Hopewell's Happenings

We’re so excited to kick off a new school year with you on Tuesday, September 3rd! It was great seeing so many of you at the orientations and Open House this past week. The first day is always a special time, and we’ve got some fun planned to make it even more memorable.

Please be aware of traffic detours around Hopewell Elementary School and give yourself extra time to arrive safely. Make sure to check out the details below for our First Day of School Celebration and important information on arrival and dismissal procedures. And parents, don’t forget to swing by the PTO's "BooHoo-WooHoo" Breakfast at 9:00a.m. right outside the cafeteria doors—whether you’re shedding a tear or doing a happy dance, we’ve got coffee and treats to start your day off right!

We can’t wait to see all of your smiling faces at Hopewell Elementary School! Here’s to a fantastic year ahead!

Please join us on Wednesday, September 18th, for Back to School Night. On behalf of the entire Hopewell Elementary Staff, we thank you for your active role in your child’s educational experience. Below is our schedule and a few reminders:

6:00 - 6:30 pm: Welcome - Dr. Brettell & PTO in the Cafeteria

6:30 - 7:00 pm: Session 1: Grades PreK - 5 in Individual Classrooms

7:00 - 7:30 pm: Session 2: Grades PreK - 5 in Individual Classrooms

6:30 - 7:30 pm: Special Area Teachers, Special Education Teachers & Instructional Support Teachers - Use the Map Linked Below to Locate Specific Locations

6:30 - 7:30 pm: School Counselor, Child Study Team (including therapists) & School Nurse - Use the Map Linked Below to Locate Individual Offices

6:30 - 7:30 pm: Pomptonian Food Service, PTO, HVEF, Scouts, Digital Wellness Initiative in the Cafeteria

Back to School Night is a wonderful opportunity to get to know your child’s teacher and learn about the program. If you have specific questions regarding your child, you’re welcome to schedule a one-on-one conference with the teacher at a later time. This is an informative evening, and we kindly ask that young children and students remain at home. Thank you for your understanding. Please locate your child’s classroom and/or other locations at HES on our School Map.

Our First Day of School's Welcoming Ceremonies will take place on the outdoor basketball court. Please refer to the bottom left photo below for the exact location.

As a reminder, the first day of school for all Kindergarten through 5th Graders is Tuesday, September 3rd, beginning at 8:30 AM. All families are welcome to attend, but we strongly encourage you to arrive early, as we anticipate parking and congestion issues.

We are also inviting HES families to help us “CLAP IN” our students and staff on their first day of school at the conclusion of our gathering. Here’s how it will work:

1. Gather on the HES outdoor basketball court and locate your child’s homeroom teacher.
2. Students and families will participate in the Welcoming Ceremonies, including the Pledge of Allegiance, National Anthem, and the Hopewell School Song.
3. Dr. Brettell will signal when it’s time for family members to assume their "Clap-In" positions. Please refer to the bottom right picture below for the designated locations.
4. Cheer, clap, and whistle as our HES students enter the building on their first day of the 2024-2025 school year.
5. After the Clap-In, please join us by the cafeteria doors for the parents "BooHoo-WooHoo" Breakfast compliments of the PTO.

Whew! That’s a lot of information, but we know you’ll come through as you always do!

P.S. The first day of school for Preschool will be on Thursday, September 5th. More details will be shared by your child’s PreK teacher.

ARRIVAL:

If you are dropping off or walking your child(ren) to school, they should not arrive before 8:15am for safety and supervision purposes. There are two primary drop-off locations at HES:

1. The loop at the front of the school is for quick drop-offs only. Parents should remain in the vehicle and student(s) MUST exit the passenger side of their vehicle onto the sidewalk. After the student(s) exit, please stay in the car line to proceed to the exit and DO NOT go around or pass any vehicles in front of you.
2. The main parking lot is another primary drop-off location. Parents should pull in the one-way entrance drive from Princeton Avenue and proceed to the main lot and park. Depending on the age of the student, parents can either escort their child(ren) or let them walk to the playground or the line for their grade level. There is no quick drop-off in the right lane since that is where the buses need to pull in to unload.

