Hopewell's Happenings
COMMUNICATION FOR THE HES COMMUNITY
We’re so excited to kick off a brand-new school year with you on Tuesday, September 1st! It was wonderful seeing so many of our new families at orientations last week and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back to HES. The first day of school is always a special one, and we have some fun planned to make it an exciting and memorable start to the year. As we begin a new year together, we’re proud to officially become one TEAM HES—students, staff, and families working together, supporting one another, and making Hopewell Elementary a special place to learn and grow!
Please be aware of traffic detours around Hopewell Elementary School and give yourself some extra time to arrive safely. Be sure to check out the information below for details about our First Day of School Celebration, as well as important arrival and dismissal procedures. And parents, don’t forget to stop by the PTO’s “BooHoo-WooHoo” Breakfast at 9:00 a.m. under our Nature Harmony Pavilion. Whether you’re shedding a tear or doing a happy dance, there will be coffee and treats waiting for you!
But before we officially begin…we have a special surprise just for our HES students! Our staff has put together a special Welcome Back message to let our students know just how excited we are to see them and kick off this new year together. Click here to check it out!
We can’t wait to see all of your smiling faces at Hopewell Elementary School tomorrow! Let’s make it a great year, TEAM HES! 🐸
New Families Orientation
New Student Signing Day
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 1st.
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 24th, 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. Below is our schedule:
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 LEAP 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!
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 2026-2027 school year.
Cell Phones & Smart Watches
New Jersey enacted a statewide "bell-to-bell" ban requiring all public school districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects to prohibit student use of personal internet-enabled devices like cell phones, smartwatches, and tablets during the entire school day starting in the 2026–2027 school year. The legislation (P.L. 2025, c. 195) was signed into law on January 8, 2026, to eliminate classroom distractions, improve academic focus, and protect student mental health.
As in previous years, all personal technology (cell phones, smart watches, meta glasses, etc.) will remain in the students’ backpacks during the school day. If a student needs to contact home, they can report to the Main Office and use the office phones with the assistance of the secretaries.
Parents should refrain from texting or calling your child during school hours, including lunch and recess. If you need to get in touch with your child or send them a message, please call the main office. Students are welcome to use their watches to communicate after dismissal at 3:30 pm.
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 Bash
- 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 2026-2027 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:
- LOGIN at https://hopewellelementarypto.membershiptoolkit.com (you must login with the email that this message you're currently reading is addressed to)
- Complete the Parent/Family and Student (including teacher) Information
- Complete the Directory/Publish Preferences*.
- Consider Donating to the 2026-2027 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 - 1st Day of School for Students; HES Welcoming Ceremonies (8:30am); PTO's BooHoo-WooHoo Breakfast (9:00am under Pavilion)
- September 3rd - Family Day for PEECH & PEECH+
- September 4th - Schools/Offices Closed
- September 7th - Labor Day - Schools/Offices Closed
- September 8th - 1st Day of Preschool AM PEECH & PEECH+ (9:00am) & PM PEECH (12:30pm)
- September 10th - PTO's Back-to-School Bash (5:30-7:30pm use Large Parking Lot Entrance)
- September 11th - 1st Whole School Meeting (9:00am) - Wear HES Spiritwear (Blue/Yellow)
- September 19th - Hopewell Harvest Fair at HES
- September 21st - Yom Kippur - Schools/Offices Closed
- September 24th - Back-to-School Night (6:00-7:30pm)
- October 1st - School Picture Day