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 (January 6), 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.
Attention 11th and 12th Grade Students
SAT/ACT WORKSHOP
Are you looking to boost your SAT/ACT score? Come
join Tim Anderson for a workshop on Saturday,
March 1st, and discover the success that thousands of
his students across the world have experienced. This
intensive workshop will cover the content of the tests’
Math, Reading, and Writing & Language tests as well
as overall test-taking strategy/process.
Don’t pass on this opportunity… register today!
Register here: http://bit.ly/4akC43c
Aiken iNNOVATE "rocked" the Ruth Patrick Center!
The 6th graders met up for a field trip to Ruth Patrick Science Center on January 13th. In the first program, they learned about classifying rocks and then engaged in several hands-on activities where they put what they learned to the test. Students not only classified various rocks using a dichotomous key, but they also participated in an activity that helped them see how rocks may be stuck in a certain part of the rock cycle before they move to the next phase.
The second program gave students the experience of reading and creating their own computer-generated graphs. Students got first-hand experience using their own body movements to create specific graph designs.
Students, we invite you to join us for the Winterize and Energize event on Friday, January 13, from 11 AM to 1 PM at our Six Points location. Bring your computers for important updates and enjoy socializing with friends. We'll have cocoa and cookies for everyone! Parents, you can drop off your student at 11 AM and pick them up at 1 PM. Rest assured, we'll have a great time!
Please click on the following link to RSVP: https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforms.office.com%2Fr%2FJnstjuPgbd&data=05%7C02%7CJDaignault%40acpsd.net%7C3e88fa11ee664fee97a808dd2fe79e34%7Cf86e302d701341f499871c135ce4132b%7C0%7C0%7C638719394027436917%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=UIAghI0RPCLln0g4bx12Lxqi7la3Db93ntDBpv9ytCk%3D&reserved=0
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.
Due to the weather tomorrow, Friday January 10, all Aiken County Schools will be on a 2 hour delay. Please see the attached schedule for classes tomorrow.
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.
Friday, December 20, is a half day for students. Due to the half day schedule on Friday, only breakfast will be served in our cafeterias. Please note the following dismissal times for students on our half day schedule.
Elementary schools in the Aiken area (Area One), the North Augusta area (Area Two), the Midland Valley area (Area Three), and Jackson/New Ellenton areas (Area Five) will dismiss at 11 a.m.; middle schools at 11:30 a.m.; and high schools at 11:50 a.m. Aiken Intermediate School’s half day dismissal will be at 11:25 a.m. and Aiken Scholars Academy at 11:20. The Center for Innovative Learning dismissal will be at 1:30 p.m.
Elementary schools in the Wagener/Salley/Ridge Spring/Monetta area (Area Four) will dismiss at 11:30 a.m., middle schools at 11:40 a.m., and high schools at 11:50 a.m.
In a short video released by the district, Superintendent Dr. Corey Murphy provides detailed information on the new state-required Personal Electronic Devices policy that will be implemented as student’s return from Winter Break in January.
Aiken County’s policy will allow middle and high school students to bring cell phones and other personal electronic devices , and accessories such as earbuds and AirPods to school, but they must remain powered off, stored in the student’s backpack or bag, and out of sight during the school day.
Progressive discipline measures will be enforced for violations of the policy. Parents are encouraged to watch this video with their student and discuss the policy and the consequences for students who are in violation. We thank you in advance for your understanding and support!
https://youtu.be/4Jjqsv_vFkk?feature=shared
Join us for Aiken County Public School District’s Spring Hiring Event for Teachers and Certified Staff on Saturday, February 1, 2025!
Applicants will have the opportunity for on-site 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.
Scan the QR code to apply now for your level of certification to secure an interview at the event. Pre-registration is highly encouraged. Walk-ins are welcome.
Direct Link to Register and Apply for the Event: https://acpsd.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx?jcat=Recruitment
We will be hiring for certified positions to include Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education. 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!
Get ready to show your school spirit, Middle Schoolers! Next week is Spirit Week for our Middle School Students, and it's time to dress to impress with some fun and festive themes.
Monday - Flannel Day, so dig out your coziest flannel shirt or outfit.
Tuesday- It's Green or Red Day—pick your favorite holiday color, or be daring and wear both!
Wednesday - It is all about the headgear, so wear your favorite or most outrageous holiday hat for Hat Day.
Thursday -Ugly Sweater Day, so find the most delightfully tacky sweater you can and wear it with pride.
Let's make it a week to remember!
The 2025 acGATEWAY Summer Arts program application is live! Check out this free visual and performing arts opportunity for grades 3-12. New students, auditions required! Visit https://www.acpsd.net/o/district/page/summer-acagateway-program for more information
Take a behind-the-scenes look at acGATEWAY in these videos created with last summer's students, get your application in, and get ready to audition for an experience unlike any other. Middle and High School acGATEWAY Student Video: https://youtu.be/qVQxpUwGcCk Elementary acGATEWAY Student Video: https://youtu.be/m1w8D-ScAX8 Applications for new and returning students are due by December 9. https://www.acpsd.net/page/gateway
Take a behind-the-scenes look at acGATEWAY in these videos created with last summer's students, get your application in, and get ready to audition for an experience unlike any other.
Middle and High School acGATEWAY Student Video: https://youtu.be/qVQxpUwGcCk
Elementary acGATEWAY Student Video: https://youtu.be/m1w8D-ScAX8
Applications for new and returning students are due by December 9. https://www.acpsd.net/o/district/page/summer-acagateway-program
While we are eager to celebrate and honor our seniors and graduating juniors, we regret to inform you that we must postpone the Senior Gala until the Spring. Please stay tuned for further updates after the holidays. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us.
Aiken iNNOVATE Celebrates Native American Heritage Month
Mary Golda Ross was a pioneering Cherokee mathematician and engineer, renowned for being the first Native American female engineer. She made significant contributions to aerospace engineering and space exploration, particularly during her time at Lockheed’s highly secretive Skunk Works division. Ross was instrumental in developing preliminary design concepts for interplanetary travel, crewed and uncrewed earth-orbiting flights, and the earliest studies of orbiting satellites.
Throughout her career, Ross worked on various critical projects, including the P-38 Lightning fighter plane during World War II and the Agena rocket project, which played a key role in the Gemini missions. She was also a dedicated advocate for education, especially for women and Native Americans in STEM fields, and supported numerous educational programs and initiatives.
Parents, please fill out the linked form to help us honor your student’s journey for our Senior Gala. You will be able to upload photos that showcase their journey! Let’s make this celebration unforgettable! https://forms.office.com/r/e4zE1we0nd
Please join us for a night of celebration and recognition of our Senior class. Let’s come together to toast their success and future endeavors. Heavy hor’dourves will be served Please RSVP by Friday, November 15. Students may bring up to two guests. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with you! Follow this link to RSVP: https://forms.office.com/r/0QqMUDRwi7
