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
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
We are excited to welcome our students, staff, and families back to school as we kick off a new year and a new semester. January is a fresh start and full of opportunities to learn, grow, and achieve together. As we return to our classrooms, we look forward to continued collaboration, renewed focus, and celebrating the success ahead. Let's make this semester a strong one!
#ACPSD #AikenCountyPublicSchools #BackToSchool
Join us for our Hiring Event on January 31, 2026, from 8:00 AM–12:00 PM at Aiken High School, 449 Rutland Drive, Aiken, SC 29801.
✔ Applications are required to interview
✔ Pre-register to save time
We look forward to meeting you.
Leslie Fielder
Division of Instruction
Student Information System Coordinator
"Thank you for this recognition, I work with a great team."
Leslie Fielder has consistently gone above and beyond in her support. Whether it’s through phone calls, emails, or Teams messages, she is always responsive, kind, and incredibly helpful.
Despite the many demands on her time, she remains patient and solutions oriented. She never hesitates to assist with issues, either big or small, and her dedication ensures that our virtual program runs smoothly. Working in a district-wide virtual program that serves students in grades 6–12 presents unique challenges that often differ from those in traditional school settings. Leslie not only understands these differences but also meets them with flexibility, insight, and unwavering support. Her ability to adapt and assist with our specific needs has made a tremendous impact on our team and the students we serve.
Thank you to our November Employee of the Month Ms. Leslie Fielder for demonstrating excellence as an employee of ACPSD! We appreciate all you do!
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.
Please note that there will be no school for students, teachers, and most staff the week of November 24–28.
Additionally, all schools and offices will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday from Wednesday, November 26 through Friday, November 28. We look forward to welcoming everyone back when we reopen on Monday, December 1.
We are so thankful for our substitute teachers! You help keep our schools moving forward by guiding learning, supporting students, and stepping in whenever needed. Your flexibility, kindness, and dedication make such a difference across Aiken County Public Schools.
Thank you for investing in our students and our schools!
Interested in joining our ACPSD substitute team? Learn more at www.acpsd.net/hr.
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!
Deloris is known for her hard work, dedication, and compassion in everything she does. She goes above and beyond to support our employees and ensure they feel cared for and valued.
When asked what she loves most about her work, Deloris shared,
“I enjoy making a difference in a person’s life.”
Thank you, Deloris, for the difference you make every day in Aiken County Public Schools!
Drop a comment below to congratulate Deloris and share how she’s made a difference for you!
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
To our veterans, thank you for your service.
#ACPSDCelebrates #VeteransDay
