Join Ashley Hall for
An Evening with Writer Brie Arthur
April 17 | 5 – 6  p.m. followed by a reception

This event is now closed.

In celebration of the School’s inaugural Plant With a Purpose Festival, Ashley Hall is pleased to host writer, Brie Arthur to campus for a special presentation, “Foodscape Fusion: Pioneering a New Gardening Era.” Gardening visionary, Brie Arthur reveals a world where plants are not just beautiful, but also functional problem solvers. In this captivating program, she will show you how everyone has the power to make a positive impact through thoughtful planting. Drawing from the wisdom within her books, she will guide you through the art of ingenious plant combinations that merge native species with creativity. Brace yourself for a symphony of colors, flavors, and textures that will revolutionize the way you see gardening. Get ready to plant the seeds of change in your garden and beyond. This program isn’t just about gardening—it’s about contributing to a brighter, more sustainable future. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a budding enthusiast, you’ll walk away with fresh insights and practical advice that transcend skill levels.

Parking is available in Ashley Hall’s Smith Street parking lot which is accessible via Warren Street.

Plant With a Purpose: Feed the World, Heal the World, Be the World!
Monday, April 22
Tailored For Ashley Hall Mothers or a Special Friend of Students Grades K-6

Register for this event

Lower School guests are invited to arrive at 12 p.m.
Intermediate Program guests will join their student(s) for lunch at 12 p.m. prior to attending the event at 1 p.m.

Plant With a Purpose Partner List | Thank you to all!
(click on the business to learn more)

In Addition: Join us for our Plant With a Purpose Guest Writer Event, Brie Arthur on April 17.

Ashley Hall Giving Day Garners Record-Breaking Response

Thanks to the help of amazing parents, faculty & staff, alumnae, grandparents, and friends, Ashley Hall received 319 gifts during this year’s Giving Day. This secured an additional $60,000 in challenge gifts bringing our Giving Day total to $142,179. Our School is blown away by the generosity of this community. Thank you!

Parent Challenge Winner: PQV to Lower School families who came together to show their Panther pride. Thanks to all divisions for such a spirited day! 

Ashley Hall’s annual Book Festival is a spring tradition that brings our entire campus together to celebrate our shared love of reading. This year, we’re thrilled to be hosting a week full of exciting events from Monday, March 18 through Friday, March 22.

The 2024 Book Festival theme is Grow Your Brain, Read a Book, which was inspired by the School’s year-long global education theme highlighting how we can do our part to end hunger. Here’s a closer look at what’s in store!

Book Fair Location + Hours

There will be two book fair locations on campus: the LoDome for Early School through sixth grade readers (Scholastic) and Jenkins Hall Atrium for grades 7-12 (hosted by Buxton Books). Shopping hours are as follows for both locations:

Monday, March 18 | 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Extended Hours!)
Tuesday, March 19 | 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Conference Day, No Classes)
Wednesday, March 20 | 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 21 | 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Friday, March 22 | 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Fathers’ & Friends’ Morning, Half-Day Dismissal)

How to Shop

Ashley Hall Performing Arts Program Presents
King Lear
by William Shakespeare
March 15 & March 16 | 5:30 p.m.
Performed Outdoors in front of the Historic Bear Cave

Tickets: $10 for adults; $8 for students

Performances will be held rain or shine.  In addition to traditional seating, guests are encouraged to bring a blanket to enjoy viewing the performance from the lawn. This performance also includes mature themes and runs approximately two hours. 

Ticket sales are closed online and can be purchased at the performance.

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Romeo & Juliet performed at the Bear Cave in the 1920s.

About the Historic Bear Cave

Outdoor Shakespeare performances are summer staples in larger cities like New York and Chicago. Now the Charleston community can claim its own outdoor Shakespeare experience with Ashley Hall’s Shakespeare at the Historic Bear Cave Series. Dating back as far as 1911 and a performance of As You Like It, the series has featured a variety of Shakespeare’s well-known plays including Midsummer’s Night Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest which was most recently performed in 2022.

The historic Bear Cave was part of the Witte family property, which was purchased by Ashley Hall in 1909. Owning exotic animals was a hobby of families of wealth during the turn of the twentieth century and the Witte family did own a pet bear named Fredrick. The cave itself is made of phosphorus rock and also features a small waterfall on its South side. In addition to hosting Shakespeare performances, the Bear Cave serves as an outdoor classroom for students of all ages. Commencement has also been held here annually for more than a century.

This spring, Ashley Hall is joining a new rec-level youth lacrosse league – and there was a new face on campus at the start of the year to let students know what it’s all about.

For two weeks in January, Director of Lacrosse at South Carolina Youth Lacrosse Taylor Blenckstone joined Panthers in grades 2-6 as a guest coach during Physical Education classes to share her love for lacrosse. Originally from Maryland, Blenckstone played Division I lacrosse at Longwood University in Virginia. She’s been coaching ever since. “Coming from Maryland, lacrosse is huge,” Blenckstone says. “But my goal in coming here is to make it as big in South Carolina as it is there. I hope to help grow the game as much as possible.”

Since joining South Carolina Youth Lacrosse in November, she’s hit the ground running to sign up students in local schools to play this spring in a league she’s building from scratch, and getting into classrooms was step one. “Young athletes are just so willing to learn, and they love to do new things,” Blenckstone says. “That’s why you start in P.E. I’ve found that every time a new kid gets a lacrosse stick in their hands, they’re hooked.”

From grip to cradling the ball with confidence, students spent the first few days learning the basics of lacrosse. Soon they were learning how to pass in three basic steps: step, release, and follow through. “Then in week two, I made it a little more fun and interactive,” Blenckstone says. “I wanted to see if they retained what we did and could apply it to certain drills and games.”

The verdict? The Panthers passed with flying colors. “Seeing them catch their first ball or get a really good pass and be excited about it, that means everything,” Blenckstone says. “That’s exactly why I’m doing what I’m doing – to see their excitement and see their engagement in something new and hopefully have them stick with it.”

Interesting in signing up your athlete to play this spring? Get more information on how to register here