North Augusta Elementary

🏠💛 November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month 💙🐬

Every child deserves a safe place to call home — a place where they can learn, grow, and dream without worry. Sadly, many children and teens across our community face challenges such as unstable housing, food insecurity, and limited access to school resources.

This year, Aiken County Public Schools identified 372 homeless youth for the 2024–2025 school year. Behind each number is a story — a student who needs stability, compassion, and opportunity.

Together, we can make a difference.
This month, let’s come together to raise awareness, support our local youth, and take action to ensure that every student has the chance to thrive.

✨ Here’s how you can help:

Support local shelters and youth programs 🏠

Donate essentials such as toiletries, clothing, or school supplies 🎒

Advocate for affordable, safe housing 🗣️

Share this message to raise awareness ❤️

If you or someone you know needs assistance, please contact your local McKinney-Vento representative at 📞 (803) 335-7052 for guidance and support.

💛 Every child deserves hope, dignity, and a brighter tomorrow. 💙
#HomelessYouthAwarenessMonth #ACPSD #NAUESDolphins #TogetherWeCan #HopeForEveryChild

🇺🇸 November is Military Family Appreciation Month! 🇺🇸

This month, we proudly honor and celebrate the courageous men and women who serve in our Armed Forces — and the incredible families who stand beside them. 💙 Their strength, resilience, and sacrifice remind us that freedom is not free — it is protected daily by heroes in uniform and their loved ones who serve right along with them.

Military Family Appreciation Month is a time to recognize the unique challenges military families face — from long deployments and frequent moves to the daily sacrifices made to support their service members. Their dedication to our nation inspires us all to lead with gratitude, compassion, and unity.

At North Augusta Elementary, we extend our deepest appreciation to all of our Dolphin families connected to the military. Thank you for your courage, your service, and your unwavering commitment to our country. 💛💙🐬

🎖️ We salute you — today and every day! 🇺🇸
#MilitaryFamilyAppreciationMonth #ThankYouForYourService #NAUESDolphins #ProudToBeAnAmerican #DolphinPride 💛💙🐬

💛💙 Moments That Make NAUES Shine! 💙💛

We love seeing our Dolphins building joyful connections across our school! Today one of our students shared a sweet moment with one of our amazing lunchroom team members — enjoying a hand-clapping game and lots of laughter! 🤝😊✨

These everyday moments remind us that school is more than learning — it's friendships, kindness, and the caring adults who make our school feel like family. 🐬💛

Thank you to our incredible cafeteria staff for filling hearts and tummies every single day!

#NAUES #DolphinPride #SchoolFamily #MomentsThatMatter #KindnessInAction #WeLoveOurStaff #ChooseJoy

🍂🎃 Fall Party Fun in First Grade! 🎃🍂

Ms. Cockrell’s students had an amazing time celebrating fall today! From festive treats to fun activities and smiling faces, it was the perfect way to welcome the cozy season together. 🍁✨

We love seeing our Dolphins enjoy special moments and build classroom community! 💛💙🐬

#NAUES #FallFun #FirstGradeFavorites #DolphinPride #LearningAndLaughing #SchoolCommunity 🍎🍂✨

🎃💛 Halloween with a Heart Fun! 💙🐬

Today our Exceptional Learners had a spook-tacular time celebrating at Halloween with a Heart! 👻✨

Hosted by WJBF, this wonderful event provides a joyful, safe, sensory-friendly environment for students with special needs to enjoy trick-or-treating, games, and Halloween fun at the Columbia County Exhibition Center.

