More exciting Gifted Savings news to share as the Georgia Council for the Social Studies (GCSS) presented CCSD and Gifted Savings representatives with its annual Program of Excellence Award yesterday during its fall conference in Athens! The honor recognizes schools and districts for providing comprehensive, high-quality, and innovative social studies programs that go above and beyond in meeting state and national criteria standards but also provide engaging teaching strategies and foster community connections. We're thankful to see this financial education and literacy program gaining more recognition! Pictured, from left to right: Ben Smalley, CCSD Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator; Derriana Smith, Cedar Shoals High School Class of 2026, CCSD's inaugural Gifted Savings class, and current University of Georgia student; Quinn Pendley, Clarke Central High School Class of 2026 and current UGA student; CCSD Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott; and Gifted Savings Executive Director Josh Landay.
Lots of fun at last night's Teacher/Support Professional of the Year awards banquet! Visit the CCSD Facebook page for all of our photos!
At CCSD, through our partnership with Gifted Savings, we're continuing the groundbreaking work of making Athens the first community in America where every student graduates high school as a real investor, and we're well on our way to fully funding investment portfolios for a third graduating class!
At yesterday's quarterly meeting of our community Gifted Savings Advisory Council, Gifted Savings Executive Director Josh Landay shared that our community has raised more than $150,000 toward our goal of providing $1,000 portfolios for every member of the CCSD Class of 2028!
Through the support of local businesses and organizations, the success of our Fall "Dining for Dividends" event last month, and the contributions of nearly 30 individual donors alone since late August, our community is making an impact and making a difference in the lives of students! Meanwhile, our seniors in the Class of 2027 are deep into the 20-module financial education and literacy program, learning a renewed mindset around money management and developing a financial toolkit that will serve them well and help them build a secure future in adulthood!
Help us keep the momentum going and meet our next fundraising goal! Visit www.clarke.k12.ga.us/giftedsavings to learn more and contribute to the Gifted Savings at CCSD Fund through the Athens Area Community Foundation!
A big THANK YOU to University of Georgia student Lindsay List (left) who brought by a donation of about 900 books for all ages this afternoon as part of her community service project, "Lindsay's Library!" Lindsay organized the donation drive with the help of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta! Thank you to Lindsay and her sorority sisters for supporting a Culture of Literacy in Clarke County!
Ready, Set, Support! Members of our 2026-27 VILLA (Volunteer Instructional Leadership Learning Academy) cohort participated in an engaging, hands-on activity last night, organized by the CCSD Student and Family Support Division. Members split into groups, each of which were presented a student case study, and were assigned the task of developing a multi-tiered support plan for the student while connecting it to the various departments within the division, including School Counseling, Nursing, Social Work, Psychology, and Behavioral Support.
Our second VILLA session was jam-packed with terrific information and also included an overview of the CCSD Police Department and its focus on relationship-building with students, as well as a presentation on the CCSD E-SPLOST program, which has funded numerous construction capital infrastructure improvement projects throughout the district over the last 30 years.
The cohort will be back at it next month, when it takes a deeper dive into academics, teaching, and learning in CCSD!
Our second VILLA session was jam-packed with terrific information and also included an overview of the CCSD Police Department and its focus on relationship-building with students, as well as a presentation on the CCSD E-SPLOST program, which has funded numerous construction capital infrastructure improvement projects throughout the district over the last 30 years.
The cohort will be back at it next month, when it takes a deeper dive into academics, teaching, and learning in CCSD!
Thank you to State School Superintendent Richard Woods for stopping by J.J. Harris Elementary School this morning to present J.J. Harris, Timothy Road Elementary, Barrow Elementary, and Cleveland Road Elementary with their 2025-26 John Hancock Student Signature Award banners and ribbons from the Georgia Department of Education! The schools received the banners for having at least 90% of their students demonstrate the ability to write their name in cursive. Timothy Road received a Ribbon of Distinction for also having at least 90% of students write the Preamble to the Constitution in cursive! Congratulations to the students, teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders on these awards! And thank you to the team at J.J. Harris, especially the student ambassadors and drum line, for welcoming guests and putting on such a terrific event! Full photo gallery on the CCSD Facebook page!
Scenes from a fantastic CCSD Elementary Volleyball League championship match last night between Whitehead Road Elementary School and Timothy Road Elementary School. Congratulations to the Koalas on winning the championship and to the Roadrunners on their runner-up finish and an outstanding season! View the full photo gallery!
Don't forget the altered school schedule for parent-teacher conferences and fall break this week into next!
Wednesday, October 14 - Early dismissal (12:20 p.m. for elementary schools and early learning centers; 1:30 p.m. for middle and high schools). ASP will be available at elementary schools on the conference day rate.
