Ensuring the Safety of Our Schools: Addressing Recent Rumors - We are aware of misinformation circulating throughout our schools and communities regarding rumored incidents of school violence at various campuses within our district.
Please know that these messages are being reposted and reshared at schools throughout our district and at schools throughout the state. Your children’s safety is our top priority. We take all threats seriously and work in collaboration with law enforcement to fully investigate each and every rumor and/or post that is shared. There is no active threat impacting the safety and security of any of our school campuses.
Rumors of this nature cause a great deal of concern, stress and anxiety. When those are shared on social media, the impact is far-reaching, and causes unnecessary concern for other parents, students, and staff, and divert critical resources away from genuine safety and security efforts.
If ever there is an actual incident of school violence at your child’s school or if a threat of violence at your child’s school warrants your attention, school and/or district communications will notify you. We are committed to sharing accurate information as quickly as situations allow.
We hope to never have to notify you of an actual event of school violence, and we are fully committed to maintaining the safety and security of our schools through a variety of safety measures and close collaboration with local law enforcement.
If you or your student ever have a safety concern, or if you hear a rumor of a safety concern, we ask that you immediately notify the appropriate authorities. This includes local law enforcement and the administration at the district office or the school involved.
Thank you for your support as we work together to keep our schools, and your children safe.
Shoutout to all the amazing English students who brought their A-game to Sports Spirit Day! Your team spirit and enthusiasm were off the charts.
Aiken iNNOVATE is a full-time virtual option for students in grades 6-12. Students who are driven to learn from home in a virtual setting are encouraged to apply! To apply for the 2024-2025 school year, click here: https://www.acpsd.net/o/dai/page/ai-applications-and-registration
On this day, we pause to remember the courage and sacrifice of those affected by the events of September 11, 2001. 🕊️ We honor their memory and the resilience of our nation.
Congratulations to all the students who participated in the English Class Hawaiian Themed Spirit Day! Your creativity and excitement made this day amazing. Keep up the fantastic work and your unique energy to everything you do. Mahalo!
Click here https://youtu.be/Mxte_lawexM
All Aiken County Public School District schools, buildings, and offices will be closed for Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2024. We hope that everyone has an enjoyable Labor Day Weekend and look forward to seeing students back at school on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
Visit our website, https://www.acpsd.net/o/district/page/2024-one-cent, for information on the sales tax and the school facility project needs that will be on November’s ballot for voter consideration, and make plans to join us at an informational meeting:
• Tuesday, September 3, 6:30 p.m. at Silver Bluff High School (Area Five)
• Monday, September 9, 6:30 p.m. at Ridge Spring Monetta Middle High (Area Four)
• Tuesday, September 17, 6:00 p.m. at South Aiken High School (Area One)
• Tuesday, October 15, 6:00 p.m. at North Augusta Middle School (Area Two)
• Monday, October 28, 6:00 p.m. at Midland Valley High School (Area Three)
We encourage you to check your interim grades through the PowerSchool app today! Staying informed about academic progress is crucial, and the PowerSchool app provides a convenient way to do so. If you have any questions or need further clarification on your grades, please do not hesitate to reach out to your teachers. They are here to help and support you in your educational journey.
The Wide Area Network (WAN) outage affecting internet access district-wide and phone lines at our school campuses has been fully resolved. Our IT team, in collaboration with our service providers, has successfully restored both our primary and secondary circuits. All systems are now operational, and normal communication channels have been re-established .We appreciate your patience and understanding during this disruption.
Important District-Wide Announcement: Internet and School Phone Outage
We are currently experiencing a Wide Area Network (WAN) outage that is impacting internet access district-wide and phone lines across all our school sites. This disruption appears to be due to a fiber cut on the network, affecting both our primary and secondary circuits.
Please be assured that our IT team is working diligently with service providers to resolve this issue and restore full connectivity as quickly as possible. In the meantime, should you need to reach a school during this outage, please contact our District Office directly at (803) 641-2428.
Updates will be shared here as new information becomes available. Thank you for your patience.
As we continue to monitor this tropical storm to ensure the safe operation of our school buses and all who will travel to and from our schools in the mornings and afternoons, the Wagener and Salley communities’ roads have been most heavily impacted by the extensive rainfall we’ve experienced. This morning’s two-hour delay was particularly helpful for drivers in that area who were able to identify and avoid roadways covered in water.
With additional heavy rain forecasted overnight and into tomorrow morning, the following schools in the Wagener and Salley areas of our county will operate on a two-hour delayed start tomorrow, Thursday, August 8: Busbee Elementary School, Corbett Middle School, and Wagener-Salley High School. Due to tomorrow’s delayed start at Busbee, Corbett and Wagener, only lunch will be served in their cafeterias.
All other schools and offices will operate on their regular schedules tomorrow, Thursday, August 8; regular breakfast and lunch service will be offered.
Afterschool activities will be cancelled again district-wide tomorrow, including practices, meetings, and aftercare through Quest Zone.
Only employees at schools in the Wagener and Salley areas of the county will report to work on a delayed schedule tomorrow morning. Employees who live in the Wagener or Salley area and work in another area of the county are encouraged to contact their supervisor for any arrangements for a delayed arrival that may be needed.
