CCSD News 2025-2026

Columbia County Board of Education Approves Lowest Millage Rate in 35 Years (Click Here)

Columbia County Board of Education Approves Lowest Millage Rate in 35 Years

July 9, 2025 - In alignment with Georgia state law, the Columbia County Board of Education approved an estimated rollback millage rate of 16.234 mills during its regular session meeting held on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. This decision marks the fifth consecutive year the Board has reduced the millage rate, bringing it to its lowest level in 35 years.

Over the past several years, the Board has demonstrated a consistent commitment to fiscal responsibility through a steady decline from 18.30 mills in 2020 to 16.234 mills in 2025, with reductions as follows:

2025: 16.234 mills
2024: 17.10 mills
2023: 17.20 mills
2022: 17.35 mills
2021: 18.10 mills
2020: 18.30 mills

Each July, the Board of Education meets to determine the appropriate millage rate to support the school district’s adopted fiscal year budget, which is primarily funded through a combination of state allocations and local property tax revenues.

The Columbia County School District remains committed to using these funds in a fiscally conservative manner while continuing to provide a high-quality education for all students. The district’s mission is to engage, enrich, and inspire students every day, and this financial stewardship reflects the community’s shared dedication to student success in a safe and supportive environment.

Columbia County Board of Education Champions Legislative Effort to Enhance Homeowner Tax Exemption (Click Here)

Columbia County Board of Education Champions Legislative Effort to Enhance Homeowner Tax Exemption

July 10, 2025 -- Governor Brian Kemp has officially signed House Bill 783, a powerful new measure championed by the Columbia County Board of Education during this year’s legislative session. This bill raises the homestead exemption from $2,000 to an impressive $10,000 for eligible homeowners, offering meaningful financial relief and reinforcing the Board’s commitment to both educational excellence and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

This action reflects a shared vision for educational excellence while easing the burden on local taxpayers in our community.

During its regular session meeting on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, the Columbia County Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution to bring this opportunity directly to the people. The enhanced exemption will only take effect if approved by voters in a local referendum this November. If passed, it will apply to all taxable years beginning January 1, 2026.

Your voice matters! We encourage every resident to stay informed, spread the word, and make a plan to vote in November. Together, we can continue to shape a bright future for public education in Columbia County.

Back-to-School 2025: Students return to school on Monday, August 4

All students of the Columbia County School District (CCSD) will begin the new school year on Monday, August 4, 2025.

Back-to-school Open House

Schools will have back-to-school Open House for high schools from 3 – 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, and for middle schools from 5 – 7 p.m., also on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. Elementary school open house will take place from 5 – 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Parents are encouraged to attend as they are a great way to prepare for the school year, where students can meet teachers, pick up schedules and locker assignments, learn about bus routes, pay for school lunches, and learn about clubs and other opportunities. Additionally, parents can join the PTO, booster clubs and learn more about their child’s school and how to get involved.

Registration for students in the Columbia County School District

Registration is conducted online and allows parents to upload required documentation such as birth certificates, proof of residency, and more. The families of “Existing Students” should log in to the Parent Portal to complete the annual required registration process by updating important student information. Families of students new to CCSD will need to create a Parent Portal account in Infinite Campus. Step-by-Step directions for setting up a new account are found on the district’s website.

For the best user experience, we encourage families to have all of the needed documentation before beginning the registration process. To prepare documents for uploading, save files and images of documents to your device as a PDF or a JPEG.

If a family does not have access to a computer, they may contact their child’s zoned school to arrange a time to go to the school to register. To find a child’s zoned school, please use Find My Bus Stop.

Required documentation for all student registration includes the student’s:

Original, certified birth certificate, hospital-issued birth record, or passport
Official Social Security Card
Georgia Certificate of Immunization (For a detailed list of required immunizations, click here.)
Four-Point Screening, which includes, Georgia Certificate of Vision, Hearing, Dental, and Nutrition Screening
Report card or address and phone number from your child’s previous school
All students must provide proof of residency to attend a CCSD school. Residency is defined as the full-time primary residence of the child and the child’s parent or legal guardian. Proof of residency is established by providing two of the following items:

valid Georgia driver’s license OR voter's registration card
current property tax receipt
power or gas bill (water bills not accepted)
home mortgage note
lease or rental agreement and
any other such objective evidence that will enable school employees to make a correct determination as to “residence”.

For more on registration, visit www.ccboe.net/registration.  

