Friday, August 29, 2025 | N-032526

Designed for connection

We are designed for relationships, and there's a unique power that comes from connecting with others on a similar journey. In the first weeks of school, we have already seen how good it is to have students, staff and parents come together to support one another. As the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:9, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor."

Thank you for being a part of our school. We are grateful for the unique perspective you bring to our shared mission.

HIGHLIGHTS

Connecting on campus

The start of the school year has been filled with joyful connections. We were thrilled to open our campus for our Meet the Teacher, giving our families a chance to get to know our staff and learn more about their child's education.

A true highlight was the Parents’ Gathering, organized by HOPE's Parent Council. It was a beautiful demonstration of how our families are the very heart of this community. Parent Council introduced their members, and the Primary Reps, the link between teachers and parents.

We have also loved seeing the smaller moments of connection, from parents gathering at the primary playdates to students joyfully interacting with each other on photo day.

ACADEMICS

Camp Week for Grades 9 to 11 ⛺️

This year, Grades 9 through 11 will have their Camp Week during the same week as the rest of the school's FLAG week.

HOPE organizes a camp program for students. This is a wonderful opportunity to develop friendships and share new experiences together. Detailed information has been sent to your parent emails and a permission form is needed from all Grade 9, 10 and 11 parents.

For Grades 9 & 10, get ready for a trip to Kirirom Hillside Resort. This camp program is themed on building leadership and community. Grade 11 students will head to Siem Reap for a camp focused on Servant Leadership. This is a great opportunity to explore biblical principles of leadership, support a local mission organization, and set goals for the future.

Grade 10 Global Perspectives Projects

Grade 10 students from Global Perspectives are launching some relevant projects. Led by Mrs Megan Holmes, as a requirement for their class, they have launched various projects to raise awareness about various global issues.

Take a look at their first initiatives; they will need the support of our dear community!

Raise a cup for healthcare!

Samuel Phork, Eunhan Park, Seulon Yun, and Elijah Hendrata

Samuel Phork, Eunhan Park, Seulon Yun, and Elijah Hendrata want to raise awareness of health care access in Phnom Penh among the local communities. Help them raise funds to donate to the Kantha Bopha hospital in Siem Reap by buying some of their delicious drinks!

Kantha Bopha is an NGO, a non-profit organisation. That means they don’t make any profit when treating patients; it is completely free. Because it makes no profit, it heavily relies on other organisations, the governments, and donations to help keep the hospital running. Your donations help kids and adults from many different backgrounds gain the serious medical attention they need! All profits and donations made are going to be sent straight to the hospital. Learn more about this project here.

Dare to educate!
Jonah Oh, Anna Claire Mellon, and Hope Asiata

Jonah Oh, Anna Claire Mellon, and Hope Asiata want to address the global issue of education. In doing so, they wish to fundraise for Hope Global Cambodia, a school that teaches local Khmer students English, to help broaden their opportunities in future endeavors.

This fundraising event is a 'Teacher Dare Challenge' running throughout September. For every $30 donated, a teacher or staff volunteer will complete a dare of their own choosing. The students will announce the donation total and the teacher's dare every Monday morning at assembly.

Pick up and Clean up!

Ruby Jorgenson, Ruby Staunton, Ethan Pen, Jonathan Dunbar

In Phnom Penh alone, 3,000 to 5,000 tonnes of waste are created daily. Of that, 15-25% is plastic, 5-10% is paper and cardboard, and 2-5% is glass and metal. This is why we need to make changes quickly. We may not be able to reduce the amount of plastic created each day, but we can reduce the plastic buildup around us.

Ruby Jorgenson, Ruby Staunton, Ethan Pen, and Jonathan Dunbar want to make the land surrounding our school a cleaner and fresher place to be. If you want to join us in picking up rubbish, we will be doing it every Thursday of October from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, just outside of HOPE School, to make our world a cleaner place to live in.

Bible Verses

Week 5 - Proverbs 3:12

Week 6 - Proverbs 3:13

Week 7 - Proverbs 3:19

CAMPUS

Parent University

Answer survey before the session

Parent University is back! Our first session of this school year will be a two-part series focused on developing healthy habits and hosted by Matthew Stock. This isn't just about exercise, but rather a holistic approach to the entire body. We also need your help filling out this survey in order to better help us understand your family habits.

Matthew Stock has served in Cambodia for over twelve years in trauma-focused roles, including leadership in anti-trafficking NGOs and vocational training for survivors. Formerly Country Director for Agape International Missions, he now partners with multiple NGOs to provide leadership coaching, organizational consultation, and trauma-informed training.

A Marriage and Family Therapist with a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Colorado Christian University, Matthew is a licensed professional counselor candidate at Sombok Psychology in Phnom Penh. His clinical focus includes couples therapy, family dynamics, sexual trauma, holistic wellness, identity, and self-esteem. He also contributes to Sombok’s consulting and training team, delivering services that strengthen health and resilience in organizations.

C9 upcoming update and menu

Century 9 will be rolling out a new, additional option to purchase meals for an entire month. Sales will begin at the end of September. If families decide to use this option, it will remove the process of buying daily lunch tickets or 5 and 10-meal cards which helps students who are prone to losing their cards on a regular basis. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

COMMUNITY

Lunchtime Live is back!

Lunchtime Live is back for another round, and we are so excited to see what you have to offer!

If you've been working on a musical item, a dance, or something else, apply to Lunchtime Live to get your talent up on the stage.

This is a performance opportunity for students who have prepared and practised a performance piece, whether they are beginners or more advanced. It is a chance to build confidence, develop stage presence, and share their creativity with a supportive audience. We welcome groups or solo performances.

This is not an open mic or karaoke event but a celebration of students' effort and dedication to their craft. We look forward to enjoying many great performances together.

Apply for Lunchtime Live Performance!

Upcoming dates:

- September 12

- October 10

- November 14

Rehearsal spaces: every lunchtime, supervised rehearsal spaces are available in S11, S12, and the Hall.

HOPE Language-specific chats by Parent Council

Our Parent Council had a fruitful gathering with parents, and they have launched an important initiative!

A new way to connect with other families is through our language-specific chats, organized by the Parent Council. These chats offer an informal space for parents to support each other in their native language. Please note these are not official communication channels, but are a wonderful way to build community.

대화에 참여하세요 | Join the conversation in Korean

ចូលរួមការសន្ទនា | Join the conversation in Khmer

加入对话 | Join the conversation in Chinese

Playgroup on Wednesdays

For all parents and toddlers NOT YET ENROLLED AT SCHOOL! HOPE Parent Crystal McMaster and others invite you to a weekly playgroup on Wednesdays. Join us for fun, fellowship, and play.

Each session begins with free play on the playground for the first 15 minutes, then engaging activities like playdough, paints, and blocks, followed by a circle time with songs and stories. This playgroup is designed to help future students become comfortable on campus, make friends, and ease their transition to Preschool. It's also a wonderful opportunity for stay-at-home parents to connect and build community.

Next on the Calendar

Wednesday, 10 September

Cross-Country Training starts | 6:15 am

Thursday, 11 September

Parent University 'Developing Healthy Habits' Part 1 | 1:30 pm @ The Hall

Friday, 12 September

Lunchtime Live Performances | 12:00 @ Park Plaza

15-19 September

FLAG Week | Primary and Middle School
CAMP Week | Grades 9, 10 and 11

See full Calendar

ANNOUNCEMENTS

We have confirmed some new positions for the current school year. Invite others to join our mission here at HOPE. Share this poster and direct them to the website at hope.edu.kh/jobs