Please accept this notification as a reminder that those students who have been attending school in-person will begin in-person classes again on Tuesday, January 26th.  We will remain in a hybrid model at this time with those students in Cohort A attending on Tuesday/Wednesday and students in Cohort B on Thursday/Friday.  Over the past few weeks there has been some change in guidance and some new information about the pandemic response that I also wanted to share with families.

Let's POP into a new year!!

This month, we are featuring Shagbark Seed & Mill's Heirloom Popcorn. The corn is locally grown on Hershberger Farms in Morgan County, Ohio. Shagbark Seed & Mill sources all of their grains from local farms throughout Ohio!

How to Participate

• We will have ALL of the ingredients (+ a toy per kit!) bagged up and ready for a DRIVE THRU pickup on Wednesday, January 20th from 4-5:30 pm at the ACSD Food Pantry, 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey, OH.
• Harvest of the Month Bag pickup will be in front of Old ChaunceyElementary on Birge Dr. Pantry Distribution will flow one-way for pick up: Please enter via the football field entrance onto HubieBobo Ln.
• We will have cars exiting onto Birge Dr. to help control traffic!

Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day virtually!  Where Do We Go from Here? Chaos or Community?

• Date: January 18, 2021
• Time: 6:30-8:00 p.m.
• Zoom ID: 85033765410 
• Zoom Password: 419172

An evening of speakers, performances, art, community conversaion, collaboration and inspiration.

​The Athens City School District Board of Education will hold the Budget Hearing, Meetings for the Records Commission, Board Organizational, and the Regular Monthly Board Meeting on January 12, 2021 as follows:

• Budget Hearing 6:10 PM
• Records Commission 6:20 PM
• Board Organizational Meeting 6:30 PM
• Regular Monthly Board Meeting (Immediately after the Organizational Meeting)

Zoom Meeting Information

• Join Zoom Meeting: https://bricker.zoom.us/j/96287602342
• Dial-In Number: 646-876-9923
• Meeting ID: 962 8760 2342

We wanted to let you know that we are continuing our food delivery program over winter break. 

• If you are already enrolled in the program NO EXTRA STEPS ARE REQUIRED. You will receive 5 days of food on both the 21st and 28th of December. 
• If you enroll by 12:00 pm (noon) tomorrow, Friday December 18th, you will be delivered 5 days worth of food on December 28th.
• You can also enroll for an additional week of food delivery on December 28th only OR the remainder of the year using the link below.
  • 20-21 ACSD Food Services Delivery  

Please contact Food Services with any questions or concerns.
foodserverices@athenscsd.org
740-593-7071 ext.1110

The Athens City School District Board of Education will be meeting on December 17th, 2020 at 6:30 pm to conduct a Regular Board Meeting.Consistent with the Order and directives from the Director of the Ohio Department of Health and Governor related to COVID-19, and Am.Sub. H.B. 197, this meeting will be conducted virtually.The public is invited to join the virtual meeting by teleconference or video conference using the following information:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://bricker.zoom.us/j/91664379429
Dial-in: 301-715-8592
Meeting ID: 916 6437 9429

In order to accommodate public participation, anyone wishing to provide comment to the Board must notify Dr. Gibbs at 740-797-4544 or tgibbs@athenscsd.org no later than 4:00 p.m. on December 16, 2020.

The Southeast Ohio Foodbank will be hosting an on-site food distribution for income ­eligible residents of our 10 county service area. I.D. and proof of residency no older than 60 days required. 

What: Car Selfie with Santa Donation Drive for ACSD Food Pantry
Date:  Saturday, December 19th
Time: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Location: Athens High School main entrance way
What to Bring: Please bring a pantry donation* to participate and a camera

After careful consideration of data related to the spread of Covid-19 in Athens County and in collaboration with the Athens City-County Health Department, it is necessary that we make a temporary move to full remote learning for all students for a period of time to mitigate additional community spread.  As such, we will be making the following changes: 

The Athens City School District Board of Education will be meeting on December 3, 2020 at 6:30 P.M. to conduct a Special Board Meeting for the purpose of getting an update from the Superintendent in relation to the COVID-19 Response and other business that may come before the Board.Consistent with the Order and directives from the Director of the Ohio Department of Health and Governor related to COVID-19, and Am.Sub. H.B. 197, this meeting will be conducted virtually.The public is invited to join the virtual meeting by teleconference or video conference using the following information:

At the Regular Board Meeting on November 19, 2020, the Athens City School District Board of Education approved the following changes to the school calendar:

Monday, November 30, 2020 will be an asynchronous remote learning day for all students.

There will be no school on December 22, 2020.  The last day of school before Winter Break will now be the asynchronous remote learning day on Monday, December 21, 2020.

The Athens City School District will be participating in a statewide study related to the spread of Covid-19 in Public Schools who have in-person contact with students.  The study will begin this week as per the guidelines and description of the project provided below:

AHS typically has an in-person live event to honor and recognize our veterans.  However, due to COVID-19 restrictions this year that is not possible, so please click on the link below to view a tribute video created by AHS students for our veterans.  

AHS Veterans Day Tribute Video

​Athens City School District is now operating under SSO meal service.   The USDA passed policy allowing our school district to serve meals through the SSO program that will extend through the 2020/2021 school year. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers to Families program in partnership with The Food Soldier Hunger Coalition will be holding FREE drive-through grocery distributions in Athens over the next two weeks: on October 24th and 31st from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

We have a great opportunity for students who have an artistic interest, particularly in the design of athletic apparel. 

Former Bulldog student-athlete Joe Burrow is currently a member of the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals. As a part of an NFL initiative to help players advertise their philanthropic organizations, players are allowed to wear specially designed cleats for one game per year. Joe Burrow would like your help in designing the cleats that he will be wearing this season! 

Fall time is about embracing the changing of the seasons, enjoying the crisp air, and enjoying new harvest!

October is National Farm to School Month. National Farm to School Month is a celebration to appreciate the connections happening across the country between kids, families, and their community food systems.

October's Harvest of the Month is APPLES! Ohio farmers grow over 100 million pounds of apples every fall! Apple Crunch Day is looking a little different this year. We are encouraging everyone to bite into a fresh apple at home or try out a new recipe with apples!

ACSD Food Pantry: Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 16, 2020, 4:00—5:30 pm at Athens City School District Central Office (former Chauncey Elmentary) 

• Enter off Hubie Bobo Lane (one way)
• Drive through ONLY
• Stay in car
• Must be present to pick-up
• First come, first serve

The Athens City School District Board of Education will be meeting on September 17, 2020 at 6:30 pm to conduct a Regular Board Meeting.  Consistent with the Order and directives from the Director of the Ohio Department of Health and Governor related to COVID-19, and Am.Sub. H.B. 197, this meeting will be conducted virtually.  The public is invited to join the virtual meeting by teleconference or video conference using the following information:

As we begin remote learning tomorrow, we want to make sure you have access to all of the support resources available to ACSD families.

Ohio University is providing parking spots in designated locations marked with signage for Athens City Schools for our ​families.  The Ohio University Guest WiFi requires no password.  Click on the link below to view designated ACSD parking spaces.

All students entering 7th grade will need a booster dose of the Tdap AND one dose of the MCV4 Meningococcal vaccine.

All students entering 12th grade will need two doses of the MCV4 Meningococcal vaccine. Only one dose is needed if the student receives the first dose on or after their 16th birthday.

All immunizations must be up-to-date within the first 15 days of school, even though we are starting the year online. 

August 25th through Friday, August 28th, from 9:00 am- 11:00 am, the Athens City School District will be offering free lunches as part of their seamless summer program. Buses will be at the following locations passing out lunches and breakfasts.  First come, first serve. 

Athens City School District today announced its 2020-2021 program year policy for free and or reduced price meals for students unable to pay the full price of meals or milk served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast, After School Care Snack or Special Milk Programs. Each school office and the central office has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by any interested party.

With school starting in just over a week, I wanted to reach out and provide some additional information for our families. Please be reminded that our first day back to school for students is August 31st.  Each family should have already received a message from the building principal explaining that Mondays will be asynchronous learning days, with synchronous learning on Tuesdays-Fridays each week.  

The Athens City School District Board of Education will be meeting on August 20, 2020 at 6:30 pm to conduct a Regular Board Meeting.  Consistent with the Order and directives from the Director of the Ohio Department of Health and Governor related to COVID-19, and Am.Sub. H.B. 197, this meeting will be conducted virtually.  The public is invited to join the virtual meeting by teleconference or video conference using the following information:

As we prepare to begin our school year in an online format, I wanted to share with you a basic overview of what you might expect as our students return to school.  This general concept has been developed using input from students and families during our Spring time online, as well through conversation with our educators and recommendations that can be found in most research about online learning.  Additionally, the weekly schedule is based on the concept that when we return for in-person instruction it may likely be in a blended format.  We wanted to make the transition from online to blended as seamless as possible for students and families.  To assist in making sense of my description below it is important to note that synchronous learning is learning that occurs at the same time (think of Zoom meetings with the class) and asynchronous learning is learning that can take place at any time based on the needs of the family.

Yesterday we posted a Final Forms registration form for those who wanted online learning for the entire school year.  Please consider the following:

Generally we make every attempt each year to assign students to classes and have those same students stay in the same class with the same teacher(s) for the entire school year.  The relationship between the teacher and the student is often key to the success of the individual student and for the class as a whole.  What our team is attempting to do is to identify those families who have a high level of certainty that they will need an online format for education for the entire school year.

AHS will be an Ohio Pop-up COVID-19 Testing Site THIS FRIDAY.  Anyone wanting a test can get one at no cost.

