December Newsletter

As we are now in the midst of the holiday season with its associated stresses, let us cultivate our connection with its primary virtues of gratitude and selfless giving.

In that vein, 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 one 7th and one 8th grade student packed up these items and we delivered them to St. Peter’s Haven Food Pantry. These were used to help needy families in the Clifton area.

This month we highlight the comprehensive virtue of Charity. We encourage our teachers to guide their students beyond the usual understanding of charity as giving money to the poor. Giving money is but one expression of selfless giving. Another expression of that giving is when every December our choir goes to City Hall to sing for the Mayor of Clifton and his staff as well as at the nearby senior citizens center. We wish to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to Mayor James Anzaldi for his support of New Hope School over many years as he retires this coming January 1st. We wish him well in his well-deserved retirement.

As you know, in November we launched our fifth annual Read-a-Thon, our 99Pledges fundraiser. With your support, as of this writing on the last day of the fundraiser, New Hope School has raised a total of $3,491 with 54% of families participating. On behalf of our staff and the entire school, I wish to extend my heartfelt appreciation to all of you who gave in support of this year’s fall fundraiser.

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 Thursday, December 22nd. We will be choosing ten finalists who will then compete in January for the right to represent our school at the regional spelling bee at Bergen Community College in March.

Finally, please note that our annual Winter Concert will take place on Tuesday, December 20th, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. This year’s program will include performances from our dance class, choir, and each of our grades plus winners of an essay contest we are holding on the topic Charity Begins at Home.

Wishing you Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year!

                                                                                                New Hope School Staff

“With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds.”

Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address

November Newsletter

A big thank you to all the parents who gave to our October clothing drive. The clothes will be donated this week to the Salvation Army for distribution to needy families.

This week our students will be taking the school’s annual reading assessment. In addition, we will be conducting a survey to understand how much reading students are doing outside of school. You should receive an email about it this week. Please return the survey to the school as soon as you can. The promotion of reading is one of the core aspects of our curriculum.

In line with this, in November we will be holding our 5th annual Read-a-Thon, our fall fundraiser which also doubles as an encouragement to our students to read more. Each student will be asked to read at least 5 books during the month and we ask parents, related family, and friends to sponsor them in this task. Each child will be given a separate web page to which sponsors can indicate their pledges of support. Our overall goal for the fundraiser is $5,000 as a school. We will appreciate any support you can offer which will be counted towards the $200 we ask each family to donate to the school during the course of the school year. Look for an e-mail on it this week.

This month’s virtue of the month is Wonder. Wonder is about the appreciation for the beauty and bounty of the world around us. As we celebrate Thanksgiving later this month, it is a time of moving beyond our specific faiths and various ethnic traditions to celebrate the bounty of America’s founding. It is a time to reflect on and appreciate the best about our lives. It is a time also of giving support to those among us who may be less fortunate for whatever reason. To this end, we invite you to participate in our annual food drive running from Nov. 4-22 (see flier this Friday). All donations will be forwarded to St. Peter’s Haven for distribution to those in need in time for Thanksgiving.

Please note on the November calendar that parent-teacher meetings are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 16-17, 3:30-5:30 pm. Look for a sign up sheet on the bulletin board in the outside hallway next week. We hope that all of our parents will use this opportunity to meet with their child(ren)’s teacher(s) to understand their performance so far this school year and how you may better support them in their education.

Finally, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!                                                                             

“Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.”

e.e. cummings

October Newsletter

As we enter the month of October, we are beginning to experience a change in the weather. Mornings especially are cooler and we shall soon see the appearance of the beautiful autumn foliage. Take a family drive!

We wish to thank everyone who attended our Back-to-School Night this past Friday. Fifty-six percent of our families were represented. We look forward to a good collaborative relationship with you throughout this year. We invite you to be part of New Hope’s Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) whose first meeting will be sometime in November. In addition, thank you for volunteering to help us in some of our school’s activities. We will be in touch with you about these.

On Thursday, Oct. 6, will be Picture Day when individual, class, and whole school photos will be taken of the students. Be sure your child is dressed extra nice that day.

Next Friday at our monthly assembly we have invited a truly awesome speaker; in fact, his name is Cam F. Awesome! He is a former boxer and motivational speaker who will be speaking on the topic “If you can fail without being discouraged, success is inevitable.” Parents are also welcome starting at 9:30 am.

At the same time, we will be kicking off our first service project of the year—a clothing drive. Please bring in old (but in good condition) shirts, pants, hats, gloves, coats, blankets, shoes, sweaters, sweatshirts, etc., and drop them off in a box that will be in the hallway starting Monday, Oct. 3. The clothing will be given to St. Peter’s Haven for distribution to needy families.

