School News

Click here to open/download a calendar of important dates and school closings for the High Point School of Bergen County, Regular School Year (RSY) 2023–2024.

Dates: July 8 to August 7

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Click here for summer 2024 school calendar.

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This semester has been chock-full of events and activities that turn a school into a warm and welcoming place filled with engagement, interaction, socialization, group dynamics, and, of course, fun! There’s been no shortage of that this year, whether our students were participating in our annual Anti-Bullying Campaign or dressing up for Halloween or painting glow-in-the-dark artwork as part of our SEL curriculum. Enjoy our montage of shots, featuring our regular CEO Luncheon, robotics class, and a field trip to the Edison Museum!

Every October, High Point School is supremely proud to take part in observing Breast Cancer Awareness Month on our campus, in honor of our many friends and loved ones who have been affected by the disease. But this year, we went extra big by taking our advocacy out into the community. Literally “taking it to the streets,” our students and staff members made homemade signs with personal messages, then held them up to passers-by to “honk” for their support. Everyone enjoyed the outdoor activity and felt invigorated by the good work done for others. Inside the school, we were definitely thinking pink all month, right down to the delicious themed cupcakes baked on the premises in honor of the event.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure. To learn more, visit: https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month.

Anyone familiar with HPS’s comprehensive education model knows how much emphasis we place on not just teaching our students academic skills, but on providing vocational training that will better equip them for a variety of future career paths. That’s why were delighted to move our cosmetology training program on-campus this year, piloting it over the summer and then launching it full-scale in the fall, in our newly outfitted space designated exclusively for this purpose.

Students are exposed to a variety of cosmetology areas and aspects—such as hair, makeup, nails, skin care, sanitation, and professional standards—in a series of cumulative classes that build on each other and complement each other. Pictured here are several of our participating students practicing the tools of the trade and refining their hands-on techniques.

We take Hispanic Heritage Month pretty seriously around here—so seriously, that every classroom gears up for the September 15–October 15 event by picking their own country to explore. Next, each classroom decorates their door any way they wish, seeing who can race to the finish with the best themes and coolest decorations. Not only does each class then study all different aspects of their chosen country (like its flag, its system of government, its geography, economy, and fine arts), but each class is then treated to a veritable feast of foods from that country at a local restaurant.

Pictured below, Mr. Lee and Ms. Tineo accompanied the “Colombia Class” to the Colombia Bakery Factory in Lodi, where they enjoyed an expansive and exquisite lunch.

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate and honor the customs, traditions, contributions, and cultures of Hispanic and Latino countries and peoples all over the world. To learn more visit: https://www.hhs.gov/blog/2023/09/29/national-hispanic-heritage-month-observance-2023.html, https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.org/, and many other related sites.

On April 28, 2022, we were treated to an in-person presentation by Holli Honeycheck, Outreach & Admissions Counselor from the Edison Job Corps Center. Meeting in the comfort and small-group environment of our conference room, Ms. Honeycheck presented a slide show to our seniors with the aim of broadening their continuing education choices after high school graduation. The Edison campus offers vocational training in such fields as automotive/machine repair, computer tech, building/construction tech, bricklaying, culinary arts, carpentry, nursing, and more at no cost to eligible students. Driven by the missing of “Training for the Future,” our local Job Corps offers exciting opportunities for students who want to pursue hands-on training that provides industry-recognized credentials in a wide array of professions.

Things have been busy around here ever since the spring semester started—and we see no signs of the excitement and festivities slowing down anytime soon! We just wanted to highlight some of the standout events and activities over the past few months that showcase our students’ achievements, our teachers’ dedication, and our staff’s creativity:

•   In March, a special luncheon honored a handful of students who have exhibited extraordinary effort to improve their performance in our academic and behavioral program—students like Michael Singleton (pictured below with Ms. Pulido, School Director).
•   St. Patrick’s Day is a great excuse to go green, and our staff (pictured below, left to right: Mrs. Tineo, Ms. Rivera, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Hile) was more than happy to model for our students how to dress for the Luck of the Irish!
•   We’re always looking for ways to expose our students to different cultures and cultural events around the world, so in observance of Carnavale this year, we engaged in a school-wide mask-making and decorating art project that produced truly eye-catching results (now on display in our reception area). Never one to miss an opportunity for a competition, Mr. Ricks set up a staff vs. students contest and traveled room to room seeking votes. The student side took the win here—congratulations to Rihanna Potts for creating High Point’s most beautiful carnival mask!
•   Our school social workers, Miss Bautista and Ms. Rivera, are currently working on a Personal Growth Garden unit with our students, teaching them not only how to be responsible for living, growing things, but how to turn that kind of inner reflection into self-love and self-care as well.
•   Our PBI (project-based instruction) marketing unit on sneaker design and production culminated in a Sneaker Decorating Competition that produced a veritable rainbow of one-of-a-kind shoes. Read more about this comprehensive, months-long unit in the Spring 2022 issue of our school newsletter.
•   Field trip season has begun! Spring offers both the weather and the opportunity to get our kids out and about—especially when they deserve a reward for a job well done. When it comes to places to eat and play, Dave & Buster’s is a perennial favorite, as evidenced by Daniel (shown below wearing his sneaker competition submission, by the way!).
•   Mrs. Tineo continues to find imaginative and innovative ways to inspire our students’ artistic talents, this time with an assignment to produce 3D art of the students’ choosing. We were particularly impressed by 9th grader Diego Nunez’s hand-crafted house, sculpted out of such materials as cardboard, printed textured paper, beans, moss, and sticks.