Please complete the 2024-2025 HES Dismissal Waiver Form for each child that attends HES. Please review the various choices within the form and make a selection for each day of the week. Waivers should be completed before the start of school on September 3rd.

In the event that there is a change in dismissal plans, please email the office staff at hwmainoffice@hvrsd.org as well as your student's teacher as soon as possible.

Bus students board their buses on the East Prospect side of the building. Dismissal for parents picking up their Gr. 1-5 student(s) occurs in the loop at the front of the school or at The Frog (statue) in the main parking lot off of Princeton Ave. Dismissal for parents picking up their Kindergarten student(s) occurs on the sidewalk of the intersection of Seminary Ave/East Prospect St (school side) which is near the Kindergarten Playground. Please be aware of the No Parking signs on this intersection. Thank you!

Welcome Back HES Families! I am Ashley LaRose, the school counselor at Hopewell Elementary School. This section of the newsletter will focus on the social and emotional learning activities students will take part in throughout the year including Character Strong lessons and other positive school climate activities. We hope that HES is a place where all students feel safe and cared for so they can be successful academically, socially and emotionally. We are ready for a great year! During September, along with forming their classroom communities, students will participate in our Kindness Kickoff during the first 2 weeks and will focus on the character trait of Responsibility for the remainder of the month. One way you can support the practice of both of these traits at home is to review our HES Honor Pledge with your child(ren). Ask your child what each of our HES core values mean to them, give examples of how you have demonstrated the traits and ask them to make a plan to put each into action over the course of the month!

Please use my website as a resource if you’d like to learn more about me or my role as the HES school counselor and how I can support your student. Please reach out if you need any assistance via phone at 609-737-4007 x7206 or email at ashleylarose@hvrsd.org

We received an update from Hopewell Borough officials regarding traffic and current construction projects. Paving on Broad Street is expected to be completed by the end of next week. However, the bridge work on Carter Road, which will reduce traffic to a single lane, will continue for most of the school year. Please anticipate delays during both morning and afternoon commutes. Please plan accordingly. Thank you!

Get all the details you need about school lunches, including menus, pricing, and Free & Reduced Lunch forms HERE. Remember, even if you received Free & Reduced lunch last year, you still need to complete new forms for the 2024-2025 school year.

(Option A for returning families or Option B for new families)

A.) If you are a returning family (from Summer Camp or Before and After School), please access the Parent Portal at the following link (or by using the "MY ACCOUNT" button on our website: www.hvymca.org) and then choose the green "FIND CLASSES" tab from the drop-down menu.

Please note, you will NOT be able to register if you have an outstanding balance (including summer camp tuition). Before and After School Parent Portal

B.) If you are new to the Hopewell Valley YMCA's Before and After School program, WELCOME. Please use the following link (or by using the REGISTER button on our website www.hvymca.org) to access our online registration form. New Family Register Here

HINT: many employers have firewalls that prevent "pop-up" screens and our registration form uses pop-up windows to collect specific information, so we suggest using your home computer, tablet or smartphone.

STEP 2 - PAYMENT OF TUITION FEES

There are three ways to remit payment for monthly tuition fees:

1.) We will automatically charge your debit card or credit card each month. Simply enter your card information on the billing and payment screen, and select the appropriate ePayment schedule.

2.) You can access your account online and submit a payment prior to the 1st of each month if you prefer.

3.) You can mail (or have your financial institution automatically mail) your monthly tuition check.

Monthly Tuition rates for the 2024-25 year are due by the first of each month. A deposit equal to one month's tuition is due upon registration and your September fees will be processed on 9/3 (the deposit will be applied as your child's last month of service fees).

A late fee charge of $25 will be posted on accounts with open balances on the 5th.