October is a month for celebrating Self-Control. This is the virtue that calls us to control our passions, push ourselves, and—through such efforts—ultimately free ourselves to realize our full potential. Please note that throughout the year we will be announcing our Students of the Month at our monthly assemblies.

As you know, our first field trip of the year, apple picking, will be on Friday, Oct. 14. Also, we plan to have our schoolwide Harvest Festival on Friday, Oct. 28, 1:00-3:00 pm. Children are welcome to come in Halloween costumes for that day (but not too scary!). Parents also are welcome to come and support either event.

Let’s have a great autumn together!

                                                                                                New Hope School Staff

“To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

September Newsletter

As principal of New Hope School, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2022-23 school year. Our teachers are excited to have students back in their classrooms. We spent all of last week preparing for the new school year while discussing the most effective ways to help students develop themselves academically, socially, and emotionally in the coming year. We reminded ourselves that, above all, our mission is to teach our students God-centered universal values and service to others as the basis for personal integrity, harmony in the family, and peace in the world. We look forward to partnering with you in the coming year to achieve this.

Each child is a unique individual. We pride ourselves on the opportunities we offer to help every one of our students succeed. These opportunities are included in our academic programming, from core subjects to electives and after school activities that help them develop their strengths, interests, and talents in many areas. We are always looking towards the future—and preparing them for what comes next in their lives.

This work is not easy, but New Hope School is a community of professionals. We all—teachers and administrators—collaborate in order to create a safe, supportive, and welcoming learning community where all students are treated fairly and have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

As New Hope families, you play a critical role as partners in supporting your children at home and in the school. As a start to this partnership, we invite you to attend our Back-to-School-Night on Thursday, September 22, 6:30-8:30 pm, here at the school.

To stay up-to-date on what’s happening throughout the year, visit our website and Facebook page often, as well as TeacherEase, where you can check up on your child’s schoolwork.

New Hope School is a wonderful learning community. I feel so privileged to be a part of it. This is a very special place, and my colleagues and I appreciate the trust that you’ve shown us by sending your children to our school. We will do our best to ensure they have a fulfilling, happy, and safe year.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at rbeebe@newhopeschoolnj.com if you have any questions or concerns. I am looking forward to a great school year together.

Robert Beebe, Ed.D.

Principal

June Newsletter

As we approach the end of the school year, we wish to thank all of you for your consistent support over the year. As parents and teachers, we have a joint responsibility to raise and educate our children, helping them grow to become loving and conscientious adults. In a world where family values are under challenge, this task is more critical than ever. Thank you for helping to make New Hope School a safe haven where our students can receive the best possible instruction—morally, emotionally, and academically.

Our Virtue-of-the-Month for June is Heroism. We just celebrated Memorial Day in remembrance of those heroes who gave their lives in war to protect our country and to promote freedom throughout the world. Being a hero is different from being a celebrity. Often heroes are “unsung.” Their heroic deeds are sometimes not known until many years later, if ever. You have probably heard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, someone who gave his life and whose identity is not even known. However, let us remember and honor the everyday heroes all around us. They are there, if you look.

We wish to thank everyone for their participation and strong support for our spring fundraiser, the Race for Education. This year we reached a total of $6,235 with 91 donors, our second highest total ever. Kudos to everyone!

This month our main event will be our End-of-the-Year Concert combined with a Graduation Ceremony on Thursday, June 16. After a two year lapse due to COVID, year’s event will be held once again downstairs starting at 7:00 pm. We will begin with the graduation of our 8th graders. This will be followed by the presentation of awards to students for academic excellence and achievement, citizenship, character, and attendance. Next, each class will offer a musical presentation led by our music teacher, Ms. Stephanie. The program will end with a grand finale with the students singing together.

For those of you who are wondering, we expect the results of your child’s Terra Nova test will arrive in time to include in his/her final report card. Look for it.

This summer please be sure your child(ren) read every day so as not to fall behind in their reading skills. Your child(ren) are welcome to attend our Summer Enrichment Program where they can receive quality instruction in reading, writing, and math.

Please note that June 17 is the final day of school. School will finish at 12:30 pm with no after care. You are also welcome to attend our Field Day events on Wednesday, June 15, at Richardson Oval Park where we had our Race for Education.

We look forward to a good finish to the school year and wish you all a wonderful summer.

                                                                                    New Hope School Staff

“Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me.”
Fred Rogers

May Newsletter

We are starting to get some warmer weather as we move towards the end of the school year. We are grateful that, with the declining number of COVID cases and a decrease in their severity, the school has been able to function almost normally this year.