Things were hopping this year during our staff vs. students basketball competition, where, we’re not afraid to admit, everyone came to win—not just play! Our two-day event started with a three-point shoot-out competition in which participants had to take five shots from five different spots. After taking a break to gear up for the next event, our 16 student players returned the next day for three-on-three rounds against our staff members. Despite college-pro-level competition from some of our staff, the students weren’t scared off at all and a shout-out to our female players who more than held their own against the males! We wish we could say our winners, Mr. Wil Irick and Mr. Najee Ricks, were humble about their victory, but do they look humble in the snapshot below? Check out the other photos of Anthony concentrating hard before heading for the hoop; Jalon in midair after his free throw; Dr. Malz looking on as her teammate Miss Bautista went toe-to-toe with Mr. Berretti; and tournament leader Mr. Hile applauding Mr. White as he announced the victors with student Zahkir cheering everyone on. The competition was fierce, but fun was had by all—and our staff particularly enjoyed the chance to bond and team-build (literally!).

Click here for most recent report on lead testing in the school’s water.

In November, HPS students actively participated in Anti-Bullying Awareness Month activities. They created their very own Instagram photo booth, with the help of Ms. Toran and Mr. E., which sparked conversation about bullying and social media. We talked about what bullying is, what to do about it, where to get help, and how to help others. The students enthusiastically decorated blue T-shirts to share the messages BE KIND and PEACE AND KINDNESS above the heart symbol to show our love for this worthy and much-needed campaign. Visit: anti-bullyingalliance.org.

Valentine’s Day was a pretty sweet event on campus this year, made particularly special by the chocolate-covered strawberries Chef Johnson and her culinary students prepared, by the other treats distributed throughout the school, and by the props that both staff and students enjoyed amid all the fun and laughter. We devoted the day to “spreading the love” as only High Point can, in our own caring and memorable way.

A week after our Dave & Buster’s trip, our graduating seniors again left the premises on Monday, June 18, for a special lunch out—this time, as a more private and serene way to spend some final one-on-one time with their fellow graduates and their teacher, Ms. Patti, and teaching assistant, Mr. E. As a small party celebrating a big victory, the group enjoyed some downtime together as everyone looked forward to what’s to come for our departing seniors. You may be leaving the building later this week, but you’ll never leave our hearts!

On Monday, June 11, High Point’s graduating class was treated to a senior trip to Dave & Buster’s in the Willowbrook Mall. The whole point of the outing was to reward our graduating seniors for their year-long effort and achievement with an all-play, no-work afternoon, which is why we picked a destination known for plentiful amusements and delicious food. The students enjoyed spending several hours playing games, riding rides, and relaxing over lunch. And now we can gear up for the busy weeks ahead!

On March 28, 2018, the High Point Eagles basketball team participated in the NJNCAA conference championship game, coming in second place by just 20 points. Our student athletes played their hearts out this season and learned about the benefits of teamwork, hard practice, and team participation. To earn a spot as a High Point Eagle, students must be on green level or above in our behavioral system, which has proven to be a great incentive for our students. High Point Eagle Antrell Monroe was proudly named the season’s MVP by coaching staff Mr. White and Mr. Thompson.

You can learn more about this critical problem at:

• Dating Matters^®: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships
• Love Is Respect
• National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
• Healthfinder.gov

On February 7, High Point students welcomed guest speaker Jody Wood, a professional actor who specializes in introducing improvisational skills to students by allowing them to learn and challenge themselves in a comfortable environment. Jody focused on coaching new ways to socialize while assisting our students in improving their listening and communication skills. Students were encouraged to work collaboratively with their peers to build upon one word at a time to create stories. Through one of Jody’s exercises, students were taught skills on how to live in the moment and to listen thoroughly before reacting and responding. Students also worked on strengthening their public speaking abilities by performing in front of their classmates and teachers. This was done in a way to increase the students’ self-efficacy and to help them believe in their ability to respond appropriately in conversations. Jody’s presentation was a vey welcome activity to our students, particularly those who are interested in careers in music, literature and theater.

Each year, High Point commemorates the 100th day of school as a way to plant ourselves in the present, so we can look back on what we’ve accomplished so far in the school year, then look forward to what we still want to accomplish, striving after our goals with renewed vigor.  As part of the observance on February 15, to symbolize fresh beginnings, our Culinary Arts program supervisor Mr. Torres, along with a few select culinary students, prepared a wholesome and hearty full-course breakfast of scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage, and orange juice. Students were allowed to enjoy the meal in their classrooms, where discussions were held on recognizing healthy support systems in the classroom and at home. Teachers also led discussions throughout the day on the significance of this day and the importance of staying focused as we roll into the remainder of the school year. The next 100 days, here we come!

As our students were prepping for Winter Break dismissal near the end of the month, our school director, Cindy Pulido, had a special treat in store for them: a surprise gift for every boy and girl, generously donated by Ms. Pulido’s sister—wrapped with loving care and given with great kindness and best wishes. Our students were grateful to head home with gift in hand, and we’re grateful for a happy and healthy holiday season for our entire school family!

There are many in-school activities that our students enjoy. But they really love traveling off-campus for fun field trips … especially when such outings are the result of their own hard work and dedication. On December 20, students on blue level earned the privilege of heading out to Bowler City in Hackensack, NJ, to burn off some pre-holiday energy and reap the fruits of their labor. Blue is the second-highest behavioral level our students can achieve—only gold level ranks higher—so they had a great time celebrating the effort they put into not only reaching, but maintaining this high level of accomplishment. The staff-escorted group spent two hours at the bowling alley, and a wonderful time was had by all. Not only that, but because of our students’ outstanding behavior outside of the school building on this day, many more field trips are in the works for the rest of the school year!

Everyone in attendance would like to thank Carol and David from the bottom of our hearts and reiterate how vital you are to the High Point School of Bergen County. Here’s to another 20 years of your valued partnership and friendship.