North Augusta High

Attention all prospective Boys Soccer Team players. If you are interested in playing for the high school, please email the coaching staff at boyssoccernahs@gmail.com. In addition, all athletic forms must be turned in on Monday, October 21st between 6:00 and 6:30pm at the North Augusta High Main Office Parking Lot.

We will resume our regular schedule tomorrow, October 16th with the first period starting at 8:20am. We appreciate your patience and encourage everyone to stay vigilant as we continue to recover from the storm.

Hammond Hills Area families (HHES, PKMS, NAHS): Thank you for your support and patience as we navigate together the impact of Hurricane Helene. With power lines, poles, trees and debris on sidewalks and streets in the Hammond Hills neighborhood remaining, we highly encourage families to use the car line for student drop-off whenever possible. If your child must walk to school or the bus stop, we strongly recommend that an adult accompany them. The combined bus stops impacting Paul Knox Middle and North Augusta High School will continue until further notice. Additionally, we are making the following temporary adjustments to Hammond Hills Elementary walker schedules as well. To enhance safety, New Start Time for HHES Walkers: Beginning Wednesday, October 16, we will adjust the start time for HHES walkers by 30 minutes, moving from 7:30 AM to 8:00 AM. This change will allow more daylight for safer navigation to school. Early Dismissal for HHES Walkers: HHES Walkers will be dismissed 15 minutes early at 2:15 PM to give them a head start before car rider dismissal begins at 2:30 PM, helping them reach home with less traffic. Regular arrival and dismissal times will resume for all non-walkers. Thank you for your continued support and patience as we continue these safety precautions to ensure students a safe journey to and from school. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the school office if you have any questions or concerns.

The One Cent Sales Tax Community Meeting in the North Augusta area is being held tomorrow night, Tuesday, October 15, at 6 p.m. We hope to see you tomorrow night at North Augusta Middle School to learn more about the facility improvements that voters will consider in November.

The deadline for Junior Class Dues has been extended due to Hurricane Helene. The new deadline to pay your dues will be December 6th. Dues are $100 and cover Prom for both your Junior and Senior year, Graduation, Senior Breakfast, and Ring Ceremony. Please see Ms. Noland any day before 12:30 to pay your dues.

To makeup for Fall Intersession, we will be offering Saturday School on October 19th, October 26th, November 9th, and November 16th. Please see the Intersession page on our website for more information. https://www.acpsd.net/o/nahs/page/content-recovery-and-summer-school.

As a reminder, The Junior Ring Ceremony will be held this Wednesday, October 16th at 6:30pm in the Jacket Arena. If you ordered your ring from Jostens, your name is already on my list to participate in the ceremony. Your balance with Josten’s must be paid for in full by today, Monday, October 14th. If you purchased a ring from an outside company, you should bring the ring to the ceremony to present to your student. Please email Mrs. Noland or have your student stop by room M117 to let her know if you purchased a ring from an outside company and would like to participate in the ring ceremony. All participants should arrive to the practice gym by 6:00pm.

POSTPONED. Senior SWAG items were not delivered today! The counseling office will let everyone know when they have arrived and are ready for pick-up! College Application Day is still scheduled for Thursday! If you ordered the graduation package that includes Senior Day items (sweatshirt, t-shirt, etc.) these early items will be delivered tomorrow, October 15th, in the multipurpose room, from 11:55 am-1:30 pm. Afternoon career center students may pick them up on Wednesday, October 16 in the counseling office. In addition, College Application Day will be held in the library this Thursday, October 17th. Please reserve your spot on the sign-up sheet in the counseling office by the end of the school day on Wednesday.

Hammond Hills Neighborhood Update: The current conditions in the Hammond Hills neighborhood have raised significant safety issues for students walking to school or walking to a bus stop, and for our school buses traveling due to low-hanging power lines and fallen trees and debris. Our team has been actively assessing the roads for safety in preparation for students return to school tomorrow. There are no streets that are unpassable by school buses serving Hammond Hill Elementary School students. All regular stops will be made as planned for students attending Hammond Hill Elementary. There are, however, several streets serving Paul Knox Middle School students and North Augusta High School students who live in the Hammond Hills neighborhood that are not able to be accessed safely by school buses at this time. In the interim, those stops are being combined with the closest accessible stop. • Previous stops at Stanton Drive & Brooks Drive and Stanton Drive & Hastings Place, are being combined to one stop at Hammond Drive at Stanton Drive. • The previous stop at Medie Avenue & Indian Mound Drive will now be combined with the stop at Riverview Drive & Medie Avenue.      • And the previous stops at West Woodlawn Avenue & Dunbarton Drive, 986 Campbellton Drive, 971 Campbellton Drive, will be combined to the stop at Amherst Drive at West Woodlawn Avenue. Families living in the Hammond Hills neighborhood are strongly encouraged to accompany their child on their walk to school or to the bus stop, or that they arrange alternative transportation for them until the situation improves. Our top priority is the well-being of all students, and we believe this precaution is necessary at this time. Please be reminded that sidewalks may be blocked in some areas, visibility may be limited due to debris, and some powerlines are still low-hanging. Please expect additional law enforcement presence along these routes over the coming days as they work with us to keep students and families safe. We look forward to all students arriving safely to school and returning safely home, and we thank you for your attention and cooperation as we recover from Hurricane Helene.

