A Snapshot of the McKeown School

The Marian E. McKeown Elementary School has been carefully placed on the charming landscape of northwestern Sussex County. The instructional and support staff of our school number sixty three strong, and they provide direct instruction to 409 students from pre-school to sixth grade every day. The instructional staff are highly trained professionals who offer a high quality educational program under the direction of strong curriculum guidelines that have been developed by educators from around the Kittatinny sending region and custom made to match the students and educational beliefs of the Hampton Township community.

Students at the McKeown School are exposed to an outstanding array of academic programs that are constantly updated and aligned with the Core Curriculum Standards and Frameworks as set forth by the New Jersey State Department of Education. Our programs include the most up-to-date instruction available to elementary students in mathematics, reading, language arts, social studies, technology, science, physical education, health, performing arts, special education programs as well as a gifted and talented or better described as an “Enrichment Program”. Many of our staff have been trained in the Wilson Reading Program. During the 2006-2007 school year the Hampton School District introduced for the first time, a full day kindergarten program with many successful and noteworthy student accomplishments. Each year our staff works on the development and/or revision of a new curriculum.

In 2003, the Hampton Township School District was monitored by the New Jersey Department of Education for Special Education and received a letter of certification with no recommended improvements. In addition, the district received commendations for student performance and fine student attendance from the New Jersey Department of Education. In July 2005, the New Jersey State Police under the direction of the Governor inspected McKeown School’s security plans and measures and provided a written report indicating that the school building has meet all security measures currently available.

Students enjoy a wide range of programs from kindergarten to sixth grade. Our Performing Arts Program continues to involve over 111 students annually in each of the instrumental and vocal music programs. Our Library Media Center is fully automated and second to none in the elementary field with 25,945 volumes. Our students enjoy a host of after school clubs including stamp club, robotics, project adventure, science and friendship club. Our students attend a variety of field trips ranging from Buehler Space Center to a three-day environmental program for our sixth graders. Our staff and students annually recognize our nation’s veterans with presentations for both Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day. The student Honor Roll recognizes students in grades 5 and 6 for their academic performance.

Our philosophy is to recognize those who perform well academically and are a real role model for the younger students. This year, the following sixth grade awards were as follows:

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMMUNICATION SKILLS -

Benjamin Galinski, Daniel Mitjans, Antonia Gobo, Melissa Kemeny

SARAH HARLACHER CREATIVE WRITING AWARD -Brendan Carroll

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MATH - Kyle Lackey, Jenna Verrico

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SCIENCE - Rebecca Ogle, Travis Fernandez

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOCIAL STUDIES - Nicholas West, Samantha Dibsie

HISTORY AWARD (DAR) - Timothy Bellush

OUTSTANDING CITIZENSHIP AWARD (DAR) - Sarah Frey

LEWIS E. BLANCHARD, JR. MEMORIAL AWARD - Jared Schreiber,

Heather Kilduff

ERNIE CLARE COMPUTER AWARD - Carly Kandel

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN VOCAL MUSIC - Heather Kilduff

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AND COOPERATION IN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC - Timothy Bellush

DANIELLE NAZZARO MUSIC AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP AND MUSICIANSHIP - Dana Boeher

JASON NELSON SPORTMANSHIP AND ATHLETIC AWARD (GIRL) (BOY)

Kyle Lackey, Marissa Coombs

BRENDA TREXLER ART AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ART - Sarah Frey, Justin Sweeney

THOMAS HAUGHTON AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE - Andrea Kiddoo

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE:

Garrett Armstrong Courtney Bellush Timothy Bellush

Francis Bellush Cynthia Fasolo Brendan Carroll

Dana Boeher Jeremy Koerber Molly Cook

Samantha Dibsie Kyle Lackey Bryce Cutler

Sarah Frey Daniel Mitjans Connor Davis

Benjamin Galinski Sara Pagan Travis Fernandez

Carly Kandel Gregory Peil Antonia Gobo

Emily Maio Nicholas Romyns Heather Kilduff

Brooke Schleyer Rebecca Ogle Joseph Taylor

Jenna Verrico Isabelea Pazddzierski Jennifer Tomasula

Nicholas West Justin Sweeney Daniel Wilson

PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT -

Melissa Kemeny, Kacey Snook ,Raymond Wynne

PRINCIPAL’S AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP AWARD:

