State Department of Education Issues Report Card on Public Schools

Good-bye, AYP, hello CCRPI!

Urban Sanctuary Takes Its Services to Those in Need

Have massage table, will travel, says Co-Owner Candice Courcy, who often travels to schools in Athens.

  When furlough days started for Clarke County teachers a few years ago, Candice Courcy and Alan McArthur decided to help. The owners of Urban Sanctuary Spa realized they could help relieve some of the stress that teachers were feeling. So Courcy asked her clients to nominate schools where the staff could most benefit from a massage or facial. Soon she was overwhelmed with letters. She picked a school, packed up her massage table and supplies, and with two other massage therapists from Urban Sanctuary, worked her way through the knotted up bodies of some very tense teachers. More requests came, until Courcy was doing one or two "community outreach" events a week--and she had to cut back. These days, Courcy tries to limit the offsite visits…

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Clarke County School Board May Initiate Furloughs

Five furlough days could save the system $3 million.

  Revenues are increasing for the school system, but workers could be taking off five unpaid furlough days in the coming academic year. That's according to a story in the Athens Banner Herald. It also says that those making more than $80,000 will take two additional days. Teachers will be getting step raises, and the lowest paid employees will be getting pay increases. Both of these extra expenditures could be offset by the furloughs, the story says. The budget is only a draft document right now, officials told the newspaper. The board will get a budget on April 11, and vote on it by April 18. As it was last year, the vote will be followed by public hearings before a final budget is adopted in June.

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Clarke County School District Recommended for Accreditation

“Your district overall, in terms of focus on student achievement, is way at the top."

This information comes from a press release prepared by Anisa Sullivan Jimenez, the public relations director for the school system: The Clarke County School District was recommended for accreditation by a report given by AdvancED at a called board meeting, earlier Wednesday. The review team observed 29 classrooms and interviewed 340 stakeholders during their review process Monday and Tuesday. Chair George Griffin remarked that, “Your district overall, in terms of focus on student achievement, is way at the top. Nobody deviated from that. It was refreshing and commendable.” AdvancED (formerly the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities) is the world’s largest educational network. It evaluates 30,000 public and private schools …

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Barrow Elementary School Renovation Taking Shape in Athens, Ga.

These are not the final renderings of the project, officials said.

  David C. Barrow Elementary is undergoing a tremendous change. Students were moved to the old Gaines Elementary this year so that construction could move ahead full steam. Much of the old school has been torn down, and architectural details, like the rotunda, have been saved and improved. The construction project is expected to be finished in time for the 2013-14 school year, which starts in August.

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School Lunch Elementary Menu in Athens, Ga.

This is the menu for September 25 - September 28

  25 BBQ Pork Sandwich* PBJ Uncrustable with Crackers* Carrots & Dip Coleslaw Fresh Banana Chilled Pears & Cherries Fruit Cobbler or Crisp Breakfast Sausage Biscuit* Cereal* & Pop-Tart* 26 Pizza (Cheese or Pepperoni)* Bean & Cheese Chalupa* Steamed Kernel Corn Garden Salad Watermelon Chilled Peaches Breakfast Mini Pancakes* Cereal* & Gripz 27 Beef Tacos w/ WG Tortilla* Yogurt & Muffin Plate Shredded Lettuce Refried Beans Orange Wedges Chilled Pineapple Ice Cream Breakfast Chicken Biscuit* Cereal* & Nutrigrain Bar* 28 Hamburger* Ham & Cheese on Wheat Bun* Green Leaf Lettuce Baked Beans Assorted Fresh Fruit Chilled Fruit Cocktail Breakfast Fortified Donut & Cheese Stick Cereal* & Super Star

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Three Public High Schoolers Named Merit Semi-Finalists in Athens, Ga.

Two come from Cedar Shoals and one from Clarke Central.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recently announced the semifinalists in the 58th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Three academically talented high school seniors in Athens may now compete for next spring's 8,300 National Merit Scholarships. The scholarships are worth more than $32 million. “I commend our three semifinalists for their achievement at a national level,” said Superintendent Philip D. Lanoue. “These students excel – not only on national standardized tests – but also in their coursework, as well as in a variety of activities in which they are involved.” The three are Erin Hollander, daughter of Edith and Barry Hollander, and  Akshay Hariani, son of Divya and Arun Hariani, both students at Cedar Shoals High …

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Clarke County Elementary School Lunch Menus

This is for the week of September 17th, 2012, in Athens, Ga.

September Elementary School Lunch Menu Week of September 17th 17 Crispy Chicken Bites with Wheat Roll Meat Ravioli with Garlic Breadstick* Green Beans Garden Salad Apple Wedges Chilled Mandarin Oranges Breakfast Mini Cinnis* Cereal & Gripz* 18 Chicken Sandwich* Sweet Potato Crusted Fish with Red Mule Grits* Baked Sweet Potato Coleslaw Grapes Chilled Peaches Freshly-baked Cookie Breakfast Sausage Biscuit* Cereal* & Pop-Tart* 19 Pizza (Cheese or Pepperoni)* Vegetable Lasagna Steamed Kernel Corn Garden Salad Mixed Melon (Cantaloupe, Honey- dew, & Watermelon) Chilled Pineapple Breakfast Pancakes* Cereal* & Gripz 20 Chicken Tenders with Jalapeno Cornbread Tuna Salad with Loco Bread* Fresh GA Collard Greens Black-eye Peas Orange Wedges Chilled …

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The Foundation for Excellence in Education Hands Out Awards

The non-profit gives more than $13,500 to educators in Athens, Ga., public schools as the 2012 awards.

  Twelve of the Clarke County School District’s outstanding educators have been rewarded for excellence in teaching, leadership and community service. The Foundation for Excellence in Education has awarded $13,600 to educators in the Athens' public schools. In addition, teachers at nine schools, plus the Office of Nursing in the district, will share $14,000 in grants for fund innovative learning projects. "It is always so wonderful for the Foundation for Excellence trustees to make the award presentations to the teachers," said president Susan Dodson. "The Foundation is fortunate to be able to honor so many outstanding educators and is very grateful for the community’s support in making this possible." The 2012 award recipients are:   The …

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Rachel Watkins

8:57 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012

It is an honor to be serving my first year as a Trustee for the Foundation. There are great things happening in CCSD!   more ›

Clarke County Grand Jury Finds 'Grave Concerns' With School District Finances

Resources have been exposed 'to increased risk of fraud, theft or misuse.'

  The April term of the Clarke County Grand Jury has issued presentments that examine the function of several parts of local government, including the Clarke County School District. The findings were based on a 2010 state audit of the system, the last one available. That audit found "numerous, serious and repeated weaknesses in the school district's management of the finances that have been entrusted to them," the Grand Jury said. While there are several "material weaknesses," the findings of the Grand Jury list the most significant issues as: 1. A variance of $184, 379.20 exists between the reconciled cash total and cash recorded on the financial statements 2. The School District's Operating and Payroll Accounts are apparently both …

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Rebecca McCarthy

12:51 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012

Hugh, I think that's why this Grand Jury said the most important thing is for the next Grand Jury to continue to look at the records. Because there hasn't been any continuity in making sure things are in order. Heck, I was told there were some accounts the current officials in the school district didn't even know existed. I wonder if Bernie Still could help them out?   more ›