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AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, JANUARY 13 BOARD MEETING
The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, January 13, 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.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the first Strategic Plan Community Input Meeting at Wagener-Salley High School yesterday evening. Your voices, ideas, and perspectives are vital in helping us shape the future of our district.

We still have four opportunities remaining for families, staff, and community members to share feedback and help inform our district's strategic direction. If you were unable to attend the first session, we invite you to join an upcoming meeting and be part of the conversation.

Strategic Plan Input Meeting Dates:

Area 1: January 22, 2026 | 5:00 p.m. | Aiken High School
Area 2: January 15, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. | Belvedere Elementary
Area 3: January 8, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. | Graniteville Elementary
Area 4 (Completed): January 7, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. | Wagener-Salley High School
Area 5: January 22, 2026 | 5:30 p.m. | Redcliffe Elementary

Your voice matters, and we look forward to hearing from you.

#ACPSD #AikenCountyPublicSchools #CommunityInput

AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, DECEMBER 9 BOARD MEETING
The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 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.

BELVEDERE ELEMENTARY GROUNDBREAKING

What an exciting day for our Belvedere Bears! Today, we officially broke ground on the final major phase of Belvedere Elementary’s campus transformation made possible by the community’s support of the 2018 bond referendum.

 This project will replace the 1950s cafeteria with a modern dining space seating 400 students, a retractable stage, and a new kitchen with two serving lines to create safer, more efficient mealtimes. A new connected multipurpose room and gym will also bring all core school functions under one roof, adding more than 15,000 sq. ft. to the campus.

The old cafeteria will become administrative space, and improvements to the grounds will enhance safety and drainage. Together, these upgrades build on Belvedere’s century-long tradition of community support and its back-to-back “Excellent” School Report Card ratings.

Thank you to our Board of Education, staff, families, and the Belvedere community for continuing to invest in our students. This new space is for our Bears—where they will learn, perform, gather, and grow!

Aiken County Public School District’s Principal Meeting on Thursday, November 13, ended on a high note as we celebrated several schools for achieving outstanding proficiency ratings this year!

Congratulations to our dedicated educators, leaders, and students for their remarkable accomplishments.! We are thrilled to congratulate these schools for their incredible accomplishments that reflect the passion and perseverance happening in classrooms every single day.

 A shout out to Aiken Scholars Academy for being True Blue, North Augusta Middle for receiving an overall excellent rating while rising to among the top five percent of all middle schools in the state, and Belvedere Elementary with an overall excellent rating rising to the top five percent of elementary schools in the state.

 A special shout out to Ridge Spring Monetta Elementary for increasing two full proficiency categories; the largest jump among all ACPSD schools!

 Thank you to all our principals and school teams for the amazing work you do. The momentum is strong, and we are excited for what's ahead!

Attention students, parents, and guardians,

The application for the 2026 acGATEWAY Summer Arts Program is now available. This year, the application is available in a digital format and can be completed by clicking the link below.

acGATEWAY is a rigorous and immersive summer arts opportunity for students who submit an application and go through the audition process. Current 3rd-12th graders are eligible and may choose from dance, theater, visual art, music, or creative writing.

The deadline to submit applications (online) is Friday, December 12th. No late applications will be accepted due to planning purposes.

All information about the program is detailed in the application.

Elementary Application Link: https://forms.office.com/r/6DZV4FhqCJ
Middle/High Application Link: https://forms.office.com/r/bp5s85n6tS
Aplicación en español: https://forms.office.com/r/9qAELiN8NH

For further assistance, contact:
District Fine Arts Coordinator, Dr. Kimberly Fontanez at kfontanez@acpsd.net

AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, NOVEMBER 11 BOARD MEETING
The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, 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.

MOMENTUM CONTINUES FOR AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON 2024–25 STATE REPORT CARDS

Aiken County Public Schools continues to show strong forward momentum on the recently released 2024–2025 South Carolina School Report Cards. This year, 46% of ACPSD schools increased an entire proficiency category, seven schools earned an Excellent rating, and no schools received an Unsatisfactory rating — a significant improvement from last year, when two schools earned Excellent and one received Unsatisfactory.

District performance outpaced state trends in several key areas:
• 48% of ACPSD elementary schools increased a proficiency rating (25% statewide)
• 50% of ACPSD middle schools increased a proficiency rating (33% statewide)
• 88% of ACPSD high schools earned Good/Excellent College & Career Readiness ratings (75% statewide)
• Nearly 60% of ACPSD schools earned Good/Excellent Climate ratings
• The district’s overall school climate score exceeded the state average

These results reflect continued academic growth, strengthened culture, and meaningful progress toward ensuring success for every student.

“We are seeing consistent and encouraging progress across our schools,” said Superintendent Dr. Corey Murphy. “Our staff, students, and families are working together to build strong instruction and positive school environments. We are proud of these results and remain committed to continued growth and academic excellence for every child.”

Academic Growth & Climate

Elementary ELA and math results show continued growth, and middle school ELA results improved as well. School climate remains a strength, with 13 schools earning Excellent climate ratings, spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Success Across School Levels

Elementary schools delivering standout results include Aiken Elementary, Belvedere Elementary, East Aiken School of the Arts, Hammond Hill Elementary, and Millbrook Elementary who all received Excellent ratings. Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary advanced two full proficiency levels, one of the most substantial increases in the district.
At the middle level, 50% of schools improved a full rating, with North Augusta Middle School earning its first Excellent rating in more than a decade. Beginning this year, all middle schools transitioned to an expanded ELA and math block schedule to further support student success.

High school results reflect strong preparation for life after graduation. Aiken Scholars Academy earned its fourth consecutive Excellent rating. North Augusta High School, Midland Valley High School, South Aiken High School, and Ridge Spring-Monetta High School also earned strong College & Career Readiness results.

Multilingual Learner Progress

ACPSD again exceeded the state average in multilingual learner growth, with 33.3% meeting or exceeding progress targets versus 26.8% statewide. Millbrook Elementary earned an Excellent rating in this category.

Moving Forward

“We are proud of the gains our schools have made,” Dr. Murphy said. “We will continue strengthening instruction, expanding opportunities, and supporting our students and educators. There is more work ahead, and we remain deeply committed to ensuring every student thrives.”

Full results are available at SCReportCards.com.

To read the full press release and view a video from Superintendent Dr. Murphy, please visit www.acpsd.net/news.

PURPLE UP FOR MILITARY FAMILIES | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14

ACPSD encourages all students, staff, and families to wear PURPLE on Friday, November 14 as we celebrate the Month of the Military Family!

This special day is our way of showing appreciation and support for the incredible military families who sacrifice and serve alongside their loved ones.

THANK YOU to our military families for your dedication, resilience, and service to our nation.

Join us in honoring our heroes—both at home and abroad—by wearing purple with pride!

Throughout November, schools across the district are recognizing Veterans Day and the Month of the Military Family with special celebrations and activities to honor the veterans and active-duty heroes in our community and across the country.

Let’s turn our schools PURPLE Friday, November 14!