Dear Parents,
Welcome to the month of February, the month where we celebrate Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day. The latter, due to the public school calendar we are following, is a two-day recess, February 17-18.
The Virtue-of-the-Month for February is Filial Piety. This is a virtue which is not well-known in the West but is a central one in many Eastern cultures. In the Western world, it is perhaps best expressed and recognized by one of the Ten Commandments: “Honor thy mother and father.” It is a recognition that we all owe our parents, and elders in general, a great deal for the love and care we receive in our developing years. It is incalculable how much is invested in us as we grow towards adulthood, from the meals that were cooked for us and lunches made, to the clothes bought and cleaned for us, the shelter provided us, the countless events we were transported to, etc., etc., etc. Filial piety means a natural response of respect and gratitude towards our elders who have given us so much.
Open House
Wednesday, January 29, was our first Open House of the year—this one, held virtually, was in connection with National School Choice Week. We had several prospective parents attending, who were all well engaged. Dr. Beebe began by giving the parents a PowerPoint presentation, overviewing the school. We wish to appreciate parents Mr. Anoum Wright and Mr. and Mrs. Hidalgo for their support by sharing their experiences with the school and answering parents’ questions. Over the past few weeks, several parents have stopped by the school for a tour of our new facility at the Boys and Girls Club. In the coming months New Hope School will be holding Open Houses on a monthly basis, the next being also virtual on Wednesday, February 26, 7:00-8:00 pm. If you know of any parents who might be interested in sending their child to New Hope, please invite them to this valuable information session where they can find out about our education program and extra-curricular activities.
Spelling Bee
This year’s spelling bee final was held last Friday with nine finalists. We are happy to announce that last year’s winner, seventh-grader Maison Raji, became one of our rare repeat spelling champions! Ai Kondo, a sixth-grader, was runner-up. We wish to congratulate Maison on winning once again and to our finalists for their sincere efforts.
May God be with you and your family!
New Hope School Staff
“There are three degrees of filial piety. The highest is being a credit to our parents, the second is not disgracing them; the lowest is being able simply to support them.”
Confucius
