On January 11th,the School District hosted the HVRSD Demographer Report and Enrollment Projections Webinar to address some of the inquiries about the effects of new real estate development in our area on our schools. Consultants from S.L.A.M Collaborative, the firm of Stecker, LaBau, Arneill, McManus, provided a summary of a recent demographic study conducted to determine the possible impact these developments may bring. Special thanks to Hopewell Township for helping bring this report to our community. Click on this link to view a Slide Deck of the demographic findings.
Join Hopewell Gives Back and the Hopewell Youth Collective for our annual MLK Weekend of Service! This event will be held at Hopewell Presbyterian Church on both Sunday, January 15th and Monday, January 16th:
- Sunday afternoon from 1-5pm folks are invited to help create custom reusable bags for the volunteers who deliver food to folks supported through the Chubby's Project. This project will include ironing bags, cutting out materials, machine sewing parts onto the bags, and heat pressing the logo labels. For any questions or concerns about this project, reach out to Carlana Sargent at woolytriumph@comcast.net.
- Monday morning from 9am-12pm will include a variety of projects and rotating stations to support the work of Sourland Conservancy, Rescue Mission of Trenton, Seeds to Sew, and I Support the Girls. Click here to sign up for Monday's day of service (no sign up required for Sunday).
** Please see the Community News & Events section below for additional MLK Day events.
Got Assets Inc. Asset of the Week #2 is Positive Family Communication. Tips for building this asset: Positive communication also means listening to understand a young person’s perspective, not to advocate your position. Be available when your child needs you—and even when they think they don’t. Take good care of yourself so when your children want to talk, you can give them your full attention. Make it easy for your child to spend time talking with you. Time in the car together is a great opportunity to chat. For additional resources, please check out this month’s Ideas for Parents newsletter and Keep Connected which offers information and resources to help families raise happy, healthy kids.
Boys Varsity Hockey Salute to Service Game on Saturday, January 21st at 7:30pm at the Tsai Fieldhouse on the Lawrenceville School Campus.
Come out and support the Hopewell and Montgomery Varsity High School Team in this annual tribute! Proceeds to go to the veterans Association and Memorial Committee. $5 to enter or purchase a t-shirt. Help us give back to the community!
Hopewell Valley Education Foundation Virtual Cooking Class
Due to the positive response to last year's class, Chef Mario has agreed to hold another Virtual Cooking Class this year. Community members can order the video of last year’s class for $25 and watch it at their leisure and/or they can register for this year’s class for $30 and view the live cooking class on Sunday, January 29th, from 1:00 – 2:00. Restaurant. Please visit the HVEF site for more information.
Kindergarten Registration for 2023!
Kindergarten registration for children who will be five years old on or before October 1, 2023 will begin on Wednesday, February 6, 2023. You can find registration information and forms on this web page: Kindergarten Registration. Please do not submit registrations prior to February 6, 2023. Thank you!
Kindergarten Camp 2023: will be held at each elementary school for two weeks, starting on 7/10 and 7/17. The camp is Mondays - Thursdays from 8:30-11:30am.
Registration for Kindergarten Camp will soon be available on the Kindergarten Registration Page.
Only registered students will be accepted! Thank you!!
Applications for the PEECH (Preschool and Early Education for Children of Hopewell) Program
for the 2023-2024 school year are now being accepted. The form can be found here: PEECH Application Form Parents of both new and returning applicants need to fill out the Form. Applications are due on February 24, 2023.
DECA Achievements: Congratulations to Mr. Oldfield and the 16 HVCHS students who were selected to compete at the state DECA competition in February based on their achievements at the regional competition!
January Community Connection: HVCHS is so appreciative of the support of our community, and we want to do our part to give back! HVCHS has committed to making a connection with a different local non-profit organization each month and providing support in whatever way best meets the needs of the organization. During January, we are conducting a PB&J Drive for the HV Mobile Food Pantry. The Gold Team (Grades 9&11) will be collecting peanut butter, and the Black Team (Grades 10&12) will be collecting jelly. All donations will be collected in the boxes in the main lobby through January 27.