Date: Friday, August 7, 2020

Time: 1:00 - 6:00 pm

Location: Athens High School, 1 High School Rd., The Plains, OH 45780

All families need to log into FinalForms (even if you have already completed forms for your child(ren) for the 20-21 school year).  A new form, ACSD Online Learning Program, has been added to the formset for all students and we need this form to be completed for EACH STUDENT in the district, along with all other forms in FinalForms if you have not yet completed them.  This form must be completed by Friday, August 7, 2020. 

The Athens City School District Board of Education met in Regular Session on Thursday, July 23rd, 2020 at which time the Board decided to begin school in an online format for at least the first grading period of the school year. The administrative team is working to finalize guidelines for how our online program will operate this fall.  These updated guidelines will be communicated to families over the next few weeks.

In addition to approving online instruction, the Board approved a change of start date for students to August 31st in order to accommodate teacher professional development related to online/blended learning.

It’s time to register your children for the 2nd Annual Athens County Back-to-School Bash!

Fill out the application (links below) and a sizing page for each child in your household that will be in Kindergarten-12th grade for the 2020-2021 school year. Be sure to print all information legibly and fill out the entire application so the proper items can be ordered. Incomplete applications will be returned.

In-person Kindergarten Registration and Screening events have been cancelled.  Please follow the steps listed below to complete the registration process for your incoming kindergartener.

The Athens City School District Board of Education will be meeting on July 23, 2020 at 6:30 pm to conduct a Regular Board Meeting.  Consistent with the Order and directives from the Director of the Ohio Department of Health and Governor related to COVID-19, and Am.Sub. H.B. 197, this meeting will be conducted virtually.  The public is invited to join the virtual meeting by teleconference or video conference using the following information:

Please click here to view the video message of the statement from the ACSD School Nurses regarding the return to school for fall 20-21.  Additionally, the text of the message is below:

My name is Molly Wales, and I work with Heidi Shaw.  We are the TWO licensed school nurses for ACSD, and Heidi is the President Elect of the Ohio Association of School Nurses.  In addition to programs such as the food pantry, staff wellness, and health education, we oversee the daily health of students at all six schools within the district – Preschool, East/West elementary, Morrison-Gordon Elementary, The Plains Elementary, the Middle School, and the High School (roughly 2400 students).

The number one draft pick in the NFL, Appalachian Ohio's hometown Heisman hero, has announced a new fund.

Today, Joe Burrow announced that the Athens County Food Pantry was investing a portion of the many gifts inspired by his Heisman Trophy acceptance speech to create the Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio.

​The Athens City School District Board of Education will be meeting on July 13th, 2020 at 6:30 P.M. to conduct a Special Board Meeting. Consistent with the Order and directives from the Director of the Ohio Department of Health and Governor related to COVID-19, and Am.Sub. H.B. 197, this meeting will be conducted virtually. The public is invited to join the virtual meeting by teleconference or video conference.

Preschool registration has been rescheduled to Wednesday, July 22, 2020.   

Location, Date and Time:

• Location: Athens City School District Central Office
  • 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey Ohio 45719
• Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2020
• Time: 9:00 am - 3:15 pm
• Complete registration forms online:
  • FinalForms: https://athens-oh.finalforms.com
  • Directions:Final Forms Parent Playbook

ACSD Parents/Guardians of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals;

Important Information About Your Child's Meals

If you have a child in kindergarten through twelfth grade in your household who was receiving free or reduced-price meals while in school, your child is eligible for the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as a result of the school closure.

ACCS School Outreach will be distributing peanut butter, jelly, bread and produce, each Thursday, June 4th through July 30th, from 11:00 am -1:00 pm in front of The Plains Elementary main entrance. 

Athens High School is collecting ACSD Chromebooks and hotspots from ALL SENIORS  AND ANY K-12 STUDENTS OF ANY FAMILY LEAVING THE DISTRICT.

Collection Dates & Times:  

• Tuesday, May 26th, 2020, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm at Athens High School
• Wednesday, May 27th, 2020, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm at Athens High School
• Thursday, May 28th, 2020, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm at Athens High School

The Southeast Ohio Foodbank, a program of Hocking Athens Perry Community Action, will be hosting a mobile food distribution at the Athens County Fairgrounds on Friday, May 29th from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Food items will be given to families who are residents of Athens County.   Photo I.D. and proof of residency no more than 60 days old is required.

​

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!  Call (740) 385-4495 to register. Calls must be placed by 3:00PM on Thursday, May 28th.

Please contact the Southeast Ohio Foodbank at (740) 385-6813 with questions.

Below is all of the UPDATED AND REVISED information for Kindergarten registration for the 2020-2021 school year for the Athens City School District. Due to the unexpected COVID-19 closure, the screening dates have been rescheduled for later this summer.  Please see all details below.

Athens City Schools is moving all academic student registration (in addition to athletic registration) to FinalForms, an online forms and data management service that will be replacing paper forms. FinalForms allows you to complete and sign enrollment, back-to-school and athletic participation forms for your students. The most exciting news is that FinalForms saves data from season-to-season and year-to-year, meaning that you will never need to enter the same information twice! FinalForms also pre-populates information wherever possible, for each of your students, saving you time.

THANK YOU for the overwhelming response on Your COVID mask orders!  Within 24hours of posting the ad we have filled our production capacity.  The profits made from this project will go towards The Athens High School Maker Space material needs for our students. If you have masks on order you will be contacted via email as soon as they are ready.  You can pay for the masks upon pick up at Athens High School. We will bring them out to your car. Thank you for the overwhelming support!!  Stay healthy"

The lights at Joe Burrow Stadium and Ed Rannow Baseball Field will be on starting at 8:20 PM (20:20 military time) for 20 minutes and 20 seconds on Monday, April 20th to honor our Athens High School Seniors.   Please note that the stadium and field will remain closed during this recognition.

We're asking all of you to honor our seniors at the same from your homes by turning on your porch lights.

We are proud of and miss our seniors!  ​​#BeTheLight

​Virtual Spirit Week: April 20th-25th

Two weeks ago Superintendent Tom Gibbs was reading articles related to concerns about PPE and came across one that caught his attention.  The Veterans Health Administration had created a face mask that was recently FDA approved for use in medical settings.  The unique thing about the face mask was that it was produced with a 3-D printer.  The design has a predominately plastic mask with an insert in the front where a small piece of a surgical mask can be placed.  The plastic mask itself can be routinely cleaned and sanitized.  One typical surgical mask is cut into 5-6 pieces to create the inserts, effectively decreasing the number of surgical masks needed. Dr. Gibbs forwarded that article to Athens High School Principal Chad Springer and Industrial Technology Teacher Wayne Hanzel.  The District had opened a makerspace in the technology lab earlier this school year and equipped it with two 3-D printers.  Mr. Hanzel researched and contacted one of the manufacturers of the masks, who shared with him the design specs.

The Athens Bulldog Elementary X-Country Clubs are sponsoring the 9th Annual Forget Me Not 5K Run/Walk!

Date: April 11, 2020
​Time:  10:30 am
​Location: Little Fish, Armitage Road, Athens
​In memory of: Patsy D. Barrington

We have an exciting new opportunity for children under age 5 in Athens County!  If you have any children who qualify, please take a few minutes to enroll.  If you know anyone else who has children who could benefit from this program, please forward this information on to them as well!  Access to books is one of the leading indicators of early reading success.  If every child in Athens County had 12 books delivered to their home each year from birth to age 5, it would be absolutely amazing!

What is it?

Each month a new, carefully selected book will be mailed in your child's name directly to your home. The first book is always the children's classic The Little Engine That Could™. Best of all it is a FREE GIFT to your child through our partnership with local organizations! There is no cost or obligation to your family.

Please view the article by the link below to read about how Ohio University worked with the Athens Middle School AJD Club to honor Andrew Jackson Davison.

​University partners with local students to honor Athens' first black attorney

Schorr Architects presented updates to the Athens City School District Board of Education at the February 20, 2020 meeting.  This presentation includes a fly-by video for both the future East Elementary and Morrison-Gordon Elementary buildings.

View the 2.20.20 Presentation to the Board of Education here

Preschool registration will be held on April 8, 2020.  

Location, Date and Time:

• Location: Athens City School District Central Office
  • 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey Ohio 45719
• Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2020
• Time: 9:00 am - 3:15 pm

Please join us for a demonstration of the AHS Makerspace prior to tomorrow night's regular board of education meeting at 6:30 pm.  We will begin in the auditorium at 5:45 pm and move to the Industrial Technology Lab from there.

Please Note:

• Your child MUST BE 5 YEARS OLD ON OR BEFORE August 1, 2020 to be eligible for registration.
• Please bring your child with you
• Plan on being at the school for 45 minutes — 1.5 hours.
• You must arrive at least 45 minutes before the end of the session

Location:

• NEW FOR THIS YEAR:
• ALL Registration events will be held at the Athens City School District Central Office
  • 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey, Ohio 45719
  • Please enter through the front main entrance

Unfortunately, it's that time of year again when we are seeing a rise in influenza (flu) as well as other illnesses. We wanted to take a moment to remind everyone of the sickness protocols for our district, and we ask that you please adhere to them so that we can prevent the sharing of these pesky germs. 

If your child is diagnosed with the flu, they must stay home until they are at least 24 hours free of fever (without the use of fever-reducing medication), vomiting, or diarrhea. If after that time they are still sneezing, coughing, or have a stuffy nose, they could still spread germs (typically for 5-7 days after symptoms begin), so please check in with your doctor on when they should return to school. If your child comes to school and still seems ill or is symptomatic, we will ask you to either pick up your child or have your doctor contact us immediately to "clear" them. 

The Athens City School district is currently reviewing its Parent and Family Member Participation in Title I Programs Policy.  Your participation in that process is important in helping our federal programs adequately serve our community.  You can review the current Parent and Family Member Participation in Title I Programs here.  

