Hopewell's Happenings

Happy New Year, HES Families!

As we say goodbye to December, our month focused on Empathy, we’re excited to share the incredible ways our school community came together to make a positive impact. Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen an outpouring of kindness and compassion, and we’re so proud of what we’ve accomplished!

One of the highlights was our Pajama Day fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Thanks to your participation, we raised an incredible $2,000 to support children and families in need. Who knew wearing pajamas could make such a big difference?

Your generosity was also on full display through our hat and glove collection for Chubby’s Project. Together, students, families, and staff provided warmth and care for those less fortunate. It’s truly heartwarming to see the impact we’ve made as a community, spreading empathy and kindness far beyond our school walls.

December was also packed with fun and memorable moments at HES! The Gingerbread Man was on the loose again, bringing excitement to our youngest learners. Our first graders enjoyed a special field trip to the post office, where they mailed letters and learned about the mail system. We wrapped up the month with a festive holiday sing-along, bringing our school community together in celebration.

Take a look at the photos below to relive some of these cherished December memories!

As we settle into the new year, January promises to be a busy and exciting month. Fingers crossed for no snow days, so we can keep the momentum going!

Thank you for your continued support in making HES a place where kindness and empathy thrive. Here’s to an amazing 2025!

Since joining Hopewell Elementary in 2019, Ms. Anderson has been an outstanding art teacher, inspiring students through her creativity, dedication, and passion. Her classroom is a vibrant and welcoming space where students are empowered to explore their artistic potential, develop technical skills, and express themselves with confidence.

Ms. Anderson's influence extends far beyond the classroom. She collaborates with colleagues to integrate art into other subjects, fostering interdisciplinary learning. Additionally, she builds meaningful connections within the community, as seen in her holiday ornament project, which many of you have likely admired throughout Hopewell Borough.

Please join us in congratulating Ms. Anderson on this well-deserved honor!

HES's Winter Music Concert is just around the corner! We’re excited to showcase our students' hard work in music classes at this special event, held at Hopewell Elementary School on Thursday, January 9th. The 4th Grade will perform at 6:00 PM, followed by the 5th Grade at 7:30 PM. Please review the details about rehearsals, arrival times, and attire HERE to ensure your student is ready for the concert. Attendance and participation are required for all fourth and fifth graders.

This year, Hopewell Elementary School will be offering the opportunity for students to perform in a brand new musical, The Claw Machine Chronicles! All fourth and fifth graders are invited and encouraged to participate!

We are looking for cast members to sing, learn lines and perform the musical as well as crew members to work backstage. If you are interested in participating in the CAST of our show, you will need to prepare a short audition. The audition will involve singing a memorized excerpt from ‘Find Your Roar’ or ‘Arcade Dreams’ and reciting a short memorized passage. All materials can be found on Ms. Dauer's Website. Students will be placed in specific roles as appropriate. Please use the link HERE for the interest form as well as this link HERE for the communication sign-up. The Musical schedule can be found HERE. Students will be assigned roles based on their auditions.

We look forward to your participation!

The Hopewell Elementary Student Council is thrilled to announce this year’s Talent Show, happening on Thursday, April 24th, at 6:30 PM. Students in grades 3-5 are invited to participate and show off their amazing talents—whether it’s singing, dancing, playing an instrument, magic tricks, or something unique, we want you to sign up!

Important Dates to Remember:

• Forms Due: Friday, February 7th
• Informational Meeting: Wednesday, February 12th (during WIN)
• In-School Rehearsal: Thursday, April 17th
• After-School Rehearsal: Tuesday, April 22nd

Support the HES PTO at our Uncle Ed's Ice Cream Fundraiser! January 9th from 12pm-9pm. A portion of the day's sales will be donated to the Hopewell Elementary PTO.

News for students by students! We are so proud of all of our members of the Newspaper Club who put a lot of effort into making their articles. You will get to learn more about what is happening at the school, learn more about teachers, pets of HES and so much more! Thank you for taking the time to read our paper! Don't forget to check out the special podcast all about school news!

December Paper - 2nd Edition

This three-part series of programs is created to offer insights and education on relevant issues impacting children, teens and families. Presented by clinicians and experts in their field, you’ll gain valuable tools to help your child build a strong foundation for a positive future. View flyer for program topics, dates and time. Click here to register. Space is limited so register TODAY! Questions? Contact the Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance at hvmunicipalalliance@gmail.com.

As the 2024-2025 Hopewell Elementary School Yearbook continues to take shape, the yearbook committee is currently accepting submissions for the Title Page Drawing Contest. Students from grades K-5 are encouraged to incorporate the HES Honor Pledge into their designs (L-Leadership, E-Empathy, A-Acceptance, P-Perseverance) while showcasing their creativity and artistic ability. Use the link HERE for the Information and Submission Form.

It’s not too late to secure your copy! Copies of this year’s yearbook are still available for purchase online. To purchase a copy, log on to irvinsimon.com/pictavo and enter our school code 725565. After completing the required fields, payment can be online. Yearbook sales will close May 9, 2025.

The Hopewell YMCA Registration for afterschool enrichment closes on Monday, January 6th. Classes will start on Monday, January 13th. Click here for more information.

