Bridgeport Hope School

Bridgeport Hope School (BHS) is a small K-8th private elementary and middle school located in Bridgeport, Connecticut focused on academic excellence balanced
with character development in a diverse, family-oriented setting.
BHS is established as a non-sectarian, independent school and receives no funds from religious bodies. The school acknowledges the existence of God and supports values common to the major world religions: love, respect, purity, devotion, and wisdom.
Mission Statement
Bridgeport Hope School is Dedicated to Academic Excellence and the Cultivation of Heart and Character in a Caring Community.
History
BHS was founded by four families in 1996 as a home school collective for grades K - 3. In 1997, the school was expanded and incorporated into an independent day school for elementary students in K - 8th grades. From the beginning, BHS was intended to become a school in which education of the whole child - from moral to academic aspects - is maximized. Currently the school attracts families seeking small class sizes, attention to moral values, and a solid academic education. The student body is culturally, racially, and religiously diverse.
Accreditation
BHS established tax exempt status, , in May, 2000 and gained approval from the State of Connecticut in June, 2002. In addition, BHS went on to gain SEVIS approval in September, 2008 which allows the school to issue I-20s to international students. BHS is presently accredited by CAIS (Connecticut Association of Independent Schools).
Curriculum
Bridgeport Hope School is proud to offer the comprehensive curriculum found in the Core Knowledge Sequence, as well as the "incremental development and continual review" provided in Saxon Math. The Writing and Spelling Road to Reading and Thinking (WSRRT), a multi sensory approach to teaching language arts, combines grapheme with phonemic awareness. The language arts program develops writing, vocabulary, and comprehension, integrating classic and moral literature.
In day to day interactions with students, teachers follow the Differentiated Instruction approach in the classrooms. The small class size offers an ideal environment for reaching the individual needs of each student. Teachers use a variety of methods including direct instruction, self-paced curriculum, group work, online courses, as well as visual learning. Since students learn through numerous learning channels, teachers develop their lesson plans accordingly.
Core Knowledge
BHS follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, which provides a clear outline of content to be taught in language arts, history, geography, mathematics, science, and the fine arts. The specific content of the Sequence provides a solid foundation on which to build skills instruction and a coherent plan that builds year by year.
According to the Core Knowledge Foundation, “Reading, listening, writing, and speaking with understanding depend on a shared body of common knowledge. It’s part of the nature of language: speakers and writers assume their audience shares not just the same vocabulary, but the same context in which those words appear. Thus the Sequence is not an attempt to impose a canon. It’s an attempt to curate the knowledge shared and assumed by all well-educated, literate Americans."
Saxon Math
Saxon Math is a teaching method for incremental learning of mathematics. It involves teaching a new mathematical concept every day and constantly reviewing old concepts. Typically, the day’s work is split evenly between practicing the new material and reviewing old material.
Saxon’s primary mathematics series is a “hands-on,” success-oriented program that emphasizes manipulatives and mental math. The series addresses the multisensory approach to teaching. Mastery of mathematical concepts does not occur quickly. Mastery and long-term retention require that the concepts be practiced over a long period of time. Concepts are presented in carefully sequenced small pieces called increments. New objectives are introduced through carefully selected group activities. All concepts are practiced in each succeeding lesson. All areas of mathematics are integrated so that children see the interrelationships. Thus the presentation of concepts is not in “units” but is spread out over a considerable period of time.
WSRRT
The foundation of the school’s language arts program in Kindergarten and First Grade is Rigg Intitute's Writing and Spelling Road to Reading and Thinking. This is “explicit” phonics, which is taught without words or pictures using multi-sensory teaching techniques. This method begins with phonetics, letter formation, spelling, and cognitive development and then integrates these language “strands” for reading: complete phonetics, syllabication, oral vocabulary, visual discrimination, comprehension, phonemic and graphemic awareness. In addition, the following “strands” are integrated for composition: handwriting, orthography rules, margins, spacing, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, syntax, punctuation, and capitalization
International Students
BHS offers the opportunity to learn English to international students. In addition, international students receive a rich inter-cultural experience. BHS has been approved by SEVIS to issue I-20s to international students.
Domestic students also benefit from daily interaction with students from totally different cultural backgrounds than their own.

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