After reviewing the policy, you can provide feedback by completing the review form, or by returning a hard copy (attached) to any of our building principals or sent directly to:

Thomas Parsons
Director of Curriculum and Development
Athens City Schools
Box 9, 21 Birge Drive
Chauncey, OH 45719
tparsons@athenscsd.org 

Thank you for your assistance.

The DRAFT 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 ACS District Calendars were presented to the ACSD Board of Education at the January 13, 2020 organizational meeting.  The calendars are now posted on the Forms and Links web page of the ACS district website for review.  

If you would like to submit feedback/suggestions regarding these proposed calendars, please use the link below to provide that information ​by February 1, 2020.

• Feedback for Proposed DRAFT 20-21 & 21-22 ACS District Calendars

The calendars will be voted on by the Board of Education at the February 20, 2020 regular board meeting.

While we have had a mild winter so far this year, the time will soon come when I will need to consider whether or not to cancel or delay school due to inclement weather. School days may be canceled or delayed for a variety of weather related events.  When winter weather is expected, several members of our team drive our most challenging roads to monitor and make determinations about the ability of our buses to safely transport students to/from school.  Sometimes this is a very difficult call.  In addition to the current road conditions, we have to take into account the timing of the weather event and how continued snow or freezing rain will impact travel conditions.

The Athens City School District Board of Education will hold the 2020 Meetings for the Records Commission, Budget Hearing, Board Organizational, and the Regular Monthly Board Meeting on January 13, 2020, as follows:

• Budget Hearing 6:10 pm              
• Records Commission 6:20 pm
• Board Organizational Meeting 6:30 pm
• Regular Monthly Board Meeting (Immediately after the Organizational Meeting)

The AHS Athletic Boosters is having a fundraiser and membership drive. The Athletic Boosters supports all athletic teams at Athens High School. Each year we raise funds through membership, concessions, and private gifts. Funds are used to supplement uniform and equipment purchases, coach development, post season recognition and other items for our student athletes. 

Your purchase of a blanket, or membership contribution, helps us to continue to supplement the athletic program at AHS. Purchasing a blanket direct from the boosters insures that 100% of the proceeds support our organization, AND If you purchase before Monday, you will receive your blanket by December 23rd. 

Schorr Architect made a presentation at the Board of Education meeting on November 21, 2019.  Below are links to the presentation and the video included within the presentation.  

• November 17, 2019 Presentation to the Board by Schorr Architect​
• East Elementary Overview Video

This presentation (along with others) is also posted on the Presentations to the Board of Education webpage (a link from the Board of Education web page).

If you need some help with food assistance, please stop over.  
This month’s date is: Wednesday, December 18, 2019, 4:00—5:30 pm

Note: Holiday Giveaways in December!

• December 18th, get a ham! 
• Must be present to pick up
• Limit one per household

If you need some help with food assistance, please stop over.  
This month’s date is: Wednesday, November 20, 2019, 4:00—5:30 pm

Note: Holiday Giveaways in November and December!

• November 20th, get a turkey!
• December 18th, get a ham! 
• Must be present to pick up
• Limit one per household

The SOS program is coming to Athens Middle School this month. It is a suicide prevention program through Nationwide Children's Hospital. The goal of the Signs of Suicide (SOS) Prevention Program is to reduce youth suicides by teaching students and staff to recognize the signs and symptoms of suicide and depression in themselves and others and to follow the ACT (Acknowledge, Care, Tell) message. 

The SOS program encourages conversation around mental health issues, including depression and suicide among school staff, families, and students. There are two key strategies to the program; an educational curriculum for students and adults, and a brief screening for depression and suicidal behavior, followed by a risk assessment for those students who need immediate help. Program components include training, peer-to-peer discussion, screenings, consultation, and caregiver/community education. This program is offered at no cost to the district. 

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting "START" to 741-741. 

A Signs of Suicide (SOS) training session that is open to the public will be held on Monday, November 4 from 6:00 - 7:00 pm in the Athens Middle School Auditorium.

Visit the Suicide Prevention Resource Center website to learn more about this program.

The Athens City School District will be have a "yard sale" for unused/excess furnishings and materials at the East Elementary building.

Details:

• Where: East Elementary Gymnasium, 3 Wallace Dr., Athens, OH 45701
• When: Saturday, November 2, 2019
• Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
• What: Unused/excess furnishings and materials

Please Note:

• ALL SALES ARE CASH ONLY!!
• ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD AS-IS AND ALL ITEMS PURCHASED MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE BUILDING AT THE TIME OF SALE!

Representatives from Schorr Architects presented at the Regular Board Meeting on October 17th and presented initial concepts for the exterior of the new PK-3 building at the East location and floor plans for the PK-3 building at the Morrison-Gordon location.  You can access the presentation via the link below:

October 17, 2019 Presentation to the Board by Schorr Architects

Note that presentations can be accessed via the Board of Education Presentations web page anytime.

The Athens City School District Board of Education will have a Regular Board Meeting on Thursday, October 17, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. at the Athens High School Auditorium.  At that meeting, the Board will hear presentations from Ruscilli Construction Management representatives and Schorr Architect representatives regarding the following topics:

For students who may have been absent on picture day, came to the district after their school's picture day or need theirs pictures retaken, the retake/absentee picture day schedule is below for your reference.  All photos will be taken by Trisha Smathers (TS Photos).

Date       Location

10/4/19     ACS Early Learning Center Retake/Absentee Picture Day 2019

10/17/19   East-West Retake/Absentee Picture Day 2019 (K-5)

10/24/19   AHS Retake/Absentee Picture Day 2019 (9-12)

10/25/19   The Plains Retake/Absentee Picture Day 2019 (K-6)

10/29/19   AMS Retake/Absentee Picture Day 2019

10/29/19   East-West Retake/Absentee Picture Day 2019 (6th Grade at AMS)

11/1/19     Morrison-Gordon Retake/Absentee Picture Day 2019 (K-6)

The Athens City School District Board of Education will host an audience interactive presentation regarding community perceptions of school architectural design styles ​during the Regular Board Meeting at 6:30 pm in the Athens High School Auditorium on Thursday, September 19, 2019.   Representatives from Schorr Architects and Community Design Alliance will project images of different finished exterior school designs.  Members of the audience will be provided hand-held audience response "clickers" to provide input as to styles they prefer or do not prefer.  

The goal of the exercise is to determine any patterns as to preferences in architectural styles that may exist with members of our community, both from a personal preference as well as in context with the community and the actual sites for the new schools.  This information will be used in developing exterior building design concepts for the new buildings to be located at the current East Elementary and Morrison-Gordon Elementary School sites.

Student individual picture days for Athens City School District has begun!

Picture day ORDER FORMS come a few days after picture day.  These will have a proof of your child's photo on them with a due date to be sent back to the school.

Below is a list of dates for the district.  All photos will be taken by Trisha Smathers (TS Photos).

There is a lot going on at Athens City Schools!  We want to remind you that there are many ways to keep updated with current events in the district in addition to the emails and calls that are sent out to those who are parents/guardians in our district.

The Business Advisory Committee for the Athens City School District has set the next three meetings to be held on September 23, October 21 and November 25, 2019.  All meetings will take place at Athens High School at 1:00 p.m. and are open to the public.  Detailed information about the Business Advisory Council is below for your reference.

At Athens City School District, we use a student absence reporting system called SafeArrival.

With SafeArrival, you are asked to report your child’s absence in advance using any of these 3 convenient methods:

Please read carefully the following information regarding immunizations and exemptions.

Attention all 7th and 12th Grade Parents/Guardians:

• All students entering 7th grade will need a booster dose of the Tdap AND one dose of the MCV4 Meningococcal vaccine.
• All students entering 12th grade will need two doses of the MCV4 Meningococcal vaccine. Only one dose is needed if the student receives the first dose on or after their 16th birthday.
• All immunizations must be up-to-date within the first 15 days of school.

Please be aware that the Athens City School District Administrative Offices will be moving from our current location in The Plains to Chauncey over the next few days.

Our phone numbers will remain the same.  However, ​please note that phone service will be limited during this time. Please call the buildings your children attend with any questions during this transitional period.  

Our new address will be PO Box 9, 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey 45719.

We appreciate your patience during our move.

I know it's a little early, but I wanted to welcome everyone back for the 2019-2020 school year!  There has been a lot of activity throughout the District over the summer and we are looking forward to welcoming our students back to school.  This is certain to be an exciting and eventful year.  The Faculty and Staff throughout the District have been working very hard this summer to make sure we are ready for the 2019-2020 school year.  Please see several updates below.

The 40th Annual AHS Academic Awards Night was held at AHS on Thursday, May 16, 2019.  The rewards presented are listed below.

If you live in Athens Township, Athens High's AP U.S. Government Class would like you to take a 10 minute survey to help in a class project! The project represents a collaboration between the Athens Township Trustees and Athens High School's AP and Honors Government curriculum. 

The Athens Township Trustees have agreed to hold a public meeting at Athens High on Tuesday, May 21st at 9 am.  Students in Honors and Advanced Placement Government classes will take a "field trip" to the auditorium that day and witness a regular monthly meeting of the Athens Township Trustees. Four groups of students will make short presentations to the trustees at the May 21st meeting.  The AP Government students have met with Trustee Steve Pierson during class time to learn about concerns that have recently been brought before the township trustees.  The students have designed a survey to help inform the recommendations their groups will make to the Athens Township Trustees at next week's meeting.  The community is welcome to attend next week's public meeting to view some of the survey results.  Community members wishing to attend will be asked to sign in at the office and receive a visitor's pass.

The survey should take a little over 10 minutes and is anonymous unless you wish to be contacted regarding the creation of a community playground as asked near the end of the survey.  Thank you again for your help as our students engage in an authentic learning experience.

