What a flurry of talent across ACPSD! From classrooms to campuses, our employees continue to show up with heart, skill, and dedication, making a difference for students every single day. We’re grateful for the passion you bring and the pride you take in serving our community.
We truly love our ACPSD employees and are proud to celebrate you today and every day.
If you know a staff member who deserves special recognition, give them a shout-out! www.acpsd.net/shine
#SHINEACPSD #ACPSDcelebrates
The signing serves as a symbolic commitment to effective governance, transparency, and ethical leadership. The poster will remain on display in the boardroom throughout the year as a visible reminder of these shared principles.
The South Carolina Junior Scholars Program was initially developed by the South Carolina Department of Education in 1985 in support of the statewide effort to improve education and provide for the needs of students with exceptional academic talent. Students that qualify for this achievement receive an Award of Merit certificate. Students had to score 550 or higher on Evidence-Based Reading and Writing subtests of PSAT/NMSQT, and 530 or higher on the Math subtest of the PSAT/NMSQT.
Midland Valley High School Color Guard opened up the ceremony along with Kristanna Mitchell, student at Langley-Bath-Clearwater Middle School, who sang our National Anthem. Dr. Phyllis Gamble, Assistant Superintendent of Middle Schools, introduced the occasion noting the significance of the achievement. The musical opening continued with a performance by Paul Knox’s Orchestra which preceded the recognitions of students who were surrounded by family and school leaders. Students received a certificate along with a coin recognizing them for their dedication, perseverance, and merit in the classroom. Dr. Corey Murphy closed the ceremony commemorating the students' hard work and excellence.
We are incredibly proud of these students and grateful to everyone who helped make this celebration possible.
#ACPSDCelebrates #JuniorScholars #AikenCountyPublicSchools
Aiken County is forecasted to experience our most impactful winter weather since February 2010. At this time, our area is under a Winter Storm Warning beginning this evening at 10 p.m. lasting until 10 a.m. Sunday morning.
There are no required weather-related changes to any school or district-sponsored activities scheduled for this evening. However, any school or district activities planned for Saturday and Sunday will not be held due to projected snowfall accumulation and safety-related concerns.
Our district’s leaders are continuing to collaborate closely with Emergency Management Officials. A final determination will be made and an update will be shared by 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 1. Please note that a decision regarding operations for Monday haven’t yet been made. However, in preparation for possible e-learning on Monday, all students were sent home this afternoon with their laptop or other school-issued technology.
Please stay safe this weekend, enjoy the winter weather, and we will share information about our operations on Monday later this weekend.
#ACPSDCelebrates #SchoolBoardAppreciation #AikenCountyPublicSchools
For more information on joining ACPSD and to contact recruiters directly please visit www.acpsd.net/join-our-team. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
#ACPSD #AikenCountyPublicSchools
Our District Level Administrator of the Year Honor Court nominees were recognized during our Public Education STARS celebration. Directors were surprised by District Leaders and family members joined us in this celebration at their schools and workplaces.
Congratulations to our District Level Administrator of the Year Honor Court!
Dustin Fowler, Virtual Learning Coordinator at Aiken Innovate
Michelle Everhart, Director of Technology for Aiken County Public Schools
Brian Gibbons, Director of Federal Programs for Aiken County Public Schools
We are proud of the work these District Level employees provide. We will continue to share our Honor Court members in the coming days.
#ACPSD #AikenCountyPublicSchools #StarsHonorCourt #ACPSDcelebrates
Please know that functionality was restored as quickly as possible, and that the meeting was also being recorded. A full recording will be made available and posted once available.
AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, JANUARY 27 BOARD MEETING
The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, January 27, 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.
We are excited to recognize our Assistant Principal of the Year Honor Court for the 2025-2026 school year. District Leadership and some family members visited their schools These administrators were surprised by our District Leadership, with some family members joining in to celebrate this well-deserved recognition.
Congratulations to our Assistant Principal of the Year Honor Court!