HVCHS Thespian Troupe Achievements: Congratulations to the members of Hopewell Valley's Thespian troupe for their impressive showing at this year's New Jersey Thespian festival. 22 members of our troupe attended the festival and many of our troupe members won awards in their various competitions. Receiving superior medals for their events were: for contrasting monologues: Camille Rosenthale, Ava Echternacht, Jake Brown and Ella Williams, for solo musical theatre, Jack Elliott, for short film, Rachel Thornton, for duet acting scene, Ava Echternacht and Camille Rosenthale, Jake Brown and Ella Williams and Frankie Bancroft and Camille Rosenthale. Ava Echternacht also received an award for “Best Thespian” for being an excellent representative of the ideals of the International Thespian Society as well as recognizing her achievements in our troupe during the past two years. Additionally, a cutting of our fall play, The Diary of Anne Frank was entered and came in second place in the chapter select category. Leo Schmidt won 2nd place for Best Supporting Actor and Camille Rosenthale won Best Actress for her portrayal of Anne Frank. Congratulations to Ms. Rochon and all of the members of Thespian Troupe 7964!
Winter Athletics: Over 250 student-athletes are participating in our winter athletic season. Please come out to support our girls basketball, boys basketball, swimming, wrestling, ice hockey, cheerleading, diving, and winter track teams! Our schedule of events can be found on the athletics website. Please remember to be a positive presence; any spectators violating the NJSIAA or HVRSD code of conduct will be removed.
Absences & Late Arrivals: Parents/Guardians should call our TeleSafe number 609-737-4003, Ext 2, by 8:00 am to report an absence or late arrival. Please also review our attendance procedures for details about our policies.
What’s Happening at HVCHS? Please follow us on Twitter: @HVCentralHS and Instagram: hopewell_valley_central_hs for pictures, updates, and fun facts. Fundraising activities from our classes, clubs, and teams can be found here. Also, check out our HV Student Publications Network page for student created podcasts, digital videos, and more
The HVCHS PTO invites you to read the latest issue of the Dog Byte by following the hyperlink and clicking on "Dog Byte" at the top of the list on the left. All CHS families should receive the Dog Byte via email every other Tuesday morning. If you are not receiving it, or need to update your contact information, please email Sheila Zou as soon as possible so she can correct our database.
8th Grade Academic Planning Presentation: On Wednesday, January 18th the 8th Grade Academic Planning Presentation video will be emailed to parents and students. This will give you and your child a chance to view the presentation at your convenience, with the ability to pause and review specific topics. During the presentation, Ms. Riley (HVCHS Principal) and our department supervisors will explain the program offerings at HVCHS in detail. This communication will also include information about the course request process in OnCourse.
8th Grade Team Transition Meetings: On Wednesday, January 25, we are excited to kick off our 8th Grade Transition and Wellness Day with a Keynote Presenter, Mr. Changing Lives - Jean Clervil. As an inspirational speaker, Jean has motivated many to find out exactly what they want to do for a living; especially students through his poetry, inspirational stories and successful strategies. Having overcome his internal battles with fear and pressure to succeed as a college student, Jean used his imagination to create a career for himself. Students will also have the opportunity to focus on their health and wellness through an array of activities.
Additionally, Mr. DeStefano (Supervisor of Counseling Services) will be meeting with each 8th Grade Team to review important high school graduation requirements and other useful information as course request time approaches for the 2023-23 school year. Mr. DeStefano will be joined by a group of current HVCHS students who will share their experiences and answer questions from TMS students. Students are encouraged to watch the 8th Grade Academic Planning Video prior to this presentation.
Michael Orfe, Director of Vocational Programming at the Mercer County Technical School will also meet with students to share the programs they offer to incoming high school students.
Parent Question & Answer Evening Webinar: On Wednesday, January 25 (at 6:00 pm via Zoom) Ms. Riley, Mr. DeStefano and our department supervisors will host an optional webinar to answer any questions regarding the aforementioned 8th Grade Academic Planning Video, and high school course selection in general. Please be sure to watch the 8th Grade Academic Planning video prior to this Q&A session. You may register for the webinar by clicking here.
