSD schools (Elementary, 12:20 p.m.; middle/high, 1:30 p.m.)
- 3/14: Student holiday
- 3/15: Student/school staff holiday
- 4/1 - 4/5: Spring break
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, March 21, 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
Youth Empowerment Summit and Other Events at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens will be incorporating programming from Youth Empowerment Summit, a program that focuses on youth empowerment, positive engagement, cultural connections, job opportunities, and other youth activities.
On Saturday, Feb. 24, the Joel E. Smilow Club in Athens, 705 4th St., will host an introduction event to the program from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is free and open to the community. Food, activities, and prizes for students in attendance will be included. The club plans to host a monthly event in connection with the program.
In addition, the Joel E. Smilow Club and the H.T. Edwards Club, 440 Dearing Ext., offer youth programming on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and are starting a teen basketball league this spring. See the flyers below for more information.
UGA to Host Creative Explorers Summer Camp
The Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development in the University of Georgia Mary Frances Early College of Education will host Creative Explorers, a six-week summer camp series for rising third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students – starting the week of June 3-7 and ending the week of July 22-26. There will be a different domain covered each week, and you can sign your child up for one or multiple weeks.
Program fees are $400 per week with $350 per week pricing through March 15. Needs-based scholarships are available. See the flyer below or click here for more information about the program. For other questions, email kids@uga.edu.
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.
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.