Chameleon Chronicle 2026

It is hard to believe it is already May! HHA Chameleons have been hard at work since spring break. Afterschool groups wrapped up last week with two great evening performances. Congratulations to all of the students who have artwork displayed at the North Charleston Arts Fest.

Our kindergarten and first grade Chameleons are gearing up for their end-of-year showcase. Our students in grades three through fifth grade are getting ready to kick off state testing. We encourage all students to do their very best on these assessments.

You can support your student by ensuring they eat a healthy breakfast, bring a charged Chromebook, and get a good night's sleep. Testing will begin at 8:00 each morning, and state testing will take place from May 5th to May 14th.

Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate our teachers during our Teacher Appreciation Event last week!

As we approach the end of the school year, be sure to review the entire Chameleon Chronicle for all the upcoming dates and details about our exciting end-of-year activities.

Thank you for your continued support!

Warm regards,

Ashley McAlister, Principal

As a culminating project for our Cold War unit, 5th graders did an abstract watercolor/oil pastel resist painting to represent the differences between communism and democracy! We focused on lines and color palettes to communicate the differences between each ideology. Afterwards, students completed an Artist Reflection Sheet to explain their artistic choices and demonstrate their learning.

Students had a blast at this year's Field day! It was a perfect day with perfect weather! Students had a ton of smiles and fun battling tug-of-war, 50 yard dash and many more fun stations. Over 340 family members came out to cheer on and support their students. It was a perfect way to wrap up our kiddos last day before Spring Break. Thank you parents, students, teachers, and staff who helped make this field day awesome!

Our AIMS Dance Company dancers had a blast recently at the 3rd Annual Day of Dance at Cane Bay High School! They jumped into master classes across different styles and then lit up the stage with their high-energy Car Wash performance. So much fun, growth, and dancing all in one day!

Greeting and salutations,

We are almost to the end, and I want to sincerely thank everyone for your continued commitment to safety. We’ve made great progress—drivers are slowing down, cones are being respected, fewer vehicles are stopping at the front office during arrival and dismissal, and we’re now down to only about two vehicles per week entering through the “Do Not Enter” area. That’s a significant improvement, and it’s helping create a smoother and safer process for everyone.

While reviewing recent footage, I noticed an area of concern. Some vehicles are exiting through the back lot gates, then pulling over and having occupants get out of the car. This creates a lot of movement in a narrow space and increases the risk of someone being struck by a vehicle or causing a collision as drivers try to avoid pedestrians.

When I asked staff about this, there wasn’t a clear answer, but it seems likely that some parents are stopping to properly buckle their children. I completely understand and support the importance of ensuring students are safely secured. However, it is concerning if vehicles are moving at any point while a child is not properly buckled.

Moving forward, I’d like to suggest that families practice having students enter the vehicle and buckle themselves independently before the car begins moving. I know from experience that this can take some time to develop, but it can become a routine. Turning it into a simple challenge or game—like “how quickly can we buckle up and be ready”—can help.

I recognize that managing car rider lines can be stressful, and there’s often pressure to keep things moving quickly. That said, speed should never outweigh safety. Our shared goal is a process that is both efficient and safe.

Let’s continue working together to ensure all students are properly buckled before vehicles begin moving. There may be some adjustment along the way, but with everyone’s cooperation, this can become another smooth and safe part of our routine.

Thank you again for your efforts, your support, and for helping reduce many of the safety concerns we’ve faced.

SRO J. Diaz

Goose Creek Police Department

Howe Hall Aims SRO

519 N. Goose Creek Blvd

Goose Creek, SC 29445

843-863-5200 ext. 2486

Congratulations to the Chameleons whose artwork was selected for the North Charleston Arts Festival! Their artwork will be displayed at the North Charleston Convention Center.

Click on the photo above to learn more about the North Charleston Arts Fest.

3rd Grade Dancers used their initials to create choreography. They had to use a variety of body parts and change levels as they progressed through their initials in the air, on the floor and as they traveled.

Our AIMS Players traveled to Columbia on Saturday for the SCTA Theatre For Youth Festival — and they shined. Fourteen students performed in acting and musical theatre categories, with their group piece, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, earning a Superior rating. Students also participated in workshops on creative movement, puppetry, Shakespeare, and AI in theatre. It was a full day of learning, performing, and celebrating the arts. Way to go, AIMS Players! You make HHA proud.

Finally, don’t forget, you can shop in our online book fair bookstore all year long! Our library gets credit for every purchase made through the online store: https://literati.com/store/?school=howe-hall-aims-elementary-school-goose-creek-sc . Thank you for supporting the library!! Happy Reading!

If you have something at home that arises with your child that you would like to share with me, please email me at FoilesA@bcsdschools.net or give me a call if it’s during the school day. Please refer to the DPH exclusion criteria (see button below) to help determine if your child should stay home from school. Thank you all for your help in making this a great year.

BCSD Medication Policy

If your student requires medication during the school day, please ensure that all necessary paperwork is completed and submitted to Nurse Amber. Parents and guardians must bring the medications to the nurse's office as students are not permitted to possess any medications, including cough drops, over-the-counter medications, and inhalers, etc.

Over-the-counter medications must be provided in a new, sealed bottle or container that is not expired. Prescription medications should be in their original pharmacy containers and clearly labeled for the student.

Please be aware that if a student is found in possession of or self-administers medication, they may face disciplinary action in accordance with BCSD policy. For further details, please refer to the 2025-2026 Student Handbook.

Thank you for your cooperation and attention to this important matter.

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 the 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.

5/19/2026-@ 4:00 in the media center

We know that parents like to enjoy lunch with his or her child occasionally. We do have a few seats for this but we are not able to accommodate every parent every day. We have some guidelines for these visits for you to review and sign during the check in process. Please remember you will need your identification to sign in each time you visit. We are unable to extend student lunch periods for these visits so please be on time.

This school year is full of moments worth remembering, and the yearbook is where those memories live forever. Yearbooks are available in limited supply, and once they sell out, we cannot guarantee additional copies.

Order today to make sure your student has this year’s book of memories! 🍀

The Actor’s Toolbox begins with students signing a silent contract that they promise to control their bodies, voices, and imaginations and to concentrate and cooperate. Then, students practice strengthening their concentration and cooperation skills through a series of challenges. Adopting a common language pinpoints areas where students are making strong vs. weak choices and provides students with a sense of ownership over their behavior. This language, and even signing the contract itself, can be done throughout the day to reinforce set expectations. It also prepares students for deeper applications of content through the use of drama and provides teachers with both a management tool as well as a way of assessing student understanding.

Students are also learning the difference between a stage voice and a speaking voice. A stage voice is one that students should use when on stage or presenting in front of their classmates. A speaking voice is one that you use when speaking to someone beside you.

Students will be in Control of their:

Body

Voice

Imagination

Concentration

Cooperation

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