There's still plenty of time to join us at the District Office TODAY for our Special Education Teacher and Paraprofessional hiring event! No need to register today - just bring your resume and be prepared to interview! Come see us from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and find the opportunity to join our team at CCSD!
#CCSD2026
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#CCSD2026
#CCSDTalent
#CCSDBetterTogether
Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott kicked off our two-day June Leadership Meeting yesterday with a message focusing on strengthening the Culture of Literacy in CCSD and throughout Athens-Clarke County as the core of our work.
School and district leaders also heard a presentation from Dr. Garry McGiboney and Arianne Weldon of Get Georgia Reading, focusing on literacy as a public health issue with multiple influencing factors and providing strategies on how we can effectively address and improve literacy rates in our schools and throughout the community.
Leaders spent the second half of the day with a deep dive into their student performance and attendance data from the past year, sharing successes to build off and areas of growth to focus on. The work will continue all day today with a more intensive look at their school improvement plans and building a game plan to best position their schools to have the best year yet in 2026-27!
School and district leaders also heard a presentation from Dr. Garry McGiboney and Arianne Weldon of Get Georgia Reading, focusing on literacy as a public health issue with multiple influencing factors and providing strategies on how we can effectively address and improve literacy rates in our schools and throughout the community.
Leaders spent the second half of the day with a deep dive into their student performance and attendance data from the past year, sharing successes to build off and areas of growth to focus on. The work will continue all day today with a more intensive look at their school improvement plans and building a game plan to best position their schools to have the best year yet in 2026-27!
In a called meeting this evening, the Clarke County Board of Education formally approved the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Scott as Superintendent of the Clarke County School District, promoting her to the position full-time after she held it in an interim capacity for the past 11 months. Our district team looks forward to building on the momentum from the past school year as we follow Dr. Scott's call to Raise the Bar in Pursuit of Excellence in all that we do in service of our students and families. Under her leadership, we look forward to continuing the work of achieving a brighter future for Athens-Clarke County, Better Together.
School may be out for the summer, but our leaders are hard at work preparing for next year! CCSD's Opportunity Culture school teams gathered today for a day of professional learning focused on strengthening instructional coaching systems that support consistently good teaching. Participants explored strategies to strengthen coaching consistency, develop instructional leaders, and build stronger supports for teachers and students as part of our work to boost student results in the classroom and close achievement gaps.
A great kickoff this morning to the annual Clarke County Connects Educator Externships Week, led by the Athens Community Career Academy and CCSD workforce development team in partnership with WorkSource Northeast Georgia and Invest Athens!
This week, approximately 20 teachers, counselors, and other support staff from CCSD middle and high schools will have paid learning opportunities where they will shadow professionals at local businesses in high-paid, high-demand industries (specifically focusing on the areas of biotechnology, manufacturing, health care, and hospitatlity) and will leave equipped with knowledge and better resources to help them advise our students on their college and career plans!
This morning, externs met with representatives from the businesses they'll be shadowing this week, and they spent the afternoon on a tour of Athens Technical College for a look at their facilities and an overview of Athens Tech dual-enrollment options as well as their admissions and financial aid processes. After shadowing this week, the externs will make their final presentations to the large group this Friday.
Thank you to our partners and these businesses for offering the shadowing opportunities to our educators this year: ABB , ACCGov Water Conservation, Athentic Brewing Company, Boehringer Ingelheim, The Classic Center, CCSD's school-based health centers in partnership with AU UGA Medical Partnership, MedLink Georgia, and Athens Neighborhood Health Center, Creature Comforts, Engineered Fabrication Inc., Piedmont Athens Regional, and Pilgrim's!
This week, approximately 20 teachers, counselors, and other support staff from CCSD middle and high schools will have paid learning opportunities where they will shadow professionals at local businesses in high-paid, high-demand industries (specifically focusing on the areas of biotechnology, manufacturing, health care, and hospitatlity) and will leave equipped with knowledge and better resources to help them advise our students on their college and career plans!
