Kinnelon principals outline fall enrollment, new reading and math programs and expanded after‑school offerings

Jennifer O'Hooley, principal of Keele Sysco School, and Mrs. Utell, principal of Stony Brook School, summarized fall enrollment and new programs at a Kinnelon School District preK–5 principals' forum on Oct. 9. O'Hooley said Keele Sysco has about 22 preschool students and reported kindergarten through second‑grade counts of 117, 112 and 122 respectively; she gave a combined total of about 373 students across the two elementary schools. "We have about 22 students on our roll at this time," O'Hooley said, referring to preschool enrollment.

Mrs. Utell gave Stony Brook's upper‑elementary numbers for the 2024–25 school year: 128 third‑graders, 117 fourth‑graders and 116 fifth‑graders, for a total of 361 students. "In our third grade class, we have 128 students," she said.

The principals described several program changes and supports intended to bolster early learning. O'Hooley said Keele Sysco has added full‑day preschool and kindergarten paraprofessionals and expanded in‑class resource supports in grades K–2 to provide additional help for students with learning needs. "We are very excited to have our little ones with us all day long," she said.

On curriculum, O'Hooley said the district moved its ELA program from Teachers College to HMH's Into Reading to emphasize foundational reading skills; Mrs. Utell said Stony Brook is using IXL for K–5 math and that online practice will be assigned two nights a week. "For our ELA curriculum we're using our HMH Into Reading program," O'Hooley said. "For our math program, we are now working with IXL," Utell added.

Stony Brook has implemented departmentalization in third and fourth grades so teachers can specialize in ELA or in math/science/social studies, Utell said. She also described a "Zen Den" social‑emotional support coordinated by phys ed teacher Rebecca Baskinger and the building's CST and guidance counselors to serve K–5 students across the district.

Both principals credited a parent/volunteer group called Keisha with helping expand extracurricular and family‑engagement programming. Utell said Stony Brook plans to add a drama/theater club, art club and chess club on six‑ to eight‑week cycles; Keele Sysco will offer an art club and a January theater production. The principals also mentioned existing offerings such as coding, robotics, a business club for fifth graders and a student council.

The forum included a list of upcoming events and safety programming: a fire‑safety prevention visit with the township council and the Kinnelon Fire Department for preK–2 students this week; a three‑week classroom animal‑care project around Oct. 14 (date not exact); a parent information session on Oct. 24 (Band Room at Stony Brook); picture retakes (Keele Sysco Oct. 28; Stony Brook Oct. 15); a family engineering design night Oct. 16; a Halloween parade (Keele Sysco at 10 a.m.; Stony Brook at 11:15 a.m. on Oct. 31, to be held on the field); a Scholastic Book Fair in November; and evening parent‑teacher conferences in early November (district‑wide schedules noted).

O'Hooley described recent hands‑on learning, including an apple cider‑press program with student presentations and taste tests and a traveling farm visit with a donkey, bunnies, guinea pigs and a piglet. Mrs. Bosch, the library media specialist, was credited with securing a Lego wall grant used in makerspace time.

Both principals thanked families, staff and the district for support and encouraged parent involvement in Keisha activities and upcoming events. The session closed with reminders about the calendar and a note that more event details will be shared via school newsletters.