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MILLBROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL’S BROOKE KIRKLAND NAMED TO 2025-26 GEM (GIVING EVEN MORE) HONOR COURT Congratulations to Millbrook Elementary Secretary Brooke Kirkland on being named to the 2025-26 STARS of Public Education GEM Honor Court! District leaders surprised GEM Honor Court members, who are the top five winners in the school district, at their schools last week. The District will host all school winners, recognize top nominees, and announce District winners during the STARS of Public Education Banquet at Aiken High School on March 20, 2025. Congratulations, Mrs. Kirkland! We are so thankful for you! Stay tuned to our district website and social media as we celebrate our Honor Court Members for GEM of the Year, Professional Staff Member of the Year, District Level Administrator of the Year, Assistant Principal of the Year, Principal of the Year, First Year Teacher of the Year, and Teacher of the Year over the coming week! ✨ #ACPSDcelebrates #STARSOfPublicEducation

WARRENVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL’S AUDREY THURMOND NAMED TO 2025-26 GEM (GIVING EVEN MORE) HONOR COURT Congratulations to Warrenville Elementary Head Custodian Audrey Thurmond on being named to the 2025-26 STARS of Public Education GEM Honor Court! District leaders surprised GEM Honor Court members, who are the top five winners in the school district, at their schools last week. The District will host all school winners, recognize top nominees, and announce District winners during the STARS of Public Education Banquet at Aiken High School on March 20, 2025. Congratulations, Ms. Thurmond! We are so proud of you! Stay tuned to our district website and social media as we celebrate our Honor Court Members for GEM of the Year, Professional Staff Member of the Year, District Level Administrator of the Year, Assistant Principal of the Year, Principal of the Year, First Year Teacher of the Year, and Teacher of the Year over the coming week! ✨ #STARSofpubliceducation #ACPSDcelebrates

ACPSD HUMAN RESOURCES' LOU WAKEFIELD NAMED TO 2025-26 GEM (GIVING EVEN MORE) HONOR COURT Congratulations to HR Evaluation & Certification Associate Lou Wakefield on being named to the 2025-26 STARS of Public Education GEM Honor Court! District leaders surprised GEM Honor Court members, who are the top five winners in the school district, at their schools last week. The District will host all school winners, recognize top nominees, and announce District winners during the STARS of Public Education Banquet at Aiken High School on March 20, 2025. Congratulations, Lou! We appreciate you!! Stay tuned to our district website and social media as we celebrate our Honor Court Members for GEM of the Year, Professional Staff Member of the Year, District Level Administrator of the Year, Assistant Principal of the Year, Principal of the Year, First Year Teacher of the Year, and Teacher of the Year over the coming week!✨ #ACPSDcelebrates #STARSOfPublicEducation

BUSBEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'S NI'JAE JERRY NAMED TO 2025-26 GEM (GIVING EVEN MORE) HONOR COURT Congratulations to Busbee Elementary Special Education Aide Ni'Jae Jerry on being named to the 2025-26 STARS of Public Education GEM Honor Court! District leaders surprised GEM Honor Court members, who are the top five winners in the school district, at their schools last week. The District will host all school winners, recognize top nominees, and announce District winners during the STARS of Public Education Banquet at Aiken High School on March 20, 2025. Congratulations, Mr. Jerry! Thank you for all you do! Stay tuned to our district website and social media as we celebrate our Honor Court Members for GEM of the Year, Professional Staff Member of the Year, District Level Administrator of the Year, Assistant Principal of the Year, Principal of the Year, First Year Teacher of the Year, and Teacher of the Year over the coming week! ✨ #ACPSDcelebrates #STARSOfPublicEducation

ACPSD CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM'S EILEEN DRUM NAMED TO 2025-26 GEM (GIVING EVEN MORE) HONOR COURT Congratulations to Child Nutrition Program Field Supervisor Eileen Drum on being named to the 2025-26 STARS of Public Education GEM Honor Court! District leaders surprised GEM Honor Court members, who are the top five winners in the school district, at their schools last week. The District will host all school winners, recognize top nominees, and announce District winners during the STARS of Public Education Banquet at Aiken High School on March 20, 2025. Congratulations, Eileen! You are a STAR! Stay tuned to our district website and social media as we celebrate our Honor Court Members for GEM of the Year, Professional Staff Member of the Year, District Level Administrator of the Year, Assistant Principal of the Year, Principal of the Year, First Year Teacher of the Year, and Teacher of the Year over the coming week! ✨ #ACPSDcelebrates #STARSOfPublicEducation