This morning, externs met with representatives from the businesses they'll be shadowing this week, and they spent the afternoon on a tour of Athens Technical College for a look at their facilities and an overview of Athens Tech dual-enrollment options as well as their admissions and financial aid processes. After shadowing this week, the externs will make their final presentations to the large group this Friday.
Thank you to our partners and these businesses for offering the shadowing opportunities to our educators this year: ABB , ACCGov Water Conservation, Athentic Brewing Company, Boehringer Ingelheim, The Classic Center, CCSD's school-based health centers in partnership with AU UGA Medical Partnership, MedLink Georgia, and Athens Neighborhood Health Center, Creature Comforts, Engineered Fabrication Inc., Piedmont Athens Regional, and Pilgrim's!
And just like that, all our CCSD Class of 2026 has graduated! Congratulations to the 422 Clarke Central High School Gladiators, the largest graduating class in school history! More photos coming tomorrow morning!
The Cedar Shoals High School Class of 2026 graduation is in the books! CONGRATULATIONS to our 351 Jaguars who have completed their CCSD student journeys! Full photo gallery coming later on the CCSD Facebook page!
The Eagles have soared through the finish line! CONGRATULATIONS to the Classic City High School Class of 2026! Full graduation photo gallery coming on the CCSD Facebook page tomorrow morning!
That's a wrap on the 2025-26 school year! For some of our students, their CCSD journey has come to an end; for others, the journey has just begun. It has been another amazing year, watching our students grow and thrive every day, Better Together. For our new and returning students, we'll see you on August 5!
The CCSD Transportation Office was where the FUN was at this morning, as Interim Transportation Director handed out the top safety awards and perfect attendance certificates for the 2025-26 school year! These men and women have led the way in transporting our students to and from school safely every day. Congratulations on a fantastic year of Raising the Bar for our students and families!
Check out the full photo gallery and list of winners on the CCSD Facebook page!
Congratulations to the 249 seniors from Clarke Central High School and Cedar Shoals High School who earned a grade-point average of at least 90 and will walk across the stage this weekend as honor graduates!
Congratulations to the Class of 2026 top 10-ranked students for Clarke Central High School and Cedar Shoals High School and the top 5 for Classic City High School with the highest grade-point averages!
Clarke Central:
1. Noah Kilpatrick
2. Waylon Vaughn
3. Jefferson Slutzky
4. Olivia Bergman
5. Doan Duong
6. Daly Carpenter
7. Cara Flath
8. Ailynn Irwin
9. Kate Ness
10. (tie) Blake Brent and Alexandra Ozuna
Cedar Shoals:
1. Christopher Koch
2. Chizoba Emegwam
3. Zeta Conway
4. Lexie Holliday
5. Deylin Vilchiz-Alvear
6. Lilliana Cohen
7. Stella James
8. Derriana Smith
9. Jack Halow
10. Caroline Michael
Classic City:
1. Jonathan King
2. Arianna Ellison
3. Keamyriah Arnold
4. Daricus Shields
5. Kimora Waller
Clarke Central:
1. Noah Kilpatrick
2. Waylon Vaughn
3. Jefferson Slutzky
4. Olivia Bergman
5. Doan Duong
6. Daly Carpenter
7. Cara Flath
8. Ailynn Irwin
9. Kate Ness
10. (tie) Blake Brent and Alexandra Ozuna
Cedar Shoals:
1. Christopher Koch
2. Chizoba Emegwam
3. Zeta Conway
4. Lexie Holliday
5. Deylin Vilchiz-Alvear
6. Lilliana Cohen
7. Stella James
8. Derriana Smith
9. Jack Halow
10. Caroline Michael
Classic City:
1. Jonathan King
2. Arianna Ellison
3. Keamyriah Arnold
4. Daricus Shields
5. Kimora Waller
A FUN time this morning as second- and third-graders from Fowler Drive Elementary School and Howard B. Stroud Elementary School visited the District Office for a reading and literacy event with Malcolm Mitchell, the children's author and former Georgia Football and New England Patriots wide receiver! The visit was made possible by the Georgia Council on Literacy and the Georgia Reads initiative, for which Malcolm serves as the Georgia Literacy Coach. Each student received their own copy of Malcolm's book, "Hey, Georgia," and a few even walked away with signed books and footballs for participating and being huge helpers during the event! As always, Malcolm kept our students thoroughly entertained and inspired with his message of learning to love reading and the places reading can take us.