2023 TMS SPRING SPORTS: Registration and medical forms for TMS spring sports are due by Thursday, March 9th. Please click here to access the registration page and print medical forms. Any student who is not registered and does not have either a physical form or health history update form on file with the school nurses will not be able to try out or practice until they do.
In-House Physicals: will be offered on Thursday, February 23rd from 9:00 am-12:00 pm in the TMS nurse's office. They are open to students in grades 6-8 by appointment only and are $25 a child. (Checks should be made out to HVRSD.) Please use this link to sign up for an appointment.
TMS SPRING SPORTS START MONDAY, MARCH 27th: Baseball, Boys & Girls Lacrosse: Open to 7 & 8 grade only. Softball and Track & Field: Open to 6, 7, 8 grade
The Yearbook Club is looking for pictures of winter sports athletes in action! Please use this LINK to upload photos (including selfies) of our basketball, wrestling, and cheer athletes. Thank you for helping the Yearbook represent as many of our student-athletes as possible. You can also email photos to tmsstudentcouncil@hvrsd.org. If you choose to email pictures, please enter the team and students' names in the subject line.
Yearbooks are now on sale: Click here to order. The early bird price is $35. Buy yours before the price goes up on January 31st!
PTO Meeting: Tuesday, January 31, 2023 7:30 pm On zoom and more information to follow.
TMS Updates: For additional information about TMS, please visit our webpage, or follow us on Twitter @Timberlane_HV, or instagram @timberlane_timberwolves
Dates to Remember
January 16th - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 20th- 7th Grade Field Trip
January 23rd - Early Dismissal/Staff Development Day
January 27th- TMS Spirit Day-Wear Blue and Gold for Community Points
BT Principal Page - Click here for our new principal button on the Bear Tavern website!
BT New Staff Spotlight - We are excited for this new BT Flash feature to get to know our staff at Bear Tavern, starting with some of the new faces this year. This month, meet Mr Carlani! Keep an eye out each month to see who will be next.
BTPTO Dine Out -Join us at Tomatello’s on January 26th. Click here for more information.
BTPTO General Meeting - Please join us on Monday, January 23rd at 9:30am for our next General PTO Meeting. All members of the BT community are encouraged to attend General meetings to give input, ask questions, and support the PTO. You are invited to attend the meeting with your ideas, feedback, and input for the rest of this year and next.Zoom Link to be sent out closer to the meeting.
HVRSD Hockey Salute to Service Game - Saturday, January 21st @ 7:30 at the Tsai Field House on the Lawrenceville School Campus. It's a great hockey night while also honoring and supporting our local veterans. Attached is the flyer for the event, which has the details and a QR code if anyone wants to purchase a T-shirt. Click here for the link.
BT Kindergarten Registration Information for 2023-24 - Attention Parents- Kindergarten registration for children who will be five years old on or before October 1, 2023 will begin on Wednesday, February 6, 2023. You can find registration information and forms on this web page: Kindergarten Registration. Please do not submit registrations prior to February 6, 2023.
Applications for the PEECH - (Preschool and Early Education for Children of Hopewell) Program for the 2023-2024 school year are now being accepted. The form can be found here: PEECH Application Form Parents of both new and returning applicants need to fill out the Form. Applications are due on February 24, 2023.
BT Winter Information - Our winter concert is January 18th, and will feature every 4th and 5th-grade student in one or more of the following ensembles: 4th Grade Chorus, 4th Grade Orchestra, 5th Grade Chorus, 5th Grade Band, 5th Grade Orchestra, and the 5th Grade Vocal Ensemble, The Treble Makers. Please mark your family calendars now to make sure no conflicts arise. The students are very excited about what we will perform - lots of excellent music and some surprises, too! Click here for more information.