Our Dolphins had a fabulous time exploring, collecting treats, and making magical memories together! 🎃🍬🧡

A huge thank-you to WJBF and all the community partners for creating such an inclusive and heart-warming celebration for our students. 💛💙

#NAUES #DolphinPride #EveryChildEveryDay #InclusionMatters #HalloweenWithAHeart #ExceptionalLearners #DolphinLeaders #SpookySeasonFun 🎃🐬👻

🎉🐬 Congratulations to Our First Grade Leader Loot Winners! 🐬🎉

We are so proud of our amazing first graders who were recognized this week for showing leadership, responsibility, and kindness at NAUES! These students continue to shine by making great choices, showing respect, and being leaders in and out of the classroom. Way to go, young Dolphins! 💛💙

✨ You Rock Winner: Bo! ✨
A HUGE congratulations to Bo, our You Rock Winner of the week! 🌟

Bo is a wonderful student who always gives his very best. He is kind, respectful, and friendly to everyone he meets. Bo is the kind of student you can count on — he follows directions, helps others, and leads by example every single day. We are so proud of you, Bo! Keep shining and leading the Dolphin way! 🐬👏

#LeaderLoot #YouRockWinner #DolphinLeaders #FirstGradeShines #NAUES #DolphinPride #LeadershipInAction

💛🐬 All Pro Dads at NAUES! 🐬💛
This morning we had a fantastic turnout for our All Pro Dads meeting! Thank you to all the fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and father-figures who joined us to support our students. Your presence truly makes a difference! 👏💙

This month's focus was on Determination — the power to keep trying, even when things feel challenging. Determination helps students:
✅ build confidence
✅ improve problem-solving skills
✅ persevere when learning feels tough
✅ turn mistakes into motivation
✅ achieve their goals in school & life

📚✨ Helping Your Child Grow Determination at Home
Try these simple strategies to support your Dolphin leader:
💬 Talk About Grit — Discuss challenges and how practice helps us get better
👏 Praise Effort — Celebrate hard work, not just results (“I love how you kept trying!”)
🎯 Set Small Goals — Break big tasks into steps to build confidence
❤️ Model Persistence — Share examples of when you didn’t give up

Thank you again to our amazing NAUES All Pro Dads community. Your support helps our students build strong hearts, strong minds, and strong leadership habits! 🌟
📅 Next All Pro Dads Meeting
🗓️ November 20, 2025
⏰ 7:45 AM
🎯 Focus: Confidence
We can’t wait to see you again as we continue building leadership and character together!
#AllProDads #Determination #ConfidenceNext #LeaderInMe #DolphinPride #FamilyEngagement #NAUESLeadership

🏅 October PE Leaders of the Month! 🏅

We are proud to celebrate our October PE Leaders of the Month! These students have shown outstanding sportsmanship, teamwork, effort, and leadership during physical education. 👟💛💙

They give their best every day, encourage others, and model what it means to be healthy, active Dolphins! 🐬✨

Congratulations to our amazing leaders — keep moving, keep leading, and keep shining! 🌟

#DolphinPride #PELeaders #LeaderInMe #HealthyKidsHealthyFuture #NAUES #WeAreLeaders

🌟 Student Voice in Action! 🌟

We are incredibly proud of our outstanding student leaders — Olivia, Rohan, and Jackson — who represented North Augusta Elementary at the Aiken County Advisory Council with Superintendent Dr. Corey Murphy this week! 💛💙🐬

These student representatives shared their thoughts on important topics such as i-Ready, school culture, and ways to continue improving learning for all students across the district. Their confidence, insight, and dedication to student success truly shined!

Their voices matter — and today, they made sure they were heard. ✨ We are so proud of how brilliantly they represented NAUES and demonstrated what it means to be leaders and Dolphins of Excellence!

Way to go, scholars! Keep leading, learning, and making a positive impact! 👏📚💡

#StudentLeaders #DolphinPride #AikenCountyPublicSchools #NAUES #LeadershipInAction #StudentVoice #FutureLeaders

🌍🍁 Presentation Day for Our 5th Grade Afternoon Enrichment Groups! 🍁🌍

Today was an exciting day in 5th grade as students showcased their hard work and research during Fall Festivals Around the World Presentations! 🎤✨

Last week, our students explored how different cultures celebrate the season — from harvest festivals to community traditions — learning that while customs may vary, gratitude, family, and togetherness unite us all. 🌎❤️

During today’s presentations, students shared their findings, visuals, and reflections with confidence and enthusiasm! They practiced vital communication, research, and collaboration skills, demonstrating what it means to be lifelong learners and global citizens. 💛💙🐬

A special thank you to our amazing fifth-grade teachers for guiding students in developing independence, curiosity, and strong presentation skills through this meaningful project! 👏

📚 South Carolina Standards Connections:

ELA 5.RI.5 & 5.W.6: Gather, organize, and present information from multiple sources using evidence and details.