With snow expected across our county today and into tomorrow morning, all Aiken County Public Schools will transition to e-learning and a remote workday tomorrow, Wednesday, January 22. Student e-learning will be available online, and our teachers are available for support. Should your student have any questions, difficulty, or need assistance with their e-learning assignments, please reach out. While snowfall is not expected to continue beyond tomorrow morning, temperatures are predicted to remain well below freezing. Accumulating snowfall may impact our district’s operations for Thursday. A decision on operations for Thursday will be announced by 4 p.m. tomorrow, and will be made with the safety of all students, families, and employees at heart. As always, we are grateful for the flexibility of our school community. Please be safe, and stay warm and tuned in to any further updates that Winter Storm Enzo may cause for our operations this week.

Our school district administrators are continuing to monitor Winter Storm Enzo alongside Emergency Management Officials. With the possibility of snow forecasted late tomorrow afternoon and into the evening hours, Aiken County Public Schools will operate on an Early Dismissal Schedule Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Just as on Early Dismissal Days, elementary school students will dismiss at 11:30 a.m., middle school students at 12:10 p.m., and high school students at 12:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be served prior to dismissal. Early dismissal times are slightly different for Aiken Scholars Academy, as well as our schools in the Wagener and Ridge-Spring areas. Ridge Spring-Monetta and Busbee Elementary dismissal is at 11:55 a.m., A.L. Corbett Middle, Wagener-Salley High, and Aiken Scholars Academy dismiss at noon, and Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle and High dismissal is at 12:15 and 12:20 p.m., respectively. The Center for Innovative Learning (CIL) will dismiss at 1:30 p.m. Students on half-day schedules who require bus transportation, including Early Learning Special Education students and others, will not come to school tomorrow as buses will be unable to make mid-day routes. Afternoon classes at the Aiken County Career and Technology Center will not be held. Students enrolled in an afternoon class at the Career Center will remain at their high school. There will be no after-school care tomorrow through QuestZone and no events to include athletics, arts, clubs, etc. will be held tomorrow afternoon or evening. All schools and offices will also close early tomorrow. The district’s offices will close no later than 2 p.m. with the Operations Center closing at 1:00 p.m. While snowfall is not expected to continue into the day on Wednesday, temperatures are predicted to remain well below freezing during the morning and evening hours. Any accumulating snowfall may impact our district’s operations for Wednesday. A decision regarding Wednesday will be announced by Tuesday evening. Thank you for your flexibility and cooperation as we adjust our operations when weather conditions require as part of our efforts to ensure safety. Please be safe, bundle up, and tune in for any further changes to our regular operations that Winter Storm Enzo may cause. We look forward to seeing our students and staff tomorrow morning.

🌟 Honoring Excellence this MLK Jr. Weekend 🌟 This Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, we celebrate the incredible staff members of Aiken County Public Schools who inspire us with their dedication, compassion, and commitment to shaping the future. Dr. King once said, "Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve.." Our employees live out this message every day through their hard work and selfless service to our students and community. Let’s take a moment to recognize and thank the shining stars among us for their unwavering impact and leadership. Together, we are building a legacy of greatness! 📚💼 Here’s to our amazing team and the students who inspire us daily! 💬 Join us in sharing a shout out at www.acpsd.net/shine for a staff member who is ready to make this semester amazing! Together, we’re unstoppable. #SHINEACPSD #ACPSDcelebrates

We were so thrilled to begin 2025 with the opening of the new Wagener-Salley High School last Monday for a celebratory Ribbon Cutting and tours of the beautiful new school. The original school, built in the late 1930s, was well-loved and cared for by current students and employees, as well as generations before them. Opening Day was filled with excitement as elected officials, business and community leaders, current and former students, teachers, staff, and administrators came together for the long-awaited opening of a new 21st century high school serving Wagener, Salley, Perry and surrounding communities. #NewNestSameSoar #ACPSDcelebrates

