PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Greetings Friends of New Roots,
This Spring, I’m reflecting on the inspiring growth we’ve experienced this school year following our charter renewal, with a new middle school program added to our award-winning high school!
Standing on the threshold of April, I’m looking forward to the many warm-weather traditions we’ve established in our 17-year history, from celebrating Earth Day of Service as a whole school through hands-on ecological restoration projects throughout the region, to Intensives Week in May featuring a week of outdoor and community-based learning. Our signature Rootstock Youth Music Festival will take place on May 16, bringing youth musicians and dancers from our wider region to the stage on the Ithaca Commons.
Read on for more about upcoming community events, and a few 2026 highlights. Do you know a family that might be interested in attending one of these events, or learning more about our school’s unique educational offerings? Please forward this newsletter!
If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas to share, please start the conversation by connecting with me via tina@newrootsschool.org. I look forward to seeing you out in the community this spring!
With Gratitude,
Tina
Tina Nilsen-Hodges
Founder, Principal and Superintendent
principal@newrootsschool.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
APRIL
4/18 CCE Earth Day Festival – on the Ithaca Commons
4/20 Ithaca College Sustainability Fair
4/22 School-wide Earth Day of Service
4/24 Gallery Night & Open House (5-7) – Celebrating Earth Week!
4/25 4-H Duck Race – Get your ducks!
MAY
5/03 Ithaca Farmers Market
5/16 Rootstock Youth Music Festival
HYDROPONIC GRANT
A new hydroponics system has come to New Roots through a grant from the Whole Kids Foundation! Math Teacher and Farm Manager, Aaron Snow, and students worked on assembling it in the window of our lobby. Besides using it for educational purposes, we plan to grow herbs and lettuce for our school kitchen. First seeds have been planted!
EARTH DAY GALLERY NIGHT & OPEN HOUSE
You are invited to join us for an Earth Day celebration curated by the talented humans of New Roots.
You won’t want to miss this showcase of staff and student art, live performances from the New Roots Band, poetry reading, food, textile art, sculpture, drawing, painting, and more! Select pieces will be available for purchase.
Our doors will be open from 5-7 pm on Friday, April 24th.
NEW ROOTS STUDENT WINS KIRBY EDMONDS AWARD
New Roots Charter School senior, Ayden Githinji, has received the honor of being chosen as this year’s (age 14-18) Kirby Edmunds ACTION Award for Social Justice recipient!
Ayden was nominated by New Roots for a number of reasons, including their leadership in the Students of Color Unity Elective and participation in statewide education policy discussions and in their community as a Youth Council Ambassador.
ROOTSTOCK 2026
Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance and New Roots Charter School are proud to co-produce the 6th annual Rootstock, the Finger Lakes’ only YOUTH music & arts festival. This one-day community celebration will take place on Saturday, May 16th 2026, 12-5 on the Ithaca Commons, with musical groups and dance troupes performing throughout the day, and youth entrepreneurs from YEM vending.
Know someone interested in performing? Applications are now open until 4/17!
KEEP UP WITH NEW ROOTS HAPPENINGS!
Keep up to date with school and community happenings by following our social media accounts!
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New Roots is a free public charter school serving grades 6-12, open to anyone eligible to attend middle or high school in NYS.