Better Together
1/26/24 • News from the Clarke County School District
Students Learn about Opportunities at ACCA
The Athens Community Career Academy held future student fairs at Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools over the past week, where students had the opportunity to learn about the various high school and college career pathway courses offered at ACCA, including the new Biotechnology and Firefighter/EMT pathways set to debut next school year! The pathways offered at ACCA emphasize the local job market within Athens and the surrounding area and provide students an opportunity to gain expertise, certifications, and other credentials that open doors to starting internships and careers while not having to look far for employers. Students who will be in grades 10-12 next school year and are interested in taking courses at ACCA can go to bit.ly/accaapp to apply!
Mayor Girtz Visits with TRES Students
Timothy Road Elementary second-graders have been learning about government and this week were treated to a visit from Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz. Mayor Girtz talked to the students about his job and role in the community, answered their questions about the good things that are happening in Athens and things that can be improved upon, and presented certificates to students who elected president of their respective homeroom classes. Check out more photos here!
ACCA Student-led Venture to Offer Catering, Group Lunches, Special Events This Semester
CCSD and the Athens Community Career Academy are pleased to announce the opening of the Yellow Jacket Bistro inside the ACCA building, 440-1 Dearing Ext., Athens! Named for the mascot of the former Athens High and Industrial School, Georgia’s first public four-year high school for African American students, the bistro is a student-led enterprise and features meals prepared and served to the public by ACCA culinary students under the direction of instructor Chef Amee Williams.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 30-seat bistro and accompanying state-of-the-art culinary lab and kitchen was held Friday, Jan. 19. View more photos here!
This spring semester, the bistro will be open to the public for catering, business or group lunches/brunches in the dining area on Fridays, and special events which will be announced through a digital newsletter that will be distributed to community members who sign up to receive updates. Any businesses or organizations that are interested in booking a group lunch/brunch or ordering catering services from the bistro as well as any community members who want to receive news updates and information about planned special events should go to bit.ly/yjnewsletter and complete the form.
January is National Mentoring Month, and we are asking you, community members, to become a mentor today to a CCSD student through the Clarke County Mentor Program! Serve as a role model and friend to your mentee with weekly visits at school, encourage positive choices, promote high self-esteem, and support their academic achievement. Build connections and make an everlasting difference in our community. The time is now!.
Learn more about becoming a mentor and supporting the Clarke County Mentor Program at clarkecountymentorprogram.org.
CCSD has accepted the resignation of Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary principal Tracy Neal, effective Jan. 31, as she has accepted a position with another school district. We want to thank Ms. Neal for her service to CCSD and the Burks community over the last three years and wish her well as she begins the next chapter of her career.
Burks assistant principal Matthew Snow has been appointed interim principal, and instructional coach Dr. Magen Watkins has been appointed as interim assistant principal during this transition period while the district office and Burks local school governance team begin the search process for the most qualified candidate to become the school’s next principal.
You can read more about Mr. Snow and Dr. Watkins here.
Clarke Middle's Jaumot-Ramos Wins District Spelling Bee
Congratulations to Gala Jaumot-Ramos, eighth-grader at Clarke Middle, who won the CCSD Spelling Bee this week and will represent the district in the Georgia Association of Educators Region Bee at Putnam County Middle School next month!
Gala prevailed over school champions from each of CCSD's elementary and middle schools in a terrific bee that lasted more than a dozen rounds. Congratulations Coile Middle seventh-grader Lizbeth Castro for finishing as the runner-up and to the other 16 competitors for a great performance. In case you missed the live stream of the bee, you can view it here and check out more photos here!
Cedar Shoals Student Qualifies for State SkillsUSA Competition
Congratulations to Cedar Shoals High School senior Neil Register, who placed third in the automotive competition at the regional SkillsUSA Competition last week! The competition was held at North Georgia Technical College in Clarkesville and featured competitors from 24 high schools in northeast Georgia.
Neil will compete next month at the state competition in Atlanta.
