Students from Ashley Hall’s Early Education Center and first grade have been exploring building and construction. The students have been practicing making 2-D sketches and bringing them to life in the classroom. In collaboration with this study, the students were able to visit the Medical University of South Carolina’s construction site for the new Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital. This was such a wonderful way for the students to understand the different steps that happen in the construction process. They were also able to meet many different local professionals and were able to observe many of the equipment tools at work.

A heartfelt “thank you” to all of our families and alumnae who supported the Chicora Elementary School gift-giving campaign. This morning in North Charleston, 568 bags filled to the top with new toys, books, school supplies and uniforms, were distributed to our young friends at Chicora. Over 20 cars acted as “sleighs” behind the big Ashley Hall activity bus which was packed to the ceiling with gift bags. A huge PQV to EEC Director and Santa’s special elf, Dana VanHook, and her team of incredible volunteers who pulled this huge effort off seamlessly for the 17th year. The best part of the visit—seeing the children’s faces light up when seeing Santa Claus and a gift bag with their name on it! We believe! Do you?  

The Holiday Market is an opportunity for students to learn about sales and marketing skills while earning money too! Over the next few weeks as the countdown to the holidays begins, the AH Parents’ Association is encouraging students to find their entrepreneurial self within by either working with a team of fellow students or as a solo-run business producing fun items to sell at the December 9, Holiday Market. The students keep all the proceeds from the sale of their items. 

Table registration and information forms for Intermediate and Upper School students are now available.  The deadline has been extended to Tuesday, November 29.

Table Registration and Information Forms

Ashley Hall is pleased to announce the addition of its new school-based Health Center led by Director of Ashley Hall Health Services —and alumna!—Tiffin Dowling Lamoreaux ’01. “Think of it as Ashley Hall’s Urgent Care Center,” says Tiffin. Research shows that more students return to class after visiting a school-provided nurse practitioner versus a school nurse. There are many medical conditions that may have previously required a parent to take their child to their primary care provider that can now be managed on campus thus allowing the child to remain at school. Tiffin will work closely with primary care providers to ensure that there is continuity of care. “With a focus on preventive care and health maintenance, the goal is to keep our students healthy, so they can thrive in class.” The benefits of a school-based health center also extend to faculty and staff. By providing routine and preventative health maintenance as well as acute care, Tiffin can reduce faculty and staff related health-related absences and see lower out-of-pocket medical costs. It’s a winning proposition campus wide.

Lower School Art Teacher, Tina Hirsig, and Kristen Callahan, Director of Technology, Innovation and Education have teamed together to create several dedicated “tinkering” spaces around campus which feature unique collaborative installations. Tina and Kristen believe that shaping and reshaping the world around us through the process of creative play promotes, supports and fosters critical thinking, curiosity, collaboration, problem-solving, exploration, and self discovery.

Each installation—Earth Loom, Lego Wall, and Chalkboard Wall—incorporates our school  Hallmarks: Worldly, Compassionate, Discerning, Creative, Intelligent, Purposeful, Collaborative which serve as guiding principles. Teachers bring their disciplinary knowledge to the installation in order to expand and elaborate on their curriculum. These spaces serve as an incubator for new ideas with emphasis on what is already being taught in the classroom. These interactive installations have the potential to extend what students are learning academically, socially, and/or creatively.

Kindergarten students recently used their sea turtle knowledge while visiting the South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Hospital. Each student chose one turtle to research and create an observational drawing. The students presented Kelly Thorvalson, from the sea turtle hospital, with $1,124 that the students raised from their bake sale!