Belvedere Elementary

E-LEARNING DAY /REMOTE WORKDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2026

Following this weekend’s winter storm and out of an abundance of caution for the safety of students, families, teachers and staff, tomorrow, Monday, February 2, will be an e-learning day for students. All teachers and staff will be on a remote work day as well.

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.

Continued cold temperatures refreezing the snow that accumulated this weekend may impact our district’s operations for Tuesday as well. A decision regarding Tuesday will be announced no later than 3 p.m. tomorrow afternoon 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, enjoy the snow, and stay warm.

January 27, 2026: Regular Operations

Aiken County Public Schools will return to a regular schedule tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27, 2026, with no change to arrival times.

Thank you for your flexibility this morning as we operated on a two-hour delay due to the weekend’s winter storm.

Please anticipate continued cool temperatures throughout the week. District leaders will continue monitoring weather conditions alongside local Emergency Management officials, including the potential for a weather system this weekend, and will communicate any updates if changes to operations become necessary.

We are excited to share the upcoming Aiken County Career and Technology Center CTE Techno Camp for fifth grade students!

This camp will take place Saturday, March 21, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All Aiken County Public School fifth grade students are invited to participate in the CTE Techno Camp to engage in hands-on activities lead by ACCTC instructors to show students the advantages of Career and Technical Education! Students will select up to three courses to participate in throughout the day where they will learn about robotics, diesel technology, cosmetology, nail technology, welding, culinary arts, media technology , fashion design, biomedical science, cybersecurity, graphic design and health science.

The deadline to submit the application is Wednesday. February 25th by 5:00 p.m. Spots are limited and filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please contact Alvina Jackson at ahead@acpsd.net.

#AikenCountyPublicSchools #ACCTC #ACPSD

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.

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

Welcome to 2026! We hope you all had a restful and rejuvenating winter break. We are so excited to see our students’ smiling faces back in the hallways as we kick off a brand-new year of learning and growth.

Please take a moment to review these important updates and reminders as we transition back to our school routine:

🗓️ Important Dates & Schedule

• Monday, January 5: No school for students (Teacher Workday).

• Tuesday, January 6: Students return to school.

• Friday, January 9: Pickle Sales Day!

🚗 Carline Etiquette Reminders
As we return on Tuesday morning, please check our newsletter for full carline details. Our top priority is student safety. Please remember:

• Stay Focused: No cell phone use while in the carline.

• Watch for Signals: Keep a close eye on staff members for signs on when to stop, go, or when it is time for students to "hop out" of the vehicle.

🌟 Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Belvedere Talent Show: We are gauging interest in a school-wide talent show! If your student might be interested in performing, please complete the interest survey anytime during the month of January. (link)

Aiken County Strategic Plan: The district is developing a "map" for success over the coming years. Your voice matters! Please complete the district survey and plan to attend the Input Session at Belvedere Elementary on January 15th at 6:30 PM. (link)

2025-2026 Yearbooks: Now is the perfect time to order! The draft is looking incredible, and you won’t want to miss out on these memories.

🥒 Support Our Students
Pickle Sales: This Friday, send in $1 for a pickle! All proceeds go toward supporting our Second Grade Field Trip, helping to lower the cost for every student.

Easy Fundraising: Please keep scanning your grocery receipts for Box Tops and ensure Belvedere Elementary is selected as your charity of choice in the Kroger app. These small actions directly fund our House Program and prizes for our students!

Bears, get ready for an exciting week! 🐻

1. 🎁 Santa Shop! Check your student's schedule for their shopping time the week of December 15th through 18th. Late money is welcome—we'll get them shopping!

2. 📸 Pre-Order the 2025 Yearbook! Customize pages and don't miss the ad/shoutout opportunity!

3. 🚫 Friendly Reminder: While fun at home, please do not send toys or Elf on the Shelf to school. They create distractions!

4. 💰 Support: Keep collecting Box Tops & link Belvedere Elementary on the Kroger app!

Have a great week!

Celebrating School-Wide Excellence

What an incredible start to our month! Belvedere Elementary is bursting with Belvedere Bear Pride after receiving the official announcement that our school has been rated "Excellent" for the second consecutive time! This monumental achievement is a shared success, belonging to our exceptional students, dedicated staff, and supportive families.

The celebration continues as we honor several outstanding members of our team for their dedication and commitment:

Meg Robinson: Teacher of the Year

Anna Beth Harbeson: District Nominee for Assistant Principal of the Year

Hayden Beck: First Year Teacher of the Year

Jan Narciso: Giving Even More Award Winner

We are profoundly proud to have these deserving individuals representing Belvedere Elementary.

Key Focus: Winter Testing and Operation: Spread Kindness!

We have a crucial and exciting week ahead focused on both academics and character development.

Winter Testing Schedule

Our first through fifth graders will be demonstrating their growth during winter assessments. Please help us prepare them for success by ensuring they get a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast on testing mornings.

iReady Reading: Tuesday

iReady Math: Thursday

Operation: Spread Kindness!

Throughout the week, we are launching "Operation: Spread Kindness!" Based on feedback from our school leadership, counselors, and families, we are shifting our primary focus to promoting proactive kindness in our daily words and actions. We will also be defining bullying—a behavior involving an imbalance of power that is repeated and has the intent to harm—to ensure all students understand the difference. We encourage families to join this conversation at home!

PTO Carnival and Community Events

Our fantastic PTO has planned an amazing event!

The Annual Carnival is this Saturday! Get ready for fun and games.

Wednesday, after school: PTO and SIC meeting followed by a clean-up effort to prepare the campus for the Carnival. Volunteers are welcome!

Wednesday evening: Support our school community at Spirit Night at the Back Porch!

Carnival Challenge: Don't forget to pre-order your carnival tickets! If we reach 2000 pre-ordered tickets, Mrs. Harbeson and Ms. Long have agreed to kiss a farm animal at the event! Help us hit the goal!

Final Reminders

Yearbooks: Yearbooks are still on sale! Don't miss out on securing this year's memories. Check out the advertisement options for family shout-outs or small business promotion.

Box Tops Goal: Keep scanning those Box Tops! Our goal is to reach $500 in November!

Thank you for your continued partnership. Go Bears!

PURPLE UP FOR MILITARY FAMILIES | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14

ACPSD encourages all students, staff, and families to wear PURPLE on Friday, November 14 as we celebrate the Month of the Military Family!

This special day is our way of showing appreciation and support for the incredible military families who sacrifice and serve alongside their loved ones.

THANK YOU to our military families for your dedication, resilience, and service to our nation.

Join us in honoring our heroes—both at home and abroad—by wearing purple with pride!

Throughout November, schools across the district are recognizing Veterans Day and the Month of the Military Family with special celebrations and activities to honor the veterans and active-duty heroes in our community and across the country.

Let’s turn our schools PURPLE Friday, November 14!