Clarke Central Swimmers Qualify for State Meet
Congratulations to the Clarke Central High girls swimming team for placing second in the area championship meet last weekend! Several swimmers also qualified for the upcoming GHSA state meet, which will be held Feb. 7 and 9-10 at Georgia Tech. Janie Ripps, Charlotte Foggin, Isabella Nelson, and Finley Freeman qualified in the 200M Freestyle Relay, while Ripps, Foggin, and Freeman were joined by Niles Flath in qualifying for the 400M Freestyle Relay. Thomas Brown from the Clarke Central boys' team also qualified individually in the 200M Individual Medley.
Peach State Federal Credit Union Scholarship Available to Graduating Seniors
Peach State Federal Credit Union is awarding scholarships to graduating high school seniors throughout the state this year, including the Pomeroy Woods Student Scholarship in Clarke County in the amount of $3,000. Two scholarships will be awarded to CCSD seniors, and they will be based on financial need, academic credentials, and a demonstrated commitment to community service.
Apply here by Thursday, Feb. 29, at 6 p.m. to be considered.
Apply for UGA Young Scholars Program
The Young Scholars Program at the University of Georgia is a paid, five-week summer internship opportunity for high school students interested in agricultural, food, and environmental sciences.
YSP aims to expose selected students to college life and encourage them to apply to the University of Georgia. Selected students work 30 hours per week, Monday through Friday, actively engaged in research under the guidance of a faculty mentor on the UGA campus. Young Scholars will be sent home on weekends and on the Juneteenth and Fourth of July holidays.
Learn more about this program by watching this video and viewing this presentation. Apply by Jan. 31 on the Young Scholars website here.
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 Jan. 31 for your nominee to be considered for the February Employee of the Month award. Click here for more information and to get started!
CCSD currently has two school-based health centers for all CCSD students, staff, and families — the Clarke Middle Health Center and the Hilsman Health Center — and is considering opening clinics at Coile Middle School and on the H.T. Edwards Campus, which includes Classic City High School, the Athens Community Career Academy, and Early Learning Center West.
We would like your help in better understanding our students' and staff's healthcare needs and asks you to complete this brief survey. The survey is available in English and Spanish. Click on the dropdown menu above the introductory text on the screen to select your preferred language. Thank you for taking a moment to share your perspective on this important topic.
Calendar Reminders
Click to view the 2023-24 Academic Calendar.
Important dates:
- 2/12 - 2/15: High school conference week (High school students dismiss at 12:45 p.m. on 2/13 and 2/14, asynchronous learning day on 2/15.)
- 2/16, 2/19: Student and school staff holidays (District Office open)
- 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 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, Feb. 8, 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.
Spring Baseball, Softball Registration Open for Athens, East Athens Little League
Registration for the spring baseball and softball seasons of both Athens Little League and East Athens Little League is open.
Athens Little League player evaluations will be Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 3-4, and East Athens Little League player evaluations will be Feb. 6. All players in both leagues make a team, and financial assistance is available for those who need help with the registration fees. Visit both leagues' Facebook pages and websites for more information and to register. Registration is open through the end of evaluations, but families are encouraged to sign up now to receive more information about evaluations and league schedules.
Not sure which league you should be signing your child up for? Visit this link to find your league.
Spring Registration Open for Free Kilometer Kids Running Program
Registration is now open for the spring session of Kilometer Kids, a free, 10-week, game-based running program for children grades K-5 designed to teach them about goal setting, healthy habits, respect, and community building, all through exposing them to the sport of running. There is no cost to participate, and all elementary school students are welcome regardless of running ability or experience.
Sessions will be held every Thursday — starting Feb. 29 — from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on softball field #2 at Bishop Park in Athens. Click here to register and for more information. The team name is Athens Kilometer Kids. For further questions, email kilometerkids@atlantatrackclub.org.
Teen Newsletter from ACC Library
Click to view the latest ACC Library Teen Newsletter.
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.
