Clarke County School District -

At last night's Board of Education meeting, we were pleased to recognize all of CCSD’s school-level bookkeepers along with members of the Business Services Division for their recent completion of the School Financial Accounting Personnel Certificate Program through the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government. To earn their certificate, participants had to complete 24 program hours through a variety of instructional activities covering the program’s core curriculum, a pre- and post-program accounting survey, and a financial management school-level project and presentation. The project is intended to demonstrate the participant’s ability to apply the skills and knowledge acquired during the program as well as provide a direct benefit to the school. Through successful completion of this program, both our new and veteran school-based accounting personnel are now equipped to promote enhanced accountability by advising and supporting school administrators charged with the responsibility of financial management as well educators who are entrusted with public funds and property. Congratulations to all!

Thank you to those who came out to yesterday's Midday Meetup with Procurement at Food for the Soul on Broad Street! If you are a business owner or know a business owner interested in doing business with the Clarke County School District, please contact the CCSD Procurement Team at 706-546-7721. For questions and more information, please contact Purchasing & Contracts Supervisor Veronica Jackson at 706-546-7721 ext. 79711. Stay tuned for more information regarding the 2025 Vendor Workshop Series, designed for current and prospective vendors. #CCSD2025 #BetterTogether #ConnectedCulture

A notice for all CCSD students regarding tomorrow and Monday. Un aviso para todos los estudiantes de CCSD con respecto a mañana y el lunes.

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Shawn Hinger, media specialist at Clarke Middle School, for being selected as CCSD's Employee of the Month for February! Ms. Hinger is in her 22nd year at Clarke Middle and has been one of the biggest champions of literacy throughout the district during her career in education, helping lead the charge in our renewed Culture of Literacy campaign to improve educational outcomes for all students. Ms. Hinger was surprised with the award this morning by Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker, CMS interim principal Derrick Maxwell, and instructional coach (and former CMS student) Mollie Schubach, who nominated her. She will also be recognized this evening at our Board of Education meeting.

Bettye H. Holston Elementary School simultaneously put our Culture of Literacy initiative to work and had a fun "Community Leaders as Readers" Black History Month program this morning as several African American leaders from the district and local community visited and read books to students from all grade levels. Thank you to all who came to spend time with our students and for sharing and promoting a love of reading! See more photos over on our Facebook page (@ClarkeCoSchools)

This morning, Whitehead Road Elementary School celebrated Black History Month by reflecting on previous Civil Rights Movement protests that combatted segregation, including sit-ins. Students across Whitehead Road learned and reflected how individuals came together to promote change, and conversed in their classrooms regarding how change has shaped our country in the decades that followed, including in our classrooms today. Well done by these teachers and students at Whitehead Road! #CCSD2025 #BetterTogether #BlackHistoryMonth #ConnectedCulture

Clarke County School District will highlight local history during Black History Month centered around education. We start our first Flashback Friday with the Knox Institute, the first secondary school for Black students to earn accreditation by the Accrediting Commission of the University of Georgia. From its inception in 1868 until its closure 60 years later, the Knox Institute served as a prestigious private school for Black Athenians. Prominent Athenians attended the Knox Institute, including world-renowned music composer Hall Johnson, as well as namesake for the Morton Building, Monroe "Pink" Morton. Stay tuned this month for events happening across CCSD during Black History Month and more local history! #CCSD2025 #BetterTogether #BlackHistoryMonth

HISTORY MADE: Congratulations to Clarke Central High School junior Moon Uriostegui, who last week won her weight class championship at the GHSA Area 8 Girls wrestling tournament, making her the first ever Gladiator female wrestler to win an area title! Moon will compete in the state sectionals this coming weekend for a chance to qualify for the state tournament.

CORRECTION: During Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Georgia, a tornado safety drill will occur on Wednesday, February 5 beginning at 9:00 a.m. The drill was previously scheduled for 9:30 a.m.

We are pleased to announce the 2024-25 STAR Students from Cedar Shoals High School and Clarke Central High School along with the STAR Teachers they selected! •From Cedar Shoals, Sebastian Caillault. Sebastian has also been announced as the STAR Student for the Clarke County “system,” which includes all public and private schools located within the county. He will now compete in the region contest for the chance to advance to the state competition. Sebastian chose former long-time Cedar Shoals math teacher Greg Huberty, who retired at the end of last school year, as his STAR Teacher. •From Clarke Central, Wyatt Meyer and STAR Teacher David Ragsdale •Also from Clarke Central, Luke Schliekelman and STAR Teacher Scott Swain •And from Clarke Central, Riley Wares and STAR Teacher Chris Sugiuchi. Read more on our website and check out photos from today's STAR Student luncheon, hosted by the Classic City of Athens Rotary Club, over on our Facebook page (@ClarkeCoSchools)!

