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Today we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

Their courage, selflessness and dedication will never be forgotten. As we spend time with family and friends this Memorial Day, we reflect with gratitude on the freedoms their sacrifice helped protect.

As you scroll through these photos, from events such as the Enlistee Gala, Memorial Run at MVHS and other moments recognizing service and sacrifice throughout our district, we invite our community to join us in remembering and honoring our fallen heroes.

From all of us at Aiken County Public Schools, we thank and remember those who gave everything for our nation.

Memorial Day, May 25th, is a designated District Holiday, and all schools and offices will be closed. All students and staff are scheduled to return to school and work on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

#ACPSDCelebrates #MemorialDay

MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH'S FIRST ANNUAL VALLEY RUN |99 MILES. 24 HOURS. EVERY STEP HAS A PURPOSE

In honor of Memorial Day, the Midland Valley High School community is coming together for a historic first. The Valley Run is officially underway.

Starting at 9:00 AM this morning, Superintendent Dr. Corey Murphy took the first steps of an inspirational 24-hour journey to honor the 99 brave service members from South Carolina who made the ultimate sacrifice in active duty.

"For those of us who have served, those of us that have known those that serve, and those who may have lost someone protecting our country, it’s a day of honor. It’s a day of reverence. Today we celebrate, honor, and remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of this country" shared Superintendent, Dr. Corey Murphy.

For every single mile conquered, a bell will ring, and the name of a fallen hero will be spoken aloud.

Come down to the track, line the path, and help us cheer these incredible runners through the day and night!

Set your alarms for tomorrow morning! Principal Higgenbottom will take to the track to run the final, ceremonial lap to bring this powerful event home. Let’s pack the stands to welcome our runners across the finish line!

Grab lunch, a cold drink, or a sweet treat while you show your support:

• Samoan BBQ | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

• Bubbly Bunch | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

• Flannigan's Ice Cream | Keep an eye out for a potential sweet-treat visit!

• (Shoutout to Palmetto Bowl, who was on-site from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM kicking off our morning!)

Let’s show these runners, and the families of our fallen heroes, the true heart of The Valley and the Aiken County Public School District. See you at the track!

A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE | AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT HOSTS 28TH ANNUAL RETIREMENT CELEBRATION

In a room filled with gratitude and celebration, Aiken County Public Schools hosted its 28th Annual Retirement Banquet on Monday evening, May 18, 2026, at Newberry Hall.

The event honored dozens of retiring educators and staff members whose dedicated careers represent a staggering combined total of 1,752 years of service to the district's students and community.

The evening kicked off with a warm welcome from District Superintendent Dr. Corey Murphy. Following his opening remarks, School Board Chair Mr. Cameron Nuessle delivered greetings on behalf of the Board of Education, and Chief Financial Officer Mr. Tray Traxler offered the invocation before dinner was served.

The highlight of the banquet was the official Recognition of Retirees, led by Ms. Katrina Riley, the Director of Human Resources. One by one, the district celebrated retirees from various departments and schools across the District, ranging from classroom teachers and administrative staff to maintenance and transportation personnel.

Among the notable honorees recognized for their extraordinary longevity and deep-rooted commitment to local education were:

• Patricia Sheldon (Aiken Elementary School), celebrating an incredible 46 years of service.

• Jean Gorthy (Aiken High School), retiring with 39 years of service.

• Renae Enlow (Byrd Elementary School), capping off a 36-year career.

• Elizabeth DiGiacomo (South Aiken High School) and Andrea Wigfall (North Augusta Middle School), both completing 34 years of dedication.

• Kari Ledbetter (Homebound Department), also wrapping up 34 years of service.

You can view all of this year’s celebrated educators, including their schools and total years of dedication, by viewing the 2026 Retirement Banquet Program.

The celebration closed with remarks from Dr. Murphy, who extended the district’s deepest thanks to the retirees for leaving a lasting legacy on the generations of students they served.

The successful evening was organized by the district’s Retirement Banquet Coordinators: Ms. Deloris Brown, Mr. Zack Calhoun, Mrs. Debbie Gregory, Ms. Kimberly Hickson-Corbitt, and Mrs. Kayla Jordan. Special appreciation was also extended to the staff at Newberry Hall for providing the venue and hospitality for the milestone celebration.

Innovation, creativity, and hands-on learning are shaping the future in ACPSD through Project Lead The Way!

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a curriculum designed for college and career readiness that focuses on STEM and other CTE fields to use real-world and problem-solving skills in the classroom with project-based instruction. On May 15, 2026, seventeen biomedicine students were recognized nationally for the impact they have made on the community through PLTW.

Read about their incredible service at www.acpsd.net/pltw-news.

#ACPSD #ProjectLeadTheWay #AikenCountyPublicSchools

Register Your Student for the 2026-27 School Year

New and Returning Student Registration is underway for the upcoming 2026-27 School Year.

Please take a few minutes to review the registration information at www.acpsd.net/register or go directly to your parent portal in PowerSchool at http://aiken.powerschool.com/public.

For returning students, registration takes just a few minutes through your parent portal account as the student’s existing registration information will pre-populate. Please review and change any information that needs updating and ensure that up-to-date emergency contact information is included for each student.

