Wagener-Salley High

The Scarowinds – Senior Trip will be Saturday, October 18th. The total cost is $75 and includes transportation, admission, and an unlimited drink package. Sign up with your first payment of $25 by August 29th. Your second payment of $25 is due September 19th and the final payment is due by October 10th. You must be on grade level at the time of the trip.

Boeing Dreamlearners Junior Field Trip: On Wednesday, November 19th there is a career focused opportunity for juniors to take a field trip to Boeing in North Charleston, SC from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. This is a first come, first serve sign up opportunity. The deadline to sign up for this field trip is September 19th.

Grits for Grands! Wagener-Salley High School Grandparents - you are invited to our WSHS Grandparent's Day Celebration on Monday, September 8th at 9:00 am. Please RSVP by August 29th at 839-846-7006 or email lshackleford@acpsd.net to let us know you're coming!

Countless amazing memories. One iconic yearbook. Order yours today for only $55 if you order by September 12! That's a savings of $5! Go to jostens.com/btsoffers to order your yearbook. Score four free icons when you personalize your cover for only $9. Share your student's photo's with the yearbook staff to be featured in the yearbook: photos.jostens.com/uploads.

This summer, Aiken County’s most talented young artists immersed themselves in the acGATEWAY experience, which is an intensive, high-level arts program designed to challenge and inspire! From vibrant visual art displays to moving theatrical performances, students demonstrated what passion, focus, and creativity can achieve in just a few short weeks! Want to see what makes acGATEWAY so special? Watch our behind-the-scenes student videos and discover why this program has been a beloved part of Aiken County since 1992 and keep an eye out for 2026 acGATEWAY audition information for our summer 2026 opportunity. #acGATEWAY #AikenArts #GiftedAndTalented #ArtsEducation #StudentShowcase #VisualAndPerformingArts #ACPSD https://www.acpsd.net/page/gateway

Parents and Guardians now is the time to schedule a well-visit or vaccine appointment with your child’s healthcare provider to avoid the back-to-school rush before the 2025-26 school year begins on July 21! The SC Department of Public Health is also offering a vaccine clinic for students in grades 5K–12 on July 8 from 9–11:30 a.m. and 1–3:30 p.m. at the Aiken County Health Department (222 Beaufort Street NE, Aiken). Call (803) 642-7543 to make an appointment and bring vaccination and insurance records; a parent or guardian must accompany children under 16. No-cost vaccines may be available, though administration fees may apply. Don’t forget to submit your child’s updated SC Immunization Certificate to their school and note that all rising 7th graders must have a Tdap booster given at age 10 or older. Contact your child’s healthcare provider or school nurse with any questions and visit acpsd.net/page/nursing-services for more information.

BACK TO SCHOOL BASH Please join your community at Roy Warner Park in Wagener on Friday, July 19, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. This community event will feature a back-to-school giveaway including free backpacks, gift cards, clothing, and more. In addition to these great giveaways, there will be free music, haircuts, hair braiding, a bounce house, and a variety of fun activities for the whole family. Don’t miss this opportunity to get ready for the school year and enjoy a day of community celebration. Please see the flyer for more details.

NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION (https://www.acpsd.net/page/new-student-registration) As you prepare for Registration/Enrollment, please gather the following documentation: certified copy of birth certificate; immunization record; two proofs of residency, such as a current rental agreement, mortgage contract/statement, or property tax receipt; and current utility bill (water or power bills only). These documents must be in the parent's name. RETURNING ACPSD STUDENT REGISTRATION (https://www.acpsd.net/page/returning-student-registration) First access your parent portal account at aiken.powerschool.com. Then click on "Returning Student Registration for the 2025-2026 School Year" icon located on the main navigation located on the left side of the page. Please enter your student's birthdate in mm/dd/yyyy format and click continue to begin. REGISTRATION SUPPORT: Families are encouraged to register online in advance. If you need support with registration, or if you should have any questions, please contact the school's office at 839-846-7006. Thank you for your prompt attention in registering your child(ren)!

As part of our district’s efforts to ensure consistency across all schools and areas, standardized school start and end times for elementary, middle, and high school students have long been a goal. We are pleased to share that Wagener-area schools including Busbee Elementary, Corbett Middle, and Wagener-Salley High School will transition to the standard student arrival and dismissal times already implemented at schools in Aiken, North Augusta, Midland Valley, and the Jackson/New Ellenton areas. Standard arrival and dismissal times in Aiken County Schools are as follows: • Elementary Schools: 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. • Middle Schools: 8 a.m. - 3:10 p.m. • High Schools: 8:20 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Student bus riders in the Wagener area should anticipate transportation arriving approximately 15 minutes earlier in the mornings and a drastic improvement in afternoon travel times. Bus transportation will deliver all elementary students home immediately after dismissal at 2:30 p.m., then begin middle and high school student pickup and drop off. While Ridge Spring-Monetta students will remain on their slightly altered arrival/dismissal schedule as we begin the 2025-26 school year, efforts are underway to further review routes for efficiencies and determine if a shift to the county’s standardized student day is possible given the availability of bus drivers and distance of some stops in the rural community which extend near Edgefield and into Saluda County.