2024-2025 Tuition fees:

On behalf of the Hopewell Elementary School PTO, welcome back to school! For those of you who are unfamiliar with us, the HES PTO is a volunteer organization made up of parents and staff who are dedicated to the successful education of our children.

The HES PTO works hard to help make the school year both enjoyable and exciting for kids, teachers, and parents. The HES PTO uses its resources to provide our school with funds, programs, resources and services that enrich and maximize the education of every child and benefit the school. Here are some of the programs and initiatives the HES PTO provides:

· Field Trips & Field Trip Bussing

· School & Classroom Supplies

· Staff Appreciation Events, including Teacher Appreciation Week Celebrations

· Teacher Grants for Classroom Purchases

If you have a child at HES, you are already a PTO member. We highly encourage all families to add/update your family contact information via the online Student Directory. Family information must be updated every year. Please click this link to access the directory.

After updating your directory information, we do ask that you donate to the HES PTO Annual Appeal (which is accessible through the same link). While no amount is too little, we suggest the following donations:

We thank you in advance for your help, support and generosity as we kick off a great year for our students! As always, if you have any questions or would like to learn more about attending our meetings or volunteer opportunities, please reach out to us directly at hesptofrog@gmail.com.

Additionally, we are going to begin assigning Room Parents to classes, please use this link if you are interested in volunteering for your child's class. All room parents must be signed up for the directory in order to obtain PTO communications and will be notified prior to Back to School Night on September 18th.

The HES PTO is proud to present our annual Back to School Bounce & Boogie again this year! Please join us on Friday Sept 13th from 5:30 - 7:30 PM at HES for a fun night of inflatables, DJ Dance party, 50/50 raffle and more! This is a great way to kick off the year, reconnect with old friends and also meet new families to HES. We are again, offering pizza that can be bought by PRE-ORDER ONLY that will be delivered to the event, just by clicking on the link below. All pizza orders must be received by Monday Sept 9th. We will also have drinks, water ice and great new HES merch available for purchase on site. We would also like to extend a special thanks to our generous inflatables sponsor "Listed by Janet" (Janet Larrain)!

Girls in Gear will be starting up at Hopewell Elementary again this fall on Saturday mornings from 10:00-11:30. Please click on this Flyer for more details.

• September 2nd - Labor Day (Schools/Offices Closed)
• September 3rd - 1st Day of School for Gr. K-5 Students; HES Welcoming Ceremonies (8:30am); Parents "BooHoo-WooHoo" Breakfast (9:00am)
• September 4th - Family Day Session 1: AM PEECH & Full Day PreK (10:00am-10:45am), Family Day Session 2 PM PEECH (11:00am-11;45am)
• September 5th - 1st Day of Preschool AM PEECH & SKIP (9:00AM) & PM PEECH (12:30PM)
• September 6th - 1st Whole School Meeting (9:00AM) - Wear School Colors
• September 13th - PTO's Back-to-School Picnic (5:30pm -7:30pm) use Large Parking Lot Entrance
• September 16th - BOE Regular Meeting (6:30pm)
• September 17th - Vote on HVRSD Bond Referendum
• September 18th - Back-to-School Night (6:00pm - 8:00pm) use Visitor's Entrance
• September 21st - Hopewell Harvest Fair (9:00am - 4:00pm)
• September 26th - PreK Field Trip - Twelve Acre Farm

• HES Dismissal Waiver Form

• HES Kindergarten & New Families Orientation Slideshows
  
• HES Lunch Info
  
• HES School Calendar
• HES School Times
• HES Student Handbook
• HVRSD Calendar

This section of our monthly correspondence is dedicated to posting our older community newsletters so that you can refer back to previous HES communication. We also recommend that you regularly visit our school's website to stay informed with the latest events and happenings at HES, including the Back to School Forms section. At this time, there are forms that need to be returned. Please take a moment to review, print, and complete the documents found in this section.

Previous Newsletters:

• Back to School Edition