We believe all students can and must learn at relatively high levels of achievement. We also believe academic success is most effectively achieved when students, parents, and teachers all make significant contributions in the education process.

Announcements

MEMORIAL DAY: SCHOOL CLOSED - We hope you have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend. School resumes Tuesday, May 28.

PKMS 8TH GRADE DANCE - May 31, 2019 from 7:00pm - 9:00pm at the North Augusta Community Center. Tickets will be sold beginning May 20. Tickets are $10 and only available to PKMS 8th Graders. NO tickets will be available at the door. Please see Mrs. Quinn if you have any questions.

PK THIS WEEK : MAY 20 -24

Monday - End of Course Testing- English 1: Reading

Tuesday - State Testing - 7th Grade Writing

Wednesday - State Testing - 8th Grade Writing

Thursday - State Testing - 7th Grade Reading

Friday - State Testing - 6th Grade Reading

AIKEN SCHOLARS ACADEMY - Congratulations to Johnathan Anderson, Andrew Putman, and Sean Rose for being accepted into the Aiken Scholars Academy. We are so proud of you!

ADVANCED CHOIR - Congratulations to the following students who will members of the 2019-2020 Advanced Choir: Makai Allen, D'Muntrez Bailey, Thomas Harris, Edward Lein, Palmer McTier, Dylan Pace, Roosevelt Stanley, Ilianna Cook, Alexus Duarte, Katherine Ellis, Leilani Griffith, Vivienne Loose, Abigail Murphy, Jada Printup, Paola Ramirez, Janiyah Reed, McClure Thornton, Lilian Vickers, Keon Batson, Maicol Guerrero, Zayn Hanif, Byron Harris, Garrett Pond, Sanja Becnel, Cassandra Brooks, Makayla Dowd, Madison Elwell, Ke'Nigel Hannah, Chloe Henry, Caitlyn Langley, Isabel Ngoka, Allison Pawlowicz, Parker Rabun, Kailyn Seider, Brooklynn Toole, Christiane Williams, and Abigail Zaun.

PATRIOT PRIDE - It's such a WONDERFUL day to be a PATRIOT!!! Congratulations to our two District Honor Court members that were announced this morning. Mrs. Sarah Padgett, Honor Court GEM of the Year, and Ms. Heather Parliament, Honor Court First Year Teacher of the Year!!

CHEERLEADERS - Congratulations to the following students who will be members of our 2019 - 2020 Cheerleading Squad: Haileigh Duncan, Sara Gibbs, Katelynn Hall, Caelin Hankerson, Makayla Murray, Ansley Parrish, Amanda Prince, Jada Printup, McClure Thornton, Emma Brown, Rachel Daniels, Mallery Dorsey, Kylei Falcon, Sophie Lindale, Elise Longe, Amanda Morrison, Kinsley Muns, Baileigh Rollins, Colleen Stevens, and Asia Williams.

Edmentum’s Exact Path Summer Learning Opportunity -
ACPSD is offering the opportunity to extend student’s educational experience through an online Virtual Summer Enrichment Program. With extensive research pointing to the summer months as a significant time for student skill loss, our District’s Virtual Summer Program will fill the learning gap from the end of one school year to the beginning of the next.

Through the use of Edmentum’s Exact Path, a web-based learning tool, students will have an opportunity to work on individual areas of need in reading and math as determined by the system’s adaptive diagnostics. Using adaptive screeners and diagnostics ensures the delivery of precise instruction to accelerate students to grade level and beyond.

Who can participate? All current ACPSD 1st through 8th grade students.
What? Complete a minimum of 60 minutes total per week in Math, Reading, and/or Language Arts (work in one subject, two subjects, or rotate between all three). Maintain scores of 80% or higher.
Where? From any device (computer, tablet, or smartphone) with internet access.
When? June 17 through August 1. Edmentum will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, a minimum of 60 minutes per week is recommended.
Why? To accelerate learning with focused instruction and be entered into weekly drawings for $25 gift cards!

Interested parents should register their child(ren) by May 31 at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SummerChallenge2019

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We Heard You….