Parents, Guardians and Students: As we approach the MLK Jr. Holiday Weekend, please note that district administration alongside local Emergency Management officials is monitoring the winter weather system that may impact our county next week. On Monday, January 20, all schools and offices will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Due to a threat of potential inclement weather next week, students will come home from school with their laptop and charger tomorrow. South Carolina school districts are limited to five e-learning days each school year. We used the first of those e-learning days last Monday, making up for the closure September 27 due to Hurricane Helene. Friday, January 10’s school closure will be made up on the March 14 Weather Makeup Day as designated on our district’s 2024-25 school year calendar. Notice will be shared at a later date regarding the format of March 14’s Weather Makeup Day. The format of the March 14 Weather Makeup Day, more specifically, if the day will be made up in person or through e-learning, is contingent upon the number of e-learning days that remain available for our district to use as we near the end of this very cold winter. A final decision regarding school operations for Tuesday, January 21, will be announced by 3 p.m. on Monday, January 20. As always, we appreciate your continued support. We look forward to seeing students at school tomorrow and wish your family a wonderful long weekend.

On January 7, 2025, PowerSchool notified our district of a global cybersecurity incident that involved unauthorized access to their systems. All South Carolina school districts utilize PowerSchool, along with more than 15,000 customers around the world. PowerSchool is working diligently to complete their investigation and determine the full scope of the impact across their entire customer base. Our technology team is conducting our own investigation, and there are currently no findings which indicate that any student or staff data within our district’s system was compromised. We understand that this news may be concerning, and we want to assure you that we take the protection of data very seriously. While there is currently no indication that any Aiken County student or staff personally identifiable information or other data has been compromised, we are working closely with PowerSchool and SLED to monitor the situation and will provide you with updates and information on this incident, investigation, and relevant resources (such as credit monitoring or identity protection services, if applicable) as they become available. Aiken County Public Schools is committed to maintaining the privacy and security of all student data, and we will continue to work with our technology partners to enhance our security measures and protect against future threats. If you should have any questions, please contact our school system’s Executive Director of Technology Nic Carroll, ncarroll@acpsd.net or reach out through the help desk at powerschool@acpsd.net.

Aiken County Public School District, 8 days ago JANUARY 14 BOARD MEETING - The Board of Education will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, January 14, 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.

AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT HIRING EVENT | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1 Our District's Spring Hiring Event for teachers and certified staff is just a few weeks away! Applicants will have the opportunity for onsite interviews and on the spot job offers! The event will take place at Aiken High School located at 449 Rutland Drive in Aiken, SC from 8 a.m. until noon. All schools and locations will be represented, and we will be hiring for certified positions to include immediate vacancies and future 2025-26 positions. Visit www.acpsd.net and select "Join our Team" or scan the QR code. Select "Job Postings" for External Applicants and search "Hiring Event" to apply for your area of certification. Register now to secure an interview at the event! Pre-registration is highly encouraged! Walk-ins are also welcome. Please reach out to our Human Resources Team at (803) 641-2428 for more information. We look forward to welcoming many new teachers and certified staff members to Aiken County in February!

Families: thank you all for your understanding this morning when changes in the Winter Weather system required a shift in our in-person and early dismissal plans. Our school bus drivers safely transported all students home who had already been picked up for school when the announcement this morning was made. The timing of the announcement was not ideal, but the decision to close was made because conditions changed and we are committed to responding as necessary when safety concerns arise. Our transportation team ensured each student made their way safely inside their home or that they were released off the bus to a trusted adult. Our bus drivers did an incredible job in a difficult circumstance and we applaud their care and dedication to our community’s children. Snow and ice are impacting our county much more heavily than was forecasted. Please stay tuned to weather and safety precautions, and stay warm at home and off the roads if possible.

All ACPSD Schools and Offices will be CLOSED TODAY! Predicted weather changes overnight have necessitated a change in our in-person learning plans for today. All Aiken County Public Schools will transition and be closed today, Friday, January 10, due to weather. We apologize for the challenges that this shift may cause. Any student who was already picked up this morning by our school buses is being transported back home at this time. Please know that our students, families, teachers, and staff members’ safety is at the forefront of all decisions. Forecasted temperatures for this morning and through the afternoon hours have dropped below freezing and precipitation chances have also increased over those hours. Thank you for your understanding. Please be safe and stay warm.

