Click here for more information.

This year, CCSD is collaborating with Friends of Athens-Clarke County Library, Books for Keeps, and Joy Village to celebrate locally with a virtual Black Author Showcase.

First, a panel discussion featuring local youth authors will be streamed live from Gaines Elementary at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28. Then, on Wednesday, March 1, at 9:30 a.m., New York Times-bestselling author Kwame Alexander will join our organizations via Zoom to discuss his works and answer questions.

Additional details are coming soon! Be on the lookout in future editions of this newsletter as well as our social media channels.

A final discount for this year will be offered to those who sign up before March 30.

For a slideshow with details about the trip, scan the QR code below.

There will be one more in-person meeting about the trip, which will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 16, at Clarke Central High, in Room 390. For those who are interested but cannot attend the in-person meeting, a Zoom meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 18. Click here to access the Zoom meeting.

For questions, please email sparksl@clarke.k12.ga.us.

Cedar Shoals High football standout Toby Bolton is taking his talents to the Division I level!

Toby, a senior cornerback for the Jaguars, announced his commitment to Tennessee Tech University on Wednesday, Feb. 1, as part of National Signing Day and signed his letter of intent to play with the Golden Eagles starting in the fall following graduation.

Toby's family, friends, teammates, coaches, and other spectators filled the Cedar Shoals auditorium Wednesday morning for an official ceremony.

Along with Toby, four Clarke Central High seniors have announced their commitments and signed to play college football:

• Quarterback Lucian Anderson III (Bowling Green State University)
• Defensive end Teikaris Collins (Cumberland University Phoenix)
• Defensive end Dailen Howard (Georgia Military College)
• Defensive tackle Jaylon Stone (Southeast Missouri State).
  

Congratulations to all of these student-athletes on their accomplishments and the opportunity to continue their football careers!

CCSD encourages and challenges members of our community to join us in bettering our physical, mental, and emotional well-being in 2023 together!

In a challenge to himself to become more physically fit, Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker has committed to running one 5K every month. Will you join him in this challenge?

Below are some opportunities within our district to get you started! If you take part in a running event, take a picture, post it on social media, and tag us (@ClarkeCoSchools) with the hashtag #CCSDNewYearNewYou!

Come out to Chase Street Elementary, 757 North Chase St., Athens, on Saturday, March 4, for a day of running and family fun!

The "Race for Chase" 5K will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the "Tree Frog Trot" 1K at 10 a.m. and the "Tiny Tree Frog Trot" at 10:30 a.m.

Early-bird registration ends Wednesday, Feb. 1. Click here for additional race information and registration.

If you’re not racing through the neighborhood, you can still come enjoy the Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Pop Up Park, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, or a complimentary coffee or hot chocolate from Java Joy. And, of course, the school playground will be open!

Casa de Amistad, an Athens-based nonprofit that works to identify and address the needs of the local Hispanic community, and CCSD are partnering to host a family literacy event on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 10 a.m. to noon at Whit Davis Elementary, 1450 Whit Davis Rd., Athens.

Colombian children’s author Yolanda Puente will be speaking and providing parents with tips to help them incorporate reading into their everyday routines with their children.

The Department of Family and Community Engagement will host its inaugural "FESCON" from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, at the Classic Center, 300 North Thomas St., Athens. The event is the first-ever CCSD conference that celebrates and honors the work behind family and community engagement. It will bring together educators, administrators, and other professionals to share best practices and strategies for engaging families in their children's education.

The conference will feature keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities with experts in the field of family and community engagement. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the latest research and trends in family engagement and gain practical insights for implementing effective family engagement programs in their own schools and communities.

The conference is open to all educators and professionals who are interested in improving family engagement in their work. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP at this link.

Those interested in presenting at the conference should click on the PDF link below for more information on submitting a proposal. The department expects to make a final determination on presentations by Feb. 28.

CCSD is now hiring bus drivers. Hourly pay ranges from $18-$26, and we offer part-time and full-time schedules, a $1,500 signing bonus (for full-time employment), and full benefits. It's a rewarding and flexible career move.

Click here to see what's waiting for you behind the wheel!

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.”

The next Family Day event at the Georgia Museum of Art, 90 Carlton St., Athens, will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 11, as the museum celebrates a "Decade of Tradition" with its Black History Month exhibition.

In 2012, Larry and Brenda Thompson gave 100 works of art by African-American artists to the museum. This exhibition highlights some of these extraordinary masterpieces. Have fun in the galleries, complete art cart activities, and create your own work of art to take home in the Michael and Mary Erlanger Studio Classroom.

Please register for free tickets, either at this link in advance or at the desk in the lobby when you arrive.

For those who cannot attend in person, Family Day to-go kits will be available for pick-up starting at 1 p.m. Feb. 11 through the end of day Sunday, Feb. 12, while supplies last.

Family Day is sponsored by Lucy and Buddy Allen and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art.