Saddle River Day School

In today's world, Saddle River Day School is a topic that has captured the attention of millions of people. From its relevance in history to its applications today, Saddle River Day School has been the subject of study, debate and exploration in a variety of fields. Over the years, it has become a fundamental element in our daily lives, influencing both our culture and our way of life. In this article, we will delve into the fascinating world of Saddle River Day School, exploring its origins, its impact on society, and possible future implications.

Saddle River Day School
Address
Map
147 Chestnut Ridge Road

Saddle River
,
Bergen County
,
New Jersey
07458

United States
Coordinates41°01′50″N 74°05′05″W / 41.030607°N 74.084815°W / 41.030607; -74.084815
Information
TypePrivate Day school
Established1957
NCES School ID00868768[3]
Head of schoolJalaj Desai[1]
Faculty43.3 FTEs[3]
GradesK–12
Enrollment302 (plus 4 in PreK, as of 2017–18)[3]
Student to teacher ratio7:1[3]
CampusSuburban
Color(s)  Navy blue
  Red and
  white[4]
Team nameRebels
PublicationPeriscope (Alumni)
Parents Guild Newslink
NewspaperThe Rebel Report[5]
YearbookRetrospect[5]
Tuition$44,500 (9-11), $45,500 (12) for 2022-23[2]
Websitewww.saddleriverday.org

Saddle River Day School is a coeducational, college-preparatory independent day school, located in Saddle River, in Bergen County, New Jersey, serving students in Pre-K3 through twelfth grade.[6][7] Its student body is drawn from communities in Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic counties in New Jersey and Rockland County in New York.

Saddle River Day School has three divisions: the Lower Division, the Middle Division, and the Upper Division. In 1966 it received accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, which expires in July 2027.[8] The school is also accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education and is a member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools[9] and the National Association of Independent Schools.

As of the 2017–18 school year, the school had an enrollment of 302 students (plus 4 in PreK) and 43.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 7:1. The school's student body was 78.1% (236) White, 13.9% (42) Asian, 3.6% (11) Black, 3.6% (11) Hispanic and 0.7% (2) two or more races.[3]

History

Saddle River Country Day School, founded by John C. and Diane M. Alford on June 24, 1957, opened in September 1960 after overcoming zoning disputes. Originally housed in a mansion on the Denison estate, the school served grades five through twelve with an initial enrollment of forty-five students. Over the years, the school expanded significantly, adding new buildings like Alford Hall and North Hall, growing its student body, and enhancing its academic and extracurricular programs. The school was renamed Saddle River Day School in 1980. Despite facing challenges in the early 1990s, including a decline in enrollment and leadership changes, the school rebounded, introducing new programs and expanding its facilities.[10]

The campus currently features three buildings:[10]

Main Hall: Houses the Lower School and offices for the Headmaster, Admissions, Development, Finance, and Administrative staff.

Alford Hall: Used by the middle school, Alford Hall features science and mathematics classrooms, the Athansia M. Tsoukas Laboratory, the Margaret Clark Laboratory, facilities for art and music, the entire performing Arts Center, and the Connell Science Wing.

North Hall: Contains the offices of the Upper School Dean, the Dean of Students, and the Director of College Placement. North Hall also includes The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), a full kitchen, senior commons, a gymnasium, locker rooms, a fitness room, and a music room.

The "Building the Future" campaign successfully funded a fourth building (Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship), with an expected completion date of mid-2025.[11]

Curriculum

The Lower School utilizes phonics for language arts instruction. An IDEAS Lab (Innovation, Design, Engineering, Arts, and Science) encourages constructionism through student interactions with their physical environment. This manifests through lessons in robotics, critical thinking, 3D design, and basic coding. Foreign language instruction begins in Kindergarten, and continues as a requirement through 12th grade.[12]

The Middle School offers a robust curriculum, with accelerated tracks in Science and Math, three world languages (Spanish, French, and Arabic), in addition to introductory courses in Business and Graphic Design.[13]

The Upper School offers the following nineteen Advanced Placement courses:[14] English Literature, English Language, United States History, European History, Human Geography, World History, Psychology, Macroeconomics, Music Theory, French, Spanish, Calculus AB and BC, Statistics, Biology, Physics C: Mechanics, Chemistry, Computer Science Principles and A.

Additionally, Upper School students can select a diverse range of electives from Linear Algebra, Artificial Intelligence, Middle Eastern Studies, and Photography.[14]

Saddle River Day School also offers students in the 9th-12th grades the opportunity to participate in the yearly French Exchange Program. This program includes a two-week homestay in alternate years in Dijon, France.

Athletics

The Saddle River Day School Rebels[4] participate in the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference, which is comprised of small-enrollment schools in Bergen, Hudson, Morris and Passaic counties, and was created following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[15][16][17] Previously, the school was a member of the all-private Patriot Conference, but after a decision by the NJSIAA in February 2008, both Hawthorne Christian Academy and Saddle River Day School joined the Olympic Division of the Bergen County Scholastic League (BCSL) later that year, and remained in the conference until it was disbanded as part of the NJSIAA's 2010 realignment.[18][19] The BCSL was disbanded as a part of a wide-ranging realignment of high school sports in northern New Jersey, and Saddle River Day moved to the new NJIC in the fall of 2010. With 133 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public B for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 37 to 366 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group II for public schools).[20]

The girls basketball team won the Non-Public Group B state title in 2018 (defeating Rutgers Preparatory School in the tournament final) and 2019 (vs. Trenton Catholic Academy), and was declared as the Non-Public North B sectional champion in 2020 after finals were cancelled due to COVID-19.[21] The team won their first title with a 73-49 win against Rutgers Prep in the finals of the Non-Public B tournament final.[22] The 2019 team repeated as winner of the Non-Public B title against Trenton Catholic by a score of 79-67 in the title game.[23] The teams advanced to the Tournament of Champions both seasons. In 2018, the team was the fifth seed, winning the quarterfinals by 92-63 against fourth-seeded University High School before losing to number-one seed Manasquan High School 80-67 in the semifinal game played at the RWJBarnabas Health Arena to finish at 24-7 for the season.[24] The 2019 team was the second seed and won the semifinal round by a score of 76-63 against number-three seed Manchester Township High School before losing in the finals to top seed Franklin High School by a score of 65-57 and finishing the season at 28-3.[25][26]

Notable alumni

See also: Category:Saddle River Day School alumni

References

  1. ^ Welcome from our Head of School, Saddle River Day School. Accessed January 26, 2022.
  2. ^ Tuition & Financial Aid, Saddle River Day School. Accessed December 31, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e School data for Saddle River Day School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 1, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Saddle River Day School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Clubs and Activities, Saddle River Country Day School. Accessed April 7, 2022.
  6. ^ "Preschool in Bergen County NJ | Saddle River Day School". www.saddleriverday.org. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  7. ^ "Private High School in Bergen County, NJ | Saddle River Day School". www.saddleriverday.org. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  8. ^ Saddle River Day School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed December 31, 2022.
  9. ^ List of Member Schools, New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. Accessed August 13, 2017.
  10. ^ a b "HISTORY OF SADDLE RIVER DAY SCHOOL 1957-2007". Saddle River Day School. Archived from the original on August 28, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  11. ^ "Private High School in Bergen County, NJ | Saddle River Day School". www.saddleriverday.org. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  12. ^ "Private Lower School Curriculum". saddleriverday.org. Saddle River Day School. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  13. ^ "Middle School Curriculum". saddleriverday.org. Saddle River Day School. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Upper School Curriculum". saddleriverday.org. Saddle River Day School. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  15. ^ Mattura, Greg. "Small-school NJIC may debut its own league championship", The Record, January 9, 2017. Accessed August 30, 2020. "The small-school North Jersey Interscholastic Conference may debut its own boys basketball tournament this season, one season after introducing its girls hoops championship. The NJIC is comprised of schools from Bergen, Passaic and Hudson counties and the event offered to the 36 boys teams would serve as an alternative to likely competing against larger programs in a county tournament."
  16. ^ Member Schools, North Jersey Interscholastic Conference. Accessed August 30, 2020.
  17. ^ League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  18. ^ Schutta, Gregory. "Two non-publics enter BCSL Olympic", The Record, February 7. 2008. Accessed February 7, 2008.
  19. ^ New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association League Memberships – 2009-2010, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, backed up by the Internet Archive as of July 24, 2011. Accessed December 15, 2014.
  20. ^ NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  21. ^ Girls Basketball Championship History: 1919–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated March 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
  22. ^ Copper, Darren. "Girls basketball: Saddle River Day rips Rutgers Prep to earn first title; IHA's run ends", The Record, March 10, 2018. Accessed October 27, 2020. "The Rebels gave New Jersey a good shake at the Barnabas Center racing past Rutgers Prep 73-49 to claim their first Non-Public B girls basketball state title Saturday. Saddle River Day advances to the six-team Tournament of Champions, which opens Wednesday."
  23. ^ "No. 3 Saddle River Day girls basketball does it again, wins Non-Public B title", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, March 9, 2019, updated August 22, 2019. Accessed October 27, 2020. "That score ended a Trenton Catholic run and put away any doubt in the Non-Public B final. It was all a part of a 30-point night for Sidor as she led Saddle River Day, No. 3 in the NJ.com Top 20, to a 79-67 win over No. 6 Trenton Catholic and jumped into second place all-time for career points in state history."
  24. ^ Lerner, Gregg. "Good as Advertised; Masonius Fuels Manasquan Into ToC Final", Shore Sports Network, March 16, 2018. Accessed February 8, 2021. "She penned the latest chapter Friday night with a dominating performance that covered practically every shred of lumber on the court at RWJBarnabas Health Arena, collecting 26 points and 20 rebounds to complement her overall composure in powering top-seeded Manasquan to an 80-67 triumph over fifth-seeded Saddle River Day in the semifinal round of the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions."
  25. ^ NJSIAA Girls Basketball Tournament of Champions History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  26. ^ Tartaglia, Gregg. "Saddle River Day basketball comes up short in bid for Tournament of Champions title", The Record, March 17, 2019. Accessed February 8, 2021. "The No. 2 seed Rebels bowed to No. 1 Franklin, 65-57, in Sunday's NJSIAA Tournament of Champions final at Rutgers' Louis Brown Athletic Center.... Saddle River Day finished its finest season at 28-3."
  27. ^ Students at Gift of Life CEO’s alma mater create teen-focused ad campaign, Gift of Life Marrow Registry, August 29, 2017. Accessed August 13, 2024. "When Gift of Life CEO and Saddle River Day School (SRDS) alumnus Jay Feinberg visited the school in October 2016 to explain the organization’s mission to students, one teacher saw an opportunity."
  28. ^ "'Swab Mob' group helps to save lives in Saddle River", The Record, October 20, 2016. Accessed August 13, 2024. "The event was inspired by Gift of Life Founder and CEO Jay Feinberg, who graduated from Saddle River Day School in 1986."
  29. ^ Wojnarowski, Adrian. "Glick lost his life, but won his final bout", ESPN, September 19, 2011. Accessed January 26, 2011. "He was an all-state wrestler for Saddle River Day School in Northern, N.J., a judo champion."
  30. ^ Lee, Gretchen. "Natalie Janowski, '22 to exhibit art at Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition's National Art Show", Saddle River Day School, September 20, 2019. Accessed August 21, 2024.
  31. ^ Bulletin and Annual Report 2021 , Saddle River Day School. Accessed August 13, 2024.
  32. ^ Salemi, Vicki. "Glorifying Jersey; A noted Hollywood screenwriter uses her Jersey roots to help inform her storytelling.", New Jersey Monthly, December 13, 2010. Accessed July 25, 2011. ""It's definitely part of who I am," says the Los Angeles-based scribe, who was born in France and moved with her family to Fort Lee when she was 6 months old. The family later moved to Demarest and then Montvale, where she lived from age seven until college. Brosh McKenna, now 43, attended Saddle River Day School, studied literature at Harvard and, after graduation, co-wrote A Co-Ed's Companion with her college roommate."
  33. ^ Kuperinsky, Amy. "Meet Ghosts star Danielle Pinnock. How Jersey’s joyful spirit is making people laugh all pandemic long.", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 7, 2021. Accessed December 22, 2021. "Growing up in Teaneck, Pinnock earned a scholarship to Saddle River Day School, where she became a regular on the stage."
  34. ^ Fall 2020 Bulletin and Annual Report, Saddle River Day School. Accessed August 13, 2024.
  35. ^ Retrospect. Saddle River Day School. 1990. p. 19.
  36. ^ "North Jersey Scholars", The Record, April 24, 2005. Accessed February 18, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "Grace Pak, Saddle River Day School Year of graduation: 2005"
  37. ^ Chollett, Laurence. "Sticks: One woman's guide to adopting life in the country", The Record, October 16, 1994. Accessed February 18, 2025. "Rogak, 31, was born and raised in Glen Rock and graduated from Saddle River Country Day School."
  38. ^ Retrospect 1970. Saddle River Day School. p. 70.
  39. ^ Administrator, BCCLS. "Discover: Donna Thorland: Donna Thorland". discover.bccls.org. Retrieved August 31, 2024.