Santa has placed a “spy” in the mix at Andalusia Elementary School, watching to see who’s naughty and who’s nice.

His name is “Ace” the Christmas elf, and he arrived by special delivery when students returned from their Thanksgiving break on Monday.

“Right before Thanksgiving holidays, (Principal) Mrs. (Patty) Taylor received a special phone call from Santa himself,” said AES teacher Cathy Powell. “But the students did not know it was Santa, because they could just hear Mrs. Taylor’s side of the conversation.

“He said we are a great school, so he decided to send us a surprise,” she said.

Powell said students had to wait until Monday to find out what the “surprise” was until they saw the video footage of Ace’s arrival.

“He was carried in by another special helper – the Andalusia Bulldog – Sunday night, and placed under the Christmas tree in the Town Square,” she said.

Now, Ace is in a different spot every day, watching and reporting back to the big guy in the North Pole, Powell said.

“At night, Ace is caught by our school cameras having some fun around the school, and after his little adventure, he then goes to North Pole – by magic of course – to tell Santa which kids he caught being good,” she said. “Santa then sends an email to Mrs. Taylor listing some of the children who were caught ‘SOAR-ing.”

SOAR, which stands for safe, organized, accountable and respectful – all qualities of an outstanding elementary school student, she said. It is the motto students have been taught since the beginning of the school year.

Also, Powell said students have been warned – hands off the elf.

“No one can touch him because his magic will go away, and of course, we don’t want that,” she said.

When “caught being good,” students are then recognized by their teachers.