North Augusta Elementary

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!

Congratulations to North Augusta Elementary's Lilly Zhou! We are thrilled to announce that Lilly Zhou, a student at North Augusta Elementary, has emerged as the champion of the Aiken County Area 2 Spelling Bee! Lilly showcased her exceptional spelling skills and dedication during the competition, earning her the top spot. Next up, Lilly will represent Area 2 in the Aiken District Spelling Bee. We are so proud of her achievement and wish her the very best as she takes this exciting next step. Join us in celebrating Lilly's success and cheering her on as she continues her journey! 🎉✨

Families, in an effort to ensure our carlines are running safely and efficiently, please abide by the following procedures: Front Carline Procedures and Guidelines (Kindergarten, 1st Grade, and their Siblings) No one should park in the car line. If parking is necessary, please park in the visitor parking spots. During dismissal, student Number tags should be displayed and remain displayed until your child is in the car. During dismissal, if you do not have a student number tag, you will need to go in. NO EXCEPTIONS. This is for the safety of our students. Car Tags should have the Number AND Student(s) Names printed in BIG letters so the teachers can see them (from a distance). The Tag must be a school provided tag - NOT colored construction paper and/or any other paper. You can get a tag from the office. Do not go around a car while students are loading. Make sure you remain in your spot in the line and do not cut. During dismissal, we call the student's name and a poll number, if you get out of line, the order gets messed up and then the carline runs more slowly. PLEASE do NOT get out at carline. If you need to buckle your child in, please pull around to the curb and stop to get out. During dismissal, if your child is not out yet, please pull to the crosswalk and we will call for your child. During dismissal, do not stop at a random pole if you see your child walking. Please continue to your designated pole. If you have been asked to pull to the crosswalk and you see your child coming out, please DO NOT stop at pole 4 to let your child in. Your child will meet you at the crosswalk. No cell phones or smoking during carline. Please be patient and courteous. Back Carline Procedures and Guidelines (Grades 2-5) During dismissal, student Number tags should be displayed and remain displayed until your child is in the car. During dismissal, if you do not have a student number tag, you will need to go in the office. NO EXCEPTIONS. This is for the safety of our students. Car Tags should have the Number AND Student(s) Names printed in BIG letters so the teachers can see them (from a distance). The Tag must be a school provided tag - NOT colored construction paper and/or any other paper. You can get a tag from the front office. Please pull all the way up to Pole 1 or to the car in front of you to allow more cars to enter the loading area. We will send your student to meet you once you have pulled all the way forward. No cell phones or smoking during carline. Please be patient and courteous.

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

All Lion King Members (Main cast, Ensemble 1 and 2) will have rehearsal on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 from 3:00 - 4:00 pm.

Parent Meeting for the Cast of the Lion King Ensemble 1 / Main Cast - November 19th at 4PM Ensemble 2 / Main Cast - November 21st at 4PM

The application for the 2025 acGATEWAY Summer Arts program is now live on the Gateway webpage of the district website. Please visit https://www.acpsd.net/o/district/page/summer-acagateway-program to learn more about this free visual and performing arts opportunity for students in our District in grades 3-12. All students must submit an application to be considered, and an audition is required for all new student applicants.

Fifth Grade Teachers Honor Veterans Day with "America's White Table" To honor Veterans Day, fifth-grade teachers at North Augusta Elementary read America’s White Table by Margot Theis Raven, a moving story filled with symbols that honor service members. Through this reading, students learned about the powerful meaning behind each item on the symbolic "white table," like the lemon for a soldier's bitter fate and the salt for family tears. This lesson helped students connect Veterans Day to themes of sacrifice and respect while exploring symbolism in literature. A meaningful tribute and an impactful learning experience for all!

