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ACPSD Survey for 1% Tax Expenditures

In 2014, Aiken County voters approved a 10-year 1% Sales Tax to help fund reconstruction of a handful of schools in greatest need of improvement, including North Augusta High, Leavelle McCampbell Middle, Aiken High, Ridge Spring-Monetta’s K-12 campus, and the forthcoming Aiken County Career and Technology Center, a project which broke ground this month.

The 1% tax approved by voters in 2014 is a 10-year tax and does not auto-renew. In November 2024, Aiken County’s Board of Education intends to provide voters an opportunity to consider a renewal of this tax, which would help fund a new set of school campus renovations and improvements.

District administration and the school board have discussed a number of possible projects to prioritize and include for voter consideration on November’s ballot. District leadership has just completed a series of Community Input Meetings where stakeholders were invited to attend and share what they believe are the most urgent school facility improvement needs in the district. We appreciated the opportunity to discuss school facility improvement needs at this latest series of meetings directly with stakeholders that attended. At the close of those meetings, attendees were invited to share further insight through a survey. The invitation to share input through this survey is now open to all parents, students, teachers, staff, and community members.

As the Aiken Co. School Board considers, deliberates, and ultimately determines which school facility needs to prioritize for possible funding through a renewal of the 1% sales tax, they hope that everyone will take a few minutes to provide input on what facilities needs they believe are most urgent to address and that they’d like to see presented to voters for their consideration on November 5.

ACPSD to offer restaurant-quality lunch and breakfast at no cost to all students

Parents in Aiken County can mark lunchbox off the back to school shopping list. When school starts on July 25, every school in the District will offer delicious, chef-created breakfasts and lunches at no cost for every student each day that school is in session.

A growing number of schools in Aiken County have offered no cost breakfast and lunch to its students through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the last several years. The revamped program, featuring made-from-scratch recipes, executive chef-led trainings and student-approved menu options, is expected to transform the meaning of “school food” in Aiken County, and now with all schools classified as CEP, participation is expected to skyrocket.

Employees in the District’s School Food Service Department have embraced the extensive training this summer, learning enhanced safety, customer service and culinary skills. Presentation is key; Food Service professionals will be dressed in new uniforms, aprons, and hats provided by Chartwells as they prepare and serve new menu options as visually-appealing as they are tasty to students as their customers.

“Students will feel more like they are visiting a restaurant or café, than a school cafeteria,” explained Polly Peyinghaus, District Coordinator for School Food Service. Peyinghaus is new to the District as well and brings a unique passion for school nutrition and a work history of food service in education, as well as in restaurants. She is working hand-in-hand with Chartwells’ Resident District Manager Howard Grinberg to train and prepare to introduce new recipes, allow students to share their feedback, and implement other changes to enhance students’ mealtime experience.

Permit Required to Sell in Town - yard sales, fruit stands, food vendors, etc.

In regards to selling things in town, we welcome you to sell your items. However, BEFORE you set up for vendor/yard sales, you must submit payment to the Town Hall.

You will be FINED doubled for selling items without a receipt.

Anyone wishing to sell on the weekends must submit payment by 5:00 pm that Friday.

We also accept phone payments.

Animal Clinic Opens in Wagener

Photo: Neally, Hope, Dr. Glore with Miranda in front.

By: Valerie Sliker

On February 1, 2023, Dr. Jennifer Glore, a 2003 Purdue University graduate, opened the Wagener Animal Clinic located at 111 Railroad Avenue West in the building that formerly housed the Town Hall, the Wagener Police Department and the Wagener Museum. Hours of operation are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8 - 12 and 1 - 6. They are closed from 12 - 1 for lunch and they are closed Saturday and Sunday. They are open Thursdays 8 - 12 only.

The clinic operates by appointment only. Reach them at 803.218.9181. Follow the Wagener Animal Clinic on Facebook.

The veterinary clinic provides full veterinary services for small animals including vaccines, lumps and bumps, spay and neuter, dental cleaning and extractions and hospitalization. The non-emergency clinic currently does not offer overnight care. The clinic includes 4 exam rooms, a surgery room, and a room for digital xray and ultrasounds and more. Dr. Glore hopes to offer grooming services in the future.

Dr. Jennifer Glore owned animal clinics in Indiana prior to moving to Aiken County. She has lived in Aiken County since 2021. The staff of the Wagener Animal Clinic includes Miranda, a receptionist with previous animal clinic experience, Hope, a Veterinary Assistant currently attending school to be a Technician, and Neally, a Registered Veterinary Technician.

 

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