All ACPSD Schools to Dismiss Two-Hours Early on Friday, January 10 , due to Possible Wintry Conditions: Based on the latest update from the National Weather Service in Columbia, ice and sleet accumulation is possible in Aiken County tomorrow in the late afternoon hours. To ensure that all students, families, teachers, staff and employees have an opportunity to return home before wintry conditions may make travel difficult, all Aiken County Public Schools will dismiss two hours early tomorrow, Friday, January 10. Breakfast and lunch will be served prior to dismissal. Students receiving transportation services 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. Afternoon classes at the Aiken County Career and Technology Center will not be held. Students enrolled in an afternoon class at the Career Center will remain at their high school. All schools and offices will also close early tomorrow. The district’s schools and offices will close no later than 3 p.m. As we shared last night, there will be no afterschool care tomorrow through QuestZone and no events will be held in the afternoon tomorrow through noon on Saturday. As always, we thank you for your flexibility and understanding with the change to tomorrow’s dismissal times. Please be safe and exercise additional caution while travelling over the coming days.

As temperatures drop this week and the possibility of a Winter Storm is on everyone’s radar, please know that we are in close collaboration with local Emergency Management Officials in monitoring for impact to our area. Confidence in a possible impact to Aiken County late in the afternoon and evening this Friday, January 10, is increasing. With a concern for students, families, and employees traveling after dark on Friday in what may be a mixture of sleet and freezing rain, all athletic practices, games, arts-activities, afterschool care, and any other school or district-sponsored event scheduled for Friday, January 10, will not take place as planned. With temperatures expected to be below freezing until mid-day Saturday and in an abundance of caution, any athletics, arts, and other events scheduled to be held before noon on Saturday, January 11, will also be cancelled. Travel to district and/or school sponsored events inside or outside Aiken County that would require employee or student travel prior to noon on Saturday, are also included in this cancellation. We recognize that this will cause a disruption to many, especially our families who rely on QuestZone for after school care as well as those with events, activities, and tournaments that were scheduled. Please know that we are sharing this cancellation update with as much notice as possible based on current conditions and the latest forecasts available. As we keep safety at the forefront of these difficult decisions, we appreciate your continued understanding and support. Please stay tuned for any future updates that this Winter Storm may require and take other precautions that may be recommended to keep your family safe and warm.

Happy New Year, Aiken County School Families! We hope your student and family had a happy holiday season and restful Winter Break. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back this week. Students will participate in an e-learning day tomorrow, Monday, January 6, and return to school in-person on Tuesday, January 7. Please note the new state-required Personal Electronic Devices policy that will be in place. Middle and High School students will not be permitted to use their personal electronics and accessories at any time during the school day. There is no change to the Personal Electronic Devices policy for elementary school students as they were already not permitted. Please assure your student that if there is an urgent need for them to reach a parent or guardian during the school day, they can come to the front office and utilize the phone there. Please also know that parents and guardians with an urgent need to communicate with their student during the school day will, of course, be able to do so as well through the front office. Our Code of Conduct available online is updated with this new state-required policy, https://www.acpsd.net/o/district/page/cell-phone-policy. We look forward to students participating in their e-learning tomorrow and having them back in person on Tuesday!

🎉 Hello, 2025! A Bright Start to the Second Semester! 🌟 As we ring in the new year, we celebrate the dedication and passion of our incredible staff who continue to make Aiken County Public Schools shine! 💙✨ The second semester is a fresh opportunity to inspire, support, and make a difference in the lives of our students. Let’s keep the momentum going and make 2025 a year of growth, success, and joy! 💬 Join us in sharing a shoutout to a staff member or team who’s ready to make this semester amazing! Together, we’re unstoppable. 🙌 www.acpsd.net/shine #SHINEACPSD #ACPSDcelebrates

✨ Shining a Light on Our Incredible Employees! 🌟 While we’re out for winter break, the dedication and hard work of our staff continue to bring warmth and joy to our community! 💙👏 We’re taking this time to celebrate the outstanding employees who go above and beyond to make Aiken County Public Schools a place where students and staff thrive. Your impact is felt every day, even when the halls are quiet. 💬 Know an employee who deserves a shoutout? Let’s continue to spread positivity and gratitude this holiday season. ❄️🎉 www.acpsd.net/shine #SHINEACPSD #ACPSDcelebrates