December Newsletter
Welcome to December! We hope you could enjoy a gratitude-filled Thanksgiving with your family to end the month of November. Now, if you hadn’t noticed, we are fully into the holiday season. Let us look beyond the whistles and bells that often dominate the season and pray for the peace that Christmas promises. May it be realized in this season and into the coming year.
We wish to thank all of you who so generously donated various food items during our annual Food Drive in November. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving two of our 7th grade students packed up these items and we delivered them to St. Peter’s Haven Food Pantry to be used to help needy families in the Clifton area.
This month, as we sense the needs of others, we highlight the virtue of Generosity. This is an active and natural response to our concern for others where we look beyond what is “due” and “just” to what is unexpected and will enhance the live and well-being of others. It is in this spirit that our choir hopes to sing for the mayor and his staff once again at City Hall sometime this month.
As you know, in November we launched our seventh annual Read-a-Thon, our 99Pledges fundraiser. Students have been busy working to fulfill their pledges to read 5 books in this period. As of this writing, New Hope School has raised over $2,500 with 48% of families participating. The fundraiser will end on Friday, Dec. 6. We encourage all of our families to join in support of their children by finding sponsors as they continue their reading.
If your child is in 3rd grade or above, we hope you will support his/her involvement in our annual Spelling Bee, which will be held the morning of Friday, December 20. We will be choosing ten finalists who will then compete in January to become this year’s school champion.
Finally, please note that our annual Winter Concert will take place at the church at 78 DeMott Ave. on Thursday, December 19, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. This year’s program will include a special performance by our Drama Club as well as our choir and each of our classes. Also, the winners of an essay contest on the topic Peace Starts With Me will read their essays.
This month, please note that the school’s governing board will be taking up issues associated with our upcoming accreditation team visit in January. You may contact Dr. Beebe to know more.
Wishing you Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year!
“For it is in giving that we receive.”
St. Francis of Assisi