Anna Beth Harbeson, Assistant Principal at Belvedere Elementary School
Jamie Byrne, Assistant Principal at Aiken Intermediate
Miranda Fulmer, Assistant Principal at Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle/ High School
Stay tuned as we continue to highlight additional STARS Honor Court categories over the coming days!
#ACPSD #AikenCountyPublicSchools #StarsHonorCourt #ACPSDcelebrates
January 27, 2026: Regular Operations
Aiken County Public Schools will return to a regular schedule tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27, 2026, with no change to arrival times.
Thank you for your flexibility this morning as we operated on a two-hour delay due to the weekend’s winter storm.
Please anticipate continued cool temperatures throughout the week. District leaders will continue monitoring weather conditions alongside local Emergency Management officials, including the potential for a weather system this weekend, and will communicate any updates if changes to operations become necessary.
We are excited to share the upcoming Aiken County Career and Technology Center CTE Techno Camp for fifth grade students!
This camp will take place Saturday, March 21, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All Aiken County Public School fifth grade students are invited to participate in the CTE Techno Camp to engage in hands-on activities lead by ACCTC instructors to show students the advantages of Career and Technical Education! Students will select up to three courses to participate in throughout the day where they will learn about robotics, diesel technology, cosmetology, nail technology, welding, culinary arts, media technology , fashion design, biomedical science, cybersecurity, graphic design and health science.
The deadline to submit the application is Wednesday. February 25th by 5:00 p.m. Spots are limited and filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please contact Alvina Jackson at ahead@acpsd.net.
#AikenCountyPublicSchools #ACCTC #ACPSD
Due to the winter storm and out of an abundance of caution, all Aiken County public schools and offices will begin the day tomorrow, Monday, January 26, 2026, on a two-hour delayed start. While some areas of Aiken County experienced greater impacts from this storm than others, district leaders continue to consider conditions across the entire county. Temperatures are expected to rise today, which should improve conditions; however, some roadways—particularly bridges and secondary roads—may remain slick during the morning commute.
Important Details for Tomorrow:
• Students and Staff: The two-hour delayed start applies to all students, teachers, and staff.
• Student Meals: With the delayed start schedule, only lunch will be served in school cafeterias.
• Half-Day & Partial-Day Programs: Students on half-day and partial-day schedules, including Early Learning Special Education students, are encouraged to attend school if possible; however, school bus transportation will not be available, as buses will be unable to run mid-day routes.
• No Before-School Activities: No activities will be permitted before school begins on the two-hour delay.
• After-School Activities: After-school activities, including Quest Zone and extracurricular activities such as athletic practices, will continue as scheduled.
• Aiken County Career and Technology Center: Morning session students should report to their home high schools. The afternoon session will continue as planned.
What's Next: ACPSD continues to collaborate closely with local Emergency Management officials and monitor conditions across the county. An update regarding any changes to Tuesday’s schedule will be shared no later than 3:00 p.m. tomorrow.
We look forward to welcoming students and staff to school tomorrow and appreciate our families’ continued patience and flexibility as we prioritize safety.
Confidence in the weekend storm’s possible impact to Aiken County has decreased. However, in an abundance of caution, our District and school’s weekend activities scheduled to extend beyond noon this Saturday, January 24, will be rescheduled.
This includes numerous activities, such as Saturday’s acGATEWAY auditions, as well as the MLK Jr. Community Event previously scheduled for Sunday. Individual schools and programs will share details on these and other cancellations along with rescheduled dates and times.
Our emergency management team will continue to work closely with local officials in monitoring the storm over the coming days. As we prepare for the possibility of e-learning on Monday, students will be sent home from school tomorrow with their laptop and remote assignments.
A decision regarding the safety of operations for next week will be made as soon as possible. We recognize that school closure decisions have a tremendous impact on our community, especially parents and guardians. Please know that the safety of our students, families, teachers and staff is always our highest priority, and that every effort will be made to utilize our five designated e-learning days carefully so as to not extend the school year to meet mandated requirements. An update regarding operations for Monday, January 26, will be shared no later than 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 25.
