Chameleon Chronicle 2026

Welcome to the 2026–2027 School Year!

Welcome to another exciting year at Howe Hall AIMS! We are thrilled to welcome both returning and new families as we begin a school year filled with opportunities to learn, create, grow, and celebrate one another. This year's theme, "One in a Chameleon: Born to Stand Out, Stronger Together," reminds us that every member of our school community brings unique talents, perspectives, and strengths that make Howe Hall AIMS an extraordinary place to learn. Just like a chameleon, each of us is one of a kind, and together we create a vibrant school where everyone belongs.

As we begin this new year, we look forward to partnering with our families to inspire curiosity, foster creativity, and help every student reach their fullest potential. Whether your child is joining us for the very first time or returning for another amazing year, we are committed to providing a safe, supportive, and engaging environment where every student is encouraged to take risks, discover new passions, and shine. Thank you for trusting us with your children. Together, let's make the 2026–2027 school year one filled with growth, meaningful connections, unforgettable experiences, and countless reasons to celebrate. Welcome back, Chameleons—we're One in a Chameleon: Born to Stand Out, and Stronger Together!

Warm regards,

Ashley McAlister

Principal

Join us for our Kindergarten Orientation event on Wednesday, August 5th! Kindergarten families are asked to attend from 4:30-5:30 to learn all you need to know about kindergarten this year. You may bring your child's school supplies. Be sure to stop by the office to scan your ID, cafeteria for information on Chameleon Care, or to join the PTA. We look forward to welcoming you and kicking off a fantastic school year together!

Join us for our Meet the Teacher event on Thursday, August 6th! New families are welcome starting at 3:30p.m. and returning families may arrive starting at 4:00 p.m. The evening will end at 5:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to connect with teachers and staff. The goal of the evening is for your student to meet their teacher, please remember classrooms might not be perfect as the teachers return to the building on Wednesday, August 5th.

Students in first through second grade will be meeting their homeroom teacher. Students in third, fourth and fifth grade will meet all of their teachers. Third grade students will be switching classes this year. Each student will have two teachers one for ELA and one for Math/Science/Social Studies. (Your teacher will provide the other teacher's name during Meet the Teacher)

Fourth and Fifth Grade students will have all three teachers. School supplies may be dropped off at this time. Be sure to stop by the office to scan your ID, cafeteria for lunch information or Chameleon Care, multi-purpose room to see PTA, and the fine arts hallway to see all of your fine arts teachers. Use our Meet the Teacher checklist to get ready for the best year yet!

Our 2026–2027 PTA Membership Drive is officially here, and there's a membership level for every family!

Your membership helps make possible: Staff Appreciation & Recognition, Classroom Grants, Family Fun Nights, Spirit Events, Grade Celebrations, Student Giveaways, School Improvement Projects, and so much more! When you join the PTA, you're helping create the experiences that make Howe Hall AIMS such a special place for our students!

Why become a member?

Research consistently shows that schools with active PTAs have stronger school communities and more opportunities for students and teachers. Your membership strengthens our voice, supports important programs, and helps us continue creating memorable experiences for every Chameleon.

Choose the membership level that's right for your family:

Bronze Individual – $10

Silver Individual – $25 (includes a calendar magnet and PTA Store credit)

Gold Family – $50 (includes 2 memberships, raffle entry, calendar magnet & PTA Store credit)

Platinum Family – $100 (includes 2 memberships, extra raffle entries, calendar magnet & the highest PTA Store credit)

Every membership counts. Every member matters. Join today and help us make the 2026–2027 school year our best one yet!

The Howe Hall AIMS PTA is seeking business sponsors for the 2026–2027 school year. Your sponsorship directly supports our students, teachers, and school community by helping fund educational programs, family events, teacher appreciation initiatives, and so much more.

Teachers and staff will be ready to greet you beginning at 7:15 a.m. on Wednesday, August 12th. Please note that parents/guardians will only be permitted to walk their children to their classrooms on the first day of school. If you are walking in with your child on the first day, please be safe and cross at the crosswalk and walk on the grass until you can walk on the sidewalk to the front office. Please do not park in the car drop off lines as this is a safety concerns for those dropping off.

