Hanahan Middle School named a News 2 Cool School

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Fun and engaging classes and activities and a special education program that provides more inclusive opportunities for students with special needs are part of what makes Hanahan Middle School our Cool School of the Week. 

The Hawks are flying high as the “Coolest School.”

Hanahan Middle School is currently in villas, a temporary location, while the school’s campus undergoes a major renovation and expansion project. 

HMS has around 800 students in sixth through eighth grade. Students are engaged in classes like Gateway to Technology, a pre-engineering class, health, and Spanish, and the school also has an award-winning jazz band. 

“One of our main missions here at Hanahan Middle School is to make sure every person that comes into our building feels seen, heard, and loved, so we really do some extraordinary efforts to make sure we’re bringing all of our students into the climate into the school, so everybody can participate and feel like they’re a part of our school community,” said Hahahan Middle School Principal Kelli Roberson.

“We do a lot of fun things, a bunch of activities that includes the whole school,” said Sixth-grade student Kinsley Hildebrant.

Not only is Hanahan Middle a News 2 Cool School, but they are also the Mount Pleasant Police Department’s Special Olympics Polar Plunge “Coolest School” for raising more than $3,000 two years in a row. 

Stormy Walker is the special education teacher for students with mild intellectual disabilities.   She says, “We’ve been the Coolest School two years in a row. We’ve been doing the Polar Plunge two years in a row as well, so it’s just a really fun event that we get to be a part of.  I really love that we’ve been able not only go there and do the event but bring the Polar Plunge here for our students to be able to participate in and our staff.  It’s something we highlight and look forward to every year.”

The school raised funds through a coin war. Students and staff put coins in the jar of the staff member they wanted to see in the dunk tank. Walker says, “We raised 36-hundred dollars in total.  Half of that is going to be able to come back to our Unified Program, so we can go on field trips, we can buy materials, we can get our uniforms for different field days, things like that with the supplies.”

Hanahan Middle has two Unified Classes.  The Buddy program in Walker’s class brings students from general education and special education together to learn from each other through activities and music, providing more inclusive opportunities for students with special needs.

“We like to provide them opportunities to not only learn, but also to apply what they learn throughout the building.  We give them opportunities to go out and about with general education, but we have hands-on activities.  Everything is very engaging and hands-on,” said Walker.

 “I like school because it’s fun,” said sixth-grader JJ Mason. His buddy Jahyanna Reaves, an eighth-grade student, says, “I like when we communicate with each other, have fun with each other doing other activities.” 

Eighth-grade student Adam Olmsted says, “I like it.  It’s fun and you get to help them learn.” Ayden Baylock, an eighth-grade student, is Adam’s Buddy. Ayden says, “It’s a good thing you get to spend some time with your buddy so, you can do some stuff with your buddy instead of doing things by yourself. you can play with your buddy and learn stuff with your buddy.”

Students in Walker’s class are also in charge of the Hawk Express.  Students roll around a cart and visit staff members with the treat cart every Friday. They deliver snacks and drinks provided by families and members of the community. Students also deliver positive affirmations.

“That’s one of the highlights of the week for our staff here. When they go around and visit all the teachers, and give them a little treat, a little word of encouragement. It helps them to get out and practice some of those social skills and be known by everybody in the school. I think it’s really special because of the people in this building and people around the building. Our community truly supports our school. They love our school. Our kids respect one another. They want to learn. Hanahan Middle School is a Cool School because we truly have the best students. We truly do. They are what makes it fun coming to work every single day,” said Principal Roberson.

If you would like to nominate a Cool School, teacher, or principal, send an email to Octavia Mitchell at [email protected].