New Hope Academy

My child has been with NHA for six years. I have pulled him out and placed him in what was supposed to be a good public school, just to turn around an bring him back to NHA. My child was able to perform academically in the school, but the environment he was exposed to was the problem. I realized that as a parent, I could supplement academics, but could not supplement emotional growth. NHA pushes your child do do THEIR personal best academically while providing character building. The teachers and staff all make it their duty to support every child whether or not it is their personal student. From my experience, the adminstration gives honest advice without worrying if they will "lose the student to another school." This aspect lets me know that their true interest is my child's development, not the school's budget. Of course I would love to see more from the school, for example an updated appearance and high tech classrooms, but sometimes, brand new is not always best. NHA's traditonal charm, family environment and diverse community has worked for years. The students I know that have graduated have all moved on to being successful adults.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a teacher and parent at NHA. I am more than satisfied on both counts. New Hope Academy is not perfect-- no school is! It is a great place to work. It's a place that feels like home to me and my children. They're getting a good education AND are part of a wonderful community. I have recommended NHA to so many people, and so far, no one has been unsatisfied! Also, there is no high teacher turnover. I don't know why a previous poster has that idea.

I have been associated with New Hope Academy for 10 years as a teacher. I'm not sure I understand the review that addresses the issue of high teacher turnover. Many that I work with have been here more years than I have. The main reason a teacher might leave is due to a spouse's job change or they decide to stay home with their children. In addition, all classroom teachers are required to have at least a bachelor's degree. I would suggest that anyone considering our school check out our teacher profile on the school's website. I love it here! Because we do have smaller classrooms, we are able to give our students extra attention. We also do a lot of critical thinking activities; not just rote memory. Please come check us out! You will not be disappointed.
—Submitted by a teacher

Don''t believe the hype! The school has an excellent program for pre k and kindergarten, after that, you are doomed. There is a high teacher turnover without explanation and you may think someone is a good teacher and then you look up and they are gone. The principal does not listen to parents and she does whatever she wants. The teachers may/may not have degrees, it just depends on how bad they need a teacher. Some of teachers bad mouth the school themselves. The one good thing they do is make sure that your children are safe, other than that, it is a waste of money. One lady in the office is exceptional and the other new lady is clueless.
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter, now in 4th grade, has attended NHA since Pre-K. She is proud of her school and loves going there. My wife and I love the fact that our daughter is in a small class (8 children); that religious values are affirmed and character education is regarded as important; that the relationships between students and teachers are very close; that she gets to interact with international students; and that there is a sense of security and community at the school.
—Submitted by a parent

If you're thinking about going to New Hope Academy, think again. The administration is very unorganized and show much favoritism. Never in my life have I seen such poor performance in a school.

I think that the difference with this school more than any other school I have worked at is that children don't fall through the cracks. There are regular student guidance team meetings including parents, staff and sometimes older students, which anyone can request where we all brainstorm together exactly how a child can be helped and motivated. We all work together for the sake of the child. This approach works. I am very impressed with the level of teacher committtment. Before this I worked at diplomatic schools overseas and New Hope is one of the best.
—Submitted by a teacher

My daughter has attended New Hope Academy since Kindergarten and she is now in the third grade. My husband and I love this school and the great academic benefits, unity and diversity that it offers. NHA continues to be a great learning and social environment for her. She continues to be challenged and has shown great improvement academically and socially over the years. The staff is great and it is very evident and apparent that they love our children and have their best interest at heart. It is a great school and I continue to refer it every chance that I can.
—Submitted by a parent

(continued) In addition, my kids participate in soccer, T-ball, basketball, tae qwon do, ballet, hip hop, tap, and drama. All these activities take place during aftercare and doesn't require me to do any running around. I pick the kids up at 6 pm and all that stuff is already done.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers at New Hope really seem to love teaching. I am very pleased. My daughter has been there for over 3 years.
—Submitted by a parent

NHA has helped my son improve academically since graduating from Montessori school (3rd grade). His SAT test scores are great but we weren't able to compare his scores on a national level. I believe the selection of the test was made by NHA administration but parents weren't able to view scores from a national standpoint. Something to ponder. The building doesn't have air-conditioning in certain sections which makes it difficult for my son because of seasonal allergies. Through past experiences, I've had to reference NHA's handbook to make sure guidelines were followed. When mistakes are made, sometimes administration won't readily account for their error. A good practice is for both parent and administratioin to engage in ongoing communication for the sake of the child. Often times, the parent has to initiate the first step. In some cases, more collaborative effort should be made on behalf of the school. Improvement can be made in several areas to help support the child's education and their future.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two boys that have gone to this school since kindergarten. They are now in the 4th and 6th grades. The academic and moral foundation that the school has given them is excellent. Both boys have been accepted to the Johns Hopkins center for talented youth and they both participate in the schools after-school Robotics program. They've worked on researching and developing their own ideas to solve real issues facing today's engineers. They've developed solutions including cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay, designing a concept car that included autopilot and ran on bio-fuels, designing a cardiac patch made of polystyrene to grow with the heart. All of which they had to present in competition. Currently they're working with a school in Mexico on researching whether the idea of a polystyrene cardiac patch is actually possible. An exercise I feel is preparing them for working with people all over the world. The school also has an after-school ACE team (a group that promotes climate education). A couple of years ago some of our students (elementary, middle and high school) went to an engineering conference in Baltimore and won all of the laptops they were giving away!!
—Submitted by a parent

