Anderson School District 3

Unofficial Results Are In… and It’s a YES for CMS! 🎉 THANK YOU, Anderson 3, for believing in the future of our students. This vote represents an investment in generations of learners who will walk the halls of Crescent Middle School. Results remain unofficial until certified by the Anderson County Voter Registration & Elections Office.

Residents in Anderson 3 can vote today, March 10, at their regular polling locations from 7 AM - 7 PM. 🗳️

Polling locations include:
📍 Grace Baptist Church – Flat Rock
📍 Homeland Park Elementary – Gluck Mill
📍 Flat Rock Bowen Fire Department – Hall
📍 Homeland Park Primary – Homeland Park
📍 Iva Fire Station – Iva
📍 Iva Civic Center – Jackson Mill
📍 Starr-Iva Water Company – Mountain Creek
📍 Williford Fire Station – Rock Mill
📍 Starr Fire Station – Starr
📍 Starr-Iva Middle School – West Savannah

To confirm your polling place or get more voting information, visit SCVotes.gov.

Over the past several months, we have had the opportunity to meet with so many members of our community to share the vision for the proposed Crescent Middle School. We would like to sincerely thank everyone who attended our community meetings, welcomed us into your churches, invited us to your fire departments, and allowed us to speak with civic clubs and community organizations across Flat Rock, Iva, and Starr. We are grateful for a community that cares deeply about its schools and the students we serve every day. We are thankful for the continued support of our students, teachers, and staff, and for the many community partners who work alongside us to make Anderson 3 truly UNCOMMON! 🗳 Crescent Middle Bond Vote Day is March 10, 2026

🗳️ Early Voting for Crescent Middle School is Happening NOW.

Early voting runs through March 6 at the
Anderson County Office of Voter Registration & Elections
📍 301 N. Main Street, Anderson
🕣 Monday–Friday | 8:30 AM–5:00 PM

If you can't vote on March 10, vote now!

Make your plan. Bring a friend. Participate in the process.
For additional voter information, call 864-260-4000.

Help our Tigers find their voice!🗣️✨

Anderson 3 is seeking a certified Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) to support students in communication, language, and learning. If you’re passionate about helping students grow, we’d love to have you on our team. Salary is negotiable!

Apply Now ➡️ bit.ly/A3Careers

Twenty years ago today, our community voted to invest in Flat Rock Elementary School.

At the groundbreaking, Michele Wiles, now a 4K teacher at FRES, predicted the school would “bring life back to the community.”

She was right.

Flat Rock Elementary has become the heart of a growing community and a place where students and staff walk in growth and learning together every day.

Thank you to the Anderson 3 residents who made that vision possible in 2006. Your investment continues to shape lives.

In 1953, construction began on an equalization school that was first known as New Deal School. At a time when educational opportunities for Black students in rural South Carolina were limited and unequal, the building stood as a place of access, growth, and possibility.

For years, it served Black children in grades 1 through 12, becoming a second home to generations of students and staff who walked its hallways.
As schools integrated and time moved forward, New Deal School became Starr-Iva Jr. High and finally Starr-Iva Middle School. Through every season of change, the “school on the hill” has remained a steady presence in the Starr-Iva community.

Now, more than seventy years later, it’s still standing and serving students, and it's the oldest school facility in our district. We honor what it represents in Black history and in our local history. We also recognize that the same building that once represented opportunity in 1953 no longer meets students' needs in 2026.

Celebrating Black History Month means remembering what was started in New Deal and understanding why progress matters. The legacy of this school deserves to be honored, and our students deserve a learning environment built for their future.

We are NOW ENROLLING for 4-Year-Old Kindergarten for the 2026-2027 School Year! 🎒✏️🚌

Visit our portal here ➡️ https://bit.ly/A34K26 ⬅️ to submit the necessary paperwork and information. Your child must be four years of age on or before September 1, 2026.

