McKissick Academy of Science and Technology

09/10/2026

Join us for Open House: Every Adventure Begins with a Book! Explore classrooms, celebrate student learning, enjoy literacy activities and dinner, and connect with our MAST family.
Thursday, September 17th from 6:00-7:30. Please RSVP to help us ensure we have enough food for everyone using the flyer sent home or this link: https://forms.gle/7EWFWCMJ6Mvhuh3m7

📖 Plus, every family will receive a copy of our One School, One Book selection to continue the adventure at home!

We can’t wait to see our Sharks and their families!

09/10/2026

Join us TOMORROW, SEPTEMBER 11th as we honor one of our own, Alyvia, by wearing RED (her favorite color). Alyvia is a former MAST Shark who was so loving and fought with such determination and bravery. Help us fill the school with red as we remember her.

https://obits.robinsonfuneralhomes.com/alyvia-christie?fbclid=IwY2xjawUPkURwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5d9NdcIIqCMXpUAH5zC1ejM1BQQxXSiGm82o1oWGRTH37jWcW-TfE5MR7X-Q_aem_tPMQy1giklJ0JR-NoKyiSw

09/10/2026

What’s Up Wednesday, MAST?! 🦈

This week is all about family and connection at MAST!

We are excited to welcome our grandparents tomorrow and Friday for Grandparents Day Breakfast. We love opening our doors and giving the people who support our Sharks a chance to experience MAST with them. 💙

And we’re not slowing down! Next Thursday is our Open House and Family Literacy Night. Join us for an evening of learning, family fun, free hot dogs, and a chance to see what our Sharks have been working on! 📚🌭

There is a lot happening at MAST, and we love sharing it with our families.

09/09/2026

🧲 Problem solved: The Magnetic Doggie Door!
Over the last few weeks, our 3rd graders have ASKED questions and EXPLORED magnetic forces and data. This week, they put that learning to work as they moved into MODEL, EVALUATE, and EXPLAIN in the Engineering Design Process!
Using evidence from their investigations, students created models of a doggie door that used attraction to stay closed and repulsion to push it open. Like engineers, they EVALUATED their models, made adjustments, and tested again—resulting in a variety of successful solutions!
For the final EXPLAIN step, students took their designs to the Shark Tank, where they demonstrated their models and explained how they used magnetic forces to solve the challenge.
Keep the EXPLAINING going at home! Ask your 3rd grader: What kept your doggie door closed? How did you use magnetic forces to make it open?
From asking questions to explaining solutions, our young engineers are using evidence, persistence, and creative thinking to solve real-world problems! 💡

09/04/2026

Best Fun Friday ever!
💚🦈

09/04/2026

🦈💙 What a FIN-tastic Friday at MAST!💙🦈

Our morning started with the EHS Cheerleaders opening car doors and welcoming our Sharks with lots of smiles and school spirit! 📣💚We kept the excitement going with Fun Friday and ended the day with our first clubs of the year! 🎉

Our students enjoyed a day full of fun, connections, and opportunities to explore their interests. What a great way to wrap up another wonderful week at MAST!

Fins Up, Sharks! 🦈 Have a great weekend!💙

09/04/2026

🦈 MAST Family! This week’s Fins U p is ready! Please take a few minutes to read through each section for important updates, reminders, celebrations, deadlines, and everything you need to know for the week ahead.

Thank you for all you do for our Sharks. Let’s make it another great week at MAST!

📲 Check out the Shark Report here:

Fins Up Newsletter- 9.4.2026

09/03/2026

SDPC is beginning the search for our next superintendent.

Following 13 years of leadership, Superintendent Dr. Danny Merck will conclude his service at the end of the 2026–2027 school year. With advance planning, the Board of Trustees is beginning the search process now to support a thoughtful and seamless transition.

The search will be guided by our Innovate ’28 Strategic Plan and shaped by input from the people who know and care about SDPC — our students, employees, families, and Pickens County community.

🗣️ Your voice matters.

The Board of Trustees, in partnership with the South Carolina School Boards Association, is gathering community input to help identify the qualities, experience, and leadership priorities that should guide the search for SDPC’s next superintendent.

The first opportunity to share your input:

📅 Tuesday, September 29, 2026
📍 Liberty High School (124 Red Devil Drive, Liberty, SC 29657)
⏰ 6:00 PM

Additional opportunities for community input will be announced as the search progresses.

Learn more about the superintendent search and how you can participate: https://www.pickens.k12.sc.us/article/3112602

09/03/2026

💚🦈💙

We are excited to share that the United Way of Pickens County Education Council has awarded McKissick Academy of Science and Technology an Education Impact Grant to fund Read and Rise in Partnership, a family-centered early literacy program.

Through this program, McKissick will work primarily with 2nd grade students with an emphasis on phonemic awareness and phonics, particularly for multilingual learners. Read and Rise in Partnership will strengthen the connection between classroom instruction and literacy learning at home through monthly hands-on family literacy workshops, take-home books and literacy materials, and targeted support for students with identified literacy needs.

We are thrilled to support McKissick Academy in this work which empowers families to play an active role in their children's reading development.

09/03/2026

What an AMAZING day at Lake Jocassee! 🛥️☀️💦 Half of our 4th grade crew—Mrs. Brown & Mrs. Kittrell’s classes—had a fantastic time today exploring Lake Jocassee with Wild Child Adventures!

Students embarked on a boat tour of the lake while learning about the history of Lake Jocassee and the surrounding area. Along the way, they spotted wildlife in their natural habitats and were able to connect our classroom learning to the real world! 🌿🐟🦋 They got a firsthand look at structures and functions in nature and even observed examples ofweathering and erosion—a little sneak peek at science learning that’s coming soon!

But some of the BEST learning happened through the adventures themselves! Our SHARK Expectations were on full display as students helped one another climb the trails, encouraged their classmates, and cheered each other on through many first-time experiences. 🦈💙 We loved watching them be brave, supportive, curious, and adventurous!

And what better way to end a SUPER hot day than with a refreshing dip in beautiful Lake Jocassee?! 💦☀️

What a fantastic day of learning, exploring, teamwork, and making memories! We can’t wait for the other half of our 4th grade crew to experience this amazing adventure next week! 🛥️🏞️🦈