Be sure to fill out the student information sheet and the color tag with the names of those allowed to pick up your child from school. This tag should be attached to the bookbag and the information card returned to school the first day. Remember to put the yellow pick up card in your car so you are ready for dismissal pick up at 2:30 p.m. The yellow cards will need to be placed on your dash.

The bookbag tag is used to list adults that are able to pick up your child from school. Be sure to list several adults that have permission to pick up your child at dismissal. It is imperative that your student has this attached to his or her bookbag daily as we use it to ensure the safety of all students during dismissal.

If you need additional dismissal cards or cards for a car pool, please contact the front office. Be sure to have these in your car for dismissal daily.

We appreciate your help keeping our students and staff safe and ask that you refrain from being on the phone, or being distracted while in the car line during drop off or pick up. Please do not get close to the awnings.

Happy New School Year! I hope you had an amazing summer. I want to take a moment to emphasize the importance of regular attendance for achieving success in school. As you know, all school-age children in your care are required to be in school and on time every day.

If your child needs to be absent, please remember to provide a note for every instance of absence. This can be submitted via email, as a handwritten note, or even a doctor's note. Each note should include the date(s) of absence, the reason for the absence, the student's full name, the name of their homeroom teacher, and must be signed by a parent or guardian. You may send these notes through your child's communication folder, send a note through https://forms.gle/PSp8YxNq64j5LLt29, or directly via email to Mrs. Odgers at odgersy@bcsdschools.net.

As we approach the school year, which consists of 180 school days, please be reminded that students must attend a minimum of 170 days to meet attendance requirements.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in ensuring your child's educational

success.

Thank you,

Ms. Odgers

If your child needs medication during the school day, all required BCSD medication forms must be completed and submitted to our school nurse, Amber Foiles, before any medication can be administered.

For the safety of all students, parents or guardians must deliver all medications directly to the nurse's office. Students are not permitted to bring or possess any medications at school, including cough drops, over-the-counter medications, inhalers (unless authorized), vitamins, or prescription medications.

Please note the following medication requirements:

• Over-the-counter medications must be in a new, unopened, unexpired, original container.
• Prescription medications must be in the original pharmacy-labeled container with the student's name clearly displayed.

Students who are found in possession of or who self-administer medication without proper authorization may be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with BCSD policy.

For complete information, please refer to the BCSD Student Handbook and BCSD Policies JGCD and JGCD-AR.

If you have any questions about medication procedures or your child's medical needs, please contact our school nurse, Amber Foiles, at foilesa@bcsdschools.net or call the school office at 843-820-3899.

It is time for school breakfast and lunch. Please remember students are not allowed to have knives in school even if it is used for lunch. Occasionally, plastic cutlery comes with lunch boxes. Please help ensure safety of our students by removing these items and checking to ensure that knives are not brought to school in lunch boxes.

For information about Free and Reduced Lunch Applications, please go to https://berkeleynutrition.net/?page=lunchapps. or stop by the front office for a paper application. These applications must be completed annually.

If your students are eating school breakfast or lunch, you can check out the menu by clicking on the link below. If your child needs to pay for lunch, please send the money with the student or add it to his or her account through My School Bucks (https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain.action?clientKey=&requestAction=home). Contact the school if you need assistance.

In June 2024, the South Carolina Legislature passed Proviso 1.103 in the state budget, requiring school districts to adopt policies that ban student use of personal electronic devices during the school day. The goal is to foster a more focused learning environment and help students develop critical skills. In response, the South Carolina State Board of Education enacted a policy to ban cell phones and other personal devices in public schools, effective January 2025.

To comply with this mandate, the Berkeley County Board of Education adopted Policy JICDB – Student Access to Cell Phones and Personal Electronic Devices on December 2, 2024. This policy aligns with the state board's model policy prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices during the school day.

The Berkeley County School District administration will present an administrative rule to supplement Policy JICDB in January 2025. This rule will outline procedures, compliance expectations, and consequences for violations.

More information from the SC Department of Education available here: https://ed.sc.gov/initiatives/free-to-focus/

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) and Fast Facts: https://www.bcsdschools.net/o/bcsd/page/phone