Have questions about Anderson 3's 4K Program? 💭 Contact Melissa Davis, Early Learning Coordinator, at davism@acsd3.org or call 864-348-6196! 📧☎️

Before the first bell ever rings,
Before the classroom lights glow bright,
There’s a steady hand behind the wheel
Guiding morning into light.
They travel roads both long and winding,
Through fog, through rain, through Carolina sun,
Carrying precious cargo daily,
Not just students… but someone’s son.
Someone’s daughter.
Someone’s whole wide world.
They are the first “good morning,”
The final “see you tomorrow.”
The calm in early chaos,
The steady in joy and sorrow.
A bus driver doesn’t just drive a route,
They build routine. They build trust.
They start and end each school day
With patience, care, and us.

To Our Anderson 3 Bus Drivers,
Thank you for being the first smile and the last wave.
Our schools simply wouldn’t run without you. 💛🐯

Shine Bright at Starr! 🐯🌟

Starr Elementary is now hiring for the 2026–2027 school year! Early Childhood and Elementary Certifications are being considered. Interviews begin soon! 🚨

Apply Now! ➡️➡️➡️ bit.ly/A3Jobs

Dr. Adam Coats, Director of Human Resources, and Carol Brooks, Anderson One Coordinator of Induction & Mentoring, enjoyed spending time with Teaching Fellows at Clemson University, sharing how strong support, mentorship, and community help future teachers grow and thrive. 🍎 We love pouring into future educators and showing them that teaching is more than a career, it’s a calling. The future of education is bright, and we’re proud to be part of the journey! 🐯✨

Join Harper for a Trade Partner Outreach Event to learn more about the proposed plans for the new Crescent Middle School. This meeting will provide an overview of the project scope, schedule, and bid opportunities. Attendees will also have the chance to meet project team members and learn about the prequalification process. We welcome new and existing trade partners interested in working with us on this exciting project.

🌨️📡 Weather 101 with a Pro! FOX Carolina Meteorologist Adam McWilliams gave Starr Elementary second graders the 411 on the winter weather before it made it our way! Students loved learning about the storm, asking all the questions, and getting a behind-the-scenes look at what meteorologists do. ⛈️❄️ They’re already counting down the days until they can meet him in person, and give him his “I Take Weather Cirriusly” once the winter weather clears up! 😄👕

⏰ 2-Hour Delay ⏰

Anderson 3 will operate on a 2-hour delay schedule for Tuesday, February 3.
Thank you for your patience and continued support as we prioritize the safety of our students and staff. 🐯❄️

Looks like the Tiger’s been hard at work! 🐯💨❄️

We will operate on a normal schedule for Friday, January 30.

Anderson 3 will operate on a Two-Hour Delay schedule for Thursday, January 29. ⏰ Bus routes may take slightly longer than normal as drivers safely reroute to avoid areas that remain hazardous. Communication will be shared directly with families whose routes may be affected. 🚌❄️

❄️ Weather Update #2 ❄️

Our Transportation and Operations Teams have worked diligently today to assess road conditions across the Starr, Iva, and Flat Rock communities. While primary roads and highways have improved, many rural secondary roads remain hazardous due to lingering ice. These roadways contain numerous 🚌❄️

Because of these conditions, Anderson 3 will observe an eLearning Day, Wednesday, January 28, to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and families. 💻✏️

So thankful for our Anderson 3 Board of Trustees during Board Member Appreciation Month! 💛🐯

Their support of our teachers, staff, and students helps move Anderson 3 forward. These are bold, committed leaders who aren’t just guiding today, but paving the way for the next generation of Anderson 3.

We appreciate your leadership, your heart for this community, and your unwavering commitment to our schools. 👏🍎

❄️ Winter Weather Update ❄️

Due to anticipated winter weather impacts over the weekend, Anderson 3 will observe eLearning Days on Monday, January 26, and Tuesday, January 27.

Schools will communicate eLearning information directly with students and families. We understand that winter weather may result in power outages or connectivity issues ⚡📶, and flexibility will be provided as needed. Please be reminded that students have five (5) school days to complete the assigned eLearning work following the date that school operations resume.

For warming center and shelter information, as well as other community resources 🏠🔥, visit https://bit.ly/WinterStorm2026
or call 2️⃣1️⃣1️⃣ ☎️.

“𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓭𝓸 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽.”
-𝖣𝗋. 𝖬𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗇 𝖫𝗎𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖪𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝖩𝗋.

Anderson 3 schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 19, in observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.
🕊️🤝🤍