PaySchools Central Food Service - Use the following links for the 2022-2023 school lunch
Click Here for a Link to Pay Schools Central to Pay for Student Lunches
BT Changes In Students’ Dismissal - Families, if there is a change in how students will be going home, please be sure to call (609-737-4005) or email the main office, as teachers do not always have an opportunity to check their email. Please use THIS EMAIL ADDRESS btmainoffice@hvrsd.org when informing us of dismissal plans.
Absences & Late Arrivals - Parents/Guardians should call our TeleSafe number 609-737-4005, Ext 2
Dates to Remember
1/16- Schools/Offices Closed
1/17- YMCA Enrichments Start
1/18- Winter Concert
1/23- BTPTO General Meeting
1/25- Half Day/PM Preschool Only
HES Yearbooks are now available - You can order online at ybpay.com. Please enter Yearbook ID Code: 1799323. The deadline is April 21st.
HVRSD Afterschool Academic Enrichment Programs have begun. Our program's classes support the academic, physical, and social development of children. Thank you to all who signed up for the Engineering, Lego, Drawing, Wizard, Chess and Magic Science clubs. These and other classes are offered in the Fall, Winter and Spring months. Please visit the After School Enrichment section on our website for more information.
HES YMCA Winter 2023 Sports Enrichment Programs - Hopewell Valley YMCA is pleased to offer a selection of after-school enrichment programs in your child’s elementary school. Our enrichment programs are geared to allow children to explore new activities, socialize with their peers, and have fun in a safe and nurturing environment. Please visit this link for registration information.
Virtual Cooking Class with Chef Mario - Chef Mario Mangone owner of the Chambers Walk Restaurant, will hold another Virtual Cooking Class this year. Community members can order the video of last year’s class for $25 and watch it at their leisure and/or they can register for this year’s class for $30 and view the live cooking class on Sunday, January 29th, from 1:00 – 2:00. This event is sponsored by the HVEF.
FILL THAT TRUCK - HES is proud to continue our tradition of supporting the families of the East Trenton Center of Habitat for Humanity. We will be collecting gently used donations in the school parking lot on January 23rd-25th, from 8-9:30am.
Volunteer Opportunities: If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the attached volunteer form and complete the process for fingerprinting. We appreciate the support of community members who are interested in supporting our students and staff at HES.
Pomptonian Food Service: Use the following link(s) for the 2022-2023 school lunch. This link includes menus and how to pay for student lunches along with other useful information.
The Lost and Found Garden: please encourage your child(ren) to check the lost and found for their missing items! Don’t forget to label your childrens coats, hats, and gloves.
Follow Us On Twitter: Our page offers parents a glimpse inside our classrooms, important reminders, and students engaged in learning & fun. Click here to follow us.
Absences, Late Arrivals and Dismissal Changes: Call our TeleSafe number 609-737-4007, Ext 2, by 8:00 am to report an absence or late arrival or please use our new office email hwmainoffice@hvrsd.org. If there is a change in how students will be going home, call the main office at 737-4007, as teachers DO NOT have an opportunity to check their email during the day.
DATES TO REMEMBER
January 16th - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Schools/Offices Closed
January 25th - Early Dismissal for students
#BeTheLightHES
Pajama Day YaY at Stony Brook: Stony Brook’s Student Council would like to thank everyone who participated in Pajama Day to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) on Friday, January 13th.
New "Bling" at Stony Brook: We are very proud to share the newly added signs to the front of the building. One is to commemorate our National Blue Ribbon School award and the other is our school logo. Thank you to the SBPTO and HVRSD for their support. And congratulations once again to Stony Brook All Stars present and past.
Visit our website for photos.
SB YMCA Winter 2023 Sports Enrichment Program: Classes begin January 23.
Yearbook 2023: The Yearbook Cover Contest has begun. All Students are invited to submit entries. Please see the flier for details. Entries are due by Friday, January 27th. Yearbooks are now available for sale online or by form. Yearbooks are $25 and orders are due May 1.
Science Fair 2023: We are excited to be able to have our Science Fair in person again. Stay tuned for details. Saturday, February 25th is the date….
SB Kindergarten Registration Information for 2023-24 - Attention Parent - Kindergarten registration for children who will be five years old on or before October 1, 2023 will begin on Wednesday, February 6, 2023. You can find registration information and forms on this web page: Kindergarten Registration. Please do not submit registrations prior to February 6, 2023.
Applications for PEECH Program: (Preschool and Early Education for Children of Hopewell) for the 2023-2024 school year are now being accepted. The form can be found here: PEECH Application Form. Parents of both new and returning applicants need to fill out the form. Applications are due on February 24, 2023.
Lost and Found: Let’s start 2023 off right! Please label your student(s) clothing and remind them to check the lost and found tables.
PaySchools Central Food Service: Use the following links for 2022-2023 school lunch information:
Click Here for a Link to Pay Schools Central to Pay for Student Lunches
Click Here for Free and Reduced Lunch Forms
SB Membership Toolkit: All volunteer opportunities, Spirit Wear, and ways to donate can be found on MembershipToolkit. Click here to register.
Absences & Late Arrivals or Changes in Students’ Dismissal: Call our TeleSafe # 609-737-4006, Ext 2, by 8:00 am to report an absence or late arrival. To make contacting the main office easier, we've created a "sbmainoffice@hvrsd.org" email that will go to both secretaries. Please use this to send us your dismissal changes. Teachers do not always have the opportunity to check their email during school but including them in your email is helpful. If you have a change after 3pm, please call us at 609-737-4006 ext. 0.
DATES TO REMEMBER
January 16- MLK Day School Offices Closed
January 25 - Early Dismissal
February 25 - Science Fair
Toll Gate Winter Concert: Our winter concert will be on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 7:00pm in the Performing Arts Center at CHS. The concert features the 4th grade choir, 5th grade choir, orchestras, band and vocal ensemble. All 4th and 5th grade students are members of one or more of the ensembles and therefore expected to attend. Please click here for details including timelines, concert attire, and performance expectations.
TG Night at Sumo Sushi: Mark your calendars! Tuesday, January 24th is Toll Gate Night at Sumo Sushi. Take a break from cooking and order for pickup or join family and friends in the restaurant. Be sure to mention Toll Gate when you order! They will be offering a special Toll Gate roll! A portion of the proceeds will go back to the Toll Gate Fifth Grade Committee.
TG Day of Service - The Jared Box Project: On Friday, January 27, 2023, Toll Gate is participating in a Day of Service. Throughout the years Toll Gate has and will continue to donate and give to HomeFront, Womanspace, TASK, and other local organizations that help people in need. For this school year’s Day of Service, Toll Gate will once again as we did in 2022 be donating to The Jared Box Project (https://thejaredbox.org/).
This will be a community effort, and we will need help with donations. Each grade level will be asked to donate materials, kind hearts, and creativity in order to create playful boxes filled with cheerful and fun items for young local hospital patients at Capital Health Hospital.
Please use this SIGNUP for initial donations which can be sent to the school with your student(s) or directly via mail (Attention: Mrs. Lennon, Day of Service), starting today and ending on January 18.
***Some links to the requested items are provided for convenience, but if you prefer to purchase elsewhere that is fine; please just make sure to match listed sizes, quantities, and Avery label numbers.
Please review the available slots and click on the button(s) to sign up if you would like to contribute to this initial material and volunteer request.
Additional class-specific requests for new toys and crafts that will go in the boxes can be found here. Our goal is 100% participation in this school-wide service learning event. Please have all items arrive at Toll Gate by January 18, 2023.
Please have all items arrive at Toll Gate by January 18, 2023.
Dates to Remember
Monday, 1/16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Schools/Offices Closed
Tuesday, 1/17: Winter Concert at CHS Performing Arts Center at 7:00 PM
Tuesday, 1/24: Toll Gate Night at Sumo Sushi
Wednesday, 1/25: Staff Development / Early Dismissal at 12:45 PM
Friday, 1/27: TG Day of Service (NEW DATE!)
Monday, 2/13: Student Council Sponsored Spirit Day - Mustache Monday (donate shelf-stable milk)
Monday, 2/20: President’s Day - Schools/Offices Closed