Last night, we honored many of our 2025-26 retirees who have dedicated their careers to education during our annual retirement banquet. We had 61 retirees this year with a combined 1,070 years of service in public education and more than 800 years total service to CCSD students, families, and fellow staff. From teachers, to parapros, to school administrators, to registrars and receptionists, to custodians, to bus drivers and transportation employees, to nutrition workers, to police, and other district support staff, these employees have dedicated their lives to impacting children in their own special way and making Athens-Clarke County and the world a better place. Congratulations on a well-deserved retirement! And thank you to Georgia United Credit Union for sponsoring and helping make last night's event possible! See a full photo gallery and list of retirees on the CCSD Facebook page!
Congratulations to Julia Dawson-Deweese, Gifted collaborative teacher at Clarke Middle School, on being named CCSD’s Employee of the Month for May!
Ms. Dawson-Deweese is finishing up her first year at CMS and was nominated by colleagues Shawn Hinger and Kathryn Brown for the impact she has had in strengthening the school’s culture, being an engaging, innovative teacher who holds her students to high standards and pushes them to realize their potential, and leading initiatives and events that support the district’s Culture of Literacy campaign.
Ms. Dawson-Deweese was surprised with the award this afternoon by Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott and CMS Principal Derrick Maxwell and will be recognized publicly at Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting.
Thank you to all of our students, staff, families, and community members who combined this school year to nominate well over 200 CCSD employees for this award and to the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and local businesses for sponsoring and supporting it every month. While only nine actually received the award, they are all winners in our book!
We look forward to reopening nominations at the start of next school year!
Ms. Dawson-Deweese is finishing up her first year at CMS and was nominated by colleagues Shawn Hinger and Kathryn Brown for the impact she has had in strengthening the school’s culture, being an engaging, innovative teacher who holds her students to high standards and pushes them to realize their potential, and leading initiatives and events that support the district’s Culture of Literacy campaign.
Ms. Dawson-Deweese was surprised with the award this afternoon by Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott and CMS Principal Derrick Maxwell and will be recognized publicly at Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting.
Thank you to all of our students, staff, families, and community members who combined this school year to nominate well over 200 CCSD employees for this award and to the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and local businesses for sponsoring and supporting it every month. While only nine actually received the award, they are all winners in our book!
We look forward to reopening nominations at the start of next school year!
What an amazing day in Clarke County! Check out the full TEDxCCSD Youth photo gallery here!
The POWERHOUSE that is the Winterville Elementary School cheerleading team traveled to Orlando earlier this month for the One Prime National Finals and finished fifth in the nation!
The Winnerbees earned one of the highest scores the program has ever achieved and, more importantly, showed leadership, teamwork, resilience, and sportsmanship while representing their school and community with heart, determination, and pride every step of the way. Congratulations!
The Winnerbees earned one of the highest scores the program has ever achieved and, more importantly, showed leadership, teamwork, resilience, and sportsmanship while representing their school and community with heart, determination, and pride every step of the way. Congratulations!
Rotary Club of Athens elected Hilsman Middle School and Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School as the recipients of proceeds raised through the club's annual Polar PlungeFest in order for them to create a food pantry for students and families at each school. The schools received $4,500 each to purchase cold storage and racks, while Food Bank of Northeast Georgia received $17,000 to purchase carts, wagons, backpacks, and food to stock the shelves at each school.