We want to welcome everyone back from Fall Break, and we hope that everyone is on the road to recovery from Hurricane Helene. Please know your safety and well-being continue to be our number one priority. As stated by the district, we will be on a 2-hour delay Monday, October 14th and Tuesday, October 15th. We will return to our regular days starting on Wednesday, October 16th. If the district deems it necessary to make changes to the remainder of the week, they will post the changes by noon on Tuesday. On Monday and Tuesday, any activities that are traditionally held prior to our start day will not be held. Please check your email for important information for other activities throughout the week. We appreciate your patience as we work through this week, and we look forward to seeing everyone on Monday!

As students return from Fall Break next week and hurricane recovery efforts continue, Aiken County Public Schools will operate on a two-hour delayed schedule on Monday, October 14, and Tuesday, October 15. This delayed start will help increase visibility as school buses, student walkers, and others travel to school, ensuring safety as we navigate roads that may still have fallen trees and debris following Hurricane Helene. We understand this change may be challenging for many families and appreciate your patience and cooperation. Crews have made significant progress clearing debris, and we will continue to evaluate road safety for early morning travel. We will make a decision regarding start times for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday by noon on Tuesday. Breakfast: A grab-and-go breakfast will be available for students. Lunch: Lunch will be served; menus may be limited as we restock all perishable food items. Half-Day or Partial-Day Programs: Students on half-day and partial-day schedules, including Early Learning Special Education students, will not attend school on Monday or Tuesday 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. Aiken County Career and Technology Center: Monday: Morning session students should report to their high schools. The afternoon session will continue as planned. Tuesday: Morning session students will attend the afternoon session. Afternoon students will stay at their high schools. In evaluating roadway conditions, the Hammond Hill neighborhood remains a concern. We are currently exploring transportation options for students residing in that neighborhood and will communicate with impacted families over the coming days once a determination is made. As our community recovers from this catastrophic storm, please exercise additional caution and care in travelling to school. Sidewalks may be blocked in some areas, visibility may be limited due to debris, and some powerlines are still low-hanging. If your child walks to school or to a bus stop, we encourage you to walk the route with them in the coming days or plan to walk with them Monday morning.  We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday!

NWS issued a wind advisory for tomorrow, Oct 10, 4AM-8PM. The hazard is 30-35 MPH gusts on weakened/leaning trees, causing concerns for travel in early morning & evening hours. With safety at heart, employees will begin on a delayed start of 9AM & no activities after 5PM.

NWS issued a wind advisory for tomorrow, Oct 10, 4AM-8PM. The hazard is 30-35 MPH gusts on weakened/leaning trees, causing concerns for travel in early morning & evening hours. With safety at heart, employees will begin on a delayed start of 9AM & no activities after 5PM.

The following is an important message from Principal Casey Rogers of North Augusta High School: On behalf of North Augusta High School, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the line workers and first responders who have been working tirelessly to restore power and services to our community in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Your dedication and sacrifice do not go unnoticed, and we are incredibly grateful for your commitment during this challenging time. To the families in our school and surrounding community who have been affected, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. Together, we will continue to support one another as we recover and rebuild. Stay Strong, Yellow Jacket Family! #JacketPride #ThankYouLineWorkers #NAHS

Shelter Update: Community shelters are being consolidated at this time. The Red Cross Shelter at Paul Knox Middle School remains open for families in need.

Tonight, Oct. 4, at 6PM, Public Sheltering for Aiken County will open at Paul Knox Middle (PKMS) and Aiken High (AHS). PKMS: 1804 Wells Road, North Augusta; (enter Wells Rd. and Pisgah Ave.); AHS: 449 Rutland Dr., Aiken (enter Taylor Gym).

