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ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % A THIRD OF THE ONE CENT SALES TAX IS ESTIMATED TO BE GENERATED BY NON-RESIDENTS. When individuals visit Aiken County and make purchases, their contribution to overall sales tax revenues is estimated to generate around a third of the total collected. If approved, visitors to the county contribute to Aiken County’s school facility improvements, as well as a property tax reduction for Aiken County homeowners. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % UNPREPARED FOODS, GAS, AND MOST MEDICATIONS ARE EXEMPT FROM THE ONE CENT SALES TAX. If renewed by voters on November 5, the One Cent Educational Capital Sales and Use Tax would result in a continuation of the One Percent Sales Tax on most purchases (one cent/dollar) in Aiken County. There are numerous exemptions to the tax, which are listed include in South Carolina’s Code of Laws, Section 12-36-2120. Among the exemptions are unprepared foods, gasoline, and most medications. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

Parents and Guardians: Please note that there is no school for students Monday, November 4, due to a District Professional Development Day for teachers. Tuesday, November 5, is Election Day and all ACPSD schools and offices will be closed. We hope that everyone eligible to vote will exercise their right on Tuesday. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. As a reminder, the One Cent Sales Tax benefitting our public school facilities will be on the ballot. For additional information on the Sales Tax and the school facility improvements that a renewal of the tax would directly benefit, please visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent. Don't forget daylight saving time ends this weekend., and we'll "fall back" an hour on Sunday, November 3. Wishing everyone a great long weekend as we look forward to welcoming students back to school on Wednesday, November 6.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % IF THE ONE CENT SALES TAX IS VOTER-APPROVED FOR A RENEWAL, A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL BE BUILT IN AREA THREE. Space for elementary school students in Area Three, the fastest-growing area of our county, is limited. Many students in Midland Valley and Graniteville schools are already in portable classrooms. To accommodate this growth, a new elementary school in Area Three is among the list of projects that a 2024 One Cent Sales Tax renewal would support. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % CONTINGENCY PROJECTS WILL ALSO APPEAR ON THE BALLOT AND INCLUDE ROOFING, SECURITY VESTIBULES AND DOOR LOCK UPGRADES AT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, CLASSROOM ADDITIONS AT BYRD AND GLOVERVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND REPLACEMENT OF GREENDALE ELEMENTARY. In addition to the five primary projects voters will see on their ballot, several contingency projects are also listed that will be undertaken once primary projects are completed (or if all funding necessary for completion of the primary projects has been provided) and if additional tax revenue is available. Sales Tax funding is limited to the projects specified on the ballot and approved by voters. 2024 contingencies represent additional projects that are high priority For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % NORTH AUGUSTA MIDDLE (NAMS), CONSTRUCTED IN 1954, IS THE OLDEST SCHOOL AMONG THE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT A 2024 RENEWAL OF THE ONE CENT SALES WOULD BENEFIT. Window air conditioning and heating units and metal-lined walls make indoor temperature control of this 1950s-era school (built without central heating and air) a challenge. At NAMS, the roof is leaking, doors are no longer fully shutting, and walkways and entrances to areas of the school built below grade flood on rainy days.. Part of the school was renovated previously and includes the cafeteria, science and music wing. If approved by voters, the recently updated areas are all that would remain. The original 1954 structure would be demolished, and a new, secure entryway, admin and classroom wing, media center, and gymnasium would be constructed. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % FIVE OF EIGHT OF THE COUNTY’S HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN RECENTLY UPDATED OR REBUILT, A SALES TAX RENEWAL IN 2024 WOULD ADDRESS THE REMAINING THREE. South Aiken High, Silver Bluff High, and Midland Valley High were each built in 1980. At the time of the One Cent Sales Tax in 2014, they were referred to as the district’s “new” high schools. Improvements at those campuses, if approved by voters, include secure, welcoming entrances, updated athletic facilities, purpose-built classrooms for culinary arts and other CTE courses, and more. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL HOST A LIVE INFORMATIONAL MEETING ABOUT THE SALES TAX ON OCTOBER 29 AT 6PM. ACPSD has engaged in an effort to educate the community about the One Cent Sales Tax, and has shared information in a series of meetings held throughout the county over several months. A virtual meeting will be held this evening, Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at 6PM. Join at www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % SC PUBLIC SCHOOLS GET NO FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION/MAINTENANCE Upkeep, maintenance, and construction of schools is considered a “local responsibility” in South Carolina. School Facilities are funded locally through voter support of sales taxes and bond referendums. We will be sharing information and facts about the One Cent Sales Tax as we lead up to Election Day on Tuesday, November 5. For more information, please visit our website at www.acpsd/OneCent. Please make plans to join us at 6 p.m., Monday or Tuesday night this week for an informational meeting. Tonight’s meeting, Monday, October 28, will be at Midland Valley High School, and tomorrow, Tuesday, October 29, you can join us virtually as we’ll live stream an informational meeting from our District office to our website where viewers can join online from the comfort of their own home.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % BEFORE THE 2014 SALES TAX SUCCESS, IT HAD BEEN 38 YEARS SINCE A SCHOOL REFERENDUM PASSED. Prior to 2014, 1976 was the year of the last successful referendum benefitting the county's public schools. Without funds available, school maintenance needs were deferred over decades. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % THE SALES TAX IS A 10-YEAR TAX AND DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY RENEW. Aiken County voters will have an opportunity to consider a renewal of the 2014 One Cent Sales Tax on Election Day. If renewed, the One Cent Sales Tax will extend for an additional 10 years and benefit school facility projects listed on the 2024 ballot. If not renewed, the 2014 One Cent Sales Tax will sunset (expire). For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