New Hope Academy. I have three children that have gone through the Pre School program. Wonderful program, true love and care for each child. Lots of hands on projects. My kids went into Kindergarten reading already. One of my children graduated from their middle school program with a very strong academy foundation. He tested and got into the Roosevelt Science and Tech program with an almost perfect score. My other two children continue at New Hope in the elementary and the middle school. The Saxon math program that the school uses is excellent. My children love the school and I am relaxed as a parent because not only is excellent academically but the school offers a positive environment that encourages the children to make the right choices. This is a very important point for me because in most schools, the goodness of the children is in constant struggle with the negativity of the environment. The positive and family environment of the school creates rounded and beautiful human beings.
—Submitted by a parent

PreK program is excellent. Family oriented school and chilren have a sense of security there. Principal is open to suggestions but how much is really considered is questionable. Also, the school is so busy struggling with enrollment and keeping teachers that they can't focus on whats important...and that is working on a stronger academic program. Something as simple as a music teacher has changed every year in the past 3 years. There are no after school progams/clubs that encourage children to step outside the box to be creative or individual. The school doesn't focus at all on encouraging an analytical approach to learning, rather it simply forces students to memorize and regurgitate facts. In a society where it is crucial that our children become critical thinkers, very capable writers, and articulate communicators the middle and upper school doesn't prepare students for this task. Love the fact that it has incorporated an International program but even that is lacking and needs some improvement. For a 20 year school it still has some growing pains. It's an OK school if your just looking to "pay" for an OK education. Much more out there to choose from
—Submitted by a parent

I have been teaching at New Hope Academy for two years and have been provided with great support whenever it is needed. If there is a struggling student, the tools needed to help that child becomes available. We teachers are lucky to have great communication with parents which makes it a family atmosphere.
—Submitted by a teacher

We have a son (pre-school) and daughter (1st grade) at New Hope, and our daughter has been there since pre-school 3. New Hope has many great attributes: a caring and accessible principal; a diverse staff and student population; and a stong, demonstrated emphasis on character education. It's a very nurturing environment. The teachers and staff seem to geniunely care about the students' academic and personal growth, and there is a willingness to teach to the individual child's needs to the extent possible.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been a parent of two boys at NHA for the last 9 years! My kids have gone from pre-school through 6th grade. I love the school and appreciate the teachers' attention to my boys. They really get to know the child and are quite helpful when there are issues. NHA is a very small school. There is teacher turnover just like any other school, but there are always a core of teachers that lend stability to the academic program. Incredibly, when necessary, the principal is able to find well qualified teachers who bring new ideas and creativity to the classroom. In nine years, I've had only one teacher with whom I had an issue. Our High School students do well at four year colleges. A lot of our graduates tend to go to junior college because they are only 16 or 17 years old. Because of the flexibility of the High School program, kids can graduate early and often take college courses during their senior year. Most of the kids who first go to junior college move on to four year Universities and go in with several credits under their belts. To me NHA has been wonderful; I am so glad that my friends recommended the school nine years ago.
—Submitted by a parent

I love New hope Academy. I have taught in the New York city school arena. I say arena...because of the lack of confidence in students performances, the constant misconceived conceptions of tenured teachers, and the standardized testing that doesn't focus on individual student's needs. At New Hope Academy, every child is considered an individual. There is not one staff member who doesn't acknowledge any student at any given time of the day. The staff celebrates all races and religions which helps children understand we are one community. The staff will give individualized instruction and teach students that all goals can be attained if even by small steps. Our student population, are learning life skills. Come to our school on Thursdays,take a tour and see for yourself.
—Submitted by a teacher

Not academically challenging for middle and high school levels. Most children go directly into community colleges and later transfer to 4 year colleges. Seems many are not academically prepared... They cannot retain teachers and most new teachers leave the very next year. If you are interested in providing your child with a useful, quality, academic experience, please do your research and COMPARE the quality of the academics to other schools, especially when you are paying your well-earned money for it.
—Submitted by a parent

I am so glad I found New Hope Academy. My daughter has attended for three years. New Hope has a small town community feel to it that is precious, and the academic foundation is strong. It fosters a love of learning, and the principal knows every child's name. The teachers look out for your child and truly care about the children. Older students interact with the younger ones, and my little girl loves the fact that 5th graders say hi to her and know her name. My daughter is in first grade, and yet is reading at the third grade level. She is doing math a full grade level higher. They have a vibrant arts program and she enjoys participating in theatre and dance recitals. Love this school!
—Submitted by a parent