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About acGATEWAY  

2024 acGateway is open to CURRENT Aiken County Public School students in grades 3-12.  It is an intensive summer arts opportunity for your child.  acGATEWAY is designed to serve students who excel in the visual and performing arts. The program offers theater, creative writing, dance, music, and visual arts. Creative writing is only open to middle and high school students.   

Students will spend 12 (elementary) & 15 (middle) days of their summer, Monday through Friday, completely immersed in their arts area.  Middle/High performing arts students will also have the opportunity to participate in a musical theater “Production” as well.  At the end of the program, performing arts students will present their work in a showcase on stage, and visual arts students will have their artwork set up gallery-style for all to see. All students will receive a grade for their work in the program and must maintain at least a C average in the acGATEWAY program to continue to attend in following years. Students who have completed grades 8-11 will receive one honors fine arts credit for their work in acGateway. This credit can only be awarded once.   

acGATEWAY is a high-paced program, where students accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Classes are intense and require focus and dedication. In order to preserve the integrity of the program, the rules and policies laid out in this document have been established and are expected to be upheld by students and guardians alike. Please read this entire document carefully before completing an application to participate in the program.    

All students who were accepted into program in past years will be eligible to participate this year and will not be required to re-audition.  

ALL students, returning or new, are required to submit an application.  If though, a student desires to change disciplines, re-auditioning for their new discipline is a requirement.

The acGATEWAY summer arts program begins Monday, June 10, 2024 at Aiken High School.  An informational parents' meeting will be held at 8:30am in the auditorium on that day.

Some additional acGATEWAY reminders include the following:

•             Classes begin at 8:30am. 

•             Students may be dropped off as early as 8am if they wish to eat breakfast.

•             Breakfast and lunch are provided free of charge on Mondays through Fridays.

•             Elementary students dismiss at 2:30.

•             Middle/High students dismiss at 3:30.

•             All students MUST be picked up at their designated dismissal time.

•             Please be reminded of the strict attendance and behavioral policies agreed to in the Code of Conduct.

•             All further information about the program, including Showcase dates/times, can be found again in the application on the Gateway webpage of the district website at  by clicking on DEPARTMENTS - FINE ARTS - SUMMER GATEWAY PROGRAM.

Please contact program director, Mabry MacGregor, at mmacgregor@acpsd.net with further questions. We are looking forward to a wonderful summer through acGATEWAY.

 Important Dates

Monday, November 13^th – Application Available via District Website and School-Based Coordinators

Monday, December 11^th – Applications Due Virtually via District Website or In-Person to School-Based Coordinators

Monday, January 8^th – Audition Times Sent Via Mail

Saturday, January 27^th – Auditions @ Aiken High School

Wednesday, February 9^th – Audition Results Released via Mail

Friday, March 8^th – Permission to Attend Paperwork Due

Thursday, June 6^th – Move-In Day for Staff @ Aiken High School

Monday, June 10^th – First Day for Students @ Aiken High School

Tuesday, June 25^th – Elementary Showcase – 7PM – Last Day for Elementary Students

Thursday, June 27^th – Middle/High Showcase – 7PM

Friday, June 28^th – Middle/High Program Ends – Staff Move-Out Day