To help ensure that the information available through websites and social media posts from local Emergency Management Operations officials, Chambers of Commerce, public safety and media outlets are able to be seen by families with limited access to the internet, we are resharing through our school system-managed platforms. We hope that this is helpful to those needing access to water, ice, food, information, and other resources. The availability of resources included below is not guaranteed, please verify that the resources are still available. Much of this information is being shared from posts made on social media platforms from media stories, as well as the following sites: Aiken Chamber of Commerce https://www.facebook.com/AikenChamber/ CSRA United Way https://www.facebook.com/UnitedWayoftheCSRA/ United Way of Aiken County Phone lines and internet are down at the office. Message this Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/uwaiken/ North Augusta Chamber of Commerce https://www.facebook.com/GNACOC/ FOOD/WATER Salvation Army Feeding Sites: • Salvation Army Soup Kitchen-604 Park Ave., Aiken • YMCA- 621 Trolley Line Rd., Graniteville • KJs in Edgefield- 155 Carolina Sq., Edgefield The North Augusta Community Center, 495 Brookside Ave, will be opening for handing out water and food until 5pm or while supplies last. Golden Harvest Food/Ice Distribution Site (Oct 2): National Wild Turkey Federation, 770 Augusta Rd., Edgefield @ 2pm Hub for Community Innovation Augusta 631 Chafee Ave from 4:00-5:00PM (Oct 2) The Salvation Army Kroc Center of Augusta 1833 Broad St at 4:00PM (Oct 2) Center of Hope 1384 Greene St at 5:30PM (Oct 2) Ridge Spring-Monetta schools will serve hot food and bottled water will be available at no charge starting Wednesday, around 4 p.m. at Monetta Volunteer Fire Department. Water Via the New Holland Volunteer Fire Department: If you need water for flushing toilets, washing we have non-potable well water at our HQ station at 2243 Old Ninty Six Indian trail. The hose is on left side of bay building. Please do not block driveway to trucks. - Chief Dennis Jackson South Carolina Rural Water For small water districts needing assistance, call Nick Rubin 864-617-3169. SHELTER True Testament Church • 1031 Reynolds Pond RD, Aiken SC 29801 • 803-295-9800 Jet Middle School • 1095 Columbia HWY, Johnston, SC 29832 POWER While power companies attempt to restore power, having main power shut off at the house, with lines connected to a house, which were taken down by a tree, would help with tree removal and power line issues. Once power is restored, please leave your front porch lights on which shows utility workers that power has been restored. Candles - Place candles in safe holders away from anything that could catch fire. Never leave a burning candle unattended. Wednesday Morning (October 2) Update from Aiken Electric Co-Op & Dominion Energy provided by our local legislative delegation: AEC’s outage management system is up and running. There currently have 22,757 meters without power. There are 140 AEC employees and 50 fiber contractors reconnecting members. Additionally, 340 contractors are working on the Co-Op system and another 100 arrive tomorrow. This weekend, the total number of contractors working to restore power should be 600. Dominion reports that in Aiken County they have restored service to 26,000 customers with 34,000 still without power. Dominion says there should be a lot more connections made today. Dominion Energy o Power Outage: 888-333-4465 o Downed Lines: 888-333-4465 o Gas Leaks: 800-815-0083 Aiken Electric Co-Op: 877-264-5368 DRIVING With many traffic signals remaining with no power, please treat those intersections same as a four way STOP intersection. CHARGING STATIONS/SHOWERS (please bring your own toiletries/towels) YMCA – Aiken & North Augusta • 621 Trolley Line RD, Graniteville, SC 29829 • 401 W Martintown RD Suite 111, North Augusta, SC 29841 CHARGING STATIONS/ICE SRP Park will have charging stations set up by our main gate. At 3pm we will begin distributing ice, 1 10lb bag per person, until we once again run out. COMMUNITY EVENT This Thursday, October 3rd, from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m., Cedar Creek Church is hosting a Family Hangout at the Banks Mill Campus of Cedar Creek Church. This will be a time for all families to connect, play games, enjoy each other’s company. Snacks, drinks, and charging stations will be available, and the worship center will be open for anyone seeking quiet time for prayer or meditation

We want to wish everyone a safe and relaxing fall break! We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday, October 14th!

The Junior Ring Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, October 16th at 6:30pm in the Jacket Arena. If you ordered your ring from Jostens, your name is already on the list to participate in the ceremony. Your balance with Josten’s must be paid for in full by Monday, October 14th. If you purchased a ring from an outside company, you should bring the ring to the ceremony to present to your student. Please email Mrs. Noland or have your student stop by room M117 to let her know if you purchased a ring from an outside company and would like to participate in the ring ceremony. More information about the ceremony procedures will come out about a week before the ceremony.

This Friday, 9/27, the Jackets will celebrate homecoming and host Gray Collegiate. Game time is 7:30pm! As a reminder, Paul Knox will be available for parking, with a shuttle service starting at 6pm. The theme is black and gold night! Come dressed in your Jacket gear to cheer on the team! As a reminder, this is an e-learning day for students. If there are any changes to the game due to the weather, we will send out updates on our website and social media! LET’S GO JACKETS!