Registering your student now helps us get ready to welcome your student back after the summer and ensure a smooth start to next school year, allowing teachers and classrooms to be assigned to serve your student on day one.
We thank you, as always, for your partnership in an excellent educational experience.

#ACPSDRegistration #ReturningStudentRegistration #SouthCarolinaSchoolRegistration #AikenSchoolRegistration

This week, we proudly celebrate Classified School Employee Appreciation Week and recognize the incredible individuals who help keep our schools and district running each and every day.

From transportation and nutrition services to administrative support, maintenance, technology, custodial teams, paraprofessionals, and so many more...your dedication, hard work and care make a lasting difference for our students, staff and families.

Thank you for the countless ways you support learning environments where students can grow and succeed.

Today we celebrate our incredible Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and the lasting impact they make in the lives of our students each and every day.

Through their dedication, patience, and expertise they help students find their voices, build confidence and strengthen communication skills that support success both inside and outside the classroom.

Thank you to our SLPs for the care, encouragement and support you provide to students across our district. Your work changes lives, one conversation at a time.

We are proud to celebrate our Lower Savannah Region CTE Counselor of the Year!

Through compassion, guidance, and unwavering support, Mrs. Tracy Maroney has made a lasting impact on the lives of students at North Augusta High School. Her dedication to helping students grow and being their cheerleader academically, socially, and emotionally has helped shaped a stronger future for our schools and community.

Thank you for the encouragement you provide and the difference you make daily. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

Make sure to watch the video on YouTube and read more about this amazing surprise on the North Augusta High School news section!

#ACPSDCelebrates #CounselorOfTheYear #SchoolCounselor

AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, MAY 12 BOARD MEETING
The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m.  Please visit https://www.acpsd.net/page/board-meeting-livestream to view the meeting agenda and access the livestream when the meeting begins. Board Meetings are open to the public, although seating is limited. Our School Board Representatives may be contacted for any questions from our community stakeholders. Their contact information is available from that link as well.

On Thursday May 7, 2026, high school seniors from across Aiken County Public Schools were recognized at the annual Senior Scholars Banquet held at the USC Aiken Convocation Center.

The event celebrated the academic achievements of some of the district's highest performing graduating seniors. To qualify as a Senior Scholar, students were required to maintain at least a 3.75 cumulative GPA, rank within the top 10 percent of their graduating class, and earn no lower than a B in any high school credit course during each quarter.

Please join us in celebrating them!

Please join us in celebrating three ACPSD teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students and were honored with a Golden Apple Award!

Dr. Richard Ball, North Augusta High School; Mrs. Heather Parliament, Paul Knox Middle School; and Mrs. Christine Witt, Hammond Hills Elementary, will be amongst other CSRA teachers who will be recognized during the 33rd Annual WJBF NewsChannel 6 Golden Apple Awards special which is scheduled to air Friday, May 8 at 7 PM.

From capturing student achievements to sharing important updates, school communicators (aka "Communications Liaisons" in ACPSD) help connect families, staff, students and the community every day. Their work builds trust, strengthens relationships and shines a light on the incredible things happening across our district.

Thank you to all school communicators for their creativity, dedication, and heart you bring to your work. Your impact reaches far beyond the screen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8uv00kBT3Q
Plan ahead for next year 🌱📚. Aiken iNNOVATE gives grades 6–12 a flexible, supported virtual learning experience. Now accepting applications. 🚀 Explore and apply at www.acpsd.net/ai

A scraped knee. A sudden illness. A student who just needs a moment of care. Behind every one of these moments is a school nurse who is steady, skilled and always ready to help.

On National School Nurse Day, we recognize the individuals who go beyond first aid to support the physical and emotional well-being of every student they serve.

Join us in thanking our amazing school nurses for all they do!

Join us as we honor our CTE Senior Completers—students who have demonstrated dedication, skill, and commitment to their career pathways!

The CTE Completer Ceremony will be on May 27, 2026 at 5:00 pm at the University of South Carolina Aiken - Convocation Center. This special evening is dedicated to recognizing seniors who have successfully completed their CTE programs.

These students didn’t just attend classes—they built skills, earned credentials, and prepared for real-world success. We invite families and friends to come celebrate their achievement and the bright futures ahead!

Reminder: This ceremony is for SENIOR COMPLETERS ONLY.

Please RSVP through the QR code on your invitation letter.

Join us in celebrating the Class of 2026 in person or online. All Aiken County Public Schools’ high school commencement ceremonies will be live-streamed to our website. Graduation Day is almost here, save the date(s) and celebrate your favorite seniors with us, www.acpsd.net/graduation.

• Aiken County Public School District CTE Senior Completer Ceremony

  • Wednesday, May 27, 2026; 5 p.m.

• Wagener-Salley High School

  • Wednesday, May 27, 2026; 7 p.m. 

• North Augusta High School

  • Thursday, May 28, 2026; 2 p.m.

• Aiken Scholars Academy

  • Thursday, May 28, 2026; 5 p.m. 

• Aiken High School

  • Thursday, May 28, 2026; 8 p.m. 

• Silver Bluff High School

  • Friday, May 29, 2026; 9 a.m.

• Ridge Spring-Monetta High School

  • Friday, May 29, 2026; 12 p.m.

• South Aiken High School

  • Friday, May 29, 2026; 3 p.m.

• Midland Valley High School

  • Friday, May 29, 2026; 7 p.m.