Thursday, October 15 - Student holiday. Schools will be open for K-12 parent-teacher conferences
Friday, October 16 - Student and staff holiday. All schools and district offices will be closed.
Monday, October 19 - Student and staff holiday. The District Office will be open during normal hours (8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.)
Tuesday, October 20 - All students and staff return
Wednesday, October 14 - Early dismissal (12:20 p.m. for elementary schools and early learning centers; 1:30 p.m. for middle and high schools). ASP will be available at elementary schools on the conference day rate.
Thursday, October 15 - Student holiday. Schools will be open for K-12 parent-teacher conferences
Friday, October 16 - Student and staff holiday. All schools and district offices will be closed.
Monday, October 19 - Student and staff holiday. The District Office will be open during normal hours (8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.)
Tuesday, October 20 - All students and staff return
Pink Out Day at the District Office!
#CCSDPinkOut2026
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth
#CCSDBetterTogether
#CCSDPinkOut2026
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth
#CCSDBetterTogether
Don't forget to wear pink tomorrow!
#CCSDPinkOut2026
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth
#CCSDBetterTogether
#CCSDPinkOut2026
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth
#CCSDBetterTogether
Stem Cell Research: Stan Harrison's Advanced Biomanufacturing students at the Athens Community Career Academy are wrapping up their capstone research project, growing and analyzing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
Mr. Harrison noted that MSCs are often called the "Holy Grail" of regenerative medicine for knee, hip, or shoulder joint replacement. Although replacement therapies are still a few years away, MSCs may be grown (cultured) to replace either bone or cartilage. With the support of the Mortensen Stem Cell Lab at UGA's Regenerative Bioscience Center, the Biomanufacturing Pathway students at ACCA incubated the human MSCs and cultured them in specialized flasks. Every day, they observed cell health and growth under a specialized inverted microscope and decided whether to divide the flasks if they appeared to be "confluent," or at least at 70% cell density.
Students will have the opportunity on October 29 to present their findings to Dr. Luke Mortensen of UGA and defend their research, similar to college graduate students. Mr. Harrison said other students, families, and community members will be welcome to view the presentations that day beginning at 4:30 p.m. in the ACCA biotech lab, which will coincide with the academy's pathway open house that same evening (more to come on that).
Great work and a great experience by these students, who are gaining hands-on exposure to real-world, even life-changing, science!
Mr. Harrison noted that MSCs are often called the "Holy Grail" of regenerative medicine for knee, hip, or shoulder joint replacement. Although replacement therapies are still a few years away, MSCs may be grown (cultured) to replace either bone or cartilage. With the support of the Mortensen Stem Cell Lab at UGA's Regenerative Bioscience Center, the Biomanufacturing Pathway students at ACCA incubated the human MSCs and cultured them in specialized flasks. Every day, they observed cell health and growth under a specialized inverted microscope and decided whether to divide the flasks if they appeared to be "confluent," or at least at 70% cell density.
Students will have the opportunity on October 29 to present their findings to Dr. Luke Mortensen of UGA and defend their research, similar to college graduate students. Mr. Harrison said other students, families, and community members will be welcome to view the presentations that day beginning at 4:30 p.m. in the ACCA biotech lab, which will coincide with the academy's pathway open house that same evening (more to come on that).
Great work and a great experience by these students, who are gaining hands-on exposure to real-world, even life-changing, science!
A great way to close out Georgia Pre-K Week this afternoon, as Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz stopped by CCSD Early Learning Center - West to read to students! We're always pleased to host the Mayor and give him a chance to get back to his education roots!
THE GREAT OUTDOORS: Congratulations to Barrow Elementary School and its Parent Teacher Association and Local School Governance Team, who held an official ribbon-cutting this morning for the school's new outdoor classroom and learning/gathering space that opened for use this past spring!
The idea behind the classroom was born out of the Covid pandemic, as Barrow third-grade teacher Sara Clarke and her students began brainstorming ways to have more active learning time outdoors. Originally designed as a project for an LSGT innovation grant, the project gained additional funding through the leadership of the PTA. Working with CCSD Operations to secure the necessary approvals, construction began last winter and was completed earlier this year.
Barrow has already put the space to good use with classroom lessons, science projects, readers' theatre, performances, meeting space for the "Girls on the Run" after-school club, guest speakers, class lunches, and staff gatherings. Still to come are additional plantings and more outdoor furniture!