CLASS OF 2025 VALEDICTORIAN/SALUTATORIAN PROFILES Wagener-Salley High School Salutatorian: Ma'da'm Ma'kaijah Latrice Walker Ma'da'm Ma'kaijah Latrice Walker, Salutatorian of the Wagener-Salley High School Class of 2025, plans to attend Winthrop University in the fall and eventually pursue a Ph.D. in Social Work. She is passionate about making a difference in the lives of others and looks forward to a future dedicated to advocacy, support, and service. Her favorite high school memory is her entire freshman year—a time filled with laughter, new friendships, lifelong memories, and valuable lessons that helped shape the person she is today. Congratulations, Ma'da'm Walker! #ACPSDcelebrates #ClassOf2025

CLASS OF 2025 VALEDICTORIAN/SALUTATORIAN PROFILES Wagener-Salley High School Valedictorian: Rebekah Lynn Cushman Rebekah Cushman, Valedictorian of the Wagener-Salley High School Class of 2025, plans to attend USC Aiken and major in Education. Her favorite high school memories come from her field experience in the Teacher Cadet class—meaningful moments that confirmed her passion for teaching and her desire to make a difference in the lives of students. Rebekah has been selected as a South Carolina Teaching Fellow and will join the 2025 Cohort at USC Aiken. Through this prestigious program, she will participate in enrichment and leadership activities, receive professional development opportunities, and engage with communities and businesses across the state. The fellowship provides up to $24,000 in scholarships over four years for students pursuing a degree that leads to teacher certification. She was also part of the inaugural cohort of the Dual Enrollment Teaching Pathway at USC Aiken, further demonstrating her early commitment to a future in education. Congratulations, Rebekah! #ACPSDcelebrates #ClassOf2025

CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2025 🎓 Aiken County Public Schools is proud to celebrate this year’s graduating class! Graduation ceremonies will take place May 28–May 30, and we invite you to join us in honoring the Class of 2025 by viewing their commencement ceremonies virtually. To access the live stream, visit www.acpsd.net/graduation and select the high school of your choice. Live streams will begin 15 minutes prior to each ceremony’s start time. 📅 Graduation Schedule Wednesday, May 28 • CTE Senior Completer Ceremony – 5:00 p.m. • Aiken Scholars Academy – 7:00 p.m. Thursday, May 29 • Aiken High School – 2:00 p.m. • Ridge Spring-Monetta High School – 5:00 p.m. • Silver Bluff High School – 8:00 p.m. Friday, May 30 • South Aiken High School – 9:00 a.m. • Wagener-Salley High School – 12:00 p.m. • Midland Valley High School – 3:00 p.m. • North Augusta High School – 7:00 p.m. Hats off to the Class of 2025! 🎉 #ACPSDcelebrates #ClassOf2025

Aiken County Public School District’s full-time virtual program, Aiken iNNOVATE, is now accepting applications for the 2025–2026 school year. If you or your student are currently in 5th grade or higher and interested in a flexible, innovative learning environment, now is the time to apply. Aiken iNNOVATE offers a 100% virtual experience with certified ACPSD teachers and curriculum, providing students in grades 6–12 the opportunity to learn from anywhere while staying connected to their school community. To apply, visit www.acpsd.net/ai. If you have any questions, feel free to email Ai@acpsd.net. Don’t miss this opportunity to take charge of your education through Aiken iNNOVATE. Spots are limited.

The Seamless Summer Meal Program returns for Summer 2025! The ACPSD Child Nutrition Program will be offering nutritious meals at no cost for children aged 18 and under, as well as for individuals with disabilities up to age 21. Meals will be served Monday through Thursday from June 2 to June 26, 2025. See flyer for more details!

The End of Year exam dates have been added to our website calendar and posted to our WSHS Facebook page.

Give a Little Save a Lot! The WSHS Annual Blood Drive will take place Friday, May 16th from 8:30 am until noon. A single drop of your blood could be a drop of life for someone else. Mark you calendar and make plans to attend our event. Please fill out the QuickPass the morning of the blood drive. Photo ID required. https://shepeardblood.org/donate/quickpass/

GOT THE SPIRIT? WE WANT TO HEAR IT! Cheer Clinics and Tryouts will be held April 28 - 30 from 3:30pm - 5:30 pm in the WSHS Gymnamsium. Signups are open to all 8th graders, freshmen, sophomores and juniors. We're looking for gals and guys to join the Squad! The clinic will be led by former and current cheerleaders and supervised by cheer coach Khali Kitchings and Shawndrika Bell. Tryouts will be on Day 3. If you have any questions, send an email to kkitchings@acpsd.net.

War Eagle Parents! Your voice matters! Help us improve our school by completing the Title I Parent Involvement Survey. Your feedback shapes the resources and support we provide for our students. Click the link to take the survey today! Let’s work together to make Wagener-Salley High School the best it can be! Survey Link: https://forms.office.com/r/g0e8LnaMB7

Parents, Guardians, Students, Teachers, and Staff: Please note that this Friday, March 14, is an e-learning Weather Makeup Day for students. Students will not report to school in person this Friday and should complete their work assigned virtually. In addition, as shared on our 2024-25 school year calendar, next Wednesday, March 19, is an Early Dismissal Day for students. On Early Dismissal Days, elementary school students are dismissed at 11:30 a.m., middle school students at 12:10 p.m., and high school students at 12:30 p.m. Early dismissal times are slightly different for Aiken Scholars Academy, as well as our schools in the Wagener and Ridge-Spring areas. Ridge Spring-Monetta and Busbee Elementary dismissal is at 11:55 a.m., A.L. Corbett Middle, Wagener-Salley High, and Aiken Scholars Academy dismiss at noon, and Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle and High dismissal is at 12:15 and 12:20 p.m., respectively. These Early Dismissal Days are necessary to support the training and development schedule for state-required teacher training. Please make any necessary arrangements for your child's early dismissal next Wednesday, March 19. Elementary school student after school care through Quest Zone is available.