2025-2026 Back to School Newsletter

Hello HC Community,

As we get closer to the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, I hope each of you is able to make time to enjoy the summer. As I mention often in various communications, we are here to support the learning and growth of all of our students. However, learning and growth is not for just our students, but for all of us. With that in mind, I hope we are all able to find opportunities to learn and grow, to be curious, to find a passion, and to be contributing members to the community which HCRHS serves.

The campus is alive this July and August with our summer institutes and academies, with off season activities and athletics, and with professional collaboration and growth. We also have some building projects underway, such as expanding the seating options for unit lunch on the 11/12 campus and other routine upkeep. We look forward to the start of fall athletics and activities in mid-August, new student orientations, and other happenings that signal the start of another promising school year.

I encourage you to dive into the information throughout this newsletter, keep an eye for upcoming communications about the start of the new school year, but still make time to enjoy the rest of the summer.

Sincerely,

Mr. Edward C. Brandt

Principal

The 2025-2026 School Calendar is available on our website: https://www.hcrhs.org/about-hc/hc-calendars, with print-friendly option. We will alert you to any changes to our school calendar throughout the year, such as for bad weather in the winter. A student's daily schedule includes four 82-minute class blocks each day, with alternating A and B days. The A/B Day calendar is also posted on our website linked above.

One change for this school year is that the daily bell schedule has been revised slightly from previous years to total 82 minutes for each block, see below. To accommodate this change, unit lunch was reduced by 5 minutes and passing time will be 7 minutes instead of 8. Bell schedule is available on our website here: https://www.hcrhs.org/about-hc/bell-schedules

At Hunterdon Central, each student is provided with a school-issued Chromebook that they will keep for all the years they attend our high school, as well as a school Gmail and Google Drive account. Incoming freshmen will receive their Chromebook and accounts at Freshman Orientation (make sure the agreement forms are filled out in Genesis before orientation!). Please note that the bring your own device option is no longer available; all students will have to use their school-issued Chromebook. If students need technology assistance, they can visit the Central Hub located in the IMC (Library) during school hours, or they can submit a ticket to the helpdesk (link is on our Technology webpage). Parents can also submit a helpdesk ticket for assistance.

Genesis is our student information system. In Genesis, you will find your child's schedule, grades, attendance, and bus route. Bus routes and schedules will be posted in Genesis later in August and we will send email notification once they are available to view. If any parent cannot access their Genesis account, please submit a helpdesk ticket through the Technology webpage linked above.

You can submit an absence for your student directly in Genesis. Click on Attendance in main menu, then click Notify Office. Fill out the form, upload doctor's note if needed, and submit. This information will go directly to the House Office secretary for your child's grade level. If you prefer to call in an absence, please call the House Office secretary.

Each grade level has a House Team that stays with them throughout their four years at Hunterdon Central. The Team consists of a Vice Principal, Secretary, Nurse, Counselors, and Student Assistance Counselor (SAC). House Team contacts are posted on our website under Contact Us.

Below are items for which we frequently get questions when entering a new school year. Please review this information so your student is ready to go on day one!

As mentioned previously, we will send out email notification once schedules are viewable in Genesis later in August. In order to get to the schedule, parent/guardian must complete the annual forms that pop up in Genesis. These forms are required to be completed annually by a parent or guardian (Note: The emergency form needs to be completed by Guardian 1 as listed in Genesis; all other forms can be completed by either parent/guardian listed). Annual forms will be available in Genesis within the next week.

Schedule Changes: If your child has any errors in their schedule, such as an unscheduled block or pre-requisite sequencing error, please email scheduling@hcrhs.org. If a student needs to drop a course or level, please refer to the instructions in the Academic Procedures document on our website. Please consult with your counselor before dropping a course or level.

One of the annual forms parents/guardians will complete in Genesis is acknowledging that a parent and the student have read the Student Handbook. It is important that students have reviewed and understand our Code of Conduct as our goal is to maintain a civil, safe, supportive and disciplined school environment.

Tutorial is time right after school that students can utilize to get extra help from a teacher, attend club meetings, or maybe use the IMC. Tutorial is offered on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the school year from 2:15-2:50 PM.

On tutorial days, late buses are offered that depart Hunterdon Central at about 3:40 PM. If students need to take the late bus, they MUST sign up in Genesis for the late bus (sign-up is under Forms in student Genesis portal). Sign ups must be received prior to 2:50 PM. Late buses drop off in centralized locations - the bus may not drop off students at their driveway. Late bus routes are posted on our Transportation webpage.

** Regular bus routes will be posted in Genesis at the end of August. We will send an email notification once they are viewable. **

This department provides services designed to support each student's individual needs and assist them in overall development. These are offered through specialized services, such as Grade Level counselors, Student Assistance Counselors, and College & Career Counselor. Please visit our Counseling website to learn more. If your child needs support, please reach out to their counselor, who is listed in Genesis.

Counseling offers several evening programs throughout the school year including, Financial Aid Night, 9th Grade Early College Planning Night, College & Career Planning Night for 10th-12th grades, and a College Admissions Panel. Most of the evening programs are recorded by HCTV in case you are unable to attend, and you can access them on our HCTV YouTube Channel. All counseling program dates are posted on our website calendar and posted on the counseling webpage.

Looking for the house office or a specific staff member? Access our staff directory on our website:

https://www.hcrhs.org/contact-information.

General Email: communications@hcrhs.org
Website: https://www.hcrhs.org/
Location: 84 Route 31, Flemington, NJ 08822
Phone: (908) 782-5727