APRIL 14 IS PHASE ONE PACKET DUE DATE & PHASE TWO DOWNLOAD/PICK-UP - After Spring Break, on Tuesday, April 14th, the next phase of Distance Learning Packets will be ready. Packets will be available for downloading from our website and all schools will have a drive-through pick-up for learning packets from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Additional details will follow from individual schools regarding the pick-up process.

The first phase or Phase One of the Distance Learning Packets are due on Tuesday, April 14th. You have the following options for turning in packets from Phase One:

• You may drop off learning packets when you pick up new packets at your student(s) school on Tuesday, April 14th.
• Or you may choose to take pictures of assignments and submit them via email to the teacher or teachers.
• Or, if applicable, students may submit assignments through Schoology.

DISTANCE LEARNING PACKETS - In an effort to ensure quality instruction continues through our distance learning format, we have printed packets for our students. The first set of Distance Learning Packets were distributed and available at schools on Thursday, March 19th. Parents/students have the option to download these packets online at www.acpsd.net through this Distance Learning Link. If parents/students choose to download packets at home, please make sure your child’s teacher(s) is notified. Teachers are keeping track to help ensure all students receive their necessary materials.

Throughout this school closure, teachers will be available during set office hours of 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. via web conferencing or by phone to assist with questions regarding how to access or complete content. If you or your student has any questions during non-office hours, please do not hesitate to contact the school directly.

Thank you for joining us in a commitment to ensure that students continue to receive quality instruction and support regardless of school closures. Additional information is forthcoming this week on packet submission and new packet distribution. 

NUTRITIONAL SERVICES UPDATE FOR MARCH 30-APRIL 3 (INCLUDING SPRING BREAK) - Aiken County Public Schools has been granted a waiver to distribute multiple days of meals to students. We are grateful to our dedicated team and know that delivering multiple days of meals at once will allow for a much-needed break for employees.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 31, two breakfast and two lunch meals will be available for pick up at all schools and will be delivered along regular bus routes. Tomorrow’s distribution will cover student meals through Thursday morning’s breakfast. There will be no food distribution on Wednesday, April 1 as our staff will be preparing meals for the remainder of the week and Spring Break. On Thursday, April 2, two breakfast and two lunch meals will be available for pick up at all schools and will be delivered along regular bus routes.

On Friday, April 3, meals for students for the week of Spring Break will be available at central grab-and-go school site locations between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. No bus deliveries will be made. Families wanting student meals during the Spring Break holiday are urged to pick up those meals on Friday between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at one of the following locations: Aiken High School, Kennedy Middle School, North Augusta High School, Midland Valley High School, Graniteville Elementary School, AL Corbett Middle School, Ridge Spring-Monetta High School, or Silver Bluff High School.

As with all food distribution during this closure, the child or children should be present.  

We thank you in advance for planning ahead to pick up or be delivered food on Tuesday and Thursday and to pick up your food for Spring Break on Friday at the designated food distribution sites. Essential staff members have worked tirelessly throughout this closure and who are looking forward to their much-deserved spring break.  

NOT GETTING ACPSD'S PHONE CALLS ? - Our calling system pulls information directly from PowerSchool, our student information system from student registration. If you are not getting phone calls, please first call the opt-out hotline at (855) 502-7867 from the phone you should be getting calls from. It is an automated system and will take less than two minutes to opt back in. Some families accidentally opt out. And, if you switched phone carriers, but kept the same number, a number of carriers automatically opt you out from receiving automated calls. If you are not able to opt back in by calling the number above, please contact the school to be sure that they have a working phone number for your family.

ACPSD PHONE MESSAGES REPEATING? - Several parents/guardians have made us aware that our phone messages repeat after five seconds. The automated calling system is prompted to restart if a sound is made on the receiver's line (this allows for messaging to be delivered to answering machines). Parents/guardians experiencing this issue are encouraged to mute their phone when they receive an automated call from our District. This should eliminate background noise/sound and correct the issue.

NOVEL CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION - Understanding that parents/guardians, teachers, and staff have concerns about the widely-publicized new or “novel” coronavirus, COVID-19, and how this new family of viruses could impact our community and public schools, our district administration wants to ensure you are made aware of preventative efforts and procedures in place related to this public health concern. Please visit our webpage devoted to sharing updates, prevention details and other information by clicking on the words "Coronavirus Prevention & Updates." 

#WhyITeachACPSD CONTINUES - The #WhyITeachACPSD social media challenge, hosted by Affect the Culture, was such a great success and fun way to wrap up the 2018-19 school year that many educators are continuing the trend! We love seeing your reasons for teaching on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and encourage all Aiken County Public School Distirct employees to continue to post about what sparked their interest in teaching, using each school's unique hashtag.