The Virtue-of-the-Month for May is Hope. As parents and educators who are responsible for forming the next generation of citizens, we have a special responsibility to nurture the hope of our children. Much in our culture has the potential to turn children towards cynicism, contempt, and despair. This tendency must be actively combated with its opposite, i.e., hope for the future. To raise people of hope means to form individuals who engage. People who hope are catalysts for constructive change and a brighter future. One of our most important responsibilities is to make sure our children move through life with their hope for a brighter future intact.

As you know, this week our students took the annual Terra Nova exams. We expect to get the results back in June and will include them in your child’s final report card.

Also, today we held our annual Race for Education Day. Thank you for all the support you have been giving in finding sponsors for your child in this spring fundraiser. Students ran or walked around a quarter-mile track for one hour. Students in each class with the most laps received a medallion. The student with the most laps in the whole school received a trophy. Clifton mayor James Anzaldi was on hand to kick off the race for us. We wish to thank all the parents who turned out today to show their support!

Later in May will be having our two-day Science Fair, which will be held outside. Starting at 9:30 am, kindergarten through third grade will present their projects on Thursday, May 26, and the fourth through eighth grade the following day. On the second day you are invited to a Family Barbeque from 4:00-6:00 pm. This will also serve as our final Open House before the summer break.

Finally, I wish to remind you that registration is still open for the 2022-23 school year. Places are limited (2nd grade is already full) so I encourage you to register your child quickly if you intend for him/her to return next year. You are also welcome to register your child for our summer program, which will run from June 27-August 12.

Have a happy spring!

New Hope School Staff

“Hope dies the last.”

Russian proverb

25th Anniversary Celebration

On Thursday, March 31, New Hope School celebrated its 25th anniversary with food, song, and a healthy dose of enthusiasm. Mrs. Jeanne Carroll, who started the school in her home in the fall of 1996, returned with the aid of a slideshow to recount the history of the school’s beginning and subsequent development. Driven by a desire to offer children an education that stressed strong character development and love of God as well as academics, she inspired six families to join her in creating a first-grade class in her home. Adding a new grade level each year, the school moved several times before eventually settling in its current location at the Athenia Reformed Church on Clifton Avenue in Clifton.

Since coming to Clifton, New Hope has continued to develop its activities, initiating a vibrant after school program, including choir, robotics class, and martial arts, accepting foreign exchange students, adopting a Core Knowledge curriculum that has helped to generate consistently high standardized test scores, adding a kindergarten class, ongoing professional development of its teaching staff, conducting a growing number of project-based learning (PBL) activities, and receiving accreditation from the Middle States Association for Colleges and Schools.

Taking time from his busy schedule, Clifton Mayor James Anzaldi stopped by to congratulate the school on its anniversary. He also presented a proclamation from the City of Clifton, read by eighth grader Kenji Onishi, congratulating the school on its 25th anniversary. In particular, the Mayor complimented the school on the quality of its education program and its promotion of a high standard of moral conduct. The New Hope School choir then sang two songs: “Lean on Me” and “You Raised Me Up.” In addition, several of the school’s alumni appeared and, to the rapt attention of New Hope’s current students in attendance, shared stories of their experiences at New Hope and beyond.

The program concluded with a sharing of the anniversary cake and lots of chitchat among staff and both previous and current families connected with the school.

April Newsletter

Winter is officially over, but it seems the weather hasn’t received the memo as temperatures continue to bounce around. Let’s hope that temperatures begin to stay higher (but not too high) and that the confused trees can know that it’s really okay to begin blossoming.

Our virtue of the month for April is Forgiveness. Forgiveness has a long history in many religions. In Judaism for example, the emphasis is on asking God for forgiveness in repentance for sin. In secular terms, when we ask forgiveness, it is in recognition we have broken a connection with someone. By giving forgiveness to someone who has hurt us, we open the door to renew the relationship. Anger, hatred, and resentment, if allowed to fester, does damage to our body and spirit. Forgiveness releases these toxic elements and cleanses our spirit and heart. At one time or another in our lives, we have all hurt someone. It is incumbent upon us to learn to forgive and ask for forgiveness for healing to take place.

As we celebrate Easter this month, let us remember the supreme example of forgiveness Jesus showed on the cross towards those who wished him dead. Theologians have argued that it was that act of love in the face of death which led two days later to his resurrection.

Report cards for the third marking period will be sent out Friday, April 8. The Wednesday and Thursday, April 20-21, following the spring break parent-teacher conferences will be scheduled to give you a chance to consult with your children’s teachers about their progress this school year.

Please note that Terra Nova tests are scheduled for April 26-28. This annual standardized test helps us to see how our students are doing academically in comparison with children all over the country. They also provide you with an understanding of your child’s academic development year-by-year. Be sure your child has a good night’s sleep and a nourishing breakfast the morning preceding each day of the test. He/she needs to bring to school two number 2 pencils (mechanical pencils are not allowed).