The OLD Campus Mobile Portal app will be removed on June 30, 2019 and replaced with Campus Student and Campus Parent.  Most likely, many of you already switched to the new apps when we first communicated this update to you in September 2018.  However, if you are still using the old Infinite Campus app, please download the new app very soon.  THE OLD APP, CAMPUS MOBILE PORTAL, WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE APP STORE ON JUNE 30, 2019.

Please read carefully the following information regarding immunizations and exemptions. 

Attention all families traveling outside the US for longer than ​ONE MONTH:

• Depending on where you travel, your student might need a T-spot (tuberculosis) test in order to be in compliance. You will need to call the Athens City-County Health Department to review your travel and find out if this test is needed. If recommended, please make an appointment with the Athens City-County Health Department listed below.

​Athens City School District Food Pantry will be open for a huge SPECIAL PERISHABLE item give-away from 4-5 pm on Wednesday, May 8th. 

Items that will be available are milk, eggs, bread, bananas, apples, oranges, yogurt, spinach, tomatoes, lemons, limes, cucumbers, and other frozen food items. We're so thankful for our wonderful partnership with Athens Food Rescue and Ohio University Dining Services for allowing us this opportunity. All items will be give away first come first serve so make sure to pass the word along!

Earlier this Spring, Martha and Steve Sloan donated $5,000 to create the Martha & Steve Sloan Fine Arts and Music Fund with the McClure Foundation.  These funds are intended for Athens City School District students who may wish to participate in a program, camp, or private lessons in Fine Arts or Music but who might not have the family resources to do so.

The Athens Law Enforcement Community is hosting training, Operation Street Smart: Drug Education, presented by HIDTA-High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.  Please join us for this educational opportunity to be held at the Athens Community Center on June 27th from 6:00 - 9:00 pm.

As per Board Policy 0165.2: Special Meetings (see below), the Board President, Mrs. Kim Goldsberry has directed me to inform you in writing that we will have a Special Board Meeting on Monday, April 29, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. at Athens High School for the purpose of considering the purchase of property.

0165.2 - SPECIAL MEETINGS

Special meetings of the Board shall be public.

1. Special meetings shall be called by the President or the Treasurer or by two (2) members of the Board by serving a written notice of the time and place of such meeting upon each Board member at least two (2) days in advance of the meeting.

2. The agenda for a special meeting is limited to the purpose set forth in the public notice that is provided at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting. As such, when the Board calls a special meeting to discuss particular issues, the statement of the meeting's purpose must specifically indicate those issues, and the Board may only discuss those issues at the special meeting. The Board may not discuss matters not disclosed in the purpose statement of a special meeting public notice, either in open session or executive session of the special meeting. Nothing, however, shall prevent the Board from specifying in the public notice that the special meeting is being held for "general purposes," if that is the actual reason for the meeting.

© Neola 2016

There has been a change in the date of the May Board Meeting for the Athens City Schools.  It will now be held on Thursday, May 30th at 6:30 pm at Athens High School.

The Athens City School District has now received an updated credit rating and is in the process of finalizing the Preliminary Offering Statement for the sale of Bonds for the building project.  The Administration anticipates having our bond underwriter, Baird, begin marketing the bonds to the public later this week with a final bond pricing date (sale date) on Wednesday, April 24^th. 

You are invited to Live Healthy Kids Night on Thursday, April 25th, from 5:00 - 7:30 pm at the Athens Community Center.  

This is a FREE night of fun for all Athens County families that will feature DJ Rockin' Reggie, Live Healthy Kids recipes and fun family activities!

The Business Advisory Committee for the Athens City School District has set the next three meetings to be held on April 8th, May 20th, and June 17, 2019.  All meetings will take place at Athens High School at 1:00 p.m. and are open to the public.  

Registration for both opportunities below is required:  Please visit this site to register today!

Join with community stakeholders and civic leaders for a workshop and deep dive training led by the Racial Equity Institute of Greensboro, NC. The intensive presentation on historical, institutional and systemic racism challenge deeply ­held assumptions and reveal-with sobering clarity-the devastating impacts of persistent racial inequality on our nation's most marginalized populations. 
A deep dive training will be offered on March 21st at Stuarts Opera House. The cost is $50 and lunch is included. On March 20th, there will be a free three hour workshop held at Ohio University. 

3 HOUR WORKSHOP MARCH 20, 2019

6:00-9:00 PM 
OHIO UNIVERSITY GROSVENOR HALL 
ROOM 128 
16 W. GREEN DR. ATHENS, OH 45701

DEEP DIVE TRAINING MARCH 21, 2019

9:00 A.M.-3:00 PM STUART'S OPERA HOUSE 52 PUBLIC SQUARE NELSONVILLE, OH 45764 
COST: $50 
LUNCH INCLUDED

The Athens Bulldog Elementary Cross-Country Clubs are sponsoring the 8th Annual Forget Me Not 5K Run/Walk on April 13, 2019.  The day of registration and shirt pick-ip starts at 10:00 am and the 5K starts at 11:00 am at Little Fish Brewing Co. (8675 Armitage Road, Athens, OH 45701).  This event is held In memory of Patsy D. Barrington

• Fun Run/Walk begins at 11:00 am
• T-shirt Pick-up and Registration is from 10:00-10:45 am
• Bring your own Timing Device

The 5K Fun Run/Walk will take place on the bike path near Little Fish. The cost is $25.00 for community members. The cost for Athens City School students is $15.00. Half of the proceeds go to the The Athens Bulldog Elementary X-Country Clubs and half will go to Kids on Campus.

For further details or information contact Liz at lschwarzel@athenscsd.org or 740.818.9469.

Jeremy Biddinger and Colin Widdoes from RVC architects will be hosting several meetings in the coming weeks at locations throughout the District to provide opportunities for faculty, staff, parents, and community members to provide input ​​into the planning for our new PK-3 and Grades 4-6 school buildings.  The schedule for those meetings is as follows:

The 2019 Summer Camp Calendar is now available.  Please check it out for a list of camps offered this summer.  (Click on the ...READ MORE link to view the calendar.)  If you have additional camp information, please email that information to acsd@athenscsd.org.  Thanks to Lindsey Swank Meili for putting this together again this year!

A Parent Information Night for Early Entrance for the 2019-2020 school year will be held on March 7, 2019 from 6:30 - 7:30 at Morrison-Gordon Elementary (793 W. Union St., Athens, OH).  Anyone who is interested is welcome to attend!

• Get important information about the application process
• Learn about kindergarten expectations
• Talk with principals and kindergarten teachers
• Evaluate questions to determine school readiness Receive resources to help your family make the best decision for your child

Click here to view the flyer for the meeting.

Both the Early Entrance Policy and Brochure are available as links from the Gifted Services website.

• Early Entrance Policy 
• Early Entrance Brochure 

Below is all of the information for Kindergarten registration for the 2019-2020 school year for the Athens City School District.  Click here to view the the flyer.

Please Note:

• ​Your child MUST BE 5 YEARS OLD ON OR BEFORE August 1, 2019 to be eligible for registration.
• Please bring your child with you
• Plan on being at the school for 45 minutes — 1.5 hours.
• You must arrive at least 45 minutes before the end of the session

Location, Date and Time:

• Location: Former Chauncey Elementary Building
  • 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey Ohio 45719
• Date: Wednesday, April 17, 2019
• Time: 9:00 am - 3:15 pm

​To Schedule An Appointment:

• Call Linda Bennett at 740-797-4516 between 8:30 am - 2:00 pm

Please Note: 

• ​Your child MUST BE 4 YEARS OLD ON OR BEFORE August 1, 2019 to be eligible for registration.
• Please bring your child with you
• No child will be considered registered or put on a waiting list without the documentation listed below

PLEASE BRING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WITH YOU:

• ​Your Child’s Birth Certificate (Copy of parent and child’s passport if you have no birth certificate)
• Your Child’s Immunization Record
• Proof of Income (one of the following)
  • 1040 Tax Form or 2 consecutive pay stubs
• Proof of Residency (i.e. a Utility Bill showing "service at" a physical address, a Property Tax Bill, a Mortgage Bill, a Lease Agreement, etc.—proof must show a physical address,not a P.O. Box)
• Custody Papers (if applicable)

The 3d Annual Bobcat Bulldog Indoor field day is almost here! It will be this Saturday, February 23, from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the Walter Field House on the campus of Ohio University! This FREE Athens City School District community event is brought to you by the ACSD Healthy Schools Committee and Ohio University Athletics! This super fun celebration of a healthy living will include:

• Multiple stations with Ohio University student athletes leading fun and playful sporting activities!
• 10 minute group fitness classes for all!
• Health focused activities and table information brought to you by Ohio University Nutrition students, Ohio University Social Work students, and other community partners such as Live Healthy Appalachia!
• Free healthy snacks for all kinds of nutritional needs brought to you by some of your favorite local restaurants and Ohio University's Combined Master of Science and Dietetic Internship program through the Atrium Cafe!
• Half price ticket vouchers for all ACSD students to attend the Ohio University Men's basketball game on March 8!
• A group photo with Rufus Bobcat and the Athens Bulldog at 1:30 p.m. - bring your cameras!
• Surprise give-away at the end of the event for those who visit all of the stations!
• The warm and wonderful feeling that comes from being healthy and active with your family and community!!

All parents and caregivers must sign a release of liability upon entering the event. Children may not be dropped off, parents and caregivers must be present. 

We hope to see you there! 

Several weeks ago I put out a call for volunteers to assist with Planning Committees for the programming and design of our new elementary and intermediate schools, as well as for the renovations at Athens Middle School.  I had a great response.  In fact, despite adding more parents to the PK-3 and 4-6 committees than originally planned, I still had 14 additional parents who I've asked to help on an as-needed basis throughout the process this year.  In all, nearly one hundred different people will provide direct input as members of the committees!

