Aiken Innovate -

Learn virtually, stay connected! Aiken iNNOVATE offers middle & high school students live classes with teachers while remaining part of their home school. Apply now! 👉 www.acpsd.net/Ai

Aiken iNNOVATE is celebrating Black History Month: Ketanji Brown Jackson was born in Washington, D.C., on September 14, 1970. She married Patrick Jackson in 1996, and they have two daughters. She received an A.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard-Radcliffe College in 1992 and a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard University. President Joseph R. Biden Jr. appointed her to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2021 and then nominated her as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 2022. She took her seat on June 30, 2022.

Congratulations Zoe for being selected as an ACPSD Mathematician of the Month! Zoe has consistently earned “A” Honor Roll this year, so all of her subjects are important to her. However, mathematics is her strength, and she demonstrates this each week by always meeting her goals in her virtual math class, Dreambox, and Khan Academy. Mrs. Griffin says that Zoe studies hard and is a math rock star at ACPSD’s virtual program, Aiken Innovate!

Aiken iNNOVATE gives middle & high school students live virtual classes with teachers—flexible learning while staying part of their home school! Apply today: www.acpsd.net/Ai

Looking for a flexible virtual learning option? Aiken iNNOVATE offers middle and high school students daily, live interaction with teachers while keeping them connected to their home school! ✔️ Personalized academic support ✔️ Stay enrolled at your home school ✔️ Participate in events & extracurricular activities with the home school Learn more or apply today! www.acpsd.net/Ai

Join us for the Youth Resource Fair on February 20 from 4-7 at the Second Baptist Teen Center at 1151 York Street, Aiken. This is your chance to discover awesome resources available in our state and local community. We’ll have 21 vendors, including nonprofits, community groups, and state agencies, ready to share valuable info. (Just a heads-up: This is NOT a job fair!) All ACPSD students ages 16-24 and their families are invited—including those in CIL, Adult Ed, and more. Don’t miss out!

School Counselor, Erika Smith, knows some days are harder than others. When things feel a little overwhelming here are 101 ways to Cope with Stress In Ten Days. Check back daily for more tips! Buy yourself a flower Take stock of your achievements Find support from others Ask someone to be your “vent partner” Do it today Work at being cheerful and optimistic Put safety first Do everything in moderation Pay attention to your appearance Strive for excellence NOT perfection

School Counselor, Erika Smith, knows some days are harder than others. When things feel a little overwhelming here are 101 ways to Cope with Stress In Ten Days. Check back daily for more tips! Ask a friend for a hug Look up at the stars Practice breathing slowly Learn to whistle a tune Read a poem Listen to a symphony Watch a ballet Read a story curled up in bed Do a brand new thing Stop a bad habit

School Counselor, Erika Smith, knows some days are harder than others. When things feel a little overwhelming here are 101 ways to Cope with Stress In Ten Days. Check back daily for more tips! Take a bubble bath Be aware of the decisions you make Believe in yourself Stop saying negative things to yourself Visualize yourself winning Develop your sense of humor Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better day Have goals for yourself Dance a jig Say hello to a stranger

School Counselor, Erika Smith, knows some days are harder than others. When things feel a little overwhelming here are 101 ways to Cope with Stress In Ten Days. Check back daily for more tips! Smile Be prepared for rain Tickle a baby Pet a friendly dog/cat Don’t know all the answers Look for the silver lining Say something nice to someone Teach a kid to fly a kite Walk in the rain Schedule play time into every day

Don't we all LOVE to hear a little praise? Here is another installment of 101 Ways to say how awesome your children are today! You’re Catching On Now You’ve Got It You’re Incredible Bravo You’re Fantastic Hooray For You You’re On Target You’re On Your Way How Nice How Smart