BTS 2025: School nutrition in the Columbia County School District (Click here)

Back-to-School 2025: School nutrition in the Columbia County School District

The Columbia County School District’s School Nutrition Program (SNP) provides tasty, nutritious meals to students at an economical price.

Understanding the importance of nutrition in student success, we strive to deliver wholesome, farm-to-school meals. Our team works diligently to procure nutritious foods that meet the highest standards, while also ensuring 100% compliance with USDA nutrition guidelines. This includes the latest updates on sugar and sodium reduction, the elimination of artificial food dyes, and serving over 80% of whole grain products. We also are expanding efforts to include more Top 9 Allergen-friendly options, such as gluten-free items.

Here are a few things our families can look forward to this school year:

In alignment with our farm-to-school mission, we are proud to continue our partnership with Hunter Cattle Company, a local farm based in Brooklet, Georgia.
This year, our online school menus are getting a high-tech upgrade, including interactive, school-specific menus and real-time updates so families always know what’s on the table. Check out ccboe.net/menus to see the new interactive menus after school starts on August 4.
CCSD is expanding the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program grant to include in total seven schools. This program helps promote health habits by introducing students to fresh produce and expanding nutrition education in schools.
All cafés in CCSD have earned perfect scores on inspections by the Department of Health, ensuring students are provided with clean, food-safe service!

Visit our website for more information about our farm-to-school efforts, including farm tour photos, and ways local partnerships make a difference in school nutrition.

Free and Reduced Meals:

Families are encouraged to complete an application to see if they qualify for Free or reduced meals. A link to apply can be found on the district website.

2025-2026 School Meal Prices:

Student Breakfast	$1.75
Student Lunch	$3.50
Adult Breakfast	$2.75
Adult Lunch	$4.75

BTS 2025: Columbia County School District welcomes new principals (Click Here)

Back-to-School 2025: Columbia County School District welcomes new principals

As students and teachers return from summer break, some will find a new school principal, leading them to success. Four educational leaders were appointed this past spring and during the summer to lead schools for the 2025-2026 school year.

New principals for the 2025-2026 school year include:

woman smiling
Melissa Culepper,
Principal, North Harlem Elementary School

woman smiling
Valery Reed,
Principal, Harlem Middle School

woman smiling
Ashlee Odom,
Principal, Greenbrier Elementary School

woman smiling
Marlo Leatherwood,
Principal, Columbia County Alternative School

Media outlets wishing to learn more about these new leaders, should contact Abbigail Remkus, Director of Communications, at 706-541-2723, ext. 5221, or [email protected].

BTS 2025: About the Columbia County Board of Education (Click Here)

Back-to-School 2025: About the Columbia County Board of Education

The Columbia County Board of Education meetings are set every calendar year in January. The meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. at the Board of Education Building located at 4781 Hereford Farm Road in Evans, Georgia, unless otherwise announced on agendas when they are posted. All meetings, except executive sessions, are open to the public. The meetings are live-streamed for public viewing. Interested individuals may access the following link to view the meeting: http://bit.ly/ccsdlive. Questions or comments may be directed to the Board of Education by calling 706-541-2723 ext. 5202 or by emailing [email protected]. Columbia County residents are encouraged to attend/view Board of Education meetings so that they can become better acquainted with the operation and programs of the school system. The remaining business meetings for the 2025 calendar year are scheduled for the following dates: July 8, August 12, September 9, October 14, November 18, and December 9. In addition, work sessions are scheduled for July 22, August 26, September 23, and October 28. Meeting dates for 2026 will be adopted during the January 2026 meeting.

Board welcomes citizen input
The Board meeting agenda is prepared in advance of each monthly meeting. Anyone wishing to speak before the Board during a Regular Session meeting should fill out the Request Form on the district’s website.

	Mr. David Dekle Chairman [email protected]
	Mrs. Judy Teasley Vice-Chairman District 3 [email protected] Baker Place Elementary, Evans Elementary, Greenbrier Elementary, Lewiston Elementary, North Columbia Elementary, Parkway Elementary, Riverside Elementary, Columbia Middle, Evans Middle, Greenbrier Middle, Riverside Middle, Evans High, Greenbrier High, Grovetown High
	Mr. Philip Kent District 1 [email protected] Blue Ridge Elementary, River Ridge Elementary, Riverside Elementary, South Columbia Elementary, Stevens Creek Elementary, Greenbrier Middle, Lakeside Middle, Riverside Middle, Stallings Island Middle, Greenbrier High, Lakeside High
	Mrs. Kristi Baker District 2 [email protected] Brookwood Elementary, Evans Elementary, Lewiston Elementary, Martinez Elementary, South Columbia Elementary, Westmont Elementary, Columbia Middle, Evans Middle, Grovetown Middle, Lakeside Middle, Evans High, Grovetown High, Lakeside High
	Mrs. Katie Allen District 4 k [email protected] Baker Place Elementary, Brookwood Elementary, Cedar Ridge Elementary, Euchee Creek Elementary, Grovetown Elementary, North Columbia Elementary, North Harlem Elementary, Greenbrier Middle, Grovetown Middle, Harlem Middle, Greenbrier High, Grovetown High, Harlem High

