With many options available throughout Central New Jersey for a quality education from Kindergarten through Eighth Grade there are many considerations to bear in mind. Read on to learn about frequent inquiries regarding CHP and all that makes our school stand out as one of the top New Jersey private schools in the academic landscape of greater Somerset County.
Why choose CHP for my child’s K-8 education?
CHP offers a cumulative and immersive experience centered around essential life skills and learning retention. Our students often begin with us in the lower school and rise from one grade to the next until commencement in Eighth Grade, building on their previous experiences and becoming more deeply ingrained within the CHP community as they move through the grades. The camaraderie of their peers and the one on one support of our faculty gives all of our students a unique educational vantage point.
How do the curriculum and cost at CHP compare to other area private schools?
Our curriculum is research-based and subject to the most recent developments in national scholastic standards. The collaborative culture of our campus, rooted in personal staff and student dynamics, makes learning at CHP a one-of-a-kind opportunity. The cost of CHP is lower than many schools in the area, in an effort to make an excellent education affordable. While there are certain fees charged in accordance with school clubs and programs, the overall cost is kept much lower than many schools advertising “all inclusive” tuition.
Why doesn’t CHP continue through high school?
CHP offers a curriculum that typically extends beyond the age limits of the grade in question so as to teach our students to the highest level and prepare them for the academic opportunities and challenges to come. To that end, CHP classes go until Eighth Grade in order to keep the focus on the students’ achievements up through middle school. Many schools that offer curriculum up through Twelfth Grade ultimately end up treating the years leading up to the high school level as fairly expendable in terms of preparation for college. CHP recognizes the value of each of the years prior to high school and acknowledges that a student who shows up unprepared to Ninth Grade will, in turn, be unprepared for college applications when the time comes. CHP’s belief is that every step is essential in a cumulative education.
Does CHP have plans to expand in size or number of locations?
CHP aims to keep our campus and classroom the size that they are, in order to maintain a tight-knit community of staff and students, where each voice is heard and the presence of every member of our school is felt in our academic and extracurricular events.
What activities are available to CHP students beyond their academic studies?
Campus life extends to the many clubs made available to our students. Fifth Grade and up have access to elective choices, while some of the after school activities are open to our younger students. Electives include debate, TedX, environmental club, VexIQ, Future City, and more. Our clubs include art club, chess club, kids kitchen, home decor, and various other options for many different interests.
How do CHP students relate to each other as a community?
The collaborative culture of the school ensures that our students are forging not only friendships, but deep bonds rooted in coming of age together as part of the same experiential learning process. Many CHP alumni have stayed in touch with staff and administrators and the feedback the school receives from these graduates is a testament to the lifelong influence that our students carry with them in the years following graduation.
How does CHP focus on all of the preparation that takes place prior to Ninth Grade in order to ensure that students enter high school as fully formed individuals with their own interests, passions, and hobbies?
Rather than focus on avoiding standardized testing, CHP’s instructors teach to a level of mastery so that each child, regardless of their respective style of learning, feels capable of reaching those established benchmarks once they reach the high school level. We see more in our students than just grades and cater to each student’s strengths while supporting them around personal challenges and areas of greater scholastic difficulty. By viewing each child as a community member in full we are able to make sure no child ever falls by the wayside in the bustle and excitement of our packed school days. Children are encouraged to pursue their hobbies, which presents a change of pace from classroom engagement and keeps them motivated and their thinking sharp even when they are enjoying free time. Many of our students over the years have been able to express themselves through their talents and interests in ways that they might not have felt initially comfortable doing in the context of the classroom. Our campus comes to life with the input of everyone in school.