🌟 Heroes Among Us: Honoring Our Employees 🌟 In the face of adversity, true character shines through, and we couldn’t be prouder of our employees who have gone above and beyond in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. 💪 Despite the challenges, many of our staff worked tirelessly to provide support, care, and leadership for our community. From organizing relief efforts with their students to ensuring everyone’s safety, your commitment has been nothing short of inspiring. 🏅 Stay tuned every Sunday as we let the light SHINE on the incredible employees making a difference and serving with greatness! #SHINEACPSD #ACPSDcelebrates

Sunday, October 27th, is World Occupational Therapy Day. School Occupational Therapy focuses on helping students develop or recover the fine motor and sensory skills needed to fully participate in school and daily life activities. To our ACPSD Occupational Therapists, we appreciate your hard work and dedication to ACPSD students! #ACPSDcelebrates #WorldOccupationalTherapyDay

OCTOBER 22 BOARD MEETING - The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, 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.

✨ Spotlight Alert! ✨ Get to know the superstars who make our schools shine every day! 🌟 From classroom champions to behind-the-scenes heroes, we're celebrating their dedication and heart! If you'd like to shout out an ACPSD employee, just follow this link to the SHINE Shout Out Form at www.acpsd.net/shine and enter a few details about the ACPSD teacher or staff member and why they SHINE.🌟 Stay tuned every Sunday as we let the light SHINE on the incredible employees making a difference and serving with greatness! #SHINEACPSD #ACPSDcelebrates

The Aiken County Career & Technology Center invites all 8th, 9th, and 10th grade students and families to visit the Career Center for Program Interest Nights next week, October 22-24.. Program Interest nights are a great opportunity to learn about specific programs from instructors and current students. Drop in between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. for the program of interest to your student! Tuesday, October 22 | Health Science & Public Safety Night: Biomedical Science, Health Science, Public Health, Sports Medicine, EMS, Emergency Management, & Law Enforcement Wednesday, October 23 | Human Services & Manufacturing Night: Barbering, Braiding, Cosmetology, Nail Tech, Machine Tools, Mechatronics, & Welding Thursday, October 24 | Arts, Electricity & Transportation Night: Media Technology, Fashion Design, Automotive Tech, Diesel Tech, & Electricity The Aiken County Career & Technology Center is located at 2455 Jefferson Davis Hwy in Warrenville. We hope to see many future students during our Program Interest Nights next week!

CELEBRATING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT'S AMAZING CUSTODIANS We want to take a moment to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes of Aiken County Public School District – our incredible custodians!🧹🪣 These dedicated individuals work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure our schools are safe, clean, and welcoming for everyone who walks through our doors. From sweeping the hallways to sanitizing classrooms and everything in between, they go above and beyond to make our learning environment the best it can be. 🙌Their hard work often goes unnoticed, but we know that without them, our schools wouldn't be the same. 🏫✨ 👏 Schools have celebrated their custodial staff over the past few weeks as National Custodian Day occurred during Fall Break. Thank you, custodians, for your dedication, hard work, and for keeping our schools safe and clean, day in and day out! 🧼🌟 #ACPSDcelebrates #CustodianAppreciationDay

Hammond Hills Area families (HHES, PKMS, NAHS): Thank you for your support and patience as we navigate together the impact of Hurricane Helene. With power lines, poles, trees and debris on sidewalks and streets in the Hammond Hills neighborhood remaining, we highly encourage families to use the car line for student drop-off whenever possible. If your child must walk to school or the bus stop, we strongly recommend that an adult accompany them. The combined bus stops impacting Paul Knox Middle and North Augusta High School will continue until further notice. Additionally, we are making the following temporary adjustments to Hammond Hills Elementary walker schedules as well. To enhance safety, New Start Time for HHES Walkers: Beginning Wednesday, October 16, we will adjust the start time for HHES walkers by 30 minutes, moving from 7:30 AM to 8:00 AM. This change will allow more daylight for safer navigation to school. Early Dismissal for HHES Walkers: HHES Walkers will be dismissed 15 minutes early at 2:15 PM to give them a head start before car rider dismissal begins at 2:30 PM, helping them reach home with less traffic. Regular arrival and dismissal times will resume for all non-walkers. Thank you for your continued support and patience as we continue these safety precautions to ensure students a safe journey to and from school. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the school office if you have any questions or concerns.

We hope that the two-hour delayed start yesterday and today has allowed an opportunity for families to gain their bearings and better navigate the roadways that must be traveled to and from school following Hurricane Helene. Beginning tomorrow, we will transition to our regular start times. With streets still impacted by the hurricane, families are encouraged to continue walking their students to the bus stop and school, or to use the car line for student drop off, if possible. Thank you again for your patience and cooperation!

The One Cent Sales Tax Community Meeting in the North Augusta area is being held tomorrow night, Tuesday, October 15, at 6 p.m. We hope to see you tomorrow night at North Augusta Middle School to learn more about the facility improvements that voters will consider in November.