Hope Hall Newsletter

October 12, 2023

Fall Newsletter – Creating Community and a Culture of Hope

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In our fall issue, Sister Diana focuses on Creating Community and a Culture of Hope. This is so important at Hope Hall, because many of our students come to us feeling excluded and having a fragile or non-existent sense of Hope.

Like the violets Sister Diana often references, this aspect of Hope Hall helps our students get the care, nurturing, and educational support they need to thrive and become successful learners, as well as to feel welcome in an inclusive community that honors everyone for who they are.

In this issue, you’ll also:

Read about Hope Hall’s Not-so-lazy Days of Summer and discover the adventures our summer program students enjoyed
Get an update on Our Hope for Tomorrow Construction Project, scheduled to finish this fall
Meet three of Hope Hall’s new employees
Enjoy photos from Hope Hall’s High Hopes Golf Tournament
Discover several of the wonderful organizations that so generously support Hope Hall and its students
Find a Save the Date for Hope Hall’s Holiday Woodworking Sale (Hint: It’s December 9th!)
Learn how Hope Hall adapts for its annual Burying of the “I Can’ts” Ceremony

Click on Newsletter to download Pdf

August 2, 2023

Our Summer Newsletter Is Chock-full of News!

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Since our summer newsletter covers all the activities that happened at the end of the year, it’s packed with news!

In addition to Sister Diana’s Directors Corner, in which she calls for Resiliency and Hope, and thanks the many, many individuals, foundations, and donors who made this year’s Walk for Hope so successful. She points out that the kindness and generosity of each is a great reason to keep Hope in our hearts.

In this issue, you’ll also:

Meet our new Associate Executive Director, who many of you may already know!
Hear from our graduates, regarding what they have learned that they are taking out into the world (To listen to their actual speeches, visit Hope Hall Senior Speeches 2023)
Discover how we celebrated our Eighth Graders moving up to become High School Students
Meet our three students who were recognized by Benjamin Bruce, Deputy Assistant Attorney General In-Charge of the Rochester Regional Office, for receiving New York State Attorney General Letitia James’s Triple “C” Award for Commitment, Character and Courage
Get an update, with photos on the expansion and renovation progress happening on the Hope for Tomorrow Campaign
See photos from Hope Hall’s Talent Show that happened toward the the end of June
Discover what elements of their Living Environment Science class Hope Hall’s 10th Graders were able to identify on a field trip to the Seneca Park Zoo
See photos from the Walk for Hope that raised over $48,000 toward the Hope for Tomorrow Campaign

Click on Newsletter above to download

May 4, 2023

May News – Our Students Need Some “Sole Mates”

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In May’s newsletter, there’s a strong focus on this year’s Walk for Hope. Sister Diana talks about the importance of Sole Mates — our wonderful friends who help support our students in their Walk for Hope by donating to support individual students or classes in their fundraising efforts. You’ll also find additional ways in which you can participate…through being an individual or Community Partner or by donating gift cards to places students love, to be used as prizes. All of these options are so important this year because all of the money raised supports our Hope for Tomorrow Campaign, enabling the school’s expansion, renovation and enhancement to programming.

You’ll also find:

“The Hope for Tomorrow Campaign is Music to Our Students’ Ears,” in which we share information on how the music room and program will be enhanced by the renovation.
An article about Career Week at Hope Hall, and the visitors who came in to share insights about various career opportunities.
“Readers Theater, A Mesopotamian Myth,” in which Mr. Carman uses the Dolce Method of Learning Mastery® to teach social studies curriculum about the ancient world
An Alumni Spotlight on Georgia Dunn, Class of 2020, who just graduated from Continental School of Beauty
Registration and Sponsorship Information on the High Hopes Golf Tournament (Register quickly, as the field is already 2/3 full!)
A Poem of Thanks to our Amazing Volunteers

April 3, 2023

Active Listening Makes All the Difference

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In the April Newsletter, Sister Diana points out the importance of Active Listening. This is a skill that involves the head and heart, as well as the ears, and that leads to understanding, rather than simply hearing what someone else has said.

She points out that, if we practiced the two following activities, all of us would be improving communication and actively building healthier relationships

When you are listening to someone else, listen with an attitude of wanting to understand first.
. After someone has spoken to you, say, “Let me say back what I think I heard you say.

She points out that this is another good way to end some of the destructive behavior that leads to violence in our homes, our workplace, our city, and our world.

In this issue:

Discover how four of our athletes feel Hope Hall’s Sports Program has helped them become successful personally and academically, and how they feel it will impact their future.
Learn about several field trips our students have taken, and how curriculum in reinforced through these adventures.
Enjoy photos of Hope Hall’s Walk for Hope Kick-off, which was covered by Channel 13 WHAM’s Bright Spot.
We cover alumni Casan Curry’s success and the fact that he was named a a member of The Men of Excellence and Women of Excellence program at MCC
Discover how Hope Hall is being transformed as construction begins to make the vision of Hope for Tomorrow a reality
Meet our Student of the Month for March, Leia Mancini
We thank one of our Gold Level Champions of Hope, Sage Rutty
Learn how YOU can become a Community Partner in Walk for Hope!

Click image below to download the newsletter.

March 6, 2023

Collaboration and Cooperation, the Mantra for the March Newsletter

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Sister Diana’s Director’s Corner for March focuses on “Collaboration” and “Cooperation,” two words that many see as the same, but she sees as two complimentary, but different concepts.