Starting on the day we return from Spring Break, we will make the following adjustments to our new traffic flow patterns listed below. These are taken from themes that merge safety with practicality as it relates to the well being of arriving and leaving our school campus. The data we are collecting and observing is that we are at a record number of students and it seems that many of them arrive and leave school each day in vehicles. In the most recent survey over 83% of parents indicated that the new traffic flow attempts are keeping safety a priority and good for the students and motorists.

Morning Arrival

- Cones will not disrupt normal traffic flow in the morning drop off until back up in the line starts (approximately 7:35am).

- Students can be dropped off as early as 7:15am

- If parents wish to have someone at morning crosswalk area, please contact Dr. Holt at jasonh@acpsd.net so we can set up a routine and time to have a PKMS adult help students to cross at Pisgah and Wells Rd.

Afternoon Dismissal

- The front car line will remain open with the exception that no cars may stop and wait on the actual state/city road before 3:10pm. We encourage some parents and guardians who wish to utilize to the front to stagger times of pick up (Just a suggestion: 6th – 3:10pm and 7th/8th 3:20pm). The back car line should be the first option. If you see the school road is full in the front please come to the back carline.

- The school will work with local law enforcement and city to explore more signs for walkers on the front of the Pisgah Rd.

Thank you for helping to make safety a priority here at PKMS!

New Dismissal Procedures
Effective April 2nd
Memo to Paul Knox Community

PKMS Community,

As always, safety is our priority. With safety in mind, our team has been continually monitoring areas of concern that are currently impeding the highest levels of safety in and around our Paul Knox Middle Community. Please note the following changes below. Patience and understanding will help us to work through any and all transitions to an even safer campus as it relates to our entrance/exit procedures.

All concerns can be emailed directly to Dr. Holt at jasonh@acpsd.net or calling the school at 803-442-6300.

Thanks in advance for your willingness to help continue to make SAFETY a priority!

Yours truly,

Dr. Holt
Principal of Paul Knox Middle School

Walkers for Pisgah Rd.

- All students will meet in the Atrium of the school by the front office by 3:17pm (dismissal at 3:10pm from classes)
- School staff will escort the students across Pisgah Rd via the Wells Rd crosswalk and walk along the sidewalk. They will then cross with school-designated adult. No students will cross the road without school personnel. If school personnel are not at location when crossing is needed, the student will need to notify the front office.
- No students will cross at the school sign at Pisgah Rd.

Car Riders

Phase One (starts on Tuesday, April 2nd)
o Due to significant and ongoing safety concerns, no cars may be stopped or parked along any city or state road for pick up after April 2nd
o Car Riders can still be picked up in the front if road is available, if not cars will need to enter the newly designed car ling on Pisgah Rd and pick up students in the back of the school
o The biggest concern is the entrance/exit to the track – Take your time and turn wide!

Phase Two (TBD)
o After review of current flow and transition into the back area, a decision will be made to close off the front car line pick up area.
o At that point, two areas of pick up in the back will be authorize and a two areas of exit will be opened (1) end of full car line with pick up at current location by back of building and (2) entrance to “snake” shaped drive with pick up at bottom of stairwell.

Walkers for Wells Rd. Crossing
o The same procedure will occur as designed earlier in the year

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END OF THE YEAR AWARDS - Monday, June 3: 6th Grade Awards

Tuesday, June 4: 7th Grade Awards

Wednesday, June 5: 8th Grade Awards

All Awards programs begin at 9am in the gymnasium

SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES - Summer Learning Opportunities

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Julianne Hammond Wins Miss Pre-Teen Majorette of SC

Congratulations to our own, Julianne Hammond!! Julianne was crowned Miss Pre-Teen Majorette of South Carolina!! She will compete against the most advanced twirlers in the country this summer at The University of Notre Dame. We are so proud of all your hard work.

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Band Earns Superior Ratings at the Carowinds Festival of Music

Congratulations to Mrs. Comley and the PKMS Band for their outstanding performance at the Carowinds Festival of Music. The band earned straight Superior Ratings in all categories!

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