One Athens Connects
September 2022
September 2022
We have had a great start to the 2022-23 school year! We are blessed to welcome over 4,800 students back to school. Our schools are buzzing with excitement, and we have athletic events to entertain everyone. Click HERE to see upcoming sporting events, and come out and support our Golden Eagles!
Having parents and community members involved in our schools is crucial, and we have missed this over the past two years. We appreciate all who have applied to volunteer this year, and we are excited to host a variety of events in our schools. We recently kicked off our Partners in Education program. THANK YOU to all who go above and beyond for our students and teachers:
- iAcademy at Athens Elementary - Listerhill Credit Union
- FAME Academy at Brookhill Elementary - First National Bank
- SPARK Academy at Cowart Elementary - Friendship United Methodist Church
- HEART Academy at Julian Newman Elementary - Athens-Limestone Hospital
- Athens Intermediate School - Trustmark Bank
- Athens Middle School - Griggs Orthodontics
- Athens High School - First Metro Bank
- Athens Renaissance School - First United Methodist Church
As you know, our community is growing and we are planning for the anticipated increase in enrollment at all of our schools. We are so proud of the progress made on the beautiful, new iAcademy at AES. Click HERE to see the latest photos. They will start second semester at the new facility, and we can’t wait! There is tremendous growth expected on the east side of town, so our next focus will be to add classroom space to HEART Academy at JNES and to secure land on the east side of town for an additional elementary school. Athens Renaissance School, our virtual/blended option, is growing and expanding their offerings, so we are looking at plans for a new facility for them. And, we’re also watching Athens Intermediate School closely, as additions may be needed there as well. It’s a busy and exciting time for our community. Stay tuned for updates!
Lastly, I want to give a shout out to all of our employees. While many school districts across the nation are seeing a mass exodus of workers, we are blessed with the best! Every person who encounters your child - from the bus, to the cafeteria, to every classroom, to our support staff, to our administrators, to our coaches and band directors, and all who work with extracurricular activities - is giving his/her heart and soul to our students every day! I encourage you to take a moment to thank them. And if you do have a question or concern, please email the teacher and/or administrator. It takes all of us working TOGETHER to provide an excellent education in a safe environment. That’s what #oneAthens is all about!
Sincerely,
Beth Patton
Superintendent
Welcome Mr. Anthony Townsend, ACS District 3 Board Member
We are so excited to welcome Mr. Anthony Townsend to the Athens City Schools Board of Education! Mr. Townsend assumed his new role in the District 3 seat at the August 25 Board of Education and Budget Hearing meeting. Learn more about Mr. Townsend and our other ACS Board members at acs-k12.org/board. We are grateful to all of our ACS Board Members for their willingness to serve our students, schools, and community!
2022 ACS COVID-19 Procedures
Athens City Schools is committed to providing the best educational opportunities and experiences possible to every student, every day, no matter what. Our ACS COVID-19 Procedures will be updated and revised as needed. View the 2022 ACS COVID-19 procedures at acs-k12.org/covidprocedures.
Free Breakfast at ALL Schools
Did you know that Athens City Schools offers free breakfast to all students each and every morning during the school week? Our Child Nutrition Program works to ensure every child is ready to start their day, well-fed and ready to learn. Click HERE to learn more about our CNP program.
ACS Academic Calendar
Mark your calendars with these important dates to remember. View the full academic calendar at ACS-k12.org/calendar
Click HERE to view the progress and report card schedule.
Free and Reduced Lunch Applications
Reminder, school lunches are no longer free for all Athens City Schools students. Find out if your family qualifies for Free and Reduced Lunch by completing the 2022-2023 Free and Reduced Lunch Application. Only one application is necessary per family. Families must re-apply each school year to potentially receive this benefit. Visit acs-k12.org/nutrition to apply. If you have any questions or need help with your Free and Reduced Lunch Application, contact Dr. Tandy Blackwell, Director of Child Nutrition, at Tandy.Blackwell@acs-k12.org or (256) 233-6600.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Linda Moore, ACS Athletic Director, at Linda.Moore@acs-k12.org.
Power School Parent Portal (grades 4-12)
PowerSchool Parent Portal (for grades 4-12) is a web-based platform and app that can be used to access information such as student grades, attendance, assignments, class announcements, class schedule, teacher communication, and more. Parent Portal is accessible from any device with internet access (i.e. computer, tablet, smartphone) or download the app for free. Learn more about PowerSchool Parent portal at acs-k12.org/powerschool.
My School Bucks
A reminder that meals at ACS are no longer free for all students. Parents are encouraged to pay for meals by the week or the month. An easy way to add lunch money to your student account is through My School Bucks. Create or log in to your student account at myschoolbucks.com and view immediate information about your student account balance and purchases. Need help? Click HERE to learn more. Funds can be added to your student's account at MSB on the web or download the MSB app. You may also submit a check to the school lunchroom. All checks must be made payable to Athens City Schools CNP or ACS CNP. Please write your child's name and homeroom on the check or envelope. Click HERE to more about meal prices and budgeting.
2022-2023 ACS Student Daily Breakfast Price
• $0.00 - Free (all students)
2022-2023 ACS Student Daily Lunch Price
• $2.75 - PAID
• $0.40 - REDUCED (must qualify)
• $0.00 - FREE (must qualify)
ACS Links of Interest
Share a Story
We love sharing about all of the amazing things that are happening in our schools and in the lives of our outstanding students and employees! Do you have a story, event, award/ recognition or something cool going on with your student that you would like to share with our #oneAthens community? Please click here or email Christy.Hubbard@acs-k12.org.
ACS Family Newsletter Content
Have something you would like to see in a future ACS Family newsletter? Please send it to Christy.Hubbard@acs-k12.org.