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CLASS OF 2025 VALEDICTORIAN/SALUTATORIAN PROFILES Aiken Scholars Academy Salutatorian: McKenna Hope Davis McKenna Hope Davis is proud to be named the Class of 2025 Salutatorian for Aiken Scholars Academy. This fall, she plans to attend Clemson University, where she will major in Architecture and is enrolled in the Clemson Honors College. McKenna is excited to continue her academic journey and hopes to achieve just as many of her aspirations in college as she did during high school. Congratulations, McKenna! #ACPSDcelebrates #ClassOf2025

CLASS OF 2025 VALEDICTORIAN/SALUTATORIAN PROFILES Aiken Scholars Academy Valedictorian: Sarah Ferida Porcha-Konjikusic Throughout high school, Sarah Ferida Porcha-Konjikusic remained committed to academic excellence while playing four years of varsity tennis for South Aiken High School. She also held leadership roles in several organizations, including Beta Club, National Honor Society, Social Inc., and student government. Sarah is passionate about community service, demonstrated through her volunteer work with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, ACTS of Aiken County, and United Way. She is also deeply involved in her church and takes great pride in being multilingual. This fall, Sarah plans to attend the University of South Carolina Honors College, where she will major in Biochemistry. She aspires to pursue a career in medicine, specializing in plastic surgery. Sarah is immensely grateful for the support she received from Aiken Scholars Academy and the greater school district. Congratulations, Sarah! #ACPSDcelebrates #ClassOf2025

CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2025 🎓 Aiken County Public Schools is proud to celebrate this year’s graduating class! Graduation ceremonies will take place May 28–May 30, and we invite you to join us in honoring the Class of 2025 by viewing their commencement ceremonies virtually. To access the live stream, visit www.acpsd.net/graduation and select the high school of your choice. Live streams will begin 15 minutes prior to each ceremony’s start time. 📅 Graduation Schedule Wednesday, May 28 • CTE Senior Completer Ceremony – 5:00 p.m. • Aiken Scholars Academy – 7:00 p.m. Thursday, May 29 • Aiken High School – 2:00 p.m. • Ridge Spring-Monetta High School – 5:00 p.m. • Silver Bluff High School – 8:00 p.m. Friday, May 30 • South Aiken High School – 9:00 a.m. • Wagener-Salley High School – 12:00 p.m. • Midland Valley High School – 3:00 p.m. • North Augusta High School – 7:00 p.m. Hats off to the Class of 2025! 🎉 #ACPSDcelebrates #ClassOf2025

Aiken County Public School District’s full-time virtual program, Aiken iNNOVATE, is now accepting applications for the 2025–2026 school year. If you or your student are currently in 5th grade or higher and interested in a flexible, innovative learning environment, now is the time to apply. Aiken iNNOVATE offers a 100% virtual experience with certified ACPSD teachers and curriculum, providing students in grades 6–12 the opportunity to learn from anywhere while staying connected to their school community. To apply, visit www.acpsd.net/ai. If you have any questions, feel free to email Ai@acpsd.net. Don’t miss this opportunity to take charge of your education through Aiken iNNOVATE. Spots are limited.

Aiken County Public School District, May 27 BOARD MEETING - The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, May 27, 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.

Happy Memorial Day! All schools & offices are closed today (Monday, May 26) and will reopen tomorrow.

🌟 Honoring Our Heroes This Memorial Day Weekend 🌟 As we remember and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, we also take this moment to recognize the everyday heroes in our schools—our dedicated teachers, support staff, and administrators. Your commitment to shaping the future through education uplifts our community and strengthens the values we hold dear. Thank you for your service to our students, especially as we reflect on service and sacrifice this Memorial Day. If you know a staff member who deserves special recognition, give them a shout-out! www.acpsd.net/shine #SHINEACPSD #ACPSDcelebrates

The Seamless Summer Meal Program returns for Summer 2025! The ACPSD Child Nutrition Program will be offering nutritious meals at no cost for children aged 18 and under, as well as for individuals with disabilities up to age 21. Meals will be served Monday through Thursday from June 2 to June 26, 2025. See flyer for more details!

