Aiken County Public School District’s (ACPSD) instructional leaders honored 11 elementary students whose hard work and determination earned them official promotion to fourth grade with a Readers Glow and Grow Celebration Friday, September 26, 2025.
Under the South Carolina Read to Succeed Act, third grade students who do not meet the required score on state assessments must now be retained. When spring 2025 scores were released, 39 Aiken County third grade students were identified at risk of being retained.
Intensive interventions provided during last school year’s Spring Intersession and the district’s Read to Succeed Summer Reading Camp helped 15 students reach the required score to be promoted to the fourth grade. Even though the remaining 24 students demonstrated growth, they narrowly missed the state’s necessary cut score for fourth grade promotion
“With just a bit more instructional time,” Chief Officer of Instruction Dr. Amy Edwards explained, “we felt that even more of our students would have been successful in meeting the required cut scores for promotion.”
At the beginning of the 2025-26 year, instructional leaders made the decision, with approval from the South Carolina Department of Education, to place the 24 students in fourth grade classrooms and continued the Summer School model. During the first three weeks of school, each student received Tier 3 reading support three times a day, delivered by certified Reading Interventionists. This allowed students to be taught fourth grade standards while continuing to address their literacy deficits in daily intervention blocks scheduled at times outside of core instruction. Through this daily, high-quality, and intentional intervention all 24 students showed growth, and 11 made the cut score on the required assessment to become fourth graders.
To celebrate their promotion, these 11 students spent their last day before Fall Break with some of the leaders who helped them achieve fourth grade promotion. Their Readers Glow and Grow Celebration began with a Glow Paint Activity at the District Office. After painting their unique glow-in-the-dark owl masterpieces under the direction of ACPSD artist-in-residence Dr. Kimberly Fontanez, the students were transported by school bus to the Aiken County Library where Chief Officer of Instruction Dr. Amy Edwards read them an inspirational book, “The Magical Yet,” aloud for storytime, received a library card, and checked out the book of their choice. A catered lunch, cupcakes, and photo shoot awaited the students at the District Office. The celebration wrapped up with a trip to Books-A-Million where each student selected a book, purchased by the Office of Instructional Services, and was presented with a certificate and personal letter from their principal honoring their effort and achievement.
The celebration launched a district-wide effort to expand student access to the region’s library system which has branches in every area of the county and a wealth of resources for students and families to grow through literacy. In-county library locations include the branch these students visited in downtown Aiken, as well as locations in Jackson, Midland Valley, New Ellenton, North Augusta, and Wagener.
“This accomplishment will remain a standout for everyone involved,” Edwards continued. “We were so excited to celebrate our students’ efforts, their success, and the determination of all stakeholders involved in our Summer Reading Camp model.”
###