🌱 Pre-K Lottery Dates + Students In All-State Spots + CCSD Leadership

Hello all. It's me, Nina, your host of the Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in the community. In today's issue, you'll find news about these stories and more:

• Are you ready for the pre-k lottery?
• CCSD students won All-State music spots.
• New leaders were named around the school district.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: Partly sunny; breezy, cooler. High: 51 Low: 29.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, breezy and cold. High: 48 Low: 26.

Business owners and marketers in Woodstock-Towne Lake: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

1. Gather your little one's documents, school physical and immunization forms together. It’s time to enter the Georgia Pre-K lottery drawing for the 2023-24 school year. You'll want to sign up as soon as possible, wait lists to tend to form. Incoming students must be 4 on or before September 1, 2023. Schools that offer the pre-k program are Ball Ground ES STEM Academy, Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy, Johnston ES Preschool, Oak Grove ES Fine Arts Academy and RM Moore ES STEM Academy. The application window opens on Monday, March 20 and closes at noon on March 31. You can find a list of required documents, application instructions and a search tool to find lottery-funded pre-k classes at private schools and daycares in the area at the link. (Cherokee County School District)
2. The students in our county are so talented it's amazing how full the schools are with leaders, creatives, musicians and the business minded alike. In another huge achievement to come out of the district, a very large group of Cherokee County School District (CCSD) students have been named to the Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band, All-State Chorus and All-State Orchestra. After auditioning in Athens, the CCSD middle and high school students won their spots in the prestigious organization. You can find the entire listing of winning students at the link. Great job, all! (CCSD News)
3. A few school principals will be shifting over new schools for the coming year. The changes were approved during the School Board meeting on Thursday. Dr. Carrie O'Bryant, current principal of Clayton ES, will now be the principal at Macedonia ES, filling the gap left by the retirement of current principal Christy Rich. Valerie Lowery, the current principal of Boston ES, will now be the principal of Clayton ES and Jessica Currie will be the new principal at Boston ES, moving from her current assistant principal role at Bascomb ES. There were several other promotions, hires and transfers announced during the meeting, including a new crew of assistant principals that will enter the district for the 2023-24 school year. (CCSD News)

Today and tomorrow in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

Today

• Open Pickleball Play: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
• Rock Wall Climbing Zone: open to county residents ages 4 and up and 40-pounds and over at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to climb. (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
• Sequoyah-Con: the last event in the library system's mini-convention series is today at the Woodstock Library, located at 7735 Main Street. This is a free, all-ages event and this week's theme is "Cryptids." There will be a themed storytime, "X-Files" trivia, themed crafting for all ages, Cryptozoology trivia, a Q&A session with writer Delilah S. Dawson, a Cryptid Carnival and much more. Check out the link for the schedule of events. (10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
• Open Gym: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (noon - 5 p.m.)
• Woodstock Arts Film Festival Screening: head over to The Green, at 113 Elm Street, to watch the five participant films, all made within 48 hours. There will be awards given, snacks available and a beer and wine bar set up. Feel free to bring your own non-alcoholic drinks, if you'd like. (2 p.m.)
• Battle of the Brews - Lagers: take part in a blind tasting, rank your favorites, hear from a local brewer and enjoy some great food at The Daily Draft, 8594 Main Street. (2 - 4 p.m.)
• Paint and Chat Professional Art Classes: for all skill levels, all supplies will be provided for the painting class at Tranquility Fine Arts, 9194 Main Street. (2 - 4 p.m.)
• Shamrock Pub Crawl: head downtown for food and drink specials at participating restaurants and bars - you can see the full list here. Grab your entry form at the first place you stop, and be sure to get stamps from each place thereafter. Once you get five stamps, hand in your entry form at any participating restaurant for a chance to win prizes. (2 - 6 p.m.)
• Discovering Pickleball for Kids: for ages 8 - 17, learn the basics of the game at the Dupree Park Pickleball courts. All equipment will be provided. (3 - 4:30 p.m.)
• Crafted Moments, Craft a Mixology Recipe Book or Kid's Activity Book: snacks and drinks will be provided during the crafting session at Made Mercantile, 8636 Main Street. (5 - 7 p.m.)
• St. Patrick's Day Wine Tasting Party: learn about green wine and enjoy a themed cocktail at The Gifted Ferret, 1910 Eagle Drive, Suite 400. (5 - 7 p.m.)
• DJ SBB: live music tonight on the rooftop at PURE Taqueria, 405 Chambers Street. The rooftop will be closed if it rains. (7 - 11 p.m.)
• "Company:” catch a performance of the play tonight at the Woodstock Arts Theatre, 8534 Main Street. (7:30 p.m.)
• Paul Childers: the artist will be live in The Listening Room at Rootstock, 8558 Main Street. (8 p.m.)
• Chas Crawford: the artist will be playing live at Donovan's Irish Cobbler, 1025 Rose Creek Drive. (9 p.m. - 1 a.m.)
• FUGM: the band will be playing live tonight at Guston's Grille, 12195 Highway 92, Suite 156. (9:30 p.m.)
• MadLife Grill Patio Stage - free shows, no ticket needed
  • Benjamin Frank (11 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
  • Holland Roots (2 - 5 p.m.)
  • Keven Mack (5 - 8 p.m.)
  • Steven Brooks Band (8 - 11 p.m.)
• MadLife Stage & Studios
  • Electric Avenue - The 80's MTV Experience (7 p.m. and 9:55 p.m.)