Congratulations to Ms. Clarke and retired Barrow staff member Mimi Elliott-Gower, who have seen the project they led the way on come to fruition. Thank you to the Barrow PTA and LSGT and the many project donors for your leadership and support of our students and staff, and thank you to AR Collaborative architects (Gabe Comstock, Lori Newcomer, and Quint Newcomer), Cloverleaf Construction and Ashley Hill, and Ryan Olivera from Square Design Company for your work on this project that will be a great asset to the school community and for all current and future Barrow Buddies!
And one last shoutout to the Barrow Chorus Club for a terrific performance this morning!
The idea behind the classroom was born out of the Covid pandemic, as Barrow third-grade teacher Sara Clarke and her students began brainstorming ways to have more active learning time outdoors. Originally designed as a project for an LSGT innovation grant, the project gained additional funding through the leadership of the PTA. Working with CCSD Operations to secure the necessary approvals, construction began last winter and was completed earlier this year.
Barrow has already put the space to good use with classroom lessons, science projects, readers' theatre, performances, meeting space for the "Girls on the Run" after-school club, guest speakers, class lunches, and staff gatherings. Still to come are additional plantings and more outdoor furniture!
Congratulations to Ms. Clarke and retired Barrow staff member Mimi Elliott-Gower, who have seen the project they led the way on come to fruition. Thank you to the Barrow PTA and LSGT and the many project donors for your leadership and support of our students and staff, and thank you to AR Collaborative architects (Gabe Comstock, Lori Newcomer, and Quint Newcomer), Cloverleaf Construction and Ashley Hill, and Ryan Olivera from Square Design Company for your work on this project that will be a great asset to the school community and for all current and future Barrow Buddies!
And one last shoutout to the Barrow Chorus Club for a terrific performance this morning!
A great celebration of our #CCSDTalent last night at the Board of Education meeting, where we recognized:
• Dr. Marcia Page, School Psychologist for Barnett Shoals Elementary School and Whit Davis Elementary School, as our Employee of the Month for October
• CCSD Learning Center math teacher Melissa Demaray for being named the Georgia Association for Alternative Education's Teacher of the Year and Learning Center Director Dr. Utevia Tolbert for being named the runner-up for the association's Administrator of the Year Award.
Congratulations to these women who are Raising the Bar in CCSD!
• Dr. Marcia Page, School Psychologist for Barnett Shoals Elementary School and Whit Davis Elementary School, as our Employee of the Month for October
• CCSD Learning Center math teacher Melissa Demaray for being named the Georgia Association for Alternative Education's Teacher of the Year and Learning Center Director Dr. Utevia Tolbert for being named the runner-up for the association's Administrator of the Year Award.
Congratulations to these women who are Raising the Bar in CCSD!
FUTURE TEACHERS: Athens Community Career Academy students from Cedar Shoals High School and Clarke Central High School who are enrolled this semester in the first of three Teaching as a Profession (TAP) Pathway courses presented today to their families and TAP Advisory Committee members on their first-year mock teaching projects. Students explored issues affecting and barriers to classroom success and employability and worked in groups to develop strategic plans for how to address them.
Students who complete the TAP pathway and pass the end-of-pathway exam earn paraprofessional certification, and they also have the opportunity to apply to CCSD's Teaching Residency Apprenticeship Program, where they work full-time in CCSD classrooms as a paraprofessional and complete their bachelor's degree in education online in three years.
Great work today and throughout this semester by these students. As their instructor, Candice Jones, reminds us, they're well on their way to becoming phenomenal educators!
More photos on the CCSD Facebook page!
Some great celebrations over the last two days during our 2026-27 Teacher of the Year finalist surprises! Another BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Cindy Alexander of Whitehead Road Elementary School, Montu Miller of Cedar Shoals High School, and Matthew Rubenstein of Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School! Read more about each of these extraordinary educators!
Our other two Teacher of the Year finalists are Cindy Alexander of Whitehead Road Elementary School and Matthew Rubenstein of Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School! Congratulations to Ms. Alexander, Mr. Rubenstein, and Montu Miller of Cedar Shoals High School, who was announced yesterday! Much more to come!
Thanks to everyone in the community who attended last night's opening reception for the Biennial CCSD Student Art Exhibition! If you weren't able to attend, no problem! Go check out the works of our brilliantly talented students across all age groups at the Lyndon House Arts Center now through January 23 during their hours of operation! More photos on the CCSD Facebook page!
A great day of Pre-K Week fun around CCSD! Cedar Shoals volleyball players hanging out with students at Early Learning Center East and the Georgia Lottery's Give Back HOPE Project early literacy initiative at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary and Whitehead Road Elementary! More photos on the CCSD Facebook page!
Mr. Montu Miller of Cedar Shoals High School is the first of our three Teacher of the Year finalists! Stay tuned for the announcement of our next two tomorrow! Where will we go next?!?
