PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Greetings from New Roots!

As summer begins in full bloom, I am still feeling radiant from the powerful culmination of our first year serving learners in grades 6 to 12!

New Roots is a school community designed for our times. Weaving together time-honored best practices, New Roots is educating for a just and sustainable future, one young person at a time, since 2009. All New Roots graduates leave high school with college credit, college acceptance, and experiences to build a strong resume to support their transition into the workforce – the best of both worlds.

Since 2012, our graduates have left high school ready to act to make their life vision a reality. The Class of 2026 is no exception. 100% of our seniors graduated, meeting school standards that exceed those of New York State. 100% graduated with college credit, and college acceptance. 100% earned the New York State Seal of Civic Readiness. And the total awards and scholarships earned by these 22 young people added up to over $1.7 million!

Beyond this, our graduates take with them the learning derived from rich, interdisciplinary, community-connected, experiential curriculum and instruction aligned with Education for Sustainability Standards, cultivating the habits of heart and mind that support their personal and professional lives in a rapidly-changing world. These resume-building experiences build confidence and essential “soft” skills that support college and workforce success.

I invite you to celebrate our young people with us by reading on for more about our first-ever middle school promotion ceremony, high school graduation, and a trip to Harlem made by our Students of Color Unity elective to learn about African American history and culture – as well as the profile of a New Roots alumna who is following her heart to make her dreams come true!

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 and by the lake this summer, enjoying this beautiful place we are fortunate to call home.

With gratitude,

Tina

Tina Nilsen-Hodges

Founder and Principal

UPCOMING EVENTS

JULY

7/16-19 Sponsoring Community Stage at Grassroots

7/29 Tabling at Trumansburg Farmers Market

AUGUST

8/6 High School – Ice Cream on the Porch and Open House

8/8 Fillmore Days and Bathtub Races

8/20 Middle School – Ice Cream on the Porch and Open House

FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS

STUDENTS OF COLOR UNITY ELECTIVE HARLEM TRIP

“Know your past to see your way forward.” This is one of the three core principles of our Students of Color Unity Elective (SOCUE) and the motivating force for their recent trip to Harlem.

Thirteen students visited the Studio Museum in Harlem and the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and caught live music in Marcus Garvey Park!

This journey back in black history was sponsored by Ms. Millie Clarke-Maynard, a long-time New Roots trustee and owner of the black-owned business, Teacher On The Go Consulting Group LLC. Due to her generosity, these young people have a deepened understanding of their historical identity to carry with them into what lies ahead.

SOCUE is a powerful force in the lives of our young people, creating a sense of community and strong values that support success academically, socially, and professionally. 100% of our seniors of color graduated this year!

CEREMONIES AND GRADUATION

Middle School Promotion

Our first-ever 8th grade promotion ceremony took place at the large pavilion at Stewart Park. This marks the inaugural Class of 2030’s transition from middle school to high school at New Roots. We can’t wait to continue to watch them grow!

Senior Recognition Ceremony

At the Senior Recognition Ceremony, held at the First Unitarian Church, each senior was recognized and celebrated by a staff member who has worked closely with them. Additionally, we distributed traditional and school awards earned by our graduates, and the Class of 2026 officially passed the torch of school leadership to the Class of 2027.

School awards included recognition of seniors who faculty identified as embodying the New Roots Schoolwide Outcomes of Healthy Persons, Lifelong Learners, Communicators, Community Members, Citizens, Members of Ecosystems, and Visionaries.

This important ceremony gave space for our graduates to reflect on their accomplishments and contributions as the New Roots Class of 2026.

High School Graduation

The New Roots Charter School Class of 2026 tossed up their graduation caps at the Community School of Music and Arts on Thursday, June 25! This 15th graduating class marks two milestones for New Roots: 100% of our seniors graduated, including 100% of our seniors of color. Also of note, each graduate also received the NYSED Seal of Civic Readiness on their high school diploma. 100% of the class of 2026 graduated with college credit for one or more classes. Additionally, all graduates were also Rotary Interact Club members who engaged in community service throughout the year. Senior awards included NYSED 2026 Scholarships for Academic Excellence, NYS Attorney General Letitia James’ Office “Triple C” Award, Civic Ambassador Award, Comptroller Student Achievement Awards, and our own New Roots Academic Achievement Awards.

At the time of this newsletter the school is 92% enrolled for all grades, with 94% student retention and 100% faculty and staff retention.

READ ALL ABOUT IT!:

Our full press release
Tompkins Weekly: New Roots, Ithaca High Celebrate Class of 2026
Ithaca Journal: New Roots to New Horizons: New Roots Charter School Graduates Class of 2026

The New Roots Class of 2026 toss up their graduation caps!

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Emi Stockwell ‘20 is currently getting her degree in Communications at Temple University Japan Campus in Tokyo. Here she speaks about how attending New Roots helped her achieve her dream of living in Japan:

“I wouldn’t be studying abroad at Temple University Tokyo Campus if it weren’t for New Roots. All through middle and high school I struggled finding a school where I felt I belonged until I ended up at New Roots and finally felt welcome, accepted, taken seriously, and encouraged to pursue my dreams. For example, I was interested in songwriting so they gave me a microphone and set up a recording space for me. My love of Japan was encouraged across subjects, with teachers letting me incorporate my interest into lots of the projects we worked on. The teachers at New Roots genuinely care about their student’s future. They make you feel like part of the New Roots family. They’re also a really good school, academically. They held my hand helping me navigate college applications. Thank you, New Roots!”