Check out our Bonner Shoutout from our 2nd Grade Residency this week!
We cannot wait to see all of our little foxes & their families tomorrow evening, Thursday, January 30th, at our Family Night event from 4 to 6 p.m. Join us to experience the amazing learning that has taken place in each grade level and take home some fantastic resources. We look forward to seeing you there!
Congratulations to our January Staffulty of the Month, Mrs. Martin! Mrs. Martin is such a blessing to HBE students and staff. She is always smiling, and lifting others up. She is such a gift to her students. She has high expectations, and her students learn so much with her and Mrs. Carter, her partner. Mrs. Martin is always willing to lend a helping hand, to students and staff members. Most of all , she radiates joy and peace, and has a gift of reaching out to others when she notices that they are down or struggling . In addition, all the students in the building love her. We are so lucky to have Mrs. Martin at HBE.
We are thrilled to announce that our fifth grade leadership group has selected our first Tireless Teammate of the Year! For the next two weeks, she will proudly carry the Golden Tire as a symbol of her dedication and hard work. Our students describe a "tireless teammate" as someone who is hardworking, kind, positive, and engaging. Her commitment to supporting our students shines brightly as they prepare for their big show in March. Thank you, Mrs. Mixon, for everything you do to make our school a better place! 🎭✨
Our students have loved working with Bhakti Larry Hough learning about African Drumming!
We are pleased to share our 2025 Teacher of the Year Nominees: Mrs. Craven, Mrs. Thornell, and Mrs. Lambert. These teachers were nominated by their colleagues as demonstrating an ability to teach and to inspire students to want to learn. ❤️🦊🎉
We have officially kicked off our Artist in Residence week!! We love seeing our students engaged in the Arts! #artsmagnets #littlefoxes
BCSD schools and offices will re-open and resume normal operations tomorrow, Monday, Jan. 27.
It's almost time!
Due to concerns about icy conditions and the ongoing impact of inclement weather, Berkeley County School District students will learn from home and complete eLearning Day assignments on Friday, January 24. All schools and offices will remain closed on Friday. Staff will work remotely. DETAILS: https://www.bcsdschools.net/article/1982626
We are PLEASED to introduce Ms. Bailey Mann who will be working with ALL of our pre-kindergarten students! Ms. Mann will be working with all students in our CERDEP and Headstart programs with incorporating drama into the classroom!
Bio
Bailey Mann is currently the Manager of Learning and Engagement at Spoleto Festival USA. As part of this position, Bailey oversees all community-based programs and the Spoleto-sponsored affiliate, Lowcountry South Carolina Wolf Trap. She is a certified Wolf Trap teaching artist and has rediscovered a passion for children's theatre throughout the training process. Bailey received her Master's in the Art of Teaching Performing Arts from the College of Charleston and an undergraduate degree in Theatre from the University of Georgia. From teaching preschool to high school, from performance to administration, Bailey always infuses creativity and fun into every job she takes on.
Our Little Foxes are in their SNOW DAY era hopefully having "snow" much fun! Share your snow pictures in the comments! 🦊❄️☃️
We are pleased to welcome back Ms. Cat Brantley! She has worked with Bonner multiple times over the past few years and every time she brings something new and amazing to our students. This year she will be working with our 5th grades focusing on indigo dying!
Bio
Cat Brantley is an artist, visual arts teacher, and mindfulness teacher living in Charleston, SC. With 15+ years of teaching art and outdoor education, Cat has developed a passion for teaching creative problem solving and mindfulness through art making. Her mediums of choice are watercolor and acrylic, pen and ink illustration, indigo dye, and batik fabric dyeing. A majority of her residencies focus on indigo dyeing and its connection to SC history, mandala painting and its connection to math, science, and the mindfulness practice, as well as poetry writing and expressive abstract painting. Cat and her sister, Dot, own a creative workshop business, Sister Moon Studio, offering art workshops to adults and creating handmade batiks, upcycled clothing, and indigo shibori items. Cat is also creating an online mindful art resource, Mindful Art Creative, and teaches art and mindfulness workshops around town.
Introducing Angela Gibson, Michael Canty and Hamadi Brown of Libation! Next week our fourth graders will have the opportunity to dive into African dance and drumming with these amazing artist!
Bios
Angela Gibson was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is the founder and artistic director of Libation African Drum and Dance Ensemble. She has taught the history of all dances, choreography, and dialects of songs known along with the musicality of each rhythm for drummers and dancers of company members and community classes. She has constructed costumes and accessories for all company members. Talented in dance and technology, she has created a company website and all social media platforms. Mrs. Gibson currently teaches at Ballet Spartanburg’s Center for Dance Education at Chapman Cultural Center where she teaches for community members about traditional West African dance and drums. She makes the costumes for the community members for our annual recital. Mrs. Gibson served as Artistic Director for Zaki West African Drum and Dance Ensemble in Greenville, SC, October 2018 to December 2022. She was the Founder of Oluwaseyi Drum and Dance Ensemble in Fountain, Colorado, May 2005 to March 2017. She has performed with world-renowned dancer Djeneba Sako of Mali West Africa throughout Colorado.
Hamadi “Mahdi” Brown is a native of Ravenel, SC, located in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina. Hamadi loves the arts and stands firm on the theme that EXPOSURE empowers ALL! He advocates for doing as much as possible to better oneself regardless of the current situation. Hamadi currently resides in Greenville, SC, as a high school counselor. Hamadi’s tenure in education has allowed him to make lifelong connections with stakeholders and students
Michael Canty is a native of Columbia, South Carolina, and is enthusiastic about West African percussion. He developed an interest in music at an early age, learning to play various instruments, and exploring different genres. As a young adult, Michael became deeply entranced in the rhythms of Africa and the West African diaspora. This fascination coincided with his personal ancestral story and elevated his commitment to understanding the essence of the drum. Under the mentorship of Djembefolas (Master Drummers) Amara Camara and Ibrahima Dioubate of Conakry, Guinea, West Africa, Michael studied numerous techniques and performance styles he enjoys exhibiting today. He is currently involved with many performance groups including Gye Nyame Dance Ensemble, Cultural Expressions, Libation West African Drum and Dance, Jazz Dog, and his own Namu Drum Company.
In response to ongoing forecasts for wintry weather, to include the potential for snow, Berkeley County School District (BCSD) announced that schools will follow the half-day dismissal bell schedule on Tuesday, January 21. Students will learn from home and complete eLearning Day assignments on Wednesday, January 22. All schools and offices will be closed Wednesday.
Additional info: https://www.bcsdschools.net/article/1975777
Happy Sunday, Bonner families. As a reminder, there is no school tomorrow in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We will see you all on Tuesday, weather permitting. Our district will keep us informed on those decisions. Here's a link to what's happening around HBE: https://secure.smore.com/n/fbt9a
We introduce Ms. Becky Becker! She will be working with our 2nd grade students January 27th-January 31st! Becky's specialty is puppetry, our students are in for a treat!
Bio
Becky Becker of Becky's Box of Puppets started performing in 1980 at the Charleston Museum. She became an approved artist with the South Carolina Arts Commission in 1983. She has conducted residencies throughout South Carolina for hundreds of elementary students. She's performed at numerous festivals, libraries and special events. She especially loves working with pre-k and early elementary students!
Our next artist is Ms. Gina Bean! She will be working with our first grade students January 27th-January 31st! Our students will spend the week using mixed media materials to make 3D plants and flowers, which will be displayed gallery style on Family Night.
Bio
Gina Bean is a versatile mixed media and photography artist, as well as a Certified Teaching Artist with extensive training and experience in arts integration. She customizes each residency for schools, tailoring lessons to teacher-chosen standards and objectives. In the classroom, she uses a variety of materials, including paper products, airdry clays, and upcycled items, to inspire creativity, problem-solving skills, and loads of fun for students.
Let's meet the amazing artist who will be working with our Kindergarten students! From January 27th-January 31st all students in kindergarten participate in learning about world percussion music using djembe drums, congas, and other percussion instruments!
Bio
Bhakti Larry Hough is a multidisciplinary performing and teaching artist and modern-day griot who is president and artist-in-residence at NewWorld Arts of Hartsville, South Carolina. His and NewWorld Arts’ mission is to provide inspiring, educational, and entertaining artistic cultural performances that demonstrate, honor, celebrate, and preserve American history that reflects African American heritage for adults and children in public and private settings through his unique artistry. He is a jazz and gospel singer/songwriter and bandleader (The Bhakti Project), poet, narrative history storyteller, West African djembe drum and world percussion player and teacher, and cultural and historic preservation consultant. His performances and presentations are dynamic fusions of some or all of these art forms and are often specifically-designed and themed for the occasion. Hough has served as teaching artist-in-residence in 30 SC public schools, including Thornwell School for the Arts of Hartsville, South Carolina; Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary School of Charleston, South Carolina; and South Florence High School of Florence, South Carolina.
It's almost time! We are excited for our Learning through the Arts Week happening at Bonner January 27th-January 31st. Thanks to the DAP (Distinguished Arts Program) Grant received form the State Department and Glow Run fundraising , we are able to host SEVEN artists this week! Every single child in our school will have the opportunity to work with a professional artist in either dance, theatre, visual art or music. Over the next two weeks will will be introducing our artists to you and sharing what your students will be learning and doing!