She defines collaboration as “working together with others to achieve a common goal,” and cooperation as “working together for a common goal, but also getting along with those with whom you are working, honoring differences of opinion and styles of doing something, and appreciating the fact that there is always more than one way to achieve any goal.

She goes on to say, “In other words, collaboration is what you do in working together, and cooperation is how you do it. She offers suggestions of how to reinforce the values of collaboration and cooperation in the home.

In addition, this issue features:

Our Alumni Spotlight focused on Bridget Lanschwager and Charlie Schaffer.
Student of the Month, Billy Bosley
An article on Hope Hall’s new initiative, the Hope for Tomorrow Campaign that will enable the expansion and renovation of the school and help us enhance programming.
The tale of Enemy Pie in the classroom
Seeds of Hope in Science
How the St. Pauly shed helps Hope Hall and many others.
An update on Experience Italy and invitation to make in-kind donations for it.
Save the Date for the High Hopes Golf Tournament (Hint: It’s July 31 this year, at The Links at Greystone)

To download or read the newsletter, click on the image below.

February 13, 2023

February 2023: Expanding Our Hearts

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In February’s Director’s Corner, Sister Diana points out that Expanding Our Hearts means making room for people other than our family and close friends. It means including people, in loving ways, whether we know them or not.

One way we can expand our hearts is by making sacrifices.

She points out that sacrifice is something we’re all called to do if we’re human beings who care anything about anyone else.

During the month of February, our students and staff will be participating in Hope Hall’s 19th Annual Pennies for Patients to raise funds to help fight Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin’s Disease and Myeloma. The newsletter contains information about this initiative, if you’d like to help.

You’ll also find:

A hardy congratulations to this month’s student of the month, Xavier Thompson-Drumgoole
A reminder about Celebrate Hope, our Interactive Open House
A registration form for Experience Italy on April 29th
A piece on Hope Hall’s Literacy Showcase at the end of December

Click on the image below to download the entire newsletter

January 4, 2023

January 2023: Beacons of Light and Hope; Post-Holiday Recipe for Happiness

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For January’s Director’s Corner, Sister Diana revisits December’s topic on the importance of being points of Light and Hope, because toward the end of 2022, we lost two individuals within the Hope Hall Community who embodied those qualities. In this issue, we pay tribute to both of them.

She also focuses on the topic of happiness, pointing out that it is “an inside matter, ” and she offers a “recipe” for bringing happiness into our own lives, as well as those of our children.

In this issue, you’ll also find articles and information on:

Our Student of the Month, 10th Grader David Burt
Experience Italy (Please reserve April 29th on your calendar and watch February’s newsletter for registration!)
TJ Ruberti, our Alumni Spotlight for January
Middle School Math Teacher, Ms. Amie Fouchie, who held “Math Olympics,” as an innovative way to teach ordering numbers and working with decimals to her students
A tribute to former student and one of our points of Light and Hope who we lost in December, Tilahun (‘T’) Gushish (to watch a video tribute done in loving memory of him, Click Here)
A tribute to another of our points of Light and Hope who passed away in November, Board Member Dr. Barry Culhane
A Project done by the Senior Class called Painting with a Crunch
Snowmen in the Library!
An invitation to join us for Celebrate Hope, a new Interactive Open House on February 17th (for more information on this event, Click Here)
A photo collage of thanks to the Gates Fire District, for providing warm, new coats to our students through their annual initiative, Operation Warm

October 3, 2022

October’s Newsletter – A Focus on the Value of Hospitality

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For the month of October, Sister Diana focuses on the value of Hospitality. She points out that hospitality is defined as the act of welcoming another person into our space, into our life, and letting the person know that s/he matters.

She asserts that Hospitality is a value that needs to be taught, nurtured, and cultivated
in order to become a way of life, and she offers tips on how to incorporate it into our personal lives, as well as to make it a way of life for members of our family, including our children.

In this issue, you’ll also find:

- An article about the Dewey Cafe, a “book tasting” that was organized by Ms. Combs and Mrs. Widera to introduce our students to different types of non-fiction.
- An update on new staff, and employee changes at Hope Hall
- Photos from the First Day of School
- An opportunity to “participate” (at least virtually) in the annual “Burying of the I Cant’s” Ceremony.
- Discover How Middle School Science Teacher Miss Kaitlin Hamilton put lab safety “under a microscope to teach her students about doing safe science experiments.
- Read a thanks to all who helped ensure our students and teachers had all they needed in school supplies
- Discover what’s in store for our Toast for Hope Gala online auction.
- Learn how Alvah Halloran & Son’s Hot Rods for Hospice helped the community, including Linda’s Cupboard
- A Save the Date for our Annual Woodworking Sale on December 10.

Click on the image below to download our October Newsletter.

Click to Download

In this issue, you’ll also find:

- An article about the Dewey Cafe, a “book tasting” that was organized by Ms. Combs and Mrs. Widera to introduce our students to different types of non-fiction.
- An update on new staff, and employee changes at Hope Hall
- Photos from the First Day of School
- An opportunity to “participate” (at least virtually) in the annual “Burying of the I Cant’s” Ceremony.
- Discover How Middle School Science Teacher Miss Kaitlin Hamilton put lab safety “under a microscope to teach her students about doing safe science experiments.
- Read a thanks to all who helped ensure our students and teachers had all they needed in school supplies
- Discover what’s in store for our Toast for Hope Gala online auction.
- Learn how Alvah Halloran & Son’s Hot Rods for Hospice helped the community, including Linda’s Cupboard
- A Save the Date for our Annual Woodworking Sale on December 10.

Click on the image below to download our October Newsletter.

Click to Download