South Aiken High

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % FIVE OF EIGHT OF THE COUNTY’S HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN RECENTLY UPDATED OR REBUILT, A SALES TAX RENEWAL IN 2024 WOULD ADDRESS THE REMAINING THREE. South Aiken High, Silver Bluff High, and Midland Valley High were each built in 1980. At the time of the One Cent Sales Tax in 2014, they were referred to as the district’s “new” high schools. Improvements at those campuses, if approved by voters, include secure, welcoming entrances, updated athletic facilities, purpose-built classrooms for culinary arts and other CTE courses, and more. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL HOST A LIVE INFORMATIONAL MEETING ABOUT THE SALES TAX ON OCTOBER 29 AT 6PM. ACPSD has engaged in an effort to educate the community about the One Cent Sales Tax, and has shared information in a series of meetings held throughout the county over several months. A virtual meeting will be held this evening, Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at 6PM. Join at www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % SC PUBLIC SCHOOLS GET NO FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION/MAINTENANCE Upkeep, maintenance, and construction of schools is considered a “local responsibility” in South Carolina. School Facilities are funded locally through voter support of sales taxes and bond referendums. We will be sharing information and facts about the One Cent Sales Tax as we lead up to Election Day on Tuesday, November 5. For more information, please visit our website at www.acpsd/OneCent. Please make plans to join us at 6 p.m., Monday or Tuesday night this week for an informational meeting. Tonight’s meeting, Monday, October 28, will be at Midland Valley High School, and tomorrow, Tuesday, October 29, you can join us virtually as we’ll live stream an informational meeting from our District office to our website where viewers can join online from the comfort of their own home.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % BEFORE THE 2014 SALES TAX SUCCESS, IT HAD BEEN 38 YEARS SINCE A SCHOOL REFERENDUM PASSED. Prior to 2014, 1976 was the year of the last successful referendum benefitting the county's public schools. Without funds available, school maintenance needs were deferred over decades. For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

ONE POINT ABOUT THE ONE % THE SALES TAX IS A 10-YEAR TAX AND DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY RENEW. Aiken County voters will have an opportunity to consider a renewal of the 2014 One Cent Sales Tax on Election Day. If renewed, the One Cent Sales Tax will extend for an additional 10 years and benefit school facility projects listed on the 2024 ballot. If not renewed, the 2014 One Cent Sales Tax will sunset (expire). For more Penny Tax Facts, visit www.acpsd.net/OneCent.

Important announcement! ASVAB for Juniors will be tomorrow, Oct. 16, as planned!

Updated Varsity and JV Football Schedules

Good afternoon South Aiken Family, this is Sam Fuller with your announcements. Students, parents, and guardians, there have been multiple changes to our schedule after Hurricane Helene and we want to try and inform you of the immediate changes over the next two weeks. Attached in your email is the schedule up until October 27th. This includes game date changes, intercession, and testing. One thing of note is the homecoming festivities and announcement of queen and king will be held during Thursday's varsity home football game. So please make sure you review the attachment ensure you are aware of the schedules. https://5il.co/2yxh7 Next, the first semester ends on Friday December 20th and attached in your email is the schedule for the month of December which includes the EOC testing dates and the exam testing dates. Please make sure you review this December calendar. https://5il.co/2yxh6 Thank you for your time and have a great evening, Every Thoroughbred, Every Day, Al Means ALL

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.

Good afternoon South Aiken Family, this is Sam Fuller with your announcements. First, all of the South Aiken Family experienced the devastation of Hurricane Helene, however some of us were impacted far more than others or are still experiencing the impact. To that end we want to make sure we are doing as much as possible to support our students and families. If you are experiencing a need or are still in need of some level of support we have some resources that may be able to help. We are asking you to fill out the form linked in your email so that we can try to organize support for you and if you would rather speak to someone in person you can communicate with your assistant principal, counselor, or another South Aiken adult you trust. It is our hope that our South Aiken students and their families get the support they need so please do not hesitate to communicate with us about the support needed. https://forms.office.com/r/JTDbM6gSfu Next, as many of you are aware all Aiken County Public Schools will be operating on a two hour delay on Monday October 14th and Tuesday October 15th. Attached in your email is the bell schedule for Monday and Tuesday and also please see the ACPSD announcement regarding Career Center students. https://5il.co/2yqwu Thank you for your time and please have a safe and enjoyable weekend. Every Thoroughbred, Every Day, All Means ALL

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.

South Aiken is hosting a Hurricane Relief Drive from 10-2 today and also doing hotdog and hamburger meals from 12-2. Please stop by and donate and bring your students for some food.

Good afternoon South Aiken Family, this is Sam Fuller with your announcement. I hope everyone is as safe and healthy as can be as we all maneuver through these circumstances brought on by Hurricane Helene. As we transition back towards a sense of normalcy we at South Aiken understand that there are still those that are experiencing various levels of struggle. With this understanding we want to do our part to provide support through two actions tomorrow, Monday October 7th. First, South Aiken has partnered with Millbrook Baptist Church to support relief efforts for communities in North Carolina that have experienced staggering devastation. We are asking the South Aiken Family for donations that will be transported to North Carolina that include many winter supplies, non-perishable food items and canned goods, batteries, flashlights, and Ziploc bags. We will be accepting donations on behalf of Millbrook Baptist starting at 10:00 AM tomorrow and the church will be accepting donations for the foreseeable future. Second, the South Aiken faculty and staff want to feed students tomorrow between 12:00 and 2:00. We will be grilling hotdogs and hamburgers for any student who comes by on a first come first served basis. I know this is not much but hopefully this is one meal that you will not have to think about for your student. So once again please stop by tomorrow to donate items and/or bring your student and please continue to stay safe and healthy. Every Thoroughbred, Every Day, All Means ALL

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

Make Up Picture Day is September 26!

ACPSD Changes Due to Hurricane Helene - Due to the potential impact of Hurricane Helene, which is forecasted to make landfall in the Gulf of Mexico today and arrive in Aiken County late tomorrow afternoon, Aiken County Public Schools has several changes to the remainder of this school week to announce. All after school activities tomorrow, Thursday, September 26, are cancelled. This includes athletics, arts, meetings planned for after school, and Quest Zone. Friday, September 27, will be an e-learning day for all students. Teachers and staff will work remotely on Friday. We recognize that several high schools have athletic events this week, including some with Homecoming. Some of those schools have moved their football games to this evening. Others are planning to host their games Friday night after the storm passes through. Should the weather necessitate a change to those plans, additional information will be shared by our high schools directly. We apologize for the disruption that this change will cause to our students and families and, as always, appreciate the flexibility and cooperation of our school community. Please stay tuned to local weather precautions and follow recommendations to keep your family safe.