As you know, our spring fundraiser Race for Education has begun. This year, in view of the ongoing destruction in the Ukraine, we are partnering with the Ukrainian church down the street to send 50% of our result to buy medical supplies for families caught up in the war. The other 50% is to purchase interactive whiteboards for some of our classrooms. As mentioned in the letter you received, students will receive various prizes according to the number of donations received.

Finally, don’t forget to re-register your child for the next school year! You will receive a 50% reduction in the registration fee if you do so by April 18 (the day after spring break).

May God bless you and keep you safe and healthy!

                                                                                    New Hope School Staff

“Forgiveness is the journey we take toward healing the broken parts. It is how we become whole again.”

Desmond Tutu

March Newsletter

It is now nearly two years since COVID-19 began to rain havoc upon the world, including New Hope School. With vaccines having been rolled out and milder variants emerging, we do hope we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You may have heard that Gov. Murphy has issued a new executive order permitting mask-wearing to be optional in schools starting next Monday, March 7. Parents may decide whether they want their children to continue to wear masks inside the school building or not.

Our Virtue-of-the-Month for March is Compassion. Compassion is sensing the distress and need of others and acting on their behalf. It is one of the important virtues necessary for the building of a healthy and caring community. It moves us in the difficult direction of otherness—of getting beyond ourselves. Now more than ever our nation needs the development of such a heart beyond race, ethnicity, or religious belief.

This month we kick off our fourteenth Race for Education, our spring fundraiser. The actual Race Day will be held on Friday, April 29. Look for the notice about this later this month. We appreciate your support of past events and look forward to a great success in this year’s effort as well. This year the results for this activity will be used to continue to purchase interactive whiteboards and new computer equipment for the school.

We wish to invite you to re-register your child(ren) for the next school year starting the month of March. A folder will be sent out this week. Those who do so by April 15 will receive a 50% discount off the $100 registration fee.

After a postponement in January due to some COVID cases at the school, we plan to celebrate New Hope School’s 25th anniversary on Thursday, March 31, at 7:00 pm at the school. Clifton Mayor James Anzaldi is expected to attend and the city will be issuing a proclamation in honor of our anniversary. School founder Jeanne Carroll will also attend and speak about the history of the school. The event will also serve as our monthly Open House—a good chance to invite parents of prospective new students. Please come!

Finally, April 1 will be Career Day. We do this to encourage our students to think about their future as they continue their education process. The day will kickoff with an assembly to which we invite a few of our students’ parents to share about their work. If you are interested to speak, please let us know!

God bless you all!

                                                                                    New Hope School Staff

"The purpose of human life is to serve and show compassion and the will to help others."

Albert Schweitzer

February Newsletter

Welcome to the month of February, the month where we celebrate Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day. With the omicron variant of COVID-19 still out there, we urge you and your family to continue to take precautions to keep yourselves safe and healthy. We at the school are working hard to keep the building safe so that we may continue to be open. We appreciate so much your cooperation in helping us do so.

The Virtue-of-the-Month for February is Loyalty. History demonstrates the critical importance of loyalty and love of country. Loyalty does not mean an uncritical acceptance of all that is in the land of one’s birth. It does mean affective attachment and solidarity. When parents and schools cultivate loyalty and love of country, we increase the likelihood of raising young citizens who will be agents for betterment and change. Reformers such as Elizabeth Caty Stanton, Dorothea Dix, and Martin Luther King show that constructive change and progress come from those who truly care for their country. New Hope School seeks to raise such future citizens.

Open House

Thursday, January 27, was our first Open House of the year—this one in connection with National School Choice Week. Originally intended to be part of our 25th anniversary celebration at the school, due to pandemic concerns the celebration has been postponed until sometime this spring and the Open House itself was held online, as we were doing last year. Several prospective parents attended and seemed well engaged. Dr. Beebe began by giving the parents a PowerPoint presentation, overviewing the school. I wish to appreciate our parents Ms. Sara Ban and Mr. Abraham Almanzar for their support by sharing their experiences with the school and answering parents’ questions. In the coming months New Hope School will be holding Open Houses on a monthly basis, the next being also virtual on Saturday, February 26, 11:00am-12:00pm. 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

We wish to congratulate 8th grader Kenji Onishi for winning this year’s school spelling bee. In the runner-up spot was Rob-Orley Cortez. Kenji will be representing New Hope School in the regional spelling bee in March. Let’s cheer him on!

Scholastic Book Fair

Finally, please note that our annual Scholastic Book Fair will be held Wed-Fri, Feb. 16-18, 3-4pm in the downstairs area at the school. We encourage you to come and browse around for some  books to encourage your child’s reading.

May God be with you and your family!

“The first step in the evolution of ethics is a sense of solidarity with other human beings.”
Albert Schweitzer