Scenes from a great morning today as the Clarke County Mentor Program held its annual celebration and fundraising breakfast. The power of the positive value in mentorship between adults and children in our community was on full display, and CCSD was well represented this morning! •Cedar Shoals High School ninth-grader and current mentee Kenia Gonzalez-Chavez and her mentor, Clarke Central High School Class of 2019 alum and local nurse Marilen Rodriguez-Antunez, received the Celebrated Connections Award along with Marilen's mentor, Dr. Barbara Benson, and were showcased in a video highlighting the extraordinary impact a mentoring relationship can have in both the lives of the mentor and the mentee through mutual caring and support. •CCSD Superintendent and fierce mentorship advocate Dr. Robbie Hooker received the Impact Award, presented annually to an individual associated with the Mentor Program who, through steadfast commitment and selfless service, has made a lasting impact in the greater Athens community. •Tharon Johnson, Clarke Central High Class of 1996 alum and nationally recognized political strategist, consultant, and talk show commentator, gave the keynote address reflecting on the impact of the mentorship he received that helped set him on the path toward a successful career in politics and media. As we celebrate January as National Mentoring Month, we ask that all adults in our community consider becoming a mentor to a CCSD student today. You can learn more about the program and the process for becoming a mentor at clarkecountymentorprogram.org. As Dr. Hooker often reminds us, there are children throughout our community who need more than just presents; they need our *presence* in their lives.

Congratulations to Lizbeth Castro, eighth-grader at Coile Middle School, on winning the 2025 CCSD District Spelling Bee! This was Lizbeth's fourth consecutive appearance in the district bee as she represented Coile all three years of middle school. She advances to represent CCSD in the GAE Region 7 Spelling Bee at Putnam County Middle School on Feb. 22 and will compete for the opportunity to advance to the state bee later this spring. Also, a big congratulations to Clarke Middle School eighth-grader Ojas Kulkarni, who finished as our district runner-up! Check out the full photo gallery over on our Facebook page - @ClarkeCoSchools!

We were pleased to have State School Superintendent Richard Woods visit Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School this morning to present leaders from OAES, Timothy Road Elementary School, Cleveland Road Elementary, and Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School with their Math Leader banners! More photos can be found over on our Facebook page (@ClarkeCoSchools)!

Last night, the BOE officially welcomed newly elected member Mary P. Bagby (District 2) as she and re-elected members Dr. Patricia Yager (District 4), Dr. Mumbi Anderson (District 6, Board President), and Nicole Hull, Esq. (District 8) were sworn-in for four-year terms.

BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Sarah Waller-Price, band director at Coile Middle School, for being named our Employee of the Month for January! Ms. Waller-Price is in her second year at Coile and was nominated by parents who credited her with transforming the band program since her arrival, boosting both participation and performance quality, and nurturing a love of music and pride in accomplishment in her students while instilling the effort and discipline needed for a successful program. Ms. Waller-Price was surprised with the award this afternoon by CCSD Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker and Coile assistant principal Cindy Tucker and will be recognized this Thursday night at the Board of Education meeting. Thank you to all in the community for your many wonderful nominations and a reminder that any full-time CCSD employee with at least one of year of service to the district may be nominated at bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward.

WEATHER UPDATE: All schools and offices closed Friday, January 10.

WEATHER UPDATE - 8:20 a.m. January 8: We are aware of the inclement weather forecast for Friday, January 10, and are continuing to monitor. We will make a final decision tomorrow (Thursday, January 9), regarding the school schedule for Friday and will communicate official updates on our website (www.clarke.k12.ga.us), across our social media channels (@ClarkeCoSchools), and via text and email through our family mass notification system.

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Fowler Drive Elementary School first-grade teacher Samantha Yvellez for being selected as CCSD's Employee of the Month for December! Ms. Yvellez is in her fourth year with Fowler Drive and CCSD and is a coach for the school's "Girls on the Run" running program for students in grades 3-5. She also works with the school's ASP program and has served on the Hispanic Heritage and Black History committees. Ms. Yvellez was nominated by a colleague who said she has "always gone above and beyond for her students, constantly thinking of ways to engage them in creative activities that challenge and excite them" and has dedicated so much of her time to the Fowler Drive community. Ms. Yvellez was surprised with the award today by Superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker, the Fowler Drive administration, and members of the first-grade team, and she will be recognized this Thursday at the Board of Education meeting. Thank you again to all of our staff, students, families, and community members who continue to submit so many wonderful Employee of the Month nominations. You may nominate any full-time CCSD employee with at least one full year of service to the district for this award at bit.ly/CCEmployeeAward!

Over the past week, our Student and Family Support subdivision has been excited to visit Barnett Shoals Elementary School, Cleveland Road Elementary School, Fowler Drive Elementary School, and Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School and present those schools with their banners for being named 2023-24 PBIS Distinguished Schools by the Georgia Department of Education! PBIS )Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) is an evidence-based, data-driven framework proven to reduce the number of disciplinary incidents and improve school climates as well as overall academic outcomes among students. Teachers provide positive feedback to students who are meeting expectations, while providing respectful, corrective feedback and reteaching for students who do not meet expectations. For the second year in a row, all 21 CCSD schools (14 elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools) have been recognized for supporting positive school climate through PBIS implementation. Barnett Shoals, Cleveland Road, Fowler Drive, and BHL were recognized for meeting all five of the state's outcome data measures to achieve Distinguished status. Congratulations to all!

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES: The annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) window opened on Dec. 1, and CCSD will hold a FAFSA Completion Event to offer assistance to high school students and families from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the District Office, 595 Prince Ave. Students should bring their school laptops, and families should bring their Social Security number or A-number (for non-U.S. citizens), 2023 federal income tax returns, and other financial records. Additional information can be found on the flyer. For additional information, contact your student's counselor.