This week is National School Counselor Week! Our Aiken iNNOVATE School Counselor, Mrs. Erika Smith is sharing the following message to all our students and families: The theme of this year’s week is “School Counseling: Helping Students Thrive.” I want to talk about what it means to truly thrive. Thriving means growing, succeeding and feeling fulfilled in all areas of your life, and as a school counselor, I want to help you achieve that. There are several areas where I can help you thrive, including your academic growth, your emotional well-being and your career exploration. * For example, thriving academically means setting goals, staying motivated and finding joy in learning. I can help you develop strategies to be successful academically. *Thriving emotionally means feeling balanced, resilient and supported. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, I’m here to listen and help you navigate your feelings. *Thriving in your future means understanding your strengths and passions. I can help you explore different careers and plan for a future that excites you. Helping you thrive is my goal. I hope you’ll reach out when you need support or just want to chat. Let’s work together to THRIVE the rest of this school year. You can reach me at erikas@acpsd.net or 803-306-1036

Students, Please make sure to fully restart your devices this weekend to ensure they receive important updates from this week. This may help improve performance in certain applications on the device. Instructions restarting are as follows: 1. Click on the Start button (the Windows icon) in the bottom-left corner of the screen. 2. Select the Power icon (a circle with a vertical line) from the menu. 3. Choose Restart from the options that appear.

School Counselor, Erika Smith, knows some days are harder than others. When things feel a little overwhelming here are 101 ways to Cope with Stress In Ten Days. Check back daily for more tips! Avoid negative people Use time wisely Simplify meal times Always make copies of important papers Anticipate your needs Repair anything that doesn’t work properly Ask for help with the jobs you dislike Break large tasks into small portions Look at challenges differently Unclutter your life

Don't we all LOVE to hear a little praise? Here are 101 Ways to say how awesome your children are today! Remarkable I Knew You Could Do It I’m Proud Of You Fantastic Super Star Nice Work Looking Good You’re On Top Of It Beautiful Now You’re Flying

Don't we all LOVE to hear a little praise? Here are 101 Ways to say how awesome your children are today! Wow Way To Go Super You’re Special Outstanding Excellent Great Good Neat Well Done

School Counselor, Erika Smith, knows some days are harder than others. When things feel a little overwhelming here are 101 ways to Cope with Stress In Ten Days. Check back daily for more tips! Get up 18 minutes early Prepare for the morning the night before Avoid tight fitting clothes Avoid relying on chemical aids Set appointments ahead Don’t rely on your memory...write it down Practice preventative maintenance Make duplicate keys Say “no” more often Set priorities in your life

Attention High School Seniors and Parents! Join the Financial Aid Staff from USC Aiken and Aiken Technical College for FAFSA Night on January 28, 2025 from 5pm to 8pm. The event is being held at Aiken Technical College in Building C-Dale Phelon Tech Center on the 1st Floor. Students and Parents should create a FSA ID before the event. Click to begin: https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch

Aiken iNNOVATE will be operating on a 2-Hour Delay schedule tomorrow, Friday January 23. The schedule is also posted at https://www.acpsd.net/o/dai/page/ai-bell-schedules. Please stay safe and warm.

Aiken County Public Schools will return to in-person learning and work tomorrow, Friday, January 24; in an abundance of caution, all schools and offices will begin the day on a two-hour delayed start. In preparation for a decision on tomorrow’s operations, our leaders have driven hundreds of miles across the county. Daytime temperatures are beginning to increase, melting snow and drying most roadways. However, it would not be possible to investigate each and every road that families and employees may travel tomorrow, and there are possibly secondary roads and well-shaded dirt roads that may remain unsuitable for travel. Please use additional caution when traveling to school and work tomorrow, avoiding less-travelled secondary routes, where possible. The safety of our students, staff, and families is of most importance; please reach out to school leadership with any concerns. Families in our more rural areas, please stay tuned for possible school bus pickup location changes that may be necessary. Important Details for tomorrow: • Student Meals: With the delayed start schedule, only lunch will be served tomorrow in our 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 starts on the two-hour delay. • After-School Activities: Afterschool care through QuestZone will be held tomorrow, as well as other activities planned for after school hours if scheduled by event organizers, club sponsors, coaches, etc. • Aiken County Career and Technology Center: Morning session students should report to their high schools. The afternoon session will continue as planned. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in-person tomorrow. Thank you for your patience and flexibility!