Our School

New Hope Family,

One of the many things that makes our school EXTRA special is our "Tribe System." All of our students and staff are randomly sorted into one of four groups — our learning and leadership communities for students. Schools with a system like this in place rave about the impact it has on the educational experience. Students report how it helps them form friendships and closer bonds with peers. Teachers note how students perform at higher levels as they earn points for demonstrating excellence both academically and behaviorally.  As a school, we also believe our new Tribe System supports our school mission and vision statements.

The Tribe System does the following:

1. It creates a culture of belonging as students are recognized and cheered on by their peers for accomplishments that lift up the entire tribe. Throughout the year, parents and caregivers can also support their child's tribe as each tribe participates in various community service projects and competitions designed to be fun for all.
2. It creates a school-wide community by creating opportunities for students to connect to staff and students in other classes and grades that share their tribe. Older students learn how to be leaders by mentoring and supporting younger students. Mentoring extends to teachers and staff who are also assigned a tribe.
3. It builds character through a reward system that goes beyond earning a piece of candy for doing something good. Each individual achievement adds to a collective group, making the reward communal and social. Schools with this system in place report seeing huge benefits as students realize the impact good character has on their overall well-being.

Looking forward to a wonderful year!

Dr. Jamie Burton

Principal
New Hope Elementary School
#learnleadlove

With input from various school stakeholders, our Leadership Team created a mission and vision that reflect our love for the community and the children we serve.  We genuinely believe that what makes our school special are the partnerships we share with families and community.  We also wanted our mission and vision to reflect our shared educational beliefs.

Mission
The MISSION of New Hope Elementary School is to empower students to LEARN, LEAD, and LOVE through partnerships with families and community.

Vision
The VISION of New Hope Elementary School is to inspire students to make the world a better place as life-long learners and heart-centered leaders.

Beliefs 

1. We believe everyone can learn at high levels.
2. We believe everyone can be a leader.
3. We believe that respectful relationships promote unity, acceptance and worth.

• Accredited by Cognia
• Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School of Excellence
• Madison County Board of Education, District 3, Brad Brooks
• 595 students
• 27 Classroom Teachers 
• 1 Principal & 1 Assistant Principal
• 1 Reading Specialist & 1 Math Coach
• 1 Nurse, 1 Counselor & 1 Social Worker
• 1 Library Media Specialist
• 1 Art Teacher & 1 Music Teacher
• 1 STEM Aide & 2 Computer Aides
• 1 PE Teacher & 2 PE Aides
• 1 School Resource Officer
• 1 Gifted Teacher & 1 EL Teacher
• 1 Psychometrist & 2 Speech Pathologists
• 2 OSR PreK Teachers & 2 Auxiliary Aides
• 1 Developmental PreK Teacher & 2 Aides
• 3 Collaborative SPED Teachers
• 2 Self-Contained SPED Teachers & 5 Aides
• 1 Resource SPED Teacher & 2 Aides
• 2 Interventionists & 2 Tutors

School Colors: Red & Blue

School Mascot: Indians

At the end of the Civil War, the people who remained in New Hope built a two-room school on what is now New Hope Cedar Point Road, lying diagonally across from the Church of Christ. The location of an earlier school has never been determined. Two deeds are currently on file in the Probate Records room of the Madison County Courthouse.

Mr. W.P. Nichols who, in an interview in 1939, named some of the early educators who taught to include Messrs. George Hill, Alfred Hodges, Sidney Hodges, S.R. Butler, J.B. Vann, Thomas Parks and Misses Bessie and Bertie Hinds, Miss Tate Hayden, and Mrs. Leona Butler Coles. Student helpers were widely used during the early times. Mr. Nichols recalled that he was asked by the trustees and Principal Coleman to serve as a helper one year. For a year’s work, he was given a dictionary valued at one dollar. The teacher’s pay was twenty-five dollars per month. A school term was four months. Several teachers of these early schools came from Tennessee.

School Number 3, a two-story wooden frame building, was used in 1920 until the property was sold. It served the needs fairly well. The school was not accredited by the state. Students who graduated were required to take entrance examinations; consequently, they usually went to Gurley or Huntsville to graduate. Some went on to the college where they intended to enroll.

At the close of World War I, the people of New Hope decided to build a modern school building. At great sacrifice to themselves and their families, they accomplished the feat. Those who could not give money gave labor. Children were charged an incidental fee in the early 1900’s and some parents paid their fee by cutting and hauling wood for the pot bellied stoves that were used to heat the school.

The fourth school building was a $40,000 two-story brick structure located on a ten-acre lot facing Main Street, one-fourth mile west of the town. The courthouse records show that S. Keel Jr. deeded ten acres to the State of Alabama, Madison County, “for the erection of a rural school”, District 65. Nov. 3, 1919.

In 1921, a frame building used for vocational agriculture was added. This was later moved in a southward direction to become the band room, making room for the new elementary building. The rock gymnasium was built in 1934 and is still used today.

Consolidation of smaller schools in the area with New Hope School took place. Enrollment continued to increase and a separate elementary cement block building, including a lunchroom, was added in 1949. This lunchroom - too small to accommodate both elementary and high schools - was later converted to elementary classrooms.

The new high school building, finished in 1958, included six classrooms, the home economics department, library, auditorium, science department and office space. In 1968, two new rooms were added for a modern commercial department. In 1959, a football stadium was built, and in 1968, an up-to-date gymnasium was completed.

With the growth of the student population, a new lunchroom was needed. This was completed in 1963, and the space formerly used for a lunchroom in the elementary school was converted into classrooms and a library. A band room was constructed in 1973. In 1974, a pod-like structure was completed to house the middle school grades (grades 5-8).

During the summer of 1986, air conditioning was installed in the elementary school. Renovation of the old gymnasium for elementary children was begun that year and completed in 1987. During the summer of 1987, the elementary school and high school building were completely renovated. Both buildings were equipped with central air conditioning, heating and carpeting, and excellent lighting.

In 1993, the elementary and high school buildings were connected with a new addition. This new construction included seven new classrooms. In 1999, a new high school was built at the far end of campus in the former location of the “pod” structure. A new gymnasium was also built for the high school at the time. The old high school building became the middle school (grades 5-8). At this time, the two separate schools were still sharing a lunchroom. In 2005, a new lunchroom was built for the high school.

This information was taken from a school history written by Ms. Bernice Dilworth, compiled by Ms. Sara Burleson. The following pictures were taken from New Hope Indian Yearbooks.