I am incredibly proud to be the principal of Nathan Hale Elementary School. Our school is one that celebrates the beautiful diversity represented by our student and staff population. Our talented staff is dedicated to educating the whole child. In today’s world, students, families, and teachers are facing incredible challenges. We believe in the work we do daily to develop and foster relationships, support social emotional skills, and believe in the success of our students. Our teachers have embodied what perseverance looks like, and they demonstrate a “never give up” attitude each day. 

We recognize the importance of early childhood education, which is why we offer full-day preschool and kindergarten programs featuring the Tools of the Mind Curriculum. Preschool and kindergarten students each received an iPad to assist with their instructional program. As our students transition to first grade, we provide a comprehensive academic program including 1:1 Chromebooks, Ready Math, and a hands-on approach where we nurture knowledge through hands-on inquiry. Our students develop strong reading skills through personalized, prescriptive programming via the Reader’s and Writer's Workshop models supported by an iReady English Language Arts companion piece, and a phonics and word study program that meets students at their level. We also teach handwriting and penmanship to our young learners. 

Nathan Hale School acknowledges the importance of educating the whole child, and we understand that each year brings opportunities to learn. For those reasons and more, our teachers deliver a comprehensive Social Emotional Learning curriculum each day, including Responsive Classroom and mindfulness, while our social worker provides classroom instruction with Character Strong. We believe that all students can learn and we provide a variety of additional programming, such as multi tiered systems of support as well as Response to Intervention and Math Intervention. We regularly provide Tite I and Title III after-school programs. In addition, our school also boasts an Asian Heritage Club and a Student Council to enrich the lives of our students beyond the classroom walls. We believe in having parents and families as partners in education and I encourage you to be an active participant in our school community. We believe open communication is vital to student success and look forward to strengthening the relationships we have already built between home and school. 

Our goal this year, as always, is maintaining the health, safety, and well being of your children and our staff. In addition to this, we will work to target power standards to help bridge gaps and improve student achievement in all areas and recognizing the importance of equity. We understand that accessibility can prevent involvement, so we work hard to meet the individual needs of each student.  Please assist us and make sure your child attends school for the duration of each school day so they can take advantage of all the amazing programming we have at Nathan Hale School. We have a growth mindset and never stop learning, just like we teach our students. Our destination is always success for your children and we will get there together, no matter what it takes. If you have additional questions regarding our school or programming, please call (732) 541-8960 x 5002. I look forward to working with you and together making this a successful and rewarding school year.

Your partner in education,

Ms. Erika Barrett