ELA 5.SL.4 & 5.SL.5: Present information clearly using appropriate facts, visuals, and digital tools.

Social Studies 5.1.P, 5.1.CE: Understand global cultures and how geography, tradition, and history shape celebrations and communities.

AASL Standards: Inquire, Include, and Share — fostering curiosity, respect for diversity, and effective communication.

👏 Way to go, 5th Grade Dolphins — your voices and learning shine bright! 🌟

#NAUESDolphins #DolphinPride #GlobalLearning #FallFestivals #StudentPresentations #SouthCarolinaStandards

🍎 Professional Development Day – Friday, October 31, 2025 ✏️

This Friday is a Professional Development Day for our amazing NAUES teachers! 💛💙
There will be no school for students as our staff engages in valuable learning and collaboration to continue supporting our Dolphins’ success. 🐬📚

Enjoy the long weekend, and we’ll see our students back on Monday, November 3rd! 🌟

#NAUES #DolphinPride #LeaderInMe #ProfessionalDevelopment #AlwaysLearning

📚✨ Westward Expansion Comes to Life in 5th Grade! ✨📚

Mrs. Whisnant’s fifth graders spent the day exploring Westward Expansion in Social Studies using a brand-new thinking strategy—Think Marks! 📝

Students worked collaboratively to track their understanding throughout the lesson, using think marks to monitor comprehension, spark curiosity, and guide meaningful discussions about the challenges and opportunities pioneers faced while moving west. 🌄

A special thank you to Mrs. Kelly Ann Moore for joining the class and helping facilitate this engaging lesson! 💛💙

Our young historians did an amazing job applying this new strategy and showing how Dolphins dive deep into learning! 🐬🌟

#NAUES #DolphinPride #LeaderInMe #WestwardExpansion #CriticalThinking #SocialStudies #CollaborativeLearning #EngagedLearners

🎃 Spook to Be Hungry Food Drive Ends Thursday! 🥫

NAUES Dolphins, we need your help! 💛💙
Our Spook to Be Hungry food drive wraps up this Thursday, and our collection box is still looking a little empty! Let’s come together as a school family to fill the box and support local families in need. 💕

Bring in your nonperishable food donations by Thursday morning and help make a difference in our community. Every can counts! 🐬✨

#NAUES #LeaderInMe #DolphinPride #SpookToBeHungry #CommunityHelpers #ItTakesAVillage

Reminder:
💙🐬 All Pro Dads Breakfast! 🐬💛

Dads, grandfathers & father figures — join us Thursday, Oct. 30 | 7:45–8:15 AM for our next All Pro Dads meeting! ☕🍩

Topic: Determination 💪
Teaching kids to stay focused, work hard & never give up helps them grow strong in school & life! 🌟

#NAUESDolphins #AllProDads #Determination #LeaderInMe #FamilyFirst #OnceADolphinAlwaysADolphin

💛💙🌍 Happy World Occupational Therapy Day! 🐬💙💛
October 27, 2025

Today we proudly celebrate World Occupational Therapy Day and recognize our very own Mrs. Katie Johnson, our incredible School Occupational Therapist here at North Augusta Elementary School! 🙌✨

Mrs. Johnson plays an essential role in helping our Dolphins succeed each and every day — supporting students as they develop the skills they need to thrive in school and beyond. 🏫💛

💡 What does a School Occupational Therapist do?
An OT helps students build independence and confidence by working on things like:
✏️ Fine motor skills (writing, cutting, tying shoes)
🧩 Sensory processing and attention skills
🪑 Classroom participation and posture for learning
🤝 Social and daily living skills that support success both in and out of the classroom