Garrett Armstrong Marissa Coombs Timothy Bellush

Melissa Bernabe Cynthia Fasola Matthew Collins

Dana Boeher Nicholas Fischer Molly Cook

Samantha Dibsie Gabriela Herrera Bryce Cutler

Sarah Frey Melissa Kemeny Connor Davis

Benjamin Galinski Jeremy Koerber Travis Fernandez

Kevin Jellinek Kyle Lackey Antonia Gobo

Carly Kandel Daniel Mitjans Andrea Kiddoo

Emily Maio Jonathen Munoz Heather Kilduff

Nicole Pfeiffer Sara Pagan Nichole Mack

Joshua Pollard Gregory Peil Brianna McNeel

Julian Rojas Nicholas Romyns Rebecca Ogle

Brooke Schleyer Kacey Snook Isabela Pazdzierski

Jared Schreiber Kevin Tosti Morgan Philhower

Jenna Verrico Justin Sweeney Jennifer Tomasula

Daniel Wilson Nicholas West Joseph Taylor

MARIAN EMMON MC KEOWN AWARD FOR GROWTH IN SELF-RESPONSIBILITY, ACADEMICS, AND WORK HABITS

Joseph Taylor, Nicole Pfeiffer

SUPERINTENDENT’S ROUNDTABLE AWARD

JANE PERLMUTTER MEMORIAL AWARD

Molly Cook

The instructional staff has organized a parent volunteer program called the “Page Turners.” Community members, parents or grandparents volunteer for a semester at a time. The volunteers arrive at the school and read to students who have been selected by our instructional staff. The goal is to encourage the lifelong “Love of Reading.”

As a school district, Hampton truly appreciates the extraordinary efforts of our PTA under the direction of Mrs. Christina Logsdon, President of the McKeown PTA. The PTA actively raises funds for a host of student activities, author visits and assemblies. During the summer of 2007 the PTA purchased additional playground equipment and has funded a new playground area for use during inclement weather.

Our current Board of Education members are: Mrs. Joyce Anderson, Mrs. Roberta Andrews, Mrs. Liza Mailloux, Mr. Barry Johnson, Ms. Carol Laffer, Ms. Eleanore Shaffer, Janet Lucas and Mrs.Deidre Metzger. The Board’s Vice President is Mr. Barry Johnson and the President is Dr. Joseph Santora.

The Hampton Township School District has three administrators, and they are:

Mr. Everett C. Burns Superintendent

Mr. Dominic Festante Principal

Mrs. Kerry Murphy School Business Administrator

We are extremely proud of our staff. Many of our staff have received outstanding awards and recognition over the years. Each year, the President of the United States recognizes outstanding mathematics and science teachers by bestowing upon them the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). The PAEMST program is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House. Two of our staff have earned Presidential Awards and traveled to Washington, D.C. to receive them at White House Ceremonies. In 1992, Carol Tremper, now retired, earned the award in mathematics and in 1999, Daniel Weissman earned the award in science. The Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program is designed to introduce participants to Japanese culture and education. Two staff members have earned these grants to travel to Japan for study with follow-up projects at McKeown. These projects were developed and submitted to the New Jersey Department of Education where they received “Best Practice” Awards. Mrs. Carol Tremper received a Best Practice Award in Mathematics in May 2001 for her project entitled “Math in a Japanese Garden.” In the spring of 2002, Mr. Lewis Ayers received a Best Practice Award in Social Studies for his project entitled, “Spinning a Better World with Clay.” During the summer of 2007, Ms. Kristen Abernethy, a fifth grade teacher, was awarded a Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Earthwatch Fellowship to work with a research team in Idaho to identify the “Wildlife Trails of the American West.”

During the 2006-2007 school year, the entire school community here in Hampton worked diligently to produce a “Look into the Future” through the development of a “Strategic Plan”. The plan takes an in-depth look at the future needs in the areas of curriculum, personnel, and facilities. You may want to scroll down further on our web page and read more about the details of this study.

The New Jersey Department of Education completed a complete review of the Hampton Township School District using an evaluation process called the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum or better known as NJQSAC during the 2007-2008 school year. Of the five categories reviewed the Hampton Township School District received a 100% in performance for three of the categories and 90% or above in the remaining two categories. Special thanks go out to all the staff, students, community members and the members of the Board of Education for assisting with this huge undertaking. The overall outcome was certainly worth the time and effort to demonstrate the level of success this school district provides for the students of Hampton Township.

Hampton Township School was determined to be a “High Performing School District” by the NJ Commissioner of Education.

We hope that you find this information helpful. Our staff and community continues to uphold its pledge to support the quest for a quality education in a safe and nurturing environment.