After the Board's decision on Thursday evening to move forward with the timeline for the elementary and middle school portions of our building project, I posted two administrative positions to accommodate the change in student assignments for the coming year(s):  East/West Elementary School Principal and The Plains Elementary School Assistant Principal.  Any current building administrator was able to apply for these open positions.  There was one applicant for each position, therefore interviews were not necessary.  

At tonight’s Regular Board Meeting (Thursday, January 17, 2019) the Athens City School District Board of Education approved the time line for the construction of the Elementary/Middle School portion of the ACSD Master Plan. In an effort to keep you informed I wanted you to receive this information as quickly as possible following the meeting. 

http://www.athenscsd.orgNow that we are in the middle of the unpredictable winter weather season as well as the planning process for future new building construction, there is a lot going on at Athens City Schools!  We want to remind you that there are many ways to keep updated with current events in the district in addition to emails and calls that are sent out to parents/guardians in our district.  

We have a website, a mobile app and social media accounts that are ​free​ and ​open to anyone​ interested in keeping up with what's happening in our district.

​ACSD Faculty, Staff, Parents, and Members of the Community;

I am putting together Planning Committees for the elementary school/middle school portions of our building project.  These will be fixed committees that meet in private with the Superintendent and Design Professionals for the purpose of basic programmatic planning.  At a minimum, any volunteers selected will have to commit to the meeting dates/times outlined at the end of this message, however committees will also want to host open community input sessions for which we will need some members of each committee to attend.

The Athens City School District Board of Education will have an additional Regular Board Meeting this month on Thursday, January 17th at 6:30 p.m. at Athens High School.  Tony Schorr from Schorr Architects will make a brief presentation regarding the planning and design process for the elementary school buildings and the Board will discuss several issues related to the project.  Public Participation has been moved to the end of the meeting, at which time Mr. Schorr and Mike Dingledein from Community Design Alliance will lead a discussion to garner initial input from members of the community.

If you are unable to attend, please send a message with your ideas or thoughts to Dr. Gibbs at tgibbs@athenscsd.org.

Please be on the lookout for announcements later this week about opportunities to participate in District Planning Committees and smaller group conversations which will occur in February and March.

Athens City Schools will be on a 2-hour delay on  Monday, January 14, 2019.

​Thanks to a sponsorship by Friendly Paws, the Southeast Ohio Foodbank, a program of Hocking Athens Perry Community Action, will be hosting a mobile food distribution in Athens, Ohio, Friday January 18th from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Food items will be distributed to income eligible families who are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and are residents of Athens County.
 

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED call (740) 385-4495 to register.
 

Please contact the Southeast Ohio Foodbank at (740) 385-6813 with questions. Photo I.D. and proof of residency no more than 60 days old is required.

I'm sure many of you already know that we may have our first winter weather tomorrow morning, with expectations for freezing rain and ice accumulations.  Ice is the most challenging weather event for the District, as buses cannot operate safely.  Additionally, we need to keep in mind the many high school student drivers traveling in their own vehicles.  I wanted to assure you that our team will be up very early in the morning watching the weather and road conditions and I will alert you as to any need for a delay or cancellation as early as possible via our calling system.

On behalf of the Athens City School District Board of Education, Faculty and Staff, and especially our students and families, it gives me great pleasure to thank the voters of the Athens City School District for supporting our District at the polls today.  This election sets the course for significant change and improvement for our district. As a result of this funding, our students will be assured state of the art 21st Century facilities for many years to come.  

The November 6 General Election is one week away, and the deadline to request an absentee ballot is Saturday, November 3, at noon. The full, detailed and interactive 2018 elections calendar is available on the Secretary of State’s website.

A Beam remote presence device has been installed at East Elementary for a student that is unable to be at school.  This is a joint pilot effort between The Ohio State University and Nationwide Children's Hospital to enable remote learning for students.. The student is able to control the robot remotely in the classroom via an iPad and stay connected with school work and classmates.  The student can see, hear and talk like they are in class.  The robot can also go classroom to classroom.  The iPad was delivered to the student's house yesterday and the student and family were really excited!  The student immediately began to control the robot around the classroom and said "this is cool."  If you see the Beam going down the hall at East Elementary you’ll know why.  

Learn more about Beam in action.

One of the biggest threats to our district’s financial stability is the condition of our schools.

• On the November 6th election, voters will see an issue to provide funding to build or renovate our schools.
• The plan calls for new school buildings at: East Elementary, Morrison-Gordon Elementary and Athens High School. The ballot issue also includes renovations to Athens Middle School and a renovation/addition at The Plains Elementary.
• All of the district’s buildings have serious mechanical and structural issues that must be addressed. In some instances, buildings require extensive repairs or need to be completely replaced.

There is no zero-cost option.

• If we are not able to find a way to address the district’s facilities soon there will be a day-to-day impact on students’ education because we will have to begin to divert funds from our daily operating budget to maintain our buildings.
• Our custodial and maintenance crews do an excellent job but they simply cannot outwork the antiquated and serious infrastructure issues facing our schools.

The district has used the SchoolMessenger notification service to send important information to families through phone calls and emails for a while now (i.e. messages regarding school closings or delays due to weather, emergency situations, etc.). We now also have the ability to send text messages through this same program.

For those students and families that are new to our district or have not yet taken advantage of these resources, we want to make sure you are keeping in touch with what is happening in the Athens City School district through the various means we have available.  All of the information below is attached in a PDF file as well.

ACSD Mobile App

• Our district's mobile app is available for download to your mobile device (for free) in iTunes or the Google Play store!  
• Once you have downloaded the app, you can click on the Settings option to turn on push notifications, which will enable you to automatically receive push notifications sent from the district on your mobile device.  You can also sign up for push notifications from the individual buildings you select.
• Type "Athens City School District" in the search field or go to athenscsd.org in your browser and the app will appear in a banner across the top of the browser window to download.

Kellie Pauley, one of our Speech Language Pathologists, had an article that she and Janice Wright co-authored featured in the recent online journal (eHearsay). The title is The Impact of Trauma and How it Effects Language Development in Children and Adolescents and it begins on page 51 of the journal.  eHearsay is a peer reviewed journal published by OSHLA (Ohio Speech Hearing Language Hearing Association). OSHLA also submits articles to ASHA (American Speech Hearing Association) the national association for speech language pathologists and audiologists. OSHLA submits the peer reviewed article for approval to be used as a CEU course by ASHA and OSHLA. This article was approved and now can be used as a CEU course. 

Please click here to access the eHearsay journal online.

At last week's Board Meeting, the ACSD Board of Education approved a measure directing me to sell of unused/excess furnishings and materials that have been stored at the Chauncey Building for several years.  Items for sale include:

• ​Student desks/chairs  $5 each
• File cabinets  $10/each
• Metal teacher desks $20/each
• Drafting desks $35/each
• Wooden teacher desks $50/each
• Other random items, shelves, etc. $10/each
• Wall maps/etc. $20/each

We are excited to inform you Infinite Campus has two new and improved mobile apps: Campus Student (for students) and Campus Parent (for parents). Download your free app for real-time access to grades, assignments, attendance, schedules, announcements and more.

​Downloading & Using the New Apps

• Download the new apps from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
• If you are using the old Infinite Campus app, please download the new app.  The old app will no longer be supported. 
• You will use the same username and password as you used with the portal.

The Athens City School District Board of Education Members will be participating in several informational meetings regarding the Bond Levy that is on the November 6th ballot at the following dates/times/locations:

• October 3rd @ 5:30 p.m. for The Plains ES PTO Mtg. @ The Plains ES
  • Kim Goldsberry & Paul Grippa
• October 6th @ 10:00 a.m. @ The Athens Public Library
  • Paul Grippa & Rusty Rittenhouse
• October 6th @ 10:00 a.m. @ The Chauncey Public Library
  • Kim Goldsberry & Roger Brown
• October 11th @ 6:30 p.m. for the Athens High School Academic Boosters @ AHS
  • Sean Parsons & Kim Goldsberry
• October 13th @ 9:30 a.m. @ The Plains Public Library
  • Kim Goldsberry & Sean Parsons
• October 15th @ 6:00 p.m. for the East ES PTO Mtg.@ East ES
  • Kim Goldsberry & Paul Grippa
• October 22th @ 6:00 p.m. for the Morrison-Gordon ES PTO Mtg. @ Morrison-Gordon ES
  • Sean Parsons & Rusty Rittenhouse
• October 23rd @ 6:00 p.m. for the West ES PTO Mtg. @ West ES
  • Kim Goldsberry & Sean Parsons

Earlier this summer a small group of employees and community partners started the process of  discussing issues related to bias and discrimination in our school district and broader community.  As a first step, an initial survey was emailed out in June.  Survey respondents were asked to provide contact information if they wanted to be included in face-to-face conversations about bias and discrimination at a later time.  Those who included contact information on the survey have been invited to a focus group meeting on September 12th at 6:30 p.m. at Athens High School.

Please be reminded that the Athens City School District Board of Education will meet in Regular Session on Thursday, August 23rd at 6:30 pm.  

Due to a conflict at Athens High School with the Hall of Fame Induction Banquet and Ceremony, the location of the meeting is being changed to the ACSD Early Learning Center (former Chauncey Elementary, 91 Birge Dr., Chauncey, OH 45719).  The meeting room will be the old cafeteria just inside the main entrance.

Portal access for Infinite Campus Parent & Student portal accounts will be re-opening over the next week.

