New Hope School's curriculum is based upon teacher-lead classroom lessons with encouragement for individual study and creativity.  Intermingling of age groups is common with the older children helping the younger ones.

Our student-teacher ratio is 9 to 1, allowing for a great deal of interaction between students and their teacher and personal attention.  It also enhances the nurturing and supportive atmosphere that the school seeks to provide.  New Hope School meets or exceeds the New Jersey State Core Curriculum Content Standards. Every year our students consistently score well above the national and state average on the Terra Nova Standardized Test, which is administered to all students.

Academic program

New Hope School, in conjunction with the Core Knowledge Foundation, is in the process of implementing a curriculum whose rich and coherent content will further benefit our students as they proceed from grade-to-grade. This curriculum provides access to the best knowledge available in all the major subjects, including the arts, that encourages students’ steady academic progress as they build their knowledge and skills year-to-year.

We seek to channel our students to the best classroom situation to meet their needs. Fast learners are allowed to advance to higher grade levels in those subjects in which they are capable. Slower learners or special needs students are able to receive more attention from their teachers. We also offer an after school tutoring program in which older students help the younger ones with their school work.

TERRA NOVA SCORES UP!

New Hope School, a Friend of Core Knowledge school, saw its Terra Nova standardized test scores increase this past school year for 6 out of its 8 grade levels in its first year of implementing the Core Knowledge curriculum. On average our students scored in the 80-90 percentile, where 50 represents the national average. Core Knowledge provides a sequential and comprehensive curriculum that challenges students to develop both their intellect and their character. The teachers themselves found the material stimulating as they prepared their lessons and used it in their classrooms. We look forward to even greater development this year as we continue to implement the Core Knowledge curriculum.

Peace Curriculum

New Hope School offers a "peace curriculum," in which students begin each day with prayer or meditation, learning relationship skills, conflict resolution techniques, and to appreciate the positive aspects of the world’s major religions. Believing that all religions have their ultimate inspiration in the one God, by understanding and honoring people of different faith traditions, we can help our students to become agents of peace in a world beset by religious conflicts, which are often due to ignorance and misunderstanding.

Enrichment Activities

In addition to the core subjects of math, language arts, science and social studies, New Hope School provides physical education, computer, art, music, and foreign language classes for all of its students and creative writing, drama and health classes for its middle school students. We also seek to engage students in community service activities, frequent field trips, cultural nights, producing a school newspaper, and contests in public speaking, debating, poetry, handwriting and spelling.

We have two adult supervisors for the after school hours. Generally we have about 25 students enrolled in the aftercare program. A high school student volunteer and several of our middle school students are available to help younger students with homework. Other students are encouraged to engage in various sports and games outside on the school playground. Equipment for playing soccer, volleyball, basketball, kickball, table tennis, jumprope and other activities is provided. In case of inclement weather, the school library with books, board games and videos/DVDs are available for use.

 

Our summer program is a 8-week session running from the end of June through the middle of August. The day is divided into morning and afternoon sessions. Parents may enroll their child for either a half-day or full-day.

Activities include swimming, sports, martial arts, arts and crafts, language arts, academic review and grade-appropriate preparation for the coming school year, a weekly cultural theme and field trip, and a two-day camping trip in the Poconos.

Next year's program will begin Monday, June 21, and will run through Friday, August 13. For fee information, please contact the school.