Better Together

Schools across CCSD have been celebrating Red Ribbon Week, the nation's largest drug-prevention campaign, with themed days – including Silly Hat and Crazy Hair Day at Timothy Road Elementary (pictured above). Be sure to follow all of our schools on social media for more photos from throughout the week!

CCSD has announced Ms. Jakelyn Spencer of Cleveland Road Elementary as its 2023-24 Teacher of the Year and Ms. Lauren Cunningham of Howard B. Stroud Elementary as its 2023-24 Support Person of the Year!

The winners were announced Tuesday, Oct. 24, during the CCSD Teacher of the Year/Support Person of the Year awards banquet at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. In total, 48 people — building-level winners from each of CCSD’s 21 schools (14 elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools), Early Learning Center East and West locations, and the Athens Community Career Academy — were celebrated at the banquet by the district in partnership with the Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County and Georgia United Credit Union.

Click here to read the full press release and here to see more photos from the awards banquet!

CCSD will begin offering adapted sports programming to eligible students, starting with wheelchair basketball later this year and expanding to football and handball in 2024.

The district has joined the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, Inc. (AAASP), which is collaborating with the Georgia Department of Education to provide access to interscholastic athletics to students with physical disabilities or sensory impairments. The 2023 Georgia A.S.P.I.R.E. inception grant offers assistance to Georgia school districts and their partnering agencies who demonstrate a desire and commitment to implement adapted sports programming in their local communities. The $30,500 grant will help purchase new equipment for the implementation of the programming.

In the first year of implementation, CCSD plans to offer wheelchair basketball, football, and handball with one districtwide co-ed team per sport for all eligible male and female students in grades 6-12.

Click here to read the full press release and see the flyer below for additional information!

Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker has designated Tuesday, Oct. 31, as CCSD Pink Out Day in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We encourage you to send your student to school wearing pink, whether it be clothing items or accessories. Please feel free to tag any CCSD (@ClarkeCoSchools) in social media posts with the hashtag #CCSDPinkOut23!

CCSD will hold a community resource fair on Thursday, Nov. 2, from 6-8 p.m. at the Rocksprings Community Center, 285 Rocksprings Ct., Athens, and encourages residents from Rocksprings and other area neighborhoods to attend.

Principals and counselors from Bettye Henderson Holston (formerly Alps Road) and Johnnie Lay Burks (formerly Chase Street) elementary schools, Clarke Middle School, and Clarke Central High School will be on hand to answer questions about students’ credit-earning process, scheduling, attendance, and other topics of concern to caregivers.

Representatives from the Clarke Middle Health Center and the CCSD offices of special education and social work services will also be present to provide information and answer questions, and families will be able to get help with updating their contact information in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal and get tips for navigating this important tool.

CCSD Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker and Athens Housing Authority CEO Connie Staudinger will also be on hand to answer questions.

Food will be provided for the public at the event. We'll see you there!

CCSD looks forward to celebrating with the community on Friday, Nov. 3, as we hold official renaming ceremonies for Bettye Henderson Holston (formerly Alps Road) and Johnnie Lay Burks (formerly Chase Street) elementary schools.

The Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at the school, 757 North Chase St., while the Bettye Henderson Holston Elementary ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. at that school, 205 Alps Rd. The public is invited to both events. Be on the lookout next week for more details!

Our Employee of the Month program, sponsored by the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and local businesses, recognizes and rewards staff members for their service and dedication to CCSD students and families.

Any member of the CCSD community (parent, staff member, student, community member) may nominate any full-time CCSD employee who has been with the district at least one year for the award. Winners for each month are recognized at the monthly Board of Education meeting.

Get your nomination in by Oct. 31 for your nominee to be considered for the November Employee of the Month award. Click here for more information and to get started!

The first week of the CCSD Elementary Basketball League season is in the books, and action resumes next week!

The league is part of CCSD's Athens Youth Development Initiative, which is intended to increase and expand access to opportunities for the youth of Athens-Clarke County to participate in positive, structured youth sports programming.

Throughout the six-week basketball season, games will be held twice a week in the recreation center at the District Office campus (595 Prince Ave., Athens) as well as the gymnasiums at Oglethorpe Avenue and Whitehead Road elementary schools. Admission to the regular season games is free.

Click here or open the PDF attachment below to see the full season schedule and follow the Athens Youth Development Initiative Facebook page for game times and schedule updates.

Pictured is Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary principal and boys' coach O'Marr Curry giving his team a pep talk during a timeout.

Last weekend, the Cedar Shoals Classic City Sound Marching Band took part in the Lake Hartwell Marching Festival and Competition, where the drum majors earned a Superior rating (the highest rating) and placed second in their class out of six bands. The Color Guard, Percussion, and band as a whole all earned Excellent ratings (the second highest rating).

Meanwhile, the Clarke Central Gladiator Marching Band participated in the 25th annual Heart of Georgia Marching Band Invitational at Warner Robins High School and earned Superior ratings in Music Performance, Visual Performance, Percussion, and Color Guard while finishing third place overall out of 10 bands in their class.

Congratulations to all of these students whose hard work throughout marching band season — from summer practice to fall competition season — has paid off in a big way!

Congratulations to Hilsman Middle School eighth-grade math teacher Conor Naughton, who was awarded the Georgia Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (GACTE) Mentor Teacher Award for the Athens P20 region! Only nine of these awards are given across the state each year to recognize mentor teachers who help grow the next generation of teachers.