Mrs. Johnson’s expertise, patience, and dedication help our students grow stronger, more capable, and ready to take on each new challenge with confidence! 🌟

Thank you, Mrs. Johnson, for your compassion, creativity, and care for every Dolphin you support — you make a difference every single day! 💛💙🐬

#NAUESDolphins #WorldOTDay #ThankYouMrsJohnson #OccupationalTherapy #EveryStudentEveryDay #DolphinPride #LeaderInMe

🎃🧡 It’s Spooky to Be Hungry® — Last Chance to Give! 🧡🎃
Our school is collecting non-perishable food donations to support families in our community. The last day to donate is Thursday, October 30—let’s finish strong!

🧺 What to bring: canned veggies & fruit, soup, peanut butter, pasta, rice, beans, cereal, shelf-stable milk
📍 Drop-off: Front Office (students can bring items in the morning)

Every can = a meal. Every family = our community. Let’s show how Dolphins care—bring a donation by Oct. 30! 💛💙🐬
#ItsSpookyToBeHungry #ScareAwayHunger #NAUESDolphins #CommunityCares

❤️🎗️ Red Ribbon Week is underway at NAUES! Just 3 days left to celebrate being a Dolphin who chooses to live drug-free! 🧩✨
Theme: “Life is a Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free!”
Mon 10/27 – Pajama Day 😴
Tues 10/28 – Mixed-Match Day 🧦
Wed 10/29 – Team Day 🏈
💛💙🐬 #NAUESDolphins

🔺🔵 3D Shapes in Kindergarten! 🟩⭐

Mrs. Kowalchuk’s Kindergarten class had a sweet time learning about 3D shapes today! Students used marshmallows and toothpicks to build cubes, pyramids, and other solid shapes — turning geometry into a hands-on, creative STEM experience! 🧠✨

Through this engaging activity, our youngest Dolphins explored edges, vertices, and faces, while using teamwork, problem-solving, and fine motor skills. 💪💛

📘 South Carolina Kindergarten Math Standards:

K.G.1: Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes and describe their relative positions.

K.G.2: Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientation or overall size.

K.G.3: Identify shapes as two-dimensional (flat) or three-dimensional (solid).

K.G.5: Model shapes in the world by building shapes from components (e.g., sticks and clay).

Our Kindergarten Dolphins are building bright futures—one shape at a time! 💙🐬

#NAUESDolphins #LeaderInMe #Kindergarten #HandsOnLearning #STEM #GeometryFun #3DShapes #SCStandards #DolphinLeaders

🪨💨 Weathering, Erosion, & Deposition in Action! 🌊🧪

Ms. Ryan’s 4th-grade scientists at North Augusta Elementary had a hands-on learning experience this week exploring how rocks change over time!

Students used Airheads candy to model the rock cycle — first “weathering” (breaking down) their candy rocks, then “eroding” (moving) the pieces to new locations, and finally “depositing” them into their classmates’ bowls. Afterward, they layered their “sediments” to create their very own sedimentary rocks! 🍬🪨

This fun and interactive activity helped students see and feel the processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition—key steps in how Earth’s surface is shaped over time. 🌎✨

📘 South Carolina 4th Grade Science Standards:

4.E.2A.1 – Develop and use models to describe and classify the physical properties of Earth’s layers and rocks.

4.E.2A.2 – Construct explanations for how natural processes like weathering, erosion, and deposition change Earth’s landforms.

4.S.1A.1–6 – Use science and engineering practices to plan and carry out investigations, analyze data, and communicate results.

What an awesome way to make science stick! 🍬🔬
Our Dolphin scientists are definitely “rocking” their learning! 💛💙🐬

#NAUESDolphins #LeaderInMe #4thGradeScience #HandsOnLearning #WeatheringAndErosion #SedimentaryRocks #SCStandards #DolphinLeaders #STEAM