Our school is helping all students develop the World Class Skills and Life and Career Characteristics of the Profile of the Graduate by providing dynamic learning with quality arts experiences as an essential component of the curriculum to optimize student achievement and develop creative lifelong learners. Since its opening in 2002, Howe Hall Arts Infused Magnet School (AIMS) has established itself as a nationally recognized beacon of educational excellence in Berkeley County. At its heart lies a powerful conviction: every child can succeed. This belief drives everything the school does, from curriculum design to daily instruction, creating an environment where innovation and creativity flourish.
What sets Howe Hall AIMS apart is its distinctive approach to learning. Rather than treating arts and academics as separate subjects, the school seamlessly merges South Carolina arts and academic standards through carefully crafted lessons that honor multiple intelligences. This integration isn't accidental; it's intentional, strategic, and remarkably effective.
Every student benefits from a robust arts program that includes weekly classes in visual arts, music, theatre, dance, and physical education. But the magic happens when classroom teachers and fine arts teachers collaborate through team-teaching, creating arts-infused lessons that bring academic content to life. Students in grades 3-5 take this exploration even further with weekly exploratory classes featuring cartooning, musical theatre, film production, steel drums, ballet, hip hop, puppetry, digital media, and much more.
The results speak for themselves. Students at Howe Hall AIMS consistently score higher than district and state averages on SC READY, demonstrating that arts integration doesn't compromise academic rigor; it enhances it. The school has also earned prestigious recognition, including the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award (2010, U.S. Department of Education), the State and National Kennedy Center Creative Ticket School of Excellence Award (2007), and the Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Award (2015).
Beyond the classroom, students experience the thrill of performing for live audiences through four major performances and two showcases each year. Many of these are original productions directly connected to classroom learning through infusions. Students participate in numerous community events, like the BCSD Day of Dance, the South Carolina Theatre Association Theatre Festival, and the BCSD All-County Chorus. We also have student artwork in several local art shows, including the Coastal Carolina Fair and North Charleston Arts Fest.
While celebrating our many achievements, Howe Hall AIMS remains committed to continuous improvement. The school is strategically focused on strengthening mathematics instruction and student achievement—an area where performance has not yet matched our exceptional reading results across all grade levels. Through targeted interventions and innovative teaching practices, we are working to close this gap and ensure every student excels in number and operations, algebra and algebraic thinking, measurement and data, and geometry. Additionally, our sustained efforts in fostering a positive school climate have resulted in significant reductions in discipline referrals and an increase in daily attendance, creating an environment where students thrive academically and socially.
As Howe Hall AIMS moves forward, its commitment remains unwavering: to provide every student with opportunities to explore both arts and academics, fostering confident, creative, and capable learners prepared for success.
Ashley McAlister, Principal
Hannah Erickson, SIC Chairperson
