A GREAT BEGINNING
Our first day of school opened with 100 students eager to learn and looking very professional.

As is our tradition, every member of the Hope Hall community – students, teachers, and staff, thought about one thing they can’t do. We each wrote an “I can’t” statement on a piece of paper and then at 2:00 PM we had a special ceremony. These papers were dropped in a large hole and buried. On top of them, we planted various colored mums for blooming in the fall. These small plants grow and beautify our world. Our students know that each of them is now in a school designed especially to meet their needs and help them to overcome their “I can’t.” With the right teaching strategies and enough time, each of them will grow to be capable and competent learners who can accomplish great things.

After the “I can’t” statements were buried, we had a party with popsicles for everyone.

DRESS CODE
Please remember that we have a dress code at Hope Hall. The only sweatshirt students are allowed to wear in school is the Hope Hall sweatshirt. (Available for purchase - $15) Teal, purple, navy, gray, black or white sweaters or vests may also be worn. Only Hope Hall polo or t-shirts are considered dress code for students in grades 3 - 8. For grades 3 – 8, only black or navy dress pants may be worn. Jeans, cargo pants, oversized pants, and athletic sweat pants are not dress code.

You, as parents and guardians, are key to helping us enforce the dress code, since it is at home that the students get dressed. If you want an extra copy of the dress code to post on your refrigerator or on your child’s bedroom door, simply call school at 426-0210 and we’ll send you a nice, durable copy.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us with the dress code.

EASY FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES
Once again our school is participating in the Campbell’s Labels for Education program. This program enables Hope Hall to earn free educational and athletic equipment. You can help us by saving labels from any of the hundreds of varieties of Campbell’s products. The products eligible for redemption include: Campbell’s soups, Franco-American Spaghetti O’s, Prego Sauces, Swanson Broth’s and Poultry, Pace Salsa and Picante Sauces, V8 and Tomato juices, Pepperidge Farm Bread, Cookies and Goldfish Food Service products. Each label is worth one point. Additional bonus points can be earned by collecting the labels from the 26-oz. Campbell’s Condensed Family Size Soups. These are worth 10 points each. Our goal this year is 9000.

We are also collecting Box Tops for Education from your General Mills products. Last year’s box tops earned $477 for Hope Hall. Please do not save Top’s Tapes any longer, as Top’s Friendly Markets has discontinued the program.

There is also another opportunity for those people using the Target charge card. Target charge card users can designate a school of their choice to receive a donation equal to 10% of their charges. You must mention this at the time of your purchase, and let them know that you would like this donation to go to Hope Hall. Last year we received $180.00 from this program.

Again, this year, with the help of St. Pauly Textiles, Hope Hall will be able to collect used clothing throughout the entire school year instead of a one time only clothing drive. A permanent--24 hour-- collection box is located at Hope Hall in the back parking lot, next to our playground fence. You may drop off your unwanted clothing, shoes, sneakers, belts, purses, sheets, pillowcases, linens, blankets, and drapes anytime at your convenience. Please do not include rags, fabric scraps, pillows, toys, or household goods. With the help of St. Pauly Textile, your clothing donations will be reused in the U.S. and Third World countries. Your donations are tax deductible and Hope Hall will earn $40.00 for every 1000 pounds donated. During the last school year (2006-2007) we raised nearly $2705.00.

RENOVATION NEWS
We are very grateful to present to the Hope Hall community a brand new CAFETERIA. The project was made possible by the gifts and donations of many people. Funding for the cafeteria renovations were provided by

• Bob and Jackie Sperandio


• New York State


• Turula Family Fund


• B. Andrew Dutcher and Margaret A. Scott

• Kevin Cannan, President of AAC Contracting Inc. and his wonderful project manager, Rich VerValin, who coordinated all of the efforts with the other companies and with New York State, to contribute their services for removing asbestos from the old floor.
  
• Jeff Reid, owner of Environmental Consultants Inc. who donated the services of the environmental air monitoring technician.
  
• Bruce Hoogesteger, President of Paradigm Environmental Services, Inc. who donated the laboratory analysis.
  
• Tom Moran, owner of Youngblood Disposal Services who donated the disposal of all the materials.
  