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who joined us at Tailgate Tavern for Children’s Place’s 30th Annual Celebrity Waiter Night. Your generous tips—and incredible spirit—helped support a meaningful cause and made the evening one to remember. 🎉💛 We’re especially proud of The Brainy Bunch—our STARS of Public Education—who traded classrooms and offices for aprons to serve as this year’s Celebrity Waiters: 🍽️ Christie Palladino, District Teacher of the Year (Aiken County Career and Technology Center) 🍽️ Theresa Reeves, First Year Teacher of the Year (Byrd Elementary) 🍽️ Rashad Roland, Professional Staff Member of the Year (Transportation) 🍽️ Ni’Jae Jerry, GEM of the Year (Busbee Elementary) 🍽️ Micki Dove, District Level Administrator of the Year Honor Court Member (Instruction) Thanks for showing up and tipping big for a great cause! All tips and raffle ticket sales go directly to supporting the vital work of Children’s Place. #CelebrityWaiterNight #STARSofPublicEducation #STARSACPSD #TeamACPSD #ACPSDgivesback

Join The Brainy Bunch, comprised of our District’s STARS of Public Education, for dinner tonight at Tailgate Tavern during Children’s Place’s 30th Annual Celebrity Waiter Night. Serving as Celebrity Waiters are our District’s Teacher of the Year Christie Palladino (Aiken County Career and Technology Center), First Year Teacher of the Year Theresa Reeves (Byrd Elementary), Professional Staff Member of the Year Rashad Roland (Transportation), GEM (Classified Staff Member) of the Year Ni’Jae Jerry (Busbee Elementary), and District Level Administrator of the Year Honor Court Member Micki Dove (Instruction). Reservations and generous tips (with 100% of tips going to Children’s Place) are encouraged: (803) 226-0909.

Shining a Spotlight on Staff! Your dedication, resilience, and heart have made this school year one to remember. As we head into the final stretch, know that your hard work is seen and deeply appreciated. Let’s finish strong—together! If you know a staff member who deserves special recognition, give them a shout-out! www.acpsd.net/shine #SHINEACPSD #ACPSDcelebrates

🎉 Happy SLP Day! 🗣️💬Today we proudly celebrate our phenomenal school-based Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) who support our students with speech, language, and feeding needs every single day. SLPs are behind so many powerful moments in our schools—helping students find their voice, communicate with confidence, and eat safely. Their work touches lives in ways that often go unseen, but never unnoticed. 💙 To all of our dedicated SLPs across ACPSD: THANK YOU. Your expertise, patience, and care make an incredible impact on our students’ success and well-being. #SLPDay #ThankYouSLPs #SpeechLanguagePathology #SLPAppreciation #EveryStudentEveryVoice

Aiken County Public School District, May 13 BOARD MEETING - The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, May 13, 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.

Happy Mother’s Day! Together, we make a difference. We are grateful for every ACPSD staff member who inspires and uplifts our students and community. Today, we give special thanks to the mothers on our team. You lead with compassion, balance countless roles, and model resilience for us all. Your impact reaches far beyond the classroom and workplace. If you know a staff member who deserves special recognition, give them a shout-out! www.acpsd.net/shine #SHINEACPSD #ACPSDcelebrates

