SOUTH AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL

     Welcome to South Aiken High School for the 2023-2024 school year and I can’t begin to describe the excitement I have in getting the chance to welcome you! This school year is a true one of a kind experience that you and I will probably never get to do again. We are starting our first modified year-round calendar in addition to beginning a 4x4 semester block schedule. With all of this newness I want to encourage all of you to stay in the moment, be present and embrace the change because I can promise you, this will not be the last major change you experience in life!  

     South Aiken High School experienced another tremendous year in 2022-2023 thanks to efforts and mindset of the South Aiken students, faculty, staff, and community. We started the year off with a “Good” rating on the South Carolina School Report Card and based on that we placed a focus on school culture. We initiated the Stable Advisory where our students were designated a teacher advisor and a dedicated counselor/administrator team. These stables provided guidance for their students while helping to facilitate a decrease in school wide discipline, and foster some friendly competition. For this school year we will look to expand upon the utilization of our stables to facilitate an even greater positive impact on our students. Normally I would be writing this letter in the middle of the summer after graduation and I am able to tell you all about the wonderful things the South Aiken seniors accomplished…but like I said we are in a time of major change this year, so I am now writing this letter in May with a little over a month until graduation while in the middle of Advanced Placement Testing. Therefore, rather than review I am going to inform you and encourage you.  

     South Aiken is one of the premier schools in the state of South Carolina and I believe it is the best school in Aiken County. The experience you will get this school year will be one you won’t find anywhere else. We offer W.I.N. (What I Need) Time daily where ALL of our students will have the opportunity to eat lunch, receive academic support, socialize, and decompress. Through W.I.N. Time you will have every opportunity to experience academic success by having full access to your teachers daily.  This is of vital importance because your classes in the new block schedule will only be a semester long or 90 days. In the past a class lasted from August until June, but this year…a first semester class will only be from July until December and a second semester class will be from January until May. Like I said CHANGE! There is a big difference in having 7 classes for a whole year to having 4 classes per semester. For those of you doing the math you recognize that you now have the opportunity to get 8 credits this school year instead of 7. It should be encouraging to know that these changes have been implemented with your best interests in mind. If you like band you will have more opportunities to enjoy it. If you like AP you will have more opportunities to get the classes you want. South Aiken will be more student centered and we will be truly able to offer more opportunities for you to experience variety and rigor.  

     The Profile of the South Carolina Graduate requires that graduates demonstrate World-Class Knowledge, World-Class Skills, and the necessary Character for Life and Careers. We want every student to leave South Aiken College and/or Career Ready and that is why we will continue to emphasize preparing our students for the “4 E’s”: Entrepreneur, Employed, Enrolled, or Enlisted. The diverse opportunities that South Aiken continues to provide is why our graduates are reflecting the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate and why we can continue to say All Means ALL. It is through intentional effort that we are preparing our graduates to Achieve, Learn, and Lead! So once again I welcome you to South Aiken High School and I encourage you to take advantage of every opportunity to grow and develop as a member of the South Aiken Family and hold us accountable to…All Means ALL.