Representatives recently visited Hilsman for a check presentation and BHL to scout the location where the food pantry will be housed. A special thank you to Rotary President Ralph Johnson, Erin Barger, Food Bank of NEGA President and CEO and incoming Rotary President, and Polar Plungefest event chair Trai McRae for leading this effort - and to everyone in the community who participated in PlungeFest to support Thriving Students and stronger family connections!
Hilsman group photo, from left to right: Tracey Massey, Operations Specialist for Food Bank of NEGA, Ralph Johnson, Dr. Randall Watkins, Hilsman Assistant Principal, Tessa Barbazon, CCSD Executive Director of Student and Family Support, Erin Barger, and Katherine Bailey, Hilsman Site Coordinator for Family Connection-Communities in Schools of Athens
BHL group photo, from left to right: She-Ra Gonzalez, BHL Family Engagement Specialist; Dr. Cyndee Perdue Moore, CCSD Chief Communications and Engagement Officer and Rotary member; Dr. Annie Turman, BHL Principal; Erin Barger; and Tracey Massey.
Representatives recently visited Hilsman for a check presentation and BHL to scout the location where the food pantry will be housed. A special thank you to Rotary President Ralph Johnson, Erin Barger, Food Bank of NEGA President and CEO and incoming Rotary President, and Polar Plungefest event chair Trai McRae for leading this effort - and to everyone in the community who participated in PlungeFest to support Thriving Students and stronger family connections!
Hilsman group photo, from left to right: Tracey Massey, Operations Specialist for Food Bank of NEGA, Ralph Johnson, Dr. Randall Watkins, Hilsman Assistant Principal, Tessa Barbazon, CCSD Executive Director of Student and Family Support, Erin Barger, and Katherine Bailey, Hilsman Site Coordinator for Family Connection-Communities in Schools of Athens
BHL group photo, from left to right: She-Ra Gonzalez, BHL Family Engagement Specialist; Dr. Cyndee Perdue Moore, CCSD Chief Communications and Engagement Officer and Rotary member; Dr. Annie Turman, BHL Principal; Erin Barger; and Tracey Massey.
CCSD was delighted today to participate in the annual statewide Future Educator Signing Day led by the Georgia Department of Education through the Teach in the Peach initiative! Twelve CCSD high school students from Clarke Central High School, Cedar Shoals High School, and the Athens Community Career Academy (ACCA) who have completed or are in the process of completing the Teaching as a Profession pathway at ACCA affirmed their commitments today to teach full-time in Georgia classrooms after graduating college. These students have already gained hands-on classroom experience as part of this career pathway, and many of them will be taking the GACE paraprofessional certification exam this month, giving them the opportunity to work in classrooms while earning their teaching degrees!
Congratulations to these students:
• Jakia Butts, 12th grade, Cedar Shoals and ACCA
• Mariah Carson, 12th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Camryn Coleman, 12th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Shelby McDaniel, 12th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Gillian Williams, 12th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• (Not pictured) Elise Geier, 12th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Tina Brooks, 11th grade, Cedar Shoals and ACCA
• Cheyenne Hardy, 11th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Duncan Jones, 11th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Elizabeth McArthur, 11th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Vera Mize, 11th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA
• Dar'Maya Ollie, 11th grade, Clarke Central and ACCA.
Congratulations also go to Mariah Carson on being chosen as CCSD's recipient of the $500 Teach in the Peach scholarship and Camryn Coleman, Elizabeth McArthur, and Vera Mize receiving the Top Intern awards for the TAP program in CCSD this year! See a full photo gallery on the CCSD Facebook page!
May breakfast and lunch menus are ready for viewing! View in three ways:
1. Monthly printable menus at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/menus
2. The menus for the following week are posted every Friday afternoon at www.clarke.k12.ga.us/menus
3. The menu for each day is available every morning when you download the official CCSD mobile app and navigate to your child's school in the menu!
Download for Android https://aptg.co/xQ_qX1
Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/zCh8gX