The awards banquet to honor these mentors was held Thursday, Oct. 26, in Peachtree City. Mr. Naughton is pictured speaking at the Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County (FFE) annual awards reception earlier this month when he accepted the Cardee Kilpatrick Chair for Middle School Teachers Award.

Congratulations to Kelsie Walker from the Cedar Shoals High School Special Education Department and Gaines Elementary School behavior interventionist Mark Reid for being the recipients of this year's June Baldwin Turnell Aspiring Teacher grants from the Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County.

Named for the former longtime CCSD teacher and administrator, the $500 grant is presented yearly to a non-certified CCSD staff member seeking initial teaching certification. FFE Executive Director Catherine Neace and Dr. Selena Blankenship, CCSD's Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, surprised Ms. Walker and Mr. Reid at their schools with the grant awards.

The Clarke County Agricultural Education Mixed Vegetable Box Fundraiser is now open and runs through Nov. 10. Support the ag programs at Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools and Burney-Harris-Lyons, Clarke, Coile, and Hilsman middle schools by purchasing a 20-pound box of fresh vegetables for $30. Boxes will be delivered to Clarke Central for pickup on Nov. 15. You also have the option to donate to the Athens Area Community Foundation with your purchase.

Click here for more details.

Want to go ahead and plan for your Christmas tree and decorations a little early? Check out the annual Clarke Central Baseball Christmas Tree and Greenery Sale! Now through Oct. 31, place your order and members of the baseball team will deliver your tree to your home (Athens area) for free on Sunday, Nov. 26.

The trees are Fraser Firs, and sizes range from 5 to 11 feet tall. Wreaths (ranging in size from 16 to 32 inches) are also available, and you can also purchase 25 feet or 75 feet of Fraser Fir or White Pine garland.

Proceeds will benefit the CCHS baseball team, and 20% of the money raised will go toward an indoor batting cage for both the baseball and softball programs.

Click here to order with a credit card or check or through Venmo. To order with cash, or for questions regarding the sale, email cchsbaseballtreesale@gmail.com.

Be sure to tune into the CCSD YouTube channel at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, for a special Halloween of the Studio 595 podcast with co-hosts and CCSD communications interns Owen Anderson and Jules Staton, along with "Producer Alex" Marchante, CCSD's Digital Communications Specialist.

This month, the CCSD Wellness Collaborative is focusing on occupational and environmental wellness in the community.

The Wellness Collaborative Committee chose this focus because October marks the beginning of open enrollment for 2024 health benefits for our district staff and many other employers. These benefits provide staff with many tools to support their family’s well-being. We understand this is a resource for one part of our community and would like to highlight how our communities and environments (especially where we work) can impact our wellness.

Click here for more information and resources!

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, Nov. 9, 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.

Public Input Sought on Growth Concept Plan

ACCGov has begun a series of public input events as part of the Planning Department’s efforts to update Athens-Clarke County’s Growth Concept Plan. Scheduled events will take take place through the end of October.

Residents will have multiple opportunities to share input through a variety of events including interactive group meetings, neighborhood walks, bus tours, and booths at various community events. A public input flyer, online calendar, and map with engagement locations are available at www.accgov.com/compplan.

Downtown Parade of Lights Applications Open

The county Leisure Services Department is now accepting applications for the 2023 Athens-Clarke County Downtown Parade of Lights. The parade will be held Thursday, Dec. 7, starting at 7 p.m., and the deadline for entry applications and payment is Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. The theme is "An Art Filled Holiday."

Online applications may be completed and submitted at www.accgov.com/parade. Late applications will not be accepted. The parade application fee is $40, and payment can be made online or by check payable to "Athens-Clarke County." A parade map is available at www.accgov.com/parade.

Questions? Call 706-613-3800 or email paradeoflights@accgov.com.

The Clarke County Sheriff's Office will host its annual "Trick or Treat" Fall Festival from 5-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at the Sheriff's Office Training Center, 2900 County Farm Rd.

The event will include games, hot dogs, trick-or-treating, face-painting, hay rides, a haunted house, and other activities. The event is free and open to the public, but attendees are asked to bring a canned good to donate to local organizations.

Overflow parking and shuttle service will be available at the Athens-Clarke County Tag Office and Jail, 3015 Lexington Rd.

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department invites the community to its "Scare-A-Bration" event Oct. 28-30. The event will feature a Haunted House Oct. 28-30 and a Trunk or Treat on Oct. 30, both at the ACCPD headquarters, 3035 Lexington Rd. at Jail Road.

Click here for more information on the Haunted House, including times and age recommendations for each time slot. Please note: For those with photosensitivity issues, the Haunted House display will include flashing/strobing lights and loud noises. The cost to attend the Haunted House is free, but ACCPD does recommend bringing canned goods for the department to donate to local food banks and nonprofits.

The Trunk or Treat event is also free and will be held from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 30 and will include games, treats, and prizes.

Other agencies participating in the "Scare-A-Bration" event include the University of Georgia Police Department, National EMS, The Cottage, and the Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office.

Join the Georgia Museum of Art, 90 Carlton St., Athens, from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, to celebrate the museum’s 75th anniversary with a Family Day for all ages as part of UGA's Spotlight on the Arts. The event will feature art activities, prizes, a photo booth, light refreshments, and more.

Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. Register to attend the event here to help event organizers plan for how much cake to order.