Score a Top-Tier Education in Athens-Limestone County

The public schools in Athens and Limestone County deliver well-rounded programs aimed at getting students ready for college and beyond.

By Teree Caruthers on December 4, 2021

One could say that schools in Athens and Limestone County are always blooming. This is a topic of high priority for the community, and area leaders and businesses are always working to better the offerings available for students.

Families here are served by two top-tier school districts – Athens City Schools and Limestone County Schools – and both excel at producing well-rounded young adults who are ready to make a name for themselves in and contribute to the workforce.

Limestone County Schools serves more than 12,000 students, and it is still growing. The district is breaking ground on a new elementary school in the spring of 2022 and adding classroom space to several others.

The school partners with local industry leaders, including Athens-Limestone Hospital, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, Polaris and Intech to develop a simulated workplace experience for students. Students clock in and out like they would in the real world and can earn industry-specific certifications to help them gain a job in the region after graduation.

Finding a Path in Athens

Like Limestone County Schools, Athens City Schools works to steer students toward local career paths in fields such as engineering, computer science, health science, business, marketing and advanced agriculture.

“We are proud to offer our students career and technical education (CTE) opportunities that will help to fill the regional workforce needs,” says Christy Hubbard, communications specialist for Athens City Schools. “Our CTE program offers a wide variety of internships, apprenticeships and multiple career tech pathways for our students and prepares them to be college- and career-ready by integrating core academic skills along with hands-on, career-relevant coursework.”

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Here, Students Get a Head Start

Hubbard says the school district also gives students a head start when it comes to college and careers through dual enrollment and early college programs. Early College, a partnership between the schools and the University of Alabama as well as future partnerships with the University of North Alabama and Auburn University, allows high school students in the district to enroll in and earn up to 30 college credits.

A dual enrollment partnership with Calhoun Community College and a future partnership with Drake State Community & Technical College offer students the opportunity to simultaneously earn high school and college credit. Some students even graduate high school with an associate degree.

Career readiness actually begins in elementary school here. Each elementary school is a themed academy that uses project-based learning and hands-on experiences to introduce students to career paths, from computer science and STEM to fine arts, health and medical.

“We, as a school family and as a community, believe in the value and potential of every single child,” Hubbard says. “And we are committed to giving our students the best learning experiences possible as we prepare them for successful lives. Our schools provide academically challenging learning environments that ensure students develop 21st-century skills and that they are college-and career-ready.”