Better Together
7/28/23 • News from the Clarke County School District
School Starts Next Week!
Reminder: Check out our Back to School Guide
We are excited to welcome our students back to school Wednesday, Aug. 2!
In case you missed it earlier this month, be sure to check out our 2023-24 Back to School Guide, filled with information on student registration, open-house dates for each school, uniform/dress code requirements, school supplies, bus routes, school nutrition, school dates and times, and more.
2023 FFE Teaching, Staff Awards Announced!
Foundation Awards $15K to 14 Teachers, Staff Members across District
The Foundation for Excellence (FFE) in Public Education in Clarke County announced on Thursday, July 27, the winners of its 2023 teaching and staff awards, awarding a combined total of approximately $15,000 to 14 teachers and staff members across CCSD.
FFE trustees traveled across the district to surprise teachers and staff members with the grants, many of whom were on their first day back from summer break for the start of pre-planning. Read more here, and see more photos here!
Student Spotlight: Freshmen Transition Camps
Incoming ninth-graders at Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools had a chance to participate in one-day freshman transition camps this week, organized by Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central family engagement specialists Courtni Reese and Christian Barner. Members of the Class of 2027 toured their respective campuses and heard from their teachers and older students about the expectations and opportunities in high school.
Staff Spotlight: New Teacher Orientation
CCSD officially welcomed more than 200 teachers to the team on Tuesday, July 25, during the New Teacher Orientation event at Cedar Shoals High. Teachers heard from district administrative leaders, got an overview of the district and its instructional goals and strategies, and were given the foundation for gaining a deeper understanding of the Athens-Clarke County community and the student population they will be serving. See more photos here!
Registration Reminders
We are now in the final days of registration before school starts, so please come by the District Office at 595 Prince Ave. if you still need to register or your address has changed to a different school zone. Registration is temporarily being held in the recreation center on the District Office campus across the parking lot from the main building and is open Monday-Thursday from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
As a reminder, parents/guardians of new CCSD students or students returning to CCSD from another school district must register their student for them to be able to attend school. Parents of students who are enrolled but have recently moved out of their previous school zone must also come to the District Office campus to file the change of address with the district to ensure the student will be enrolled in the correct school on the first day of classes. If your student is continuing in CCSD from the 2022-23 school year and your address has not changed out of zone, you do not need to register.
Click here for more information on registration requirements — including the online *pre-visit* application and the list of documents you will need to bring with you to the District Office to complete the registration process.
Transportation Updates
Need Bus Route Info? Download the Edulog App!
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.
The app provides the latest information on the planned time and location of the student’s assigned bus stop for the school year. You can also make stop and change requests directly in the app. Click here for more information. Please make sure your student is assigned to a bus for this school year before downloading the app.
Questions? Contact the CCSD Transportation Department office at 706-548-6971 anytime Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
New Route Number System
Starting this school year, CCSD Transportation will have a route number rather than a bus number system for students to identify their bus. Signs will be displayed on the bus as shown in the example in the photo.
Nominate a CCSD Employee of the Month!
Parents/guardians, staff, students, and community members can nominate any employee. Each month during the school year, the selection committee will award a winner, who will be recognized at the monthly Board of Education meeting. The first winner of this school year will be recognized at the board's Sept. 14 meeting.
The Employee of the Month program is supported by the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and numerous local businesses. Click here to get started on your nomination, or fill out the form directly below!
Calendar and Other Reminders
Calendar Reminders
Click to view the 2023-24 Academic Calendar.
Important dates:
- 8/2: First day of school
- 9/4: Student and staff holiday (Labor Day)
- 9/5: Student holiday (district professional learning day)
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.”
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, August 10, 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
Georgia Museum of Art Monthly Family Day Schedule
The Georgia Museum of Art, located at 90 Carlton St., Athens, will host its next free monthly Family Day event Saturday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to noon. See the schedule for the next six months below, and learn more about the August event here.
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.
Discounted Internet Service Available for CCSD Families
Families of CCSD students may be eligible to receive free or discounted internet service under the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), provided by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The ACP provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households. The benefit also provides up to a $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase through a participating broadband provider.
Because CCSD participates in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), all families with children enrolled for the 2023-24 school year are eligible.
Click here for more information on eligibility and steps for applying for discounted Internet service.
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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.