Due to extensive rainfall that’s flooded, washed out, and led to road closures across our county, Aiken County Public Schools will operate on a two-hour delayed schedule tomorrow, Thursday, November 7. All schools and offices will open on a two-hour delay. Due to the delayed start, only lunch will be served tomorrow in our cafeterias. 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. The Aiken County Career Center will not have morning classes. Students will report to their high school on a two-hour delay. Rainfall is expected throughout the night and into tomorrow. Please use extreme caution when traveling to school and work. If you encounter flooded roadways, please turn around. The safety of our students, staff, and families is most important.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % TODAY IS ELECTION DAY! PLEASE BE SURE TO VOTE! Polls are open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on election day. To find your voting location, please visit www.scvotes.org. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % ON ELECTION DAY (TOMORROW, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5), AIKEN COUNTY VOTERS WILL SEE TWO QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT FOR THE EDUCATION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS SALES AND USE TAX. One asks voters if they are in favor of the renewal of the tax and lists the projects and contingency projects that a renewal would directly benefit. The other is only valid only if the sales tax is approved and asks voters if they are in favor of authorizing the district to bond part of the projected revenue to jump start the projects and begin improvements right away (instead of waiting for one cent sales tax funds to accumulate before beginning improvements). For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % IF THE ONE CENT SALES TAX IS NOT VOTER-APPROVED IN 2024, IT WILL BE TWO YEARS BEFORE THE ONE CENT SALES TAX CAN APPEAR AGAIN ON THE BALLOT. The Sales Tax question may only appear on the ballot in a general election. Should the tax not pass by majority vote in 2024, it will be November 2026 before the One Cent Sales Tax appears again on the ballot. If the tax were renewed, over those two years $75 million in funding would have been dedicated to school facilities. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % A THIRD OF THE ONE CENT SALES TAX IS ESTIMATED TO BE GENERATED BY NON-RESIDENTS. When individuals visit Aiken County and make purchases, their contribution to overall sales tax revenues is estimated to generate around a third of the total collected. If approved, visitors to the county contribute to Aiken County’s school facility improvements, as well as a property tax reduction for Aiken County homeowners. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % IF RENEWED, THE ONE CENT IN 2024 IS PROJECTED TO AMASS $398 MILLION OVER ITS 10-YEAR COLLECTION PERIOD. In Aiken County, 90% of sales tax funds are dedicated to school projects and 10% to property tax relief, which totals an estimated $358M to the school facility projects. If approved by voters, up to $285M of the projected revenue could be bonded to advance or “jump start” the projects (instead of waiting for taxes to accumulate before improvements begin). For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % UNPREPARED FOODS, GAS, AND MOST MEDICATIONS ARE EXEMPT FROM THE ONE CENT SALES TAX. If renewed by voters on November 5, the One Cent Educational Capital Sales and Use Tax would result in a continuation of the One Percent Sales Tax on most purchases (one cent/dollar) in Aiken County. There are numerous exemptions to the tax, which are listed include in South Carolina’s Code of Laws, Section 12-36-2120. Among the exemptions are unprepared foods, gasoline, and most medications. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

Parents and Guardians: Please note that there is no school for students Monday, November 4, due to a District Professional Development Day for teachers. Tuesday, November 5, is Election Day and all ACPSD schools and offices will be closed. We hope that everyone eligible to vote will exercise their right on Tuesday. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. As a reminder, the One Cent Sales Tax benefitting our public school facilities will be on the ballot. For additional information on the Sales Tax and the school facility improvements that a renewal of the tax would directly benefit, please visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent. Don't forget daylight saving time ends this weekend., and we'll "fall back" an hour on Sunday, November 3. Wishing everyone a great long weekend as we look forward to welcoming students back to school on Wednesday, November 6.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % IF THE ONE CENT SALES TAX IS VOTER-APPROVED FOR A RENEWAL, A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL BE BUILT IN AREA THREE. Space for elementary school students in Area Three, the fastest-growing area of our county, is limited. Many students in Midland Valley and Graniteville schools are already in portable classrooms. To accommodate this growth, a new elementary school in Area Three is among the list of projects that a 2024 One Cent Sales Tax renewal would support. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % CONTINGENCY PROJECTS WILL ALSO APPEAR ON THE BALLOT AND INCLUDE ROOFING, SECURITY VESTIBULES AND DOOR LOCK UPGRADES AT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, CLASSROOM ADDITIONS AT BYRD AND GLOVERVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND REPLACEMENT OF GREENDALE ELEMENTARY. In addition to the five primary projects voters will see on their ballot, several contingency projects are also listed that will be undertaken once primary projects are completed (or if all funding necessary for completion of the primary projects has been provided) and if additional tax revenue is available. Sales Tax funding is limited to the projects specified on the ballot and approved by voters. 2024 contingencies represent additional projects that are high priority For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.