• AHS: Friday, August 10, 2018, 3:30 pm
• AMS: Thursday, August 16, 6:00 pm
• Elementary: Friday, August 17, 3:30 pm

You may be aware that the District has been taking several steps to better understand issues in our district around bias and discrimination and to identify specific action steps we can take to improve the culture and climate within our schools and our community.  As one initial step in this process, I've worked with volunteers at the Ohio University College of Health Sciences and Professions Social Work Program to create a "needs assessment" in the form of a survey.  I am writing to you today to ask that you take a few moments to follow this link: SURVEY LINK, and provide to us some information about your perspectives related to bias in our schools.  Please know that individual responses will be kept private and that only aggregated data will be reported externally.  The survey will remain open until Monday, July 9th at Noon.

The Athens City Board of Education is accepting bids for Bread/Bakery and Milk/Dairy products for the 2018-2019 school year.  Bid specifications may be obtained from the Treasurer’s Office at 25 South Plains Road, The Plains, OH 45780.  Deadline for bids will be 12:00 noon on Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at which time bids will be opened.  Athens City Board of Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids and the submitting of any bid shall impose no liability or obligation upon said Board. 

All envelopes should be CLEARLY MARKED BREAD/BAKERY BID OR MILK/DAIRY BID.

A Special Board Meeting will be on Monday, June 11th at 8 a.m. at the Board Office for the purpose of considering the purchase of property and other business that may come before the Board.

The Athens City School District Special Board Meeting for Wednesday, May 30th at 8 a.m. at the Board Office, 25 S. Plains Road, The Plains has been CANCELLED. 

School will be out soon.  Summer meals for kids and teens will be served in our community this year.  

• ​Open to all children 18 and younger
• NO enrollment
• NO cost

Locations:

• ​​10 Hope Drive, Athens, OH, 45701, 740.385.36813
• 45 E. 4th St., The Plains, OH, 45780, 740.797.4287
• 29 Converse St., Chauncey, OH, 45719, 740.797.2512

Learn more about the USDA Summer Food Service Program on this website.

Please join us for the Athens City Schools All Band Concert on Sunday, April 29 at 3:00 pm in the Athens High School Auditorium. 

There will be performances by the combined Athens City Schools 5th Grade Band, combined 6th Grade Band, Athens Middle School 7th and 8th grade Bands and the Athens High School Symphonic Band and Jazz Band. 

Admission to the concert is $5. 

The Athens Band Boosters will host a complimentary dessert buffet as well as a spring auction of exciting items!

The AHS drama club presents Grease!  Join us for a performance: in the AHS Auditorium:

• Friday, April 20 at 7:30 pm
• Saturday, April 21 at 7:30 pm 
• Sunday, April 22 at 2:00 pm

Tickets are $5 for students and $8 for adults.  You can purchase tickets online at brownpapertickets.com

You are all probably aware of the recent flooding in Chauncey and the surrounding areas. In an effort to provide support to those families who may have been impacted by the flooding, our school food pantry that is housed at the Chauncey Early Learning Center, will be open this Monday, April 9th from 4-5 p.m. Please pass this information along to those who may benefit.  In addition to providing food, the pantry does have personal care items and cleaning supplies.

There will be a Pancake Breakfast to raise money for Ms. Waugh's Sensory Room at Athens High School.  The Ohio University Student Council for Exceptional Children is hosting this event.

For the upcoming 18-19 school year, all preschool classes at the Athens City School District Early Learning Center will be all-day.  (Previously, all classes were half-day.)

The school day will run from 9:00 am - 3:15 pm for all preschool students next year.

Last evening, the Athens City School District Board of Education unanimously voted to move forward with the following Facilities Master Plan:

• ​2 New PK-3 School Buildings on the current sites of East and MG ES Schools
• 1 Grades 4-6 Building at the current TPES location that will include a complete renovation of the current building and a significant addition.
• 1 Grades 7-8 MS with some renovations/updates of the current AMS Building
• 1 New Grades 9-12 HS on the site of the current AHS

Athens City Schools are closed today, Wednesday, March 21, 2018, due to inclement weather. This is the 9th snow day for the district. The last day for students will now be Friday, May 25, 2018.

Preschool Registration will take place at the Former Chauncey Elementary Building, located at 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey Ohio 45719, on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 Time: 9:00 am - 3:15 pm.  To schedule an appointment, please call Linda Bennett at 740-797-4516 between 8:30 am - 2:00 pm. Please note that preschool classes will be all-day for the 18-19 school year (9:00 am - 3:15 pm).

As you can expect, the events in Parkland, Florida have troubled us deeply at the Athens City Schools. The safety of our students is our number one priority and it us up to all of us to be vigilant in this regard.  As such, some of you have inquired about the safety procedures and protocols in our schools.  

The Athens City School District Board of Education will have a Special Meeting on March 8, 2018 at Athens High School for the purpose of discussing the Master Facilities Plan and any other business that may come before the Board.

Wow creator. Inspiration producer. Difference maker. Miracle worker. ​Teacher.
 

Ohio’s teachers make a deep and profound impact on the lives of their students. The countless ways in which teachers make a difference form the foundation for a lifetime of learning and exploring.
 

It’s time to celebrate the individuals and teams who create, motivate and inspire.
 

Join us in delivering a standing ovation to a remarkable educator in your life…Introducing the #OhioLovesTeachers campaign on Twitter and Instagram​!

We love celebrating the great things happening in our schools on social media. We are writing to you to let you know that some recent changes on Facebook are making it a little tougher for our posts, videos, announcements and more to show up in your news feed.

You can help ensure you don’t miss a post by following a few basic steps:

1. Visit our Facebook page, Athens City School District, on either your computer or mobile device.
2. Click on the “Following” tab under the cover image.
3. Under the "IN YOUR NEWS FEED" section, select "See First." 

The ACSD Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at 6:30 pm in the AHS Auditorium.  You can view the agenda for the special board meeting on the Board of Education website.

Given that this year's flu strain is aggressive and widespread, we wanted to remind you of the following:

• Please keep your child home if they show symptoms of the flu: fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, chills, fatigue, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.  People with the flu may infect others from one day before getting sick to 5-7 days after.
• If your child has a fever (100 degrees F or higher), they may not return to school until they are fever-free for 24 hours - without the use of fever-reducing medications.  Any child sent to school prematurely will be sent home, even if they are fever-free at that time.
• Please review the following with your child: hand washing, covering coughs/sneezes, and avoiding touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
• If you haven't already, consider contacting your physician or the Health Department about a flu vaccine.

Athens City Schools wishes to announce a roundup for parents seeking early admission to kindergarten for their children.  Regular admission to kindergarten requires that a child be 5 years of age on or before August 1 of the upcoming school year.  However, under some circumstances of students with cognitive advancement, early admission may be granted after a screening process.  

A Parent Information Night will be held at Morrison-Gordon Elementary on March 8th from 6:30 - 7:30 pm (793 W. Union St., Athens, OH 45701).  Important information and resources will be provided.  In the event you cannot attend, or for more details, call 740-797-4516 by March 23, 2018.

Note: Your child MUST BE 5 YEARS OLD ON OR BEFORE August 1, 2018 to be eligible for registration.

Please note: 

• Please bring your child with you

• Plan on being at the school for 45 minutes — 1.5 hours

• You must arrive at least 45 minutes before the end of the session

Please bring the following items with you:

• Your Child’s Birth Certificate (Copy of parent and child’s passport if you have no birth certificate)

• Your Child’s Immunization Record

• Proof of Residency(i.e. a Utility Bill showing "service at" a physical address, a Property Tax Bill, a Mortgage Bill, a Lease Agreement, etc.—proof must show a physical address,not a P.O. Box)

• Custody Papers (if applicable)

Are the Winter Blahs getting you down?  Are your children climbing the walls?  Does the whole family just need a chance to get out of the house for some good old fashioned play time?  

Good News!   SAVE THIS DATE, FEBRUARY 4TH, 2018, for the SECOND ANNUAL BOBCAT BULLDOG INDOOR FIELD DAY presented to you by the Athens City Schools Farm to School Committee in partnership with Ohio University Athletics.

What: Bobcat Bulldog Indoor Field Day

When:  Sunday, February 4, 2018 from 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Where:  Ohio University's Walter Field House

Why:  A chance to exercise and play with Ohio University Student Athletes while enjoying delicious snacks from local restaurants! There will also be interactive nutrition activities for families. All activities will have modifications for all abilities.  Vegetarian and vegan snack options available!

Cost: FREE to all Athens City Schools Families!

If you need some help with food assistance, please stop over.  
This month’s date is: Wednesday, January 17, 2018, 4:00—6:00 pm

Monthly Food Pantry Information

When: 3rd Wednesday of every month, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Where: Chauncey Preschool (ACS Early Learning Center), 
21 Birge Dr., Chauncey, OH 45719
**Please use the side door

Must bring an ID
Must be present to pick-up
First come, first serve

For more information or to arrange donations, please contact Nurse Heidi.
Call 740-797-4544 x1225 or e-mail her directly at hshaw@athenscsd.org

The Athens City School District ​Organizational/Regular Board meeting will be held tomorrow, Thursday, January 11, 2018, at 6:30 pm in the AHS Library. 

Military families provide an invaluable service to our country. In an effort to ensure the needs of military families are being met, the Ohio Department of Education is requiring all districts to collect information regarding the military families who have students within the district.

HOLIDAY FOOD GIVE-AWAY: 2ND YEAR IN A ROW, WE WILL BE GIVING AWAY HAMS AND ALSO TONS OF FRESH PRODUCE

• Must bring an ID
• Must be present to pick-up
• First come, first serve
• One ham per household

Location: Chauncey Elementary (ACS Early Learning Center), 21 Birge Drive, Chauncey, Ohio
**please use the side door**

For more information, please contact Nurse Heidi.

Ohio's parents and educators now have access to the INFOhio Early Learning Portal  to help little learners ages 3-5 prepare for school and their futures. The INFOhio Early Learning Portal contains links to over 50 websites and apps chosen and evaluated by educators and librarians with expertise in learning and literacy.