Tomorrow

• Rock Wall Climbing Zone: open to county residents ages 4 and up and 40-pounds and over at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to climb. (noon - 1:30 p.m.)
• Open Gym: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (noon - 3 p.m.)
• Open Pickleball Play: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (noon - 3 p.m.)
• St. Patrick's Day Celebration: featuring live Irish dance performances, DJ O'Greg and free gifts for the first 100 people that show up to DJ O'Greg wearing green. The party is at The Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta, 915 Ridgewalk Parkway. (noon - 5 p.m.)
• Kurt Wheeler: the artist will be playing live at Reformation Brewery, 105 Elm Street. (2 - 5 p.m.)
• "Company:” catch a performance of the play today at the Woodstock Arts Theatre, 8534 Main Street. (2:30 p.m.)
• Spring Wine Therapy's Sip & Paint: enjoy some nice wine while you paint either an oversized wine glass or a recycled frosted wine bottle lamp. A bottle of wine is also included with your ticket to the evening at The Gifted Ferret, 1910 Eagle Drive, Suite 400. (3 - 5 p.m.)
• Atlanta Blues Society Gathering & Jam Session: the host band is the Orange Drivers. The event is open to the public, so bring an instrument and join in! There'll be a raffle too, and proceeds will benefit the Blue Flame Fund to help local musicians in need. The event will be held in The Listening Room at Rootstock, 8558 Main Street. (3 - 6 p.m.)
• Acoustic Soul: playing live on the rooftop at PURE Taqueria, 405 Chambers Street. The rooftop will be closed if it rains. (4 - 8 p.m.)
• Singers & Songwriters Night: at Guston's Grille, 12195 Highway 92, Suite 156. (6 - 9 p.m.)
• Music Bingo: every Sunday at Sidelines Grille - Woodstock, 300 Village Center Drive. (6 p.m.)
• Karaoke Night with Swing Shift Entertainment: you can reserve your spot here for karaoke at The Daily Draft, 8594 Main Street. (6 - 8 p.m.)
• MadLife Grill Patio Stage - free shows, no ticket needed
  • Sonya Shell (11 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
  • Hunter Blalock (2 - 5 p.m.)
  • Clay Duke (5 - 8 p.m.)
• MadLife Stage & Studios
  • Illegal Smile - The Songs of John Prine (4 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• The Cherokee County Animal Shelter is holding their weekly adoption event today and available animals are listed here. A QR code at the front door of the shelter will become active at a random time around 10 a.m., please scan the QR code to enter the "virtual line." The shelter adopts on a first come, first served basis and animals can't be put on hold. The adoption fee includes their spay or neuter, heartworm and leukemia testing, initial vaccinations, deworming, flea preventative and microchipping. (Cherokee County Animal Shelter via Facebook)
• Downtown Woodstock: "The Shamrock Pub Crawl is today from 2pm - 6pm in Downtown Woodstock! For the Shamrock Pub Crawl The Blue Ghost Arcade is offering $5 off admission for pub crawlers. They will also be featuring Slane Irish Whiskey $5, Irish Car Bombs $6, and you can get your selfie printed on a Guinness pint." (Downtown Woodstock via Instagram)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Saturday! I'll be in your inbox soon with another update.

— Nina Lightcap

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch newsletter? Contact me at Woodstock@Patch.com