Better Together
News from the Clarke County School District • 4/14/23
Ms. Meyers, who just recently married, is in her third year at Barnett Shoals and was nominated for the amazing work she does every day in growing the school's music program and giving her students many opportunities in and outside of the classroom to gain a deeper love and appreciation of music.
Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker and CCSD Public Relations and Communications staff made the trip over to Barnett Shoals this week to surprise Ms. Meyers with the award. She was also recognized at the Thursday, April 13 Board of Education meeting.
Thank you to all of our community members who continue to nominate so many of our deserving employees for this honor, making the selection process difficult every month! You can get started on nominating a CCSD Employee of the Month here!
New Principal of Hilsman Middle Announced
At its Thursday, April 13 meeting, the Clarke County Board of Education approved the hire of veteran educator Dr. Kenneth Vaughan as the new principal of Hilsman Middle School, effective July 1.
Dr. Vaughan has 20 years of educational experience with time spent in the classroom as well as in various leadership roles. He currently serves as an assistant principal of Benjamin E. Mays High School in Atlanta Public Schools, a position he has held since 2021. He also previously spent time in CCSD as assistant principal of Alps Road Elementary from 2010-2013.
Click here to read more.
REMINDER: Attend a Strategic Plan Listening Session!
CCSD is partnering with The Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) to support the development of a new five-year strategic plan for our district and schools and will start with four public listening sessions (Sunday, April 16 through Wednesday, April 19) to gather input from the community.
See the schedule listed above. Updates on the Strategic Plan process will be posted here.
LSGT Elections Start Next Week
Click here for more information.
Five CCSD Students Named Governor's Honors Finalists
GHP is a residential summer program for gifted and talented high school students. The program offers instruction that is different from the typical high school classroom and is designed to provide students with enrichment in their area of talent so that they can become the next generation of global critical thinkers, innovators, and leaders. This year's program will take place at Georgia Southern University from June 18 to July 15.
Congratulations to these students for this exceptional accomplishment:
- Sekou Sesay, Clarke Central, finalist in Visual Arts
- Anna Shaikun, Clarke Central, finalist in Communicative Arts
- Max van Wagtendonk, Clarke Central, finalist in Engineering–Mechanical Design
- Eva Lucero, Cedar Shoals, finalist in Visual Arts
- Delia McElhannon, Cedar Shoals, finalist in Agricultural Research, Biotechnology, and Science
- Isabelle Duncan, Clarke Central, alternate in Dance
- Will Simpson, Clarke Central, alternate in Engineering–Programming.
Also, a special thank-you to Jodi Bogla at Clarke Central and Stephen Castile at Cedar Shoals for their work in coaching these students through the intensive GHP application and interview process.
Clarke Central GHP finalists and alternates
Cedar Shoals GHP finalists
CCSD Students Win Honors at State Science and Engineering Fair
Congratulations to Clarke Middle student Kate Hinger, who received First Honors for her project, "Horse Hydration Helper!" First Honors go to projects with total scores ranking approximately at
or above the 90th percentile based on overall scores, regardless of category. Kate also was named a winner of the IEEE Atlanta Section Awards and a nominee for the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge competition.
In addition, Hilsman Middle students Savannah Rawls and Caitlin Smith were announced as nominees for the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge competition and received Second Honors for their project, "Are Air Purifiers Effective and Worth the Money?" Second Honors go to students whose projects rank in the 80th to 90th percentiles.
Clarke Middle students Bram Cohen and Patrick Coverdill also received Second Honors for their project, "River Water Quality."
Read more about the state competition here.
Cedar Shoals Journalism Adviser Wins State Award
Congratulations to Mr. Marc Ginsberg, faculty adviser for Cedar Shoals High's BluePrints Magazine and WJAG-TV, for winning the 2023 Georgia Scholastic Press Association Adviser of the Year award!
The award recognizes a journalism teacher who goes beyond the “call of duty” in supporting his or her staff.
Read the full article here!
