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An Elementary Coding Camp for Aiken County Public Schools students in Grades 3-5 is being offered during Fall Intersession. Students interested in attending this camp, Monday, September 30 to Thursday, October 3, are encouraged to register right away. Camp will be held at Aiken Elementary School from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. each day. There is no cost to attend. Registration is now open and available on a first come-first served basis. Please visit www.acpsd.net/page/coding-camp to register and for additional details.

Parents, Guardians, Students and Staff: District Superintendent Dr. Corey was joined by local law enforcement leaders this morning to film a short video addressing the recent social media threats and rumors of school violence. A link to the video has been shared to your email, text, and also appears on our District website, and middle and high school websites in the Live Feed section. We urge all parents to take a few minutes to watch this video and discuss it with their students. To access the video, please visit https://youtu.be/3aHXzWLfOH4. Please know that we appreciate your support and partnership in ensuring the safety of all Aiken County Public Schools, as well as the wellbeing of our students, their parents/guardians, teachers, staff and families. Thank you!

ONE CENT SALES TAX COMMUNITY MEETING This evening, Tuesday, September 17, please join us at South Aiken High School at 6 p.m. for an informational meeting on the One Cent Sales Tax. Voters will have the opportunity to consider a renewal of the One Cent Sales Tax in November. If approved, the 2024 One Cent Sales Tax will benefit upgrades and renovations to South Aiken High, Silver Bluff High, Midland Valley High, North Augusta Middle, and construction of a new elementary school in Area Three, as well as contingency projects as funding is available.

Rise + SHINE! ACPSD’s Teacher Forum received so many SHINE Teacher + Staff Shout Outs this week! THANK YOU for sharing THE LOVE and shedding light on our amazing employees! Congratulations to our seven featured teachers + staff this week! Every teacher + staff member who receives a SHINE Shout Out will receive a postcard detailing why they SHINE at their school/location. Keep those Shout Outs coming @ www.acpsd.net/shine! #SHINEACPSD #ACPSDcelebrates

Ensuring the Safety of Our Schools: Addressing Recent Rumors - We are aware of misinformation circulating throughout our schools and communities regarding rumored incidents of school violence at various campuses within our district. Please know that these messages are being reposted and reshared at schools throughout our district and at schools throughout the state. Your children’s safety is our top priority. We take all threats seriously and work in collaboration with law enforcement to fully investigate each and every rumor and/or post that is shared. There is no active threat impacting the safety and security of any of our school campuses. Rumors of this nature cause a great deal of concern, stress and anxiety. When those are shared on social media, the impact is far-reaching, and causes unnecessary concern for other parents, students, and staff, and divert critical resources away from genuine safety and security efforts. If ever there is an actual incident of school violence at your child’s school or if a threat of violence at your child’s school warrants your attention, school and/or district communications will notify you. We are committed to sharing accurate information as quickly as situations allow. We hope to never have to notify you of an actual event of school violence, and we are fully committed to maintaining the safety and security of our schools through a variety of safety measures and close collaboration with local law enforcement. If you or your student ever have a safety concern, or if you hear a rumor of a safety concern, we ask that you immediately notify the appropriate authorities. This includes local law enforcement and the administration at the district office or the school involved. Thank you for your support as we work together to keep our schools, and your children safe.

Today, we pause to remember the lives lost and the heroes who stepped forward on September 11, 2001. As we reflect, let's also foster unity and compassion in the face of adversity. #PatriotDay #WeWillNeverForget #September11

SEPTEMBER 10 BOARD MEETING - The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, September 10, 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.

The District's Teacher Forum is excited to reintroduce weekly SHINE Teacher + Staff Shout Out features across social media this week! SHINE is a teacher and staff shout out program designed to shed light on all of the amazing things our employees do to make a difference in Aiken County. We LOVE how easy and quick it is to submit a SHINE shout out! Just visit www.acpsd.net/shine to fill out the simple form with a few details about the ACPSD teacher or employee and why they SHINE. Each teacher + staff member who receives a SHINE Shout Out will have a postcard delivered to their school/location detailing why they SHINE. AND, starting back this Sunday (and every Sunday), we’re featuring a sampling of the heart-warming spotlights received. Keep those Shout Outs coming @ www.acpsd.net/shine and let’s light up social media! #SHINEACPSD #ACPSDcelebrates

ACPSD CELEBRATES WORLD PHYSICAL THERAPY DAY Physical therapy in schools involves providing therapeutic services to students to help them participate fully in their educational environment and daily activities. School-based physical therapists work with students who have physical disabilities, injuries, or developmental delays that affect their ability to engage in school activities, including walking, sitting, climbing stairs, or participating in physical education. We would like to recognize our ACPSD Physical Therapists Sarah Coker and Karen Turner. They work diligently to ensure that our students receive the essential services and equipment needed to fully engage with their school environment. Thank you for all that you do! #ACPSDcelebrates #WorldPhysicalTherapyDay

Golden-Apple Award Winner Katie Tate is a veteran teacher. She served at Chukker Creek Elementary for 14 years. This school year, an opportunity came along for her to take on the role of Librarian at New Ellenton Middle STEAM Magnet School. Mrs. Tate can tell when a child is developing a real love for reading. "I think when they want to talk to you about it, when they’re invested in the book. They just want to keep reading more and more, then you know that you’ve got them. They’re going to keep reading, just because they want to tell you about what they’re reading.” Way to go, Mrs. Tate, and congratulations on your Golden Apple Award!. A teacher turned librarian. Always an educator who continues to reap the rewards of her hard work. Read the full story and view Mrs. Tate's WJBF Golden Apple segment at https://www.wjbf.com/news/golden-apple-katie-tate/. Nominate an outstanding ACPSD teacher for WJBF's Golden Apple Awards by visiting https://www.wjbf.com/golden-apple/wjbf-golden-apple-nomination-form/. #ACPSDcelebrates

All Aiken County Public School District schools, buildings, and offices will be closed for Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2024. We hope that everyone has an enjoyable Labor Day Weekend and look forward to seeing students back at school on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

Visit our website, https://www.acpsd.net/o/district/page/2024-one-cent, for information on the sales tax and the school facility project needs that will be on November’s ballot for voter consideration, and make plans to join us at an informational meeting: • Tuesday, September 3, 6:30 p.m. at Silver Bluff High School (Area Five) • Monday, September 9, 6:30 p.m. at Ridge Spring Monetta Middle High (Area Four) • Tuesday, September 17, 6:00 p.m. at South Aiken High School (Area One) • Tuesday, October 15, 6:00 p.m. at North Augusta Middle School (Area Two) • Monday, October 28, 6:00 p.m. at Midland Valley High School (Area Three)

Golden Apple Award-Winner Melesia Farkas of Busbee Elementary School was destined to be in the classroom. She is enjoying a journey that’s been underway for pretty much her whole life. “Teaching is more than a job. It’s a calling in my life. Because of that calling, I try to pour everything I can in these kids.” Congratulations on your Golden Apple Award, Ms. Farkas! Read the full story and view Ms. Farkas' WJBF Golden Apple segment at https://www.wjbf.com/news/golden-apple-meleisa-farkas/. Nominate an outstanding ACPSD teacher for WJBF's Golden Apple Awards by visiting https://www.wjbf.com/golden-apple/wjbf-golden-apple-nomination-form/. #ACPSDcelebrates

AUGUST 27 BOARD MEETING - The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, August 27, 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.

ATHLETIC SECURITY REMINDERS & CLEAR BAG PROCEDURES - To ensure the safety of our athletic events, please be aware of the following: • ACPSD has a Clear Bag Procedure for athletic events. Please see details at https://www.acpsd.net/page/athletics-security. • Reentry is not allowed. Should an individual exit a stadium or athletic facility, a new ticket for reentry will be required for reentry.  • These are school-sponsored events; behavioral expectations & the Code of Conduct apply. • Students in eighth grade and below must be accompanied by an adult age 21 or older. • High school students must show identification or PowerSchool to verify grade level if unaccompanied by a supervising adult. We thank you for your cooperation with these regulations aimed at ensuring a safe and successful athletic season! 

The Wide Area Network (WAN) outage affecting internet access district-wide and phone lines at our school campuses has been fully resolved. Our IT team, in collaboration with our service providers, has successfully restored both our primary and secondary circuits. All systems are now operational, and normal communication channels have been re-established .We appreciate your patience and understanding during this disruption.

Important District-Wide Announcement: Internet and School Phone Outage We are currently experiencing a Wide Area Network (WAN) outage that is impacting internet access district-wide and phone lines across all our school sites. This disruption appears to be due to a fiber cut on the network, affecting both our primary and secondary circuits. Please be assured that our IT team is working diligently with service providers to resolve this issue and restore full connectivity as quickly as possible. In the meantime, should you need to reach a school during this outage, please contact our District Office directly at (803) 641-2428. Updates will be shared here as new information becomes available. Thank you for your patience.

AUGUST 13 BOARD MEETING - The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, August 13, 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.

As we continue to monitor this tropical storm to ensure the safe operation of our school buses and all who will travel to and from our schools in the mornings and afternoons, the Wagener and Salley communities’ roads have been most heavily impacted by the extensive rainfall we’ve experienced. This morning’s two-hour delay was particularly helpful for drivers in that area who were able to identify and avoid roadways covered in water. With additional heavy rain forecasted overnight and into tomorrow morning, the following schools in the Wagener and Salley areas of our county will operate on a two-hour delayed start tomorrow, Thursday, August 8: Busbee Elementary School, Corbett Middle School, and Wagener-Salley High School. Due to tomorrow’s delayed start at Busbee, Corbett and Wagener, only lunch will be served in their cafeterias. All other schools and offices will operate on their regular schedules tomorrow, Thursday, August 8; regular breakfast and lunch service will be offered. Afterschool activities will be cancelled again district-wide tomorrow, including practices, meetings, and aftercare through Quest Zone. Only employees at schools in the Wagener and Salley areas of the county will report to work on a delayed schedule tomorrow morning. Employees who live in the Wagener or Salley area and work in another area of the county are encouraged to contact their supervisor for any arrangements for a delayed arrival that may be needed. As shared yesterday, please be reminded of safety precautions that are encouraged in rainy conditions with potential flooding and, whether walking or driving, always turn around should you encounter an area covered with water. Further information is available at www.weather.gov. We appreciate the continued understanding of our community, and patience with the changes that this tropical storm has necessitated this week. We’re hopeful a little break from the rain today will help alleviate some of the conditions that have been most concerning, but we will continue to monitor the forecast and condition of roadways for any additional changes that may become necessary to ensure the safety of our students, staff and families. We recognize that these changes to school operations are challenging for everyone, and will always announce changes with as much notice as possible. Thank you again.

Our school district administrators are continuing to monitor Tropical Storm Debby alongside Emergency Management Officials. With the extensive rainfall throughout the day today, please note that a change has been made to the report to school and work time tomorrow. To ensure visibility tomorrow morning for school bus drivers and all who would be travelling before daylight on rain-soaked roadways, some which may be flooded, all Aiken County Public Schools and offices will operate on a two-hour delay tomorrow, Wednesday, August 7. Due to the delayed start, only lunch will be served in our cafeterias tomorrow. The Aiken County Career & Technology Center (ACCTC) will not hold a morning session tomorrow. Afternoon sessions will be held as planned. Students at the Center for Innovative Learning (CIL) will have an adjusted schedule tomorrow of noon-4:30 p.m. Students on half-day schedules, including Early Learning Special Education students and others, will not come to school tomorrow as buses will be unable to make mid-day routes. Employees will also report to work on a two-hour delay tomorrow. Employees who report to work at 10 a.m. or later as part of their regular schedule, will report to work at their regularly scheduled time. In addition to tomorrow’s delayed start, all after school activities for tomorrow, Wednesday, August 7, are cancelled, including practices, meetings, and aftercare through QuestZone. Employees should plan to complete their workday as scheduled tomorrow, with the exception of employees who may be scheduled to work beyond 5 p.m. All schools and offices will close promptly at 5 p.m. tomorrow. Please take a few minutes to be reminded of precautions to observe in heavy rain and flooding conditions. Most importantly, if you come to an area that is covered with water, you may not know the depth of the water or the condition of the road or ground underneath. This is especially true at night or when it is dark outside. Whether driving or walking, should you encounter an area covered with water, please turn around. Further information is available at www.weather.gov. This storm is likely to continue to impact our community over the coming days. We will continue to monitor this storm’s forecasted impact to our county and share any updates related to school operations that may be needed. Please stay tuned to local authorities for precautions to keep your family safe. Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience that these changes will cause, and appreciate everyone’s understanding and cooperation.