We’re still seeking additional members for our 100th Anniversary Planning Committee! Whether you’re an alumnus, parent, current or former staff member, or a community resident who cherishes our school’s legacy, we’d love to have your valuable input.

What We’re Looking For

• Volunteers to assist with event planning, fundraising, and historical displays.

• Ideas for commemorative events to celebrate Hopewell Elementary's rich history and lasting impact.

• Connections to alumni or historical artifacts, such as photos, yearbooks, and memorabilia from the past century.

This is an exciting opportunity to come together, honor the past, and create lasting memories for future generations. If you’re interested in joining the committee or contributing in any way, please fill out this Google Form.

Let’s celebrate 100 years of Hopewell pride and ensure this milestone is unforgettable!

December was a busy month filled with joyous celebrations and warm moments with friends and family. It was also a time for our school-wide focus on Empathy! Empathy is one of our LEAP core values practiced through practical activities such as our community collection of hats and gloves and for CHOP Pajama Day. It is also integrated throughout the curriculum, with students learning about feelings and kindness in counseling lessons, collaborating in groups during Math, Science, and Social Studies, participating in read-alouds in ELA and media, and coming together as a school community for events like our Holiday Singalong and Whole School Meetings.

Thank you for supporting your student(s) pursuit of Empathy at home! Here are a few examples: Second-grade students in Mrs. Higgins’ class are learning about feelings during their counselor lesson to better recognize them in themselves and others. Our fourth-grade Lily PALS are generously giving up their recess to support Kindergarten students, while some of our fifth graders are using their recess time to assemble our school-wide gratitude quilt.

Finally, check out our full Hopewell Hooray bulletin board. Students and staff can use Hopewell Hoorays to recognize one another for showing our LEAP core values throughout HES. Each student recognized will be awarded with a Hopewell Hooray certificate sent home. Way to show those empathy skills, HES!

HES will be focusing on Perseverance during the month of January. The definition students are learning is “pushing yourself to work through challenges and obstacles”. Consider setting a goal and encouraging one another as a family challenge this month to practice perseverance together at home.

As always, please reach out if you need any assistance via phone at 609-737-4007 x7206 or email at ashleylarose@hvrsd.org.

As we begin the new year, please remember to label your child's coats, sweatshirts, jackets, water bottles, and other belongings. Labeled items have a much better chance of making their way back home!

PTO Meeting:
The January PTO Meeting is Thursday, the 9th, from 8:45am - 9:45am in the Media Center at HES. If you can not attend in person, please click here for a Zoom link.

Are you in the directory yet?
Did you know HES has a free, secure directory for families to find contact information to schedule playdates, send out birthday party invites or contact a parent in a pinch? Sign up for the school directory to manage the information you want to share and choose whether to receive important PTO announcements about upcoming events such as the school T-shirt giveaway and the book fair. The Membership Toolkit portal is secure, so your information will never be shared outside of our school community, and it gives you control over what you want to share. If you have any questions about the directory, reach out at hesdirectory@gmail.com.

HES PTO Fundraising:
The HES PTO is the volunteer organization behind many fun events and special things for our kids during the school year. Please view our link to the Frog Flash for more information.

• January 1st - New Year's Day (Schools/Offices Closed)
• January 2nd - Student Council Meeting - Officers ONLY (8:00am); Orff Ensemble Rehearsal (3:45pm)
• January 6th - Board of Education Re-organization Meeting (6:30pm)
• January 7th - Green Team Meeting (3:40pm)
• January 8th - Vocal Ensemble Rehearsal (8:00am); 4th Grade In-School Concert (2:30pm)
• January 9th - PTO Meeting (8:45am); 5th Grade In-School Concert (2:30pm); 4th Grade HES Community Winter Concert (6:00pm); 5th Grade HES Community Winter Concert (7:30pm)
• January 10th - School Spirit Day - Crazy Hair Day (Sponsored by Student Council)
• January 15th - Vocal Ensemble Rehearsal (8:00am)
• January 16th - Student Council Meeting - Officers & Reps (8:05am); Orff Ensemble Rehearsal (3:45pm)
• January 17th - HES Day of Service; Preschool Collaboration Day (No School for Preschool)
• January 20th - Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Schools & Offices Closed
• January 21st - Green Team Meeting (3:40pm)
• January 22nd - Vocal Ensemble Rehearsal (8:00am)
• January 23rd - Orff Ensemble Rehearsal (3:45pm)
• January 25th - STRIVE PTO's Special Services Resource Fair @ CHS (10:00am-2:00pm)
• January 28th - Debate Team Meeting (8:00am)
• January 29th - Lunar New Year: Schools Closed
• January 30th - Orff Ensemble Rehearsal (3:45pm)
• January 31st - Newspaper Club Meeting (8:00am)

• HES Dismissal Waiver Form
• HES Lunch Info
• HES School Calendar
• HES School Times
• HVRSD District 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 and read HVRSD's weekly Focus to stay informed with the latest events and happenings at HES.

Previous Newsletters:

• December Edition
• November Edition
• October Edition
• September Edition
• Back to School Edition