AMP THE APPRECIATION 2025 We had an incredible time celebrating our amazing teachers and staff at AMP THE APPRECIATION last Friday, May 2! This annual downtown Aiken celebration was bursting with memorable performances, heartwarming moments, and plenty of fun as we came together to connect and celebrate our incredible ACPSD employees! Our talented student performers delivered outstanding performances, including East Aiken School of the Arts in a Musical, the Chukker Creek Champion Singers, the Young Musicians Academy Strings Clubs from Chukker Creek and Redcliffe Elementary, and the North Augusta High School Symphonic Orchestra. 🎤 🎻 ACPSD educators and musicians Robb Underwood and Mark Rich rocked the stage with their band, Savannah Sunday. Talk about TRUE EDUCATOR ROCKSTARS! 🎸 Our employees and substitutes enjoyed “Downtown Dollars” to spend at participating businesses that generously offered Teacher & Employee discounts to stretch those dollars even further. 💵 A sneak peek of the 2025 Fine Arts Festival was on display at the Aiken Center for the Arts, showcasing incredible student art from every school in the district. 🎨 AMP THE APPRECIATION was the perfect way to launch a week of celebration, and as we wrap up Teacher Appreciation Week, we extend a huge THANK YOU to our dedicated teachers and staff. Your passion, creativity, and commitment inspire us all. 💚💛 Check out some of our favorite pics from the event, and keep posting your photos and videos! The winner of the #acpsdAMP25 contest (for the most spirited photo or video) will be announced early next week. Stay tuned! 📸 #ACPSDcelebrates #acpsdAMP25 #TeacherAppreciationWeek

CELEBRATING NATIONAL SCHOOL COMMUNICATORS DAY Today, we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible work of our school Communications Liaisons – the storytellers who bring our schools to life and showcase all the exceptional things happening across ACPSD. From capturing special moments through photos and celebrating student and staff achievements to managing website updates and keeping school communities connected through social media – their efforts amplify the voices of those who make our district so special. Their dedication to sharing these stories with care, creativity, and purpose is invaluable, and we’re grateful for their commitment to keeping our community informed and engaged. We also appreciate their dedication to continuous learning and their focus on making digital information accessible to all. Thank you, school Communications Liaisons, for your passion, hard work, and for being such a vital part of our team. Happy School Communicators Day! #NationalSchoolCommunicatorsDay #ACPSDcelebrates

Aiken High School’s Educators Rising would like to invite you and your children to enjoy “A Royal Family Ball” in the Aiken High School cafeteria. This event is for families with young children to experience a “prom-like” event, where they get to dress up in fancy clothes, dance to fun music, eat delicious snacks, make crowns, decorate “chalices,” enjoy other activities, and take pictures of the memories! Tickets are available on GoFan.com see the link below and QR Code in the picture. Costs are $5.00 for each child ages 3-years-old to 12-years-old (children 2 + under are free). All children must be accompanied by an adult family member (18-years-old and up). Costs for adult tickets are $10.00. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Christa Franklin (cfranklin2@acpsd.net), the Educators Rising adviser and Early Childhood Education Instructor. bit.ly/royal-family-ball

On May 7th, we celebrate National Interpreter Day—a time to recognize the incredible contributions of ASL and foreign language interpreters in our schools. Whether supporting students in the classroom, helping families communicate at meetings, or ensuring access for all, interpreters are vital partners in education. Thank you for all you do! #NationalInterpreterDay #ThankYouInterpreters #ASLInterpreter #ForeignLanguageInterpreter #LanguageAccess #InclusionInEducation

CELEBRATING NATIONAL SCHOOL NURSE DAY | MAY 7 Today, we honor the compassionate caregivers who help keep Aiken County Public Schools safe, healthy, and thriving, our amazing school nurses! From tending to daily bumps and scrapes to managing chronic health conditions and supporting mental wellness, these dedicated professionals are a vital part of our school communities. School nurses are on the front lines of student health, providing care, promoting wellness, and helping students stay in school and ready to learn. Their expertise, empathy, and quick thinking make a lasting impact every single day. Thank you to our school nurses for being a steady hand, a listening ear, and a source of comfort for students, staff, and families. We appreciate you! Happy National School Nurse Day! 💙 #SchoolNurseDay #ACPSDcelebrates #ThankYouNurses

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! This week, we celebrate YOU— the educators whose passion, care, and commitment help students grow, thrive, and reach their full potential. In this special video message, Superintendent Dr. Corey Murphy shares his heartfelt thanks for all that you do. A message for our ACPSD teachers: https://youtu.be/CYDTqxyu9IA #TeacherAppreciationWeek #ACPSDcelebrates