If you need some help with food assistance, please stop over.  This month’s date is: November 15, 2017 from 4:00—6:00 pm at Chauncey Preschool, 21 Birge Dr., Chauncey, OH 45719.

Voters in the Athens City School District approved today the district’s renewal levy request. The request was for the renewal of the district’s 1% earned income tax levy. The renewal represents approximately 12% of the district’s daily operating budget.

Athens City School District is growing our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube channels.      

• ​Facebook: @AthensCitySD
• Twitter: @AthensCitySD
• Instagram: @athenscitysd
• YouTube: Athens City : Athens City

Athens City School District is on a 2-hour delay today, Monday, November 6, 2017.  Heavy rain overnight caused flooding in some areas, and this is the reason for the delay.

The Athens Bulldogs have a busy weekend ahead.  There are three major events occurring that I wanted to bring to everyone's attention:

Please be aware that the October Regular Board Meeting date is being changed from Thursday, November 16th to Wednesday November 15th at the Athens High School Auditorium at 6:30 p.m.

As election day nears, I want to remind you of an important issue for our schools in the upcoming November 7 election. The Athens Board of Education voted earlier this summer to place a renewal earned income tax on the ballot.

Our district technology team is currently working to develop a vision statement.  In order to ensure that this is a shared vision that accurately represents who we are and what we strive to do as a district, we encourage you to become a part of this process by freely responding to the questions that follow.  Only one submission per household is necessary.

Please click here to access the survey.

Thank you for your time.  Your feedback is important to us.

​After communicating the change in Board Meeting date for October yesterday morning, I was made aware that the new date conflicted with several significant community activities that were already scheduled for that evening.  So as to assure that as many people could attend the board meeting as possible, the Board has selected a different date for the October meeting.

The October Regular Meeting of the Athens City School District Board of Education will be on Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. in the Athens High School Auditorium.

District Performance Index Increases to Highest Level Ever​

The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) recently released the 2016-17 Local Report Card (LRC).  This state required report shows that district students continue to make progress in many areas.

If you need some help with food assistance, please stop over.   
This month’s date is: Wednesday, September 20, 2017, 4:00—6:00 pm

Please be aware that the Special Board Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 5, 2017 has been cancelled.  Our architect and I will not be able to meet with Ohio University until September 6th.

The next Board Meeting will be the Regular Meeting on Thursday, September 21, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. in the Athens High School Auditorium.

There will be a Special Board Meeting on Tuesday, September 5 at 6:30 pm in the AHS Auditorium.  The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the Facilities Master Plan and other business that may come before the Board.

The Special Board Meeting on August 3rd has been cancelled.  The next board meeting will be a Special Board Meeting on August 10th at the Athens Middle School Auditorium.  Representatives from Schorr Architects and the Community Design Alliance will be presenting information about facilities planning for Athens Middle School.

At the Regular Board Meeting on Thursday, July 27th three local groups of parents and community members made presentations to the Board of Education in relation to the Board's conversation about Facilities Master Planning for the District's elementary schools.  Please see the presentations by using the links below:

18 archers from the ACSD Bulldog Archery Team completed at the NASP World Tournament in Orlando, Florida.  The team consisted of Athens students from Grades 6-12 and competed in the HS Division. The team scored 3,282/3,600 in the Target Tournament and 1,581/1,800 in the 3D IBO Tournament.  Also, our team was the best team from the state of Ohio at the World Tournament

In an effort to make progress towards the development of a long-term Facilities Master Plan for the Athens City School District, the Board of Education has approved the following schedule of special meetings throughout the summer:

Leadership, much like religion, medicine, and most athletic pursuits is something that we practice.  In each of these instances, there is no concrete standard, no exact right way to do things.  We must constantly develop and then redevelop our skills.  We must come to understand that how things work in one situation may not be the same as another.  

Having just wrapped up the 16-17 school year, this is a great time to take a look back at the accomplishments we’ve made as a district over the course of the past academic year and to communicate some of the things we are looking forward to implementing in the coming year.

From September 2016 through March 2017, the Athens City School District Facilities Steering Committee met at least twice monthly to discuss facilities needs and potential changes in the facilities organization of the Athens City School District. At the February 2017 Board Meeting, anticipating that one of the options forwarded to the Board of Education would be the concept of a single PreK-5 campus, the Athens City School District Board of Education directed the Superintendent to investigate the availability of a suitable parcel(s) of property necessary for the creation of a single-campus solution for grades PreK-5 for the District. The intent of the Board of Education in giving this directive to the Superintendent was to begin the process of determining the feasibility of implementing the options from the Steering Committee.

Please join us for the Athens City Schools All Band Concert on Sunday, April 23 at 3:00pm in the Athens High School Auditorium. There will be performances by the combined Athens City Schools 5th Grade Band, combined 6th Grade Band, Athens Middle School 7th and 8th grade Bands and the Athens High School Symphonic Band and Jazz Band. Admission to the concert is $5. The Athens Band Boosters will host a complimentary dessert buffet as well as a Penny Auction! 

Students from AHS, AMS and West Elementary participated in the District Science Fair on Saturday, March 18 at Ohio University.  For the third consecutive year, Athens High School received the trophy for the highest percentage of superior ratings at the district science fair hosted by Ohio University.  Athens Middle School regained their trophy for the same accomplishment.   West Elementary was the single ACSD elementary sending students to the fair this year.  All students earning a superior are eligible to go on to the state science fair held at Ohio State University, Saturday May 13th. The one student chosen to represent the entire district at the Intel International Science Fair was our own Derek Demel, AHS Senior. So many awards, cash prizes and scholarships were awarded overall, it was impossible to keep track. Please join the collective ACSD science department in honoring these young scientists.

The Special Board Meeting previously scheduled for Thursday, March 2, 2017 has been cancelled.  As a result of this cancellation, the Board will discuss topics at future meetings as noted below:

• ​March 16, 2017 Regular Board Meeting @ Athens High School:  Accept report from the Athens City School District Facilities Steering Committee.
• March 30, 2017 Special Board Meeting at Athens High School: Discuss the AHS building as it pertains to the Facilities Master Plan.
• April 20, 2017 Regular Board Meeting at Athens Middle School: Discuss the AMS building as it pertains to the Facilities Master Plan.

All Board Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m.

Please be aware that the Athens City School District Facilities Steering Committee meeting previously scheduled for Wednesday,  March 1, 2017 at 4 p.m. has been changed.  The new, correct date is Monday, February 27, 2017 at 6 p.m.  It is the intention of the Committee Members to meet for one hour.

There will be a Parent Information Night for Early Entrance on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, from 6:30 - 7:30 pm at Morrison Gordon Elementary School, 793 W. Union St., Athens, OH 45701.

• Get important information about the application process

• Learn about kindergarten expectations

• Talk with principals and kindergarten teachers

• Evaluate questions to determine school readiness

• Receive resources to help your family make the best decision for your child

Anyone who is interested is welcome to attend! 

At last night's Board Meeting, the Board of Education officially released the DRAFT of the 2017-2018 School Calendar (see attached.)  The DRAFT Calendar is open for public comment between now and the March 16th Regular Board Meeting.  If you would like to suggest changes or modifications to the calendar, please do so by contacting the Superintendent's Office prior to the March 16th Board Meeting date.

The Athens City School District Board of Education met in Regular Session on Thursday, February 16^th at Athens High School. During the course of the meeting, the District shared the following information and made plans for additional Special Board Meetings as listed below:

Date:           Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Time:           9:00 a.m.— 3:00 p.m.

Location: Athens City Early Learning Center

(former Chauncey Elementary School)

* Please bring your child with you.

* Your child must be 4 ON OR BEFORE 8/1/2017

Dates for registration for students entering kindergarten in the 17-18 school year have been announced.  NOTE: Your child MUST BE 5 YEARS OLD ON OR BEFORE August 1, 2017 to be eligible for registration.

Monday, April 10th- East 8:00 am- 11:00 am

Tuesday, April 11th- TP 9:00 am- 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm- 2:00 pm 

Wednesday, April 12th- MoGo 8:30 am- 10:30 am,  1:30 pm- 3:30 pm

Thursday, April 13th- West 12:30 pm- 3:30 pm

A calendar of local summer camps has been created.  If you know of any other local camps to be added please send the info to lindsey.swank.meili@gmail.com.  Click on the Read More . . . link to view the calendar.

What: Bobcat Bulldog Indoor Field Day

When:  Sunday, February 12, 2017 from 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Where:  Ohio University Convocation Center (enter through the main front entrance, look for signs)

Why:  A chance to exercise and play with Ohio University Student Athletes while enjoying delicious snacks from local restaurants! There will also be interactive nutrition activities for families. All activities will have modifications for all abilities.  Vegetarian and vegan snack options available! 

Cost: FREE to all Athens City Schools Families!

On January 10th and 11th, 2017, the Athens City School District Facilities Steering Committee hosted two public meetings at Athens High School.  Approximately 220 members of the community attended and participated in conversation and provided feedback to members of the committee regarding three options for reconfiguring the building/grade level structure of the District.  Additionally, individual committee members have been hosting meetings at each building through the parent-teacher organizations and associations, as well as with school faculty and staff.  These conversations are an important part of the process, as the information provided to the committee will help committee members to continue a more informed and enriched discussion regarding the many important factors surrounding any decision related to school facilities.

The Facilities Master Planning Steering Committee will hold Community Input Meetings on the following dates:

• January 10, 6:30 p.m, Athens High School
• January 11, 6:30 p.m., Athens High School
• January 23, 6:00 p.m., Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs, Building 21, The Ridges, Room 105 (The Leadership Room)

School is cancelled today, Thursday, January 5, 2017.  Faculty and staff are to report.  All teachers will meet at AHS at 10:00 a.m.

• The Athens City School District Facilities Steering Committee has as its charge from the Athens City School District Board of Education to review the current makeup of our school buildings, taking into consideration the locations, grades served, and the needs of our students.

