Hopewell's Happenings
COMMUNICATION FOR THE HES COMMUNITY
We couldn’t be more thrilled to launch the 100th school year at Hopewell Elementary on Tuesday, September 2nd! What an incredible milestone for our school community. It was wonderful connecting with so many of you at orientations and Open House last week—the energy and excitement were contagious! The first day of school is always special, but this year we’ve added a few extra touches to make it even more memorable as we celebrate a century of learning at HES.
As you prepare for Tuesday, please keep in mind the traffic detours around the school and plan a little extra time for a safe arrival. Be sure to read the details below for our First Day of School Celebration, as well as important arrival and dismissal information. And parents—don’t miss the PTO’s “BooHoo-WooHoo” Breakfast at 9:00 a.m. under the brand-new Nature Harmony Pavilion by the cafeteria doors. Whether you’re waving goodbye with tissues or cheers, the PTO will have coffee and treats waiting for you!
We can’t wait to welcome everyone back for this historic school year! As we look ahead, it’s fun to look back—our 1952 yearbook shows that even then, students dedicated their book to the teachers who guided them along their journey, and they filled autograph pages with notes from friends, just as our HES students still do today. What a wonderful reminder that while so much has changed over the past century, the heart of Hopewell Elementary—the connections, traditions, and memories—remains the same. Here’s to making the 100th year of HES our best one yet! (Special thanks to the Hopewell Valley History Project for these great resources!)
100 Years of HES
1952 HES Yearbook
Location for 1st Day of School's Welcoming Ceremonies
HES Families' Clap-In Procedures for Students
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:
- 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. Parents should not exit their vehicle using this option. 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. If your child(ren) need assistance exiting the vehicle, please use the second option for drop-off.
- 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 busses need to pull in to unload.
Please complete the 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 2nd.
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!
Please join us on Thursday, September 18th, beginning at 6:00pm, for our annual 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. The schedule for the evening will be posted shortly but please save the date and time for your calendars.
Please note that 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. Please locate your child’s classroom and/or other locations at HES on our School Map.
A community giving event, led by The Chubby's Project, with free produce and groceries. Come by The Hopewell Train Station, on Saturday, October 4, between 10am-1pm. All are welcome!
Get all the details you need about school lunches, including menus, pricing, and Free & Reduced Lunch forms HERE. Remember, even if you have received Free & Reduced lunch last year, you still need to complete new forms for the 2025-2026 school year.
Girls in Gear fall season will be starting in just a few weeks! See flyer for registration information.
At Girls in Gear, we help girls build confidence on and off their bikes through life skills-based cycling programs. We encourage all riding abilities to join us!
As we begin a new school year, Freddy has been working closely with HVRSD's Climate Action Committee. They teamed up to provide five (5) simple Back to School reminders in the resource below.
To learn more about the HVRSD Climate Action Committee, use this link or email carolynmcgrath@hvrsd.org or scottbrettell@hvrsd.org.
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
· A School Shirt For Each Student
· Assemblies & Author Visits
· Back-to-School Bounce & Boogie
· Dances For Each Grade Level
· Book Fair
· Fifth Grade Fun Day
School Directory:
Now that you know your child's teacher, want to know the best way to figure out who is in their class? The School Directory!
The HES PTO supports the creation and administration of the HES Family Directory so that families can connect with one another throughout the school year. We will continue to use Membership Toolkit for our Student Directory and Communications for the 2025-2026 school year. Once you update your Membership Toolkit Account, you will have access to the directory, PTO newsletters, donation links, and Membership Toolkit mobile app.
IMPORTANT: You must update your information every year to be included! Here is how:
1. LOGIN at https://hopewellelementarypto.membershiptoolkit.com (you must login with the email that this message you're currently reading is addressed to)
2. Complete the Parent/Family and Student (including teacher) Information
3. Complete the Directory/Publish Preferences*.
4. Consider Donating to the 2025-2026 Annual Appeal. (This is optional, but very much appreciated!)
*Even if you choose not to publish you/your child's info in the directory, it is important to create a membership toolkit account for your family so you receive important updates from the PTO about events and school happenings.
Annual Appeal:
The HES PTO Annual Appeal is our biggest fundraiser of the year! While donations are welcome anytime, Annual Appeal gifts are especially needed in early Fall to set our PTO operating budget. No amount is too small - all contributions make a difference as we work together to support our children's education.
Suggested Donations:
· $100 per family with 1 student at HES
· $150 per family with 2+ students at HES
· $50 helps fund field trips and assemblies
· $25 helps fund classroom supplies
- September 1st - Labor Day (Schools/Offices Closed)
- September 2nd - 1st Day of School for Students; HES Welcoming Ceremonies (8:30am); PTO's BooHoo-WooHoo Breakfast (9:00am under new Nature Harmony Pavilion)
- September 3rd - Family Day Session 1: AM PEECH & Full Day PK (10:00am - use Prospect side entrance of HES); Family Day Session 2: PM PEECH only (11:00am - use Prospect side entrance of HES)
- September 4th - 1st Day of Preschool AM PEECH & SKIP (9:00am) & PM PEECH (12:30pm)
- September 5th - 1st Whole School Meeting (9:00am - Wear HES Spiritwear or Blue/Yellow colors)
- September 12th - PTO's Back-to-School Bash (5:30 - 7:30pm use Large Parking Lot Entrance)
- September 15th - Regular BOE Meeting (6:30pm - held at HVCHS Community Room; Building Tour of HVCHS begins at 5:30pm)
- September 18th - Back-to-School Night (6:00 - 7:30pm use Visitor's Entrance)
- September 20th - Hopewell Harvest Fair at HES
- September 23rd - Rosh Hashanah (Schools/Offices Closed)