• Jim Merrill, Manager of General Insulation Company, Inc. who donated the materials needed for the removal of the tiles and asbestos.
  

We are also grateful to Israel and Charles Cuyler and Bob Mowers, owners of Sheen & Shine, Inc. who arranged for significant discounts obtaining the flooring, and installations, and to Mr. Mike Giehl, owner/ operator of Giehl Flooring, and his crew for their work installing the floor.

Lastly, we are grateful to Nazareth College of Rochester for sending us 20 members of their new freshman class to help us move all of the furniture and materials back into the classrooms. These students came as part of their community service during Freshman Orientation and they really worked hard!

All of these wonderful people have given a gift that tells our students every day, “You are important, you matter, you are wonderful, capable learners.”

May God bless each of you and your families, and bring continued success to your businesses.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS    
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SCHOOL PICTURES
This year’s school pictures are scheduled to be taken on Wednesday, October 17th. Watch for information packages to be sent home soon. All students will have their pictures taken for ID purposes, whether families purchase pictures or not.

SCHOOL DANCE
Our school will host its first dance of the year on Friday, October 26th for students in grades 6 – 9. Our HALLOWEEN DANCE will be from 7:00 until 9:00. Costumes are encouraged, but not required. Last year’s costumes were fantastic and students, faculty/staff, and parents are really looking forward to this year’s “creations”!

PARENT HANDBOOKS
If you were unable to attend Back to School Night in September, and have not yet received your parent handbook, please call Sandy or Linda in the Main Office-426-0210, and we will send your handbook home with your child.

ANNOUNCING HOPE HALL’S HOMEWORK CLUB
We at Hope Hall understand that many parents work more than one job, or are working extra hours, and have many demands placed on their time. Often parents who want to support their children with homework are simply mentally and physically drained when evening comes.

To help support our parents, and to help support our students, Hope Hall is offering a homework club each week from 3:30 – 4:30 on Monday through Thursday. Children who sign up to be in Homework Club are given an after school snack and have their homework monitored by one of our dedicated teachers. If you would like your child to participate in this club, please send a note to school stating the days you’d like your child to stay. Children can be picked up anytime between 4:15 and 4:30. Homework Club does not meet on Fridays or on the day before a school holiday or vacation.
Donations for snacks are gratefully accepted.

Homework Club is being sponsored in part by a grant from the United Methodist Women, both the Rochester District Projects Committee and the Western New York Conference Board. We are very grateful to the United Methodist Women for their wonderful support of our children and our parents.

A Special Time for Grandparents
A cherished tradition at Hope Hall is the special luncheon we have for Grandparents of our students. Thursday, November 8th is the date for our luncheon this year. Grandparents will meet with Sr. Diana, enjoy lunch with their grandchild, spend some time in class, and have the opportunity to browse (with or without their grandchild) at the book fair to purchase some nice books without having to pay tax!
We hope you can join us. Reservation forms will be sent home. We need exact numbers to help with food preparation.

WISH LIST –Items Needed for Grandparent’s Day
If any individuals or groups can help us provide the lunch for Grandparents’ Day by purchasing any of these items, or by sending in a donation to help us pay for these items, we would be very grateful. The school does not charge any child or grandparent for the special lunch on this day. The meal consists of ziti, salad, bread, beverage, and dessert. Here’s what we need:

--40 pounds of ziti (40 people could donate 1 box)
--46 quarts of sauce –any brand, any flavor, we’ll “doctor it up as needed (again, 46 people could donate 1 jar)
--15 large foil pans (biggest size available)
--400 sturdy paper plates
--400 sturdy paper bowls
--plastic knives, forks, spoons (need 400 of each)
--napkins – need a minimum of 400 (more is better – you know how sauce can be!)
--individual half and half creamers (can be purchased at Sam’s Club for $10)

If you can help us get any of these items, either by purchasing them and getting them to us, or by making a monetary donation, which we will use to purchase an item, please call Sandy at 426-0210. Let her know what you’ll be contributing so she can keep track of what we have and what we still need.

It would be a great help if we could have your gift by November 1st. Thank you so very much for any help you can give us.

For more news check out the September and October Newsletters!