Our district recently participated in a nationally recognized Farm to School activity called Apple Crunch Day. All children in the district were offered a locally grown apple from Wagner Farm on Friday, October 28. (East will be Wednesday, November 2.) Some of the funds raised at the recent Farm to School event were used to purchase the 2600 apples. Rural Action managed the bid, and Hocking College Culinary Arts students washed the apples. Parent volunteers brought the apples to students in each school and helped distribute them. 

On Thursday, September 15th the Ohio Department of Education officially released school district local report cards. The Athens City School District is one of many across the state with very low ratings in multiple areas.  Neighboring districts and similar districts across the state received similar ratings.  While it is important that we take the time to closely review the student scores and determine how best to use the information to drive school improvement, it is also important to view the overall grades within the context of (a) a system of state testing that has changed whereby many of our students have now taken three different tests over three years’ time, (b) the newest iteration of tests are based on a significant increase in academic expectations for our students, and (c) this was the first year when most students in Ohio, and nearly every student in the Athens City School District, tested using a computing device (Chromebooks in our case).

Below is information regarding dates/times/location of the Athens City School District Facilities Steering Committee Meetings for September-December 2016.

Location:  The Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs, Building 21, The Ridges, Room 105 (The Leadership Room)

Dates/Times:

• September 12  6-8 p.m.
• September 28  4-6 p.m.
• October 10  6-8 p.m.
• October 26  4-6 p.m.
• November 7  6-8 p.m.
• November 30  4-6 p.m.
• December 12  6-8 p.m.

A Special Board Meeting will be held on September 1, 2016 at 7 p.m. at the Athens HS Auditorium to approve the members of the Athens City School District Facilities Steering Committee and other business that may come before the Board.

Please be aware that the ACSD Board of Education meeting will be held at the Athens High School Auditorium at 7 pm on Thursday, August 18 instead of at Central Office as previously published.

The Athens High School Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony which will be held on Thursday, August 25, 2016. Light refreshments will be served in the AHS Atrium from 5:30 pm with the induction ceremony beginning in the Carol Patterson Auditorium at 7:00 pm. This year's inductees include:

Bela Kastely - Chauncey-Dover Class of 1961

Philip Rose - Athens Class of 1964

Robert Finder - Chauncey-Dover Class of 1964

Eric Gustavson - Athens Class of 1965

Debra Childress West - Athens Class of 1970

Liz Howerth - Athens Class of 2003

The inductees will also be recognized before the home Athens football game v. Warren on August 26, 2016.

Ms. Nina Sudnick, 4^th grade teacher at West Elementary was the sole recipient of the state level Myrtle Miller/Marijane Werner Award from the Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Ms. Sudnick was recognized for this award because like Mrytle Miller and Marijane Werner, she is a leader in elementary mathematics. Her devotion to continuously improving her practice is evidenced by work in her own classroom and also in her collaboration with colleagues across the district. In room 118 at West Elementary, Ms. Sudnick's students develop identities as young mathematicians and the agency to act as such. Through the Math Leadership Team and other collaborative vehicles that she has created, Ms. Sudnick is continuously learning alongside her colleagues to help drive the district towards its ultimate math goal, the teacher created K-6 math vision.

The Steering Committee will be an advisory committee to the Athens City School Board of Education, established for the purpose of researching and recommending a Master Plan for our facilities, which looks to the future and creates an atmosphere and structure that supports our recently adopted Vision and Mission Statements.

Please join us for the Athens City Schools All Band Concert on Sunday, May 1 at 3:00pm in the Athens High School Auditorium. There will be performances by the combined Athens City Schools 5th Grade Band, combined 6th Grade Band, Athens Middle School 7th and 8th grade Bands and the Athens High School Symphonic Band and Jazz Band. Admission to the concert is $5. The Athens Band Boosters will host a complimentary dessert buffet as well as a Chinese Auction! 

After reading today’s newspaper article regarding the Athens City School District Board Meeting last week, I felt it necessary to provide some additional information.  The article to which I am referring discussed the current and future financial situation of the District and reported on the discussion that I had with Board Members at that open public meeting.  In short, we currently are spending significantly more money than we bring in.  This has been happening for a few years and is getting worse each year.  We currently have a positive cash balance and can cover the difference, however within three years this will not be the case.

We appreciate the comments and suggestions from the ACSD community regarding our proposed mission and vision statements for our school district.  Upon review of all of the feedback on the first proposed statements, we have revised our mission and vision statements and are now offering one more opportunity for public feedback.  Please click the title of the news article or the "Read More" link to access the entire article.

A committee of district teachers and nursing staff has recently completed a revision of the Athens City Schools Health Course of Study.  It will be online for review through May 13, 2016.  Responses and comments can be forwarded to acs.health.curriculum@athenscsd.org. 

Starting April 18th, Community Food Initiatives will be hosting its annual seed giveaway for people in need of seeds. Come and pick up a wide variety of fruit, vegetable and herb seeds.  Anyone can come and get some seeds to grow for yourself and your family. 

Members of the ACS District Leadership team presented our proposed vision and mission statements to the Board of Education at the March 17, 2016 board meeting. 

Proposed Vision Statements for Athens City Schools 
The Athens City School District collaborates with students, parents and the community to create and provide an enriched and rigorous learning community where ALL students use multiple pathways to grow, problem solve and reach their potential as lifelong learners and productive citizens.

Proposed Mission Statements for Athens City Schools 
Every learner. Every day.

Lead by 2015 NASP World outdoor IBO Champion Kennedy Cantrell, 2014 National NASP IBO Championship Olivia Bean, and 2015 Ohio NASP State runner-up Emily Mingus, the Athens HS Archery team set out to solidify their chance to qualify for the 2016 National Tournament later this year in Louisville KY.

Athens City School District Preschool Registration

Date:    Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Time:    9:00 a.m.— 3:00 p.m.

Location: Athens City Early Learning Center (former Chauncey Elementary School)

• Please bring your child with you
• Your child must be 4 ON OR BEFORE 8/1/2016

Please call Linda Bennett at 740.797.4516 ext. 233 to make your appointment

Athens City Schools wishes to announce a roundup for parents seeking early admission to kindergarten for their children.  Regular admission to kindergarten requires that a child be 5 years of age on or before August 1 of the upcoming school year.  However, under some circumstances of students with cognitive advancement, early admission may be granted after a screening process.  For more details and/or to make an appointment to begin the process, call 740-797-4516 by March 16, 2016.

The National Archery in the Schools Program has established NASP® Academic Archer program to promote and recognize academic excellence among 2.23 million NASP® student archers.

AMS Middle School Archers who made the Academic Archer List for NASP are: Nicole Bean, Sam Carpenter, Gracie Casto, Lauren Chase, Zach Thomas, Andrew Ulbrich, Annie White, Abby Crawford, Audrey DeLaCruz, Alison Russ, Wyatt Saunders

Athens City School District Kindergarten Registration and Health Screening

• April 4, 2016: Morrison-Gordon Elementary
• April 15, 2016: The Plains Elementary
• April 19, 2016: East Elementary
• April 20, 2016: West Elementary

If you need some help with food assistance, please stop over.  This month’s date is: January 20, 2016 from 4:00—7:00 pm

When: 3rd Wednesday of every month, 4:00 - 7:00 pm
Where: Chauncey Preschool, 21 Birge Dr., Chauncey, OH 45719
**Please come in the back of the building, closest to the football field.
Pantry food received from food drive donations, CFI’s Donation Station, Athens Catholic Communities Food Pantry with help from the Southeast Ohio Food Bank
If you need to make other arrangements, please call Nurse Heidi at 740-797-4544 x226 or e-mail her directly at hmowrey@athenscsd.org 

Please join the Athens Lady Bulldog Basketball Team on Saturday, January 16th as they GO GOLD against childhood cancer.  The team is partnering with the Go Gold Fund to raise awareness about childhood cancers. The varsity game begins at 2:00 PM.

Come out to support the Athens City Schools band program tomorrow (Saturday, December 12, 2015) at our Applebee's Bandcake Breakfast from 7:30-9:30am. Admission is $5 and all proceeds go to supporting the band students in our district from grades 5-12!

The Athens City School District Food Pantry Begins Wednesday, December 16, 2015.  It will be open the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 4:00 - 7:00 pm at the Chauncey Preschool, 21 Birge Dr., Chauncey, OH 45719 (Please come in the back of the building, closest to the football field.)  For more information or if you need alternative arrangements, please leave a message for Heidi Mowrey, School Nurse, in your designated building or e-mail her directly at hmowrey@athenscsd.org

The Athens Archery team was honored September 18, 2015 at the ODNR for receiving Runner-Up in the Nation for the NASP IBO 3D 3-star challenge. The IBO 3D team competed in Louisville, Nashville, and Ellicottville, NY. Kennedy Cantrell was the top middle school female in the country in the IBO 3-star challenge.

This week two exciting spirit filled events will take place for the entire Athens City School District Community.

1. Homecoming Bonfire:   Wednesday, 7:30 at the High School  
2. Homecoming Parade: Friday, 5:00 Start      

You are cordially invited to attend the induction ceremony for the newest 

members of the Athens High School Athletic Hall of Fame on Thursday, 

August 27, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at Athens High School.

Social Hour begins at 6:00 p.m. with the induction ceremony at 7:00 p.m.

We hope that you can find the time in your busy schedule to be with us for 

this very special occasion and to welcome the newest members into the 

Athens High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

James A. Gardner Athens 1961

John Matheny Chauncey-Dover 1960

Kahiem Maxwell Athens 1993

Michael Merriman Chauncey-Dover 1963

Dan O’Nail Chauncey-Dover 1959

Eric Hummel Athens 1967

Don Wood Athens 1973