We are thrilled to honor Aiken Elementary Principal Kristie Brooks as the winner of the Robert E. Alexander Outstanding Administrator of the Year award. The STEM-focused award was presented by one of our community education partners, Dr. Gary Senn from USC Aiken’s Ruth Patrick Science Center during the January 13 Board of Education meeting.
Join us in celebrating our December 2025 Employee of the Month, Hanna Kinard!
Ms. Kinard is a wonderful second-grade teacher who is fully dedicated to the art of teaching. Her goal is to ensure her students understand the curriculum, grow as learners, and develop into well-rounded individuals. She goes above and beyond by sending postcards to her students, helping cover field trip costs, and building strong partnerships with parents.
Ms. Kinard truly believes that together is better and lives this out by taking the lead in supporting her fellow teachers. With her positive attitude and strong work ethic, success is her only option!
Thank you, Hanna Kinard, for demonstrating excellence and making a lasting impact at North Aiken Elementary and across ACPSD. We appreciate all that you do!
MLK DAY
All Aiken County Public Schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 19, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.
EARLY DISMISSAL
Wednesday, January 21, is an Early Dismissal Day for students. On Early Dismissal Days, elementary school students are dismissed at 11:30 a.m., middle school students at 12:10 p.m., and high school students at 12:30 p.m.
Early dismissal times are slightly different for Aiken Scholars Academy, as well as our schools in the Ridge Spring area. Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary dismissal is at 11:55 a.m., Aiken Scholars Academy dismissal is at noon, and Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle and High dismissal is at 12:15 and 12:20 p.m., respectively.
Afternoon classes at the Aiken County Career and Technology Center are not held on Early Dismissal Days. Students enrolled in an afternoon class at the Career Center will remain at their high school on these designated days.
Students receiving transportation services on half-day schedules, such as Early Learning Special Education students, will not be provided school bus transportation on Early Dismissal Days as buses will be unable to make mid-day routes.
These Early Dismissal Days are part of the 2025-26 Aiken County Public School District Calendar and are necessary to support the training and development schedule for state-required teacher training. Please make any necessary arrangements for your child's early dismissal. Elementary school student after school care through Quest Zone is available.
COMMUNITY INPUT MEETINGS
Two more community input meetings for stakeholder feedback on the District’s strategic plan are being held next week. Both are on Thursday, January 22. Please join us at the location most convenient for your family. Thursday, January 22 meetings are being held at Aiken High (5-6:30PM) and Redcliffe Elementary (5:30-7PM).
We hope you have a wonderful long weekend as you celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We look forward to seeing everyone back at school Tuesday morning!
Congratulations to our First-Year Teachers of the Year Honor Court!
Aleesha Ashe, 4K Teacher at North Augusta Elementary
Disaiah Whack, ELA Teacher at Kennedy Middle
Hayden Beck, 1st Grade Teacher at Belvedere Elementary
Regina Androl, 1st Grade Teacher at East Aiken School of the Arts
Ryann Kramer, Math Teacher at Highland Springs Middle
Stay tuned as we continue to highlight additional STARS Honor Court categories over the coming days and celebrate employees who shine brightly.
#ACPSD #AikenCountyPublicSchools #StarsHonorCourt #ACPSDcelebrates
District Leadership made surprise visits at schools and offices across the District today to celebrate this year’s Stars of Public Education Honor Court. The recognition program and event honoring ACPSD’s brightest stars first began as our annual Teacher of the Year celebration, and has grown to incorporate recognition of our very best New Teachers, Principals, Assistant Principals, Classified Staff, Professionals, and District-Level Administrators. With its origin in mind, we’ll begin our first Stars of Public Education Honor Court announcements with Teacher of the Year.
Congratulations to our Teachers of the Year Honor Court!
Arrington Weston, Social Studies Teacher at Schofield Middle
Jerry Brannon, Science Teacher at RSM Middle/High
Madison Spires, Science Teacher at Silver Bluff High
Megan Maxwell, Speech Pathologist with Special Programs
Sonya Lee, Special Education Teacher at Leavelle McCampbell Middle
#ACPSD #AikenCountyPublicSchools #StarsHonorCourt #ACPSDcelebrates