BTS 2025: Columbia County School District Buses Ready to Roll (Click Here)

Back-to-School 2025: Columbia County School District Buses Ready to Roll

The Columbia County School District (CCSD) Transportation Department has cleaned, serviced, and prepared its fleet of buses and drivers have also completed training to ensure a safe and smooth start to the school year.

What to Expect:

Starting the week before school, buses will run practice routes through neighborhoods.
Parents should have students at the bus stop 15 minutes early during the first few weeks.
Expect possible delays in the first few days back to school as drivers follow extra safety procedures, especially for new riders.

Columbia County School District Transportation Fast Facts (2024–25):

Over 16,000 students are transported daily, both to and from school
300 buses in operation
3+ million miles driven annually
School buses are 70 times safer than cars, per the NHTSA

Stay Connected:

Find My Bus Stop: Available on all school websites—just enter your address.
Edulog Parent Portal Lite App: Track your child’s bus and set up alerts. Download from the Apple Store or Google Play.
New Transfinder App: Launching later this year for improved service.

Campus Traffic Reminder: To prioritize bus departures, all other traffic—including car lines and student drivers—will be held until buses leave campus.

BTS 2025: CCSD opens new additions and improvements at the start of the school year (Click here)

Back-to-School 2025: CCSD opens new additions and improvements at the start of the school year

The Columbia County School District, serving more than 28,000 students, begins the school year on August 4, with renovations and improvements to several existing schools. The additional classrooms and other improvement projects are part of the district’s comprehensive building program—funded in part, by the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales tax (E-SPLOST) and General Obligation (G.O.) bonds approved by voters—that provides learning environments focused on the needs of today’s learners. Much-needed renovations and improvements, and other building projects continue across the district, ensuring our schools are modern spaces are designed to inspire learning and student achievement.

Renovations/Improvements for the 2025-2026 School Year:

A new North Columbia Elementary School facility
Districtwide initiative to implement secure entryways at all schools finalized
Renovations and improvements continue at Evans and Lakeside high schools, including at each location additional classrooms, a new competition gym, administrative offices, an auditorium, and a performing arts center.
Audio enhancement devices have been installed in all classrooms.

In 2025-2026, the Columbia County School District will operate 32 schools.

17 elementary schools (grades K-5)
8 middle schools (grades 6-8)
7 high schools (grades 9-12), including 5 cluster high schools, a virtual academy and an alternative school

BTS 2025: NexGen Cyber initiative among new instructional highlights this year in the Columbia County School District (Click Here)

Back-to-School 2025: NexGen Cyber initiative among new instructional highlights this year in the Columbia County School District

The Columbia County School District is committed to ensuring students are college and career-ready. We do this by providing a high-quality education featuring innovative approaches to classroom instruction, using cutting-edge technology in state-of-the-art facilities.

NexGen Cyber Resources

The Columbia County School District continues to expand the new NexGen Cyber initiative, which is part of the district’s Academic Curriculum for Excellence (ACE). NexGen Cyber is unique to the district and has been created by teachers, alongside professionals, community members, and business leaders in the cyber profession. The NexGen Cyber standards not only prepare students for future careers in tech but also fosters critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities within core subject areas in an engaging and relevant way.

Discovery Center of the CSRA

This year, the school district will provide a senior experience at the Discovery Center of the CSRA which allows high school seniors to dive into financial literacy. This immersive program provides students with real-world financial education, helping them to understand budgeting, credit, investing, and other life skills. By integrating financial literacy courses into the senior year, the Columbia County School District ensures that students graduate with the tools they need to make informed financial decisions and thrive in adulthood.

We are pleased that our middle school students will continue to benefit from and expand their financial literacy knowledge through their participation in the Discovery Center’s BizTown and Finance Park.

Media outlets wishing to learn more about any of these initiatives, should contact Abbigail Remkus, Director of Communications, at 706-541-2723, Ext. 5221 or [email protected].