As shared yesterday, please be reminded of safety precautions that are encouraged in rainy conditions with potential flooding and, whether walking or driving, always turn around should you encounter an area covered with water. Further information is available at www.weather.gov.
We appreciate the continued understanding of our community, and patience with the changes that this tropical storm has necessitated this week. We’re hopeful a little break from the rain today will help alleviate some of the conditions that have been most concerning, but we will continue to monitor the forecast and condition of roadways for any additional changes that may become necessary to ensure the safety of our students, staff and families. We recognize that these changes to school operations are challenging for everyone, and will always announce changes with as much notice as possible.
Thank you again.
Our school district administrators are continuing to monitor Tropical Storm Debby alongside Emergency Management Officials. With the extensive rainfall throughout the day today, please note that a change has been made to the report to school and work time tomorrow.
To ensure visibility tomorrow morning for school bus drivers and all who would be travelling before daylight on rain-soaked roadways, some which may be flooded, all Aiken County Public Schools and offices will operate on a two-hour delay tomorrow, Wednesday, August 7. Due to the delayed start, only lunch will be served in our cafeterias tomorrow.
The Aiken County Career & Technology Center (ACCTC) will not hold a morning session tomorrow. Afternoon sessions will be held as planned.
Students at the Center for Innovative Learning (CIL) will have an adjusted schedule tomorrow of noon-4:30 p.m.
Students 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.
Employees will also report to work on a two-hour delay tomorrow. Employees who report to work at 10 a.m. or later as part of their regular schedule, will report to work at their regularly scheduled time.
In addition to tomorrow’s delayed start, all after school activities for tomorrow, Wednesday, August 7, are cancelled, including practices, meetings, and aftercare through QuestZone.
Employees should plan to complete their workday as scheduled tomorrow, with the exception of employees who may be scheduled to work beyond 5 p.m. All schools and offices will close promptly at 5 p.m. tomorrow.
Please take a few minutes to be reminded of precautions to observe in heavy rain and flooding conditions. Most importantly, if you come to an area that is covered with water, you may not know the depth of the water or the condition of the road or ground underneath. This is especially true at night or when it is dark outside. Whether driving or walking, should you encounter an area covered with water, please turn around. Further information is available at www.weather.gov.
This storm is likely to continue to impact our community over the coming days. We will continue to monitor this storm’s forecasted impact to our county and share any updates related to school operations that may be needed. Please stay tuned to local authorities for precautions to keep your family safe.
Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience that these changes will cause, and appreciate everyone’s understanding and cooperation.
As our District administration continues to monitor the possible impact of Tropical Storm Debby to our county, a decision has been made to cancel all afternoon activities for tomorrow, Tuesday, August 6, 2024.
Roughly two inches of rainfall is expected tomorrow, and, with the unpredictability of weather systems, we believe it best to cancel activities planned for after school tomorrow, including afternoon practices, meetings, and aftercare through Quest Zone. We apologize for the inconvenience that this will cause. Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we make the best possible decisions with the information that is currently available.
In collaboration with local Emergency Management Officials, we will continue to monitor this storm. Any additional changes to our regular operations this week will be announced with as much advance notice as possible. Thank you again for your cooperation and please remain alert for any future updates.
In collaboration with local Emergency Management Officials, our District administrators are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Debby for possible impact to our county.
Please know that the safety of our students, teachers, staff, and families is our highest priority. Safety will be at the heart of considerations related to our operations over the coming days.
We understand that potential changes to the regular school schedule are unsettling and challenging, especially for working families. Any changes to our regular operations will be shared with as much notice to parents/guardians as possible. New information will be shared via a notification to our new mobile app, phone call, email, text message, website, social media, and local media.
Please also stay tuned to local weather warnings and prepare and take precautions as recommended to ensure the safety of your family during this weather event.
Navigating the online learning environment can be challenging, but with the right strategies, both parents and students can excel. Here are some essential troubleshooting and technology tips to ensure a smooth and successful experience. Also, please see the Technology Tips Section for a plain text version.
During orientation, our students enjoyed donations of school supplies from United Way. What an amazing start to the new school year!
Parents/Guardians/Students: Over the next week, we'll be reviewing the Student Code of Conduct during the school day. Please take a few minutes at home to become familiar with the the rules for your school, as well as the consequences that could result for students who do not follow them. The Code of Conduct is available by scanning the QR code or visiting www.acpsd.net/CodeOfConduct. We are looking forward to a wonderful year, and appreciate your support in following these conduct guidelines that are aimed to ensure we're creating an environment in which effective teaching and learning can occur and that safeguards are in place for the safety of all students, staff and families.
We're excited to announce new communications tools that were designed to enhance engagement with our students and families! The new acpsd.net launched earlier this month, and our mobile app with "Rooms" for built-in School-to-Home Two-Way Communications is live now!
📲 Aiken iNNOVATE students, download the Aiken County Public School District app today! It will be one of our main sources of communication between teachers, parents, and students. Stay connected! #AikeniNNOVATE #EdTech
https://youtube.com/shorts/_0bQ0jmbk7Y?feature=share
Happy 4th of July, Aiken iNNOVATE 🎇✨
As we celebrate this Independence Day, let’s take a moment to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy and the incredible opportunities we have to learn and grow together. Wishing you all a safe and joyous holiday! #AikeniNNOVATE #CelebrateFreedom