High School Immunization Reminder
This is a reminder that if your student, in grades 9-12, is not up to date with their immunizations, they could be at risk of withdrawal from CCSD. This includes any student who is at least 16 years old and missing their meningitis immunization. Please note that all students need one additional vaccine after they turn 16 years old.
Your student may not be able to attend classes if all immunizations are not brought up to date by Monday, May 8.
If your student is currently not up-to-date with all required immunizations, please have them updated and provide proof of updated immunizations to your school nurse. Click here for a list of required vaccinations.
Please contact your primary care provider, the Clarke County Health Department at 706-389-6921, or the Hilsman Health Center at 706-546-7463 to make an appointment for your student's needed immunizations.
ACCA to Offer Career Pathway Summer Programs for Rising Ninth-graders
The Athens Community Career Academy will be offering summer programs for rising ninth-graders in June! There are five different career pathway programs to choose from, and all of them will offer fun hands-on activities intended to introduce students to the high school-level pathways that they can take beginning in the 10th grade at ACCA.
The summer programs are free to attend, and breakfast, lunch, and transportation are provided! There is limited space, so the deadline to apply is Friday, April 21. Click here to get started.
Program Descriptions and Dates:
- Teaching (June 5-8) - Do you want to get experience teaching and working with children? In the Teaching as a Profession summer program, you will learn how teachers handle classroom management and develop fun, engaging activities for students.
- Cosmetology (June 5-8) - Do you like to style hair? Do you want to learn more about cosmetology? Come to our summer program, and learn the basics of cosmetology in our state-of-the-art lab!
- Film (June 12-15) - Lights, camera, action! Want to learn scriptwriting, operate a camera, direct, and much more? If so, sign up for the ACCA Summer film basics with the award-winning independent film producer and ACCA film instructor, Mr. Michael Bosby!
- Healthcare (June 12-15) - Come learn about careers in health care and key body systems, and perform hands-on experiments. Utilize some "tools of the trade," and learn how to take vital signs, including heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and respiratory rate.
- Advanced Manufacturing (June 19-22) - Do you like building and designing? Come to our summer introduction class, and learn the basics of woodworking, 3D printing, metalworking, and robotics.
Family and Community Engagement Updates
Join us for Family Fun Day on April 22
The event is perfect for families and children of all ages. Enjoy a variety of activities, including face painting and balloon animals, as well as food and music. This is a great opportunity to connect with other families in the community and engage with local organizations offering information and resources.
The event is also a great opportunity for nonprofits and community agencies to showcase their organizations, interact with members of the community, and provide information about your programs and services. If you are interested in reserving a spot at the event, please fill out this form.
School Safety Forum Held at H.B. Stroud Elementary
The event was organized by Stroud community school organizer Lolita Bryant-Moye, family engagement specialist Jennifer Appling, and school social worker Angela Gay.
Calendar Reminders
Click to view the 2022-23 Academic Calendar. Important dates:
- 5/24: Last day of school
How to Address Questions, Concerns
We Want You On Our Team!
Sign on as a Substitute Teacher or Paraprofessional in Athens! Lend your passion and talents to the students and staff here at CCSD. Daily pay increases and monthly bonuses! Click here to learn more or call ESS at 877-983-2244.
Interested in a Career at CCSD?
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: Next regular meeting is Thursday, May 11, at 6 p.m. (in-person and broadcast on the CCSD YouTube channel).
- 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 regular BOE meeting.
- Review Policies for Review: View and comment on district policies pending public review.
Georgia Museum of Art Presents Teen Studio: Art is a Form of Freedom
The Georgia Museum of Art, 90 Carlton St., Athens, will host Teen Studio: Art is a Form of Freedom from 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, April 20.
This program is free and includes a pizza dinner from DePalma’s Italian Cafe. Seats are limited; email gmoa-tours@uga.edu to register.
211 – Get Connected. Get Help.
Community Food Resources
Search for Jobs in Athens-Clarke County
Teen Newsletter from ACC Library
Library PLAY Card
Clarke County School District
Website: www.clarke.k12.ga.us
Location: 595 Prince Avenue, Athens, GA, USA
Phone: 706-546-7721
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClarkeCoSchools