HAN Newsletter October 2026
October 2026
Dear Hillcrest Academy North Campus (HAN) Students and Families:
The energy inside our building this season is truly wonderful, and it fills me with immense pride to see our school culture thriving. Every morning, our hallways come alive with enthusiasm, positivity, and a shared sense of purpose. This incredible atmosphere is a direct result of our community's commitment to kindness, inclusivity, and respect, making Hillcrest Academy North a place where everyone feels valued and inspired to succeed.
A vital part of this success is our commitment to giving students a strong voice and a school they can truly be proud of. We are actively creating opportunities for our students to lead, share their ideas, and shape their own educational experiences. Seeing them take ownership of their school community with such passion and responsibility reinforces that they are not just preparing for the future—they are actively making a difference today.
Behind this vibrant environment is our dedicated team of teachers, who work tirelessly every day to provide great learning opportunities. Their hard work, creativity, and unwavering support ensure that our classrooms are engaging spaces where curiosity is celebrated and potential is unlocked. We are profoundly grateful for their dedication to our students’ academic and personal growth, which continues to elevate our entire school community.
Can’t wait to see what November brings!
Thank you for your continued partnership and support.
Warm Regards,
John Marquet
Principal
Trip to Liberty Science Center
Twenty-four students from Hillcrest Academy North traded the classroom for the crime lab on Thursday, October 22nd, with a trip to Liberty Science Center in Jersey City.
Students from Ms. Silva’s forensic science classes spent the day investigating a case straight out of Gotham. Through the Science Center’s “Gotham Detective” forensic science lab activity, they worked to build a case against one of the city’s most notorious criminal masterminds.
The Gotham Detective workshop is a timed laboratory experience, lasting between 60 and 75 minutes. Working against the clock, students examined and analyzed the evidence they gathered, then pieced it together to reconstruct the crime and determine what may have happened to the victim.
The activity called on the same skills they’ve been building in class: careful observation, critical thinking, and teamwork.
Ms. Silva and Ms. Killeen accompanied the group for the day, joining students as they put their classroom learning to the test in a hands-on setting.
Experiences like this bring forensic science to life, giving students a chance to apply what they’ve learned in a real laboratory environment. Congratulations to our Hillcrest North detectives on a case well solved!
Physical Education
HAN joined schools across New Jersey for the "Week of Respect" during the first week of October. Students started out the week by wearing their favorite sports jersey to "team up against bullying". On Tuesday they dressed in tie-dye to "peace out bullying". On Wednesday they "put bullying to sleep" by wearing their comfy PJs. Thursday they dressed up as a superhero for "hero for respect". On Friday they closed out the week by joining schools all around NJ by wearing blue and gold. We are proud of all our students who participated.
Von Thun Farms - October Field Trip
On this farm, we saw a pig. We saw donkeys, and goats, and mini Highland cows, Oh My! There was a pumpkin patch, and a hay ride, and sunflower fields. We saw acres of apple trees and learned how frost can be disastrous when it happens at the wrong time of the year. During our tractor-drawn hayride, we stopped between the sunflowers and pumpkins to search for our own great pumpkin.
Thank you to Iyanna for suggesting this idea for a school trip, and thank you to the HAN squad for making it happen.
Halloween is always one of our favorite days at HAN. The school is bustling with activity, scary decorations and participation. So many of our students dressed up. And so did many of our teachers.
Students were able to activily engage in "The Spooky Arts Corner” where they were able to put their paintng skills to the test; they could paint themselves or a pumpkin. There was also “The Ghoul Games” relay races. One race involved two chairs, two teachers, and a couple of rolls of toilet paper. Another involved eggs, skeleton hands, and a long hallway...or two! The students got caught up in their very own “Ghost Busters” with their very own escape room. The last activities HAN students did for the Halloween festivities was “The Scary Sweets Corner” where they were able to decorate sugar cookies amd make ghost oreos.
The winners of our costume contests were the following: Most Creative - Faith; Cutest - Ja'saad; and Scariest - Candace. Thank you to all who dressed up and to all our staff members and teachers for all your help.
Students and staff were introduced to STOPit Solutions, a program that allows students and staff to report any concerns about unsafe, harmful, or inappropriate behavior to the HAN Safety Team. Students and parents/guardians are encouraged to download the STOPit App onto their phones.
Hillcrest Academy North assists students from the Elizabeth Public School District in reaching their full potential by providing an alternative to the traditional high school setting. We offer smaller class sizes with a rigorous and challenging high school curriculum that is aligned to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards and prepares students for college and career. Our goal is to provide a safe, supportive, and empowering school environment that fosters lifelong learning, mutual respect, creativity, and the joy of learning, with an effective, caring, innovative staff, in partnership with home and the community.
Mr. John Marquet, Principal
Mr. Thomas Van Cleef, Supervisor of Instruction
Location: 2630 Plainfield Ave, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
Phone Number: (908) 233-9366
