The first day of the new school year in Aiken County dawned fiery red to match the passion for learning returned to classrooms by excited teachers and students.
In the Eastern part of the county, at Wagener-Salley High School, Principal Ute Aadland reported a stellar beginning to the new school year and an outstanding performance on the part of the District’s transportation department.
“It was a great start. Everyone worked together to make sure all of our students had a good day,” Aadland stated. “I was especially impressed with transportation. We are hosting students from Ridge Spring-Middle/High School in our Cosmetology program and we were concerned that transportation between the two schools might be an issue. It went very well, though.”
Also in Wagener, new principal Sonya Colvin welcomed Superintendent Dr. Sean Alford to Busbee Corbett Elementary/Middle, just one of the stops on his tour of a number of schools from one area of the large county to the other. Alford remarked that Colvin was right at home at the school where she’d previously taught and in the town that she lives with her family. “It’s a great fit,” he said.
Dr. Alford toured a number of schools, including Greendale Elementary, Hammond Hill Elementary, Langley-Bath-Clearwater Middle, and Busbee-Corbett Elementary/Middle.
Students at each of the District’s 42 schools were visited by a member of the District’s leadership team on Monday.
“The focus this year is on leadership development and implementation of our teacher-created guaranteed and viable curriculum,” he said. “It was important to me that today, and throughout the year for that matter, that our leadership is out in the schools supporting our teachers and administrators and accessible to students.”
At Leavelle McCampbell Middle School, new school principal Michelle Padgett said the day marked an important milestone in the school’s long history.
“Today was a historical first day of school at Leavelle McCampbell Middle School because it was the last first day of school for Leavelle's current facility,” Padgett commented. “This year's sixth- and seventh-grade classes will be able to say they attended Leavelle McCampbell during the final year in the older building and also the first year in the new building.”
The new Leavelle McCampbell school building, which is located just a short distance away on Bettis Academy Road from the current facility in downtown Graniteville, is expected to open in time to welcome students for the first day of the 2017-18 school year.
In the meantime, Principal Padgett said her students will do their best to make sure the historic venue closes out with a big academic bang.
“Both students and staff had a terrific day making new friends, learning middle school procedures, and setting a path for success in 2016-17,” she added.
Students at Hammond Hill Elementary School were also welcomed back on Monday by a new school principal – Mr. Eric Jeffcoat.
“Our first day of school went extremely well, as parents and students entered the building smiling and excited about a new school year,” Mr. Jeffcoat stated. “I am so proud of our staff because they have already created an enriched learning environment in their classrooms. They are building meaningful relationships with their students and are creating a culture of learning.”
In Beech Island, at Redcliffe Elementary School, principal Julie Revelle said students worked together to build a camaraderie that will last the entire year.
“We had a fantastic first day engaging in team-building activities, establishing routines, and exploring our curriculum,” Revelle reported.
Dr. Alford remarked that the first day of the new school year more closely resembled the calm routine of a day much later in the year.
“Day 1 was like Day 100,” he said. “At each and every school, there was a calm demeanor from our teachers … it was a sign of great preparation and of a wonderful year to come.”
CUTLINE:
Pictured are Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle/High School students Malaysia Morris and Eddy Jones during a lighthearted moment in band class. Aiken County teachers and students returned to class on Monday for the first day of the 2016-17 school year.
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Link to District News Release: 2016-17 AUG PR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL