News Room

Welcome to Oak Knoll’s News Room! Here you will find recent news appearances, press releases, publications and the news archive. Have news to share regarding Oak Knoll School, faculty, students or alumnae/i? Email communications@oakknoll.org and we will do our best to meet as many requests as we can. For permission to use the official Oak Knoll School logo or any official school photography found on the website, please email meghan.hodgin@oakknoll.org.

Oak Knoll Zoos Are in the News

This week, the Official News Site of the Archdiocese of Newark spotlighted Oak Knoll’s Lower School STEM program. Their article, entitled “Catholic stewardship of care for creation learned through virtual zookeeping project,” highlights a January 2024 multi-disciplinary project completed by grade 4 that incorporated the 3D programming tool CoSpaces Edu to create virtual zoos as a culmination of their science unit on the structure and function of plants and animals.

Logan McGowan ’06 and the Value of a Firm Foundation

Logan McGowan ’06 understands the value of a firm foundation. With an MBA from the prestigious Stern School of Business at NYU, specializing in Technology and Entrepreneurship, and a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Notre Dame, he has counted on excellent educational institutions to support him in his professional journey. With that, he quickly shares that his appreciation for firm academic foundations dates back to his seven years in Oak Knoll’s Lower School.

Health is the Beating Heart of a Successful Education

At Oak Knoll, ensuring the health and well-being of our students is the key to achieving their highest potential in our overall academic and social-emotional program. That is why our school nurses arranged a partnership with Who We Play For, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing anyone the opportunity to get screened for a potential cardiac condition. That partnership allowed families to sign their students up for evaluations on campus throughout the day on March 5, 2024.

Holy Child and Wholly Spirit

In keeping with the Holy Child Goal of “Community,” Oak Knoll celebrated its inaugural Holy Child Spirit Week with PK-12 House competitions, student appreciation events, parades, and the much-anticipated Lip Sync battle.

Tahira Brings Black History Month to Life for Lower School

In a series of back-to-back assemblies on Wednesday, February 7, Lower School students were captivated by Tahira’s interactive storytelling and musical talents. A lifetime member of the National Association of Black Storytellers and a 2023 Delaware Division of the Arts Master Fellow in Oral Literature, Tahira brought Black History to life for pre-K to grade 2 students first and then grade 3 to 6 students in a second assembly.

Sal Garcia ’19: Scoring Big as a Scholar and Athlete

Discipline. That’s what it takes to be a successful scholar and athlete. That’s what it takes to make it to the Little League World Series when you have only just graduated from Oak Knoll’s coed Lower School. That’s what it takes to do well in the academic rigor of a school like Delbarton. That’s what it takes to be so polished in the classroom and on the baseball diamond that Duke University asks you to commit when you are only in grade 8.

Oak Knoll STEAM Learning Spotlighted in NJAIS Conference

The New Jersey Association of Independent Schools recently featured an Oak Knoll Lower School STEAM project in their January 25 “What the Tech Is Going On?” conference. The conference, subtitled “Rapid Fire Highlights of Innovation and Instruction In Schools,” challenged Lower School Science Teacher Regina Cherill and Associate Director of Technology Innovation & Integration Kim Connolly with the task of highlighting their novel artificial intelligence and ocean plastics unit using only three slides and three minutes of presentation.

Annual MLK Day of Service at Oak Knoll

More than 100 Oak Knoll community members gathered in the Aileen Maury Dining Hall on Monday, January 15, 2024, to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a communal act of kindness. In this annual MLK Day of Service, participants volunteered their time during a school holiday to participate in a tradition jointly organized by the Oak Knoll Campus Ministry Team and the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice. 

The Real Work of Christmas Continues

Upon returning to school after the rush of activity that occupies the holiday season, Oak Knoll students, faculty, and staff gather to celebrate the Venerable Cornelia Connelly’s birthday prayerfully. Connelly was born in Philadelphia on January 15, 1809, and founded the Society of the Holy Child Jesus (SHCJ), of which Oak Knoll is a member of the Holy Child Network of Schools alongside eight other schools in the United States and 13 overseas. 

Oak Knoll Families’ Generous Christmas Contributions Impact Community

As we wrap up the calendar year and head in a host of different directions for the Christmas holidays, we look back on the last few weeks as a flurry of activity not only academically but also of meaningful service opportunities for the entire community. Students in all grades, faculty, staff, parents, and alumnae/i pitched […]

Podcast: This Is Our House — Oak Knoll Launches Historic House System (4:48)

During the first weeks of the 2023-2024 school year, Oak Knoll unveiled and launched a new “house system” — which sets a historical precedent and will give students a joyous tradition for playful competition and familial pride for generations to come. In the short podcast, Assistant Athletic Director Melissa White explains the idea’s origin and how the houses were chosen. You can also read about the new house system in this news article. (4:48 min)

Oak Knoll Celebrates Immaculate Conception Day

Immaculate Conception Day, also known as The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, is one of the most important feast days related to Mary in the Roman Catholic Church liturgy. Celebrating the day on December 8, 2023, the Oak Knoll community gathered in the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts for a Mass and Eucharist.

Oak Knoll’s Upper School’s Exchange Program Offers Lower School Students a Lens into Global Perspectives

We have extolled the benefits of Oak Knoll Upper School’s international exchange programs between Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, Holy Child Killiney in Ireland, Sant Ignasi School in Barcelona, and Mayfield School in England. Less well-known is the tremendous perspective our visiting exchange students can provide to our Lower Schools students. 

Oak Knoll Senior Alexandria Lopez ’24 Shares Her Native American Heritage

In a Lower School Assembly just before Thanksgiving break and in an Upper School Assembly just after our return, Alexandria Lopez ’24 shared her heritage and connection to the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory and Tribe. In celebration of National Native American/American Indian Heritage Month, she shared information about her tribe’s traditions, customs, and values, as well as information and statistics regarding the indigenous people who inhabited the lands around Oak Knoll School, dating back tens of thousands of years.

Oak Knoll Thanksgiving Food Drive Feeds Hundreds of Families

For the past month, Oak Knoll families have been donating non-perishable food items to benefit the Pierre Toussaint Food Pantry in Newark, NJ, as part of the school’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. On Friday, November 17, 2023, parents, staff, and faculty volunteers loaded dozens of stuffed food bags and delivered them to the pantry, which distributes hundreds of Thanksgiving meals to families in need. 

Grade 5 Takes a Tangent to the National Museum of Math

After pivoting to virtual tours during the pandemic, grade 5 returned for an in-person immersive experience at the National Museum of Mathematics in New York City on Wednesday, November 8. This award-winning museum offers exhibits, galleries, physical activities, and programs designed to stimulate further students’ curiosity, inquiry, and experience of mathematics’s role in populating our world with shapes, patterns, and wonder.

Setting the Tone for the Holiday Season

Gratitude week in the Lower School is traditionally the last whole week of school before the Thanksgiving Break. Students participate in a series of daily activities that encourage them to take stock of their blessings and express their gratitude to others. The week serves as a beautiful gateway into the holiday season ahead.

Podcast: Halloween Is a Wrap. Now What Do We Do With All Those Wrappers? (5:17 mins)

With Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and the candy-consuming giant Easter on the horizon, this country is producing hundreds of millions of tons of candy wrappers that are likely ending up in landfills. Thanks to a seventh grader at Oak Knoll with a bright idea and the partnership of the student-run Green Team at Oak Knoll, those wrappers are heading in a different direction. (5:17 mins)

24 Grade 6 Students Commissioned as Liturgical Ministers 

Twenty-four grade 6 students stepped to the altar — grouped by their ministry and supported by their grade 5 prayer partners — to have their hands anointed by Father Bob Stagg and begin their terms serving in various ministerial capacities throughout the year. As liturgical ministers, they will be shining examples for their Lower School counterparts that Oak Knoll students live by faith, learn by doing, and lead by example.

New Exchange Program Opens with Mayfield School in England

While many of their classmates were enjoying vacation time, four students from Mayfield School in East Sussex, England, chose to spend their half-term break exploring Oak Knoll and the environs in an inaugural student exchange between the two Holy Child Network schools. 

A Day to Reflect on the Meaning of Service

“Today is all about actions, not words. It’s our day of service. There could not be a better way to honor Cornelia Connelly and her heritage as we all go out today to share the Cornelian values of compassion, joy, empathy, and service,” said Upper School Division Head Kate McGroarty. 

Oak Knoll Parents’ Association Is Devoted to Service

“Service is a large part of why people choose Oak Knoll and integral to the community, and that’s why so many people signed up,” said Oak Knoll parent Sarah Fitzsimmons in reference to a recent day of service at the Vito A. Gallo Senior Building in Summit. Dozens of Oak Knoll parents recently gathered there to create a beautiful outdoor garden for residents to enjoy.

Global Makers Celebrate Digital Citizenship in the Lower School

From PK-6, students have been especially immersed in technology this week as the Lower School commemorated Digital Citizenship Week from October 16 to 20 and Global Maker Day on Tuesday, October 17. 

Grade 6 Students Share Their Hidden Gifts Through Ministry

For over four decades, students in the Lower School have discovered hidden gifts and talents through serving in Oak Knoll’s Liturgical Ministry Program. Currently geared toward grade 6 students, the program asks each individual in the class to think carefully about an interest, talent, or gift they have that they can share with others during prayer services, Masses, or other school assemblies. 

Oak Knoll Celebrates 30th Anniversary of the Royal Boutique Holiday Market

The Oak Knoll Parents’ Association is proud to announce the school’s cherished holiday shopping event, the annual Royal Boutique, will be held on campus, celebrating its milestone 30th anniversary year in Summit from November 2-4, 2023. The annual shopping extravaganza will be held in the Tisdall Hall Gymnasium located at 83 Ashland Road in Summit, NJ.

Oak Knoll Celebrates Founder’s Day

Throughout the world, schools and organizations under the umbrella of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus celebrate Founder’s Day in mid-October. On October 13, 1846, at the request of Pope Gregory XVI, Cornelia Connelly began what would become an international congregation of women in the Catholic Church in Derby, England. Two days later, on October 15, Cornelia and three postulants assisted at their first Mass as a religious community. Thus, October 15, 1846 is formally recognized as the date of the founding of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

Podcast: Over 30 Centuries on a Bike (6:34 mins)

For an endurance bike rider, a “century” is the term for a 100 mile ride. Imagine performing over 30 centuries in six weeks! That’s what Track and Field Coach Mickey Cassu undertook over the summer when he rode from coast to coast across the United States. Listen to Coach Cassu narrating his exciting trip in this short podcast.

Hello Week in the Lower School

Getting to know you. Getting to know all about you. This past week in the Lower School was dubbed “Hello Week” as students in pre-K to grade 6 engaged in a series of activities designed to bolster existing relationships and ensure anyone new to the Lower School felt seen, heard, and included.

Oak Knoll Celebrates Mass of the Holy Spirit, Honors Esteemed Employees

The spiritual start of the school year was celebrated by students, faculty, and staff in the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts during the school’s annual Mass of the Holy Spirit, on Tuesday, September 19, 2023. The traditional Mass includes a liturgy of the eucharist, responsive readings, hymns, and student vocal performances and scripture readings. 

Celebrating Legacy: Oak Knoll Honors Longstanding Board of Trustees Chair

Long-serving former Oak Knoll Board of Trustees Chair Jeffrey W. Schroeder was celebrated on September 19, 2023, in a special ceremony in the Grace Hall Chapel, during which a hand-crafted, wooden-inlaid votive candle holder was blessed in his honor. Schroeder helmed the Oak Knoll Board from 2013 to 2022.

This Is Our House: Oak Knoll Launches Historic House System

During the first and second week of the 2023-2024 school year, Oak Knoll unveiled and launched a new “house system” — which sets a historic precedent and will give students a joyous tradition for playful competition and familial pride for generations to come.

Oak Knoll School, City of Summit Unveil New Pedestrian Safety Signal on Ashland Road

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, in partnership with the City of Summit to safeguard students and foster community well-being, proudly announces the donation of a state-of-the-art pedestrian safety signal located on Ashland Road between Memorial Field and Bonaventura Hall. Installed over the summer, the signal was purchased by Oak Knoll School and donated […]

Podcast: Meet the Newbies (5:49 mins)

Welcome back to a whole new season of the Happy Kid Project. Throughout the upcoming school year, we hope to bring you a variety of student voices so you can hear in there own words how Oak Knoll is a school that cultivates people with purpose. But seeing as school only just began, we thought we’d use this episode to introduce you to some wonderful adults that are just joining the community.

Oak Knoll Welcomes New Faculty and Staff for the 2023-24 School Year

We are excited to enter the 2023-2024 school year with several extremely talented new staff and faculty members. They join Oak Knoll’s already stellar team in paving the way for another wonderful year of teaching and learning in a community dedicated to educating people with purpose. Lower School Oyi Daniels Education: Daniels received her Bachelor […]

OKS Voices: Tim Brown, Lower School Art Teacher

Tim Brown, Oak Knoll’s Lower School Art Teacher, says it’s the school’s prioritization of the arts that truly sets it apart. “I just really appreciate this beautiful art room — having a kiln right here, having the drying racks available, storage space for 3D projects, and the support I get. It’s a huge investment, and the students get any supplies they need.”

Lower School Class of 2023 Graduation: Middle School Bound

On Wednesday, June 7, 2023, 34 members of Oak Knoll’s grade 6 class celebrated their Lower School graduation by receiving diplomas and enjoying a special liturgy officiated by Monsignor John J. Carroll, Pastor Emeritus of Our Lady of the Magnificat Church in Kinnelon, NJ, along with their families, faculty/staff, and administrators.

Oak Knoll Dedicates Little Library to Beloved Former Teacher

On Friday, June 2, 2023, Oak Knoll Lower School students, faculty, and staff gathered to dedicate the new “Little Lending Library” adjacent to the chapel and outdoor turf field. The ceremony and blessing were held in honor of the late Anne Lofredo — beloved Lower School second grade Religion, Science, and Social Studies Teacher. Members of Ms. Lofredo’s family were in attendance to mark the occasion.

2023 Kindergarten Graduation: Students Make the Grade

“We want to be a part of it! First grade, first grade,” they sang joyously to the tune of “New York, New York,” after receiving their certificates and officially moving up to become Oak Knoll’s new Lower School Grade One. On June 6, 2023, their Kindergarten teachers, parents, faculty, staff, Head of School Jennifer G. Landis, and Lower School Division Head Chris Spies were there to cheer them on in the Bonaventura Chapel and celebrate their past year of learning and growth.

Oak Knoll’s Little Acorns Class of 2036 Move Up to Kindergarten

Oak Knoll’s youngest students — affectionately dubbed our “Little Acorns” pre-K — officially moved up to Kindergarten on June 2, 2023, during a joyful celebration in Bonaventura Chapel in the Lower School. Parents/guardians, grandparents, siblings, faculty, and staff were in attendance to cheer them on, listen to several rousing songs, and applaud them as they received their moving-up certificates. They will join an inbound cohort of new Kindergarten students next year to form the backbone of Oak Knoll’s Class of 2036.

Inaugural History Day Collaboration Between 6th and 10th Grade

Oak Knoll has a long history of cultivating meaningful relationships among community members and providing opportunities to strengthen connections between students in all grade levels. Motivated by their respective teachers, Upper School history buffs recently mentored Lower School budding historians in Oak Knoll’s inaugural History Day project. Grade 10 mentors in AP World History paired up with students in grade 6 Social Studies to assist them in conducting primary research and preparing presentations before parents, faculty, staff, and students on May 24.

Lower School Parents Get Ample Support in Secondary School Application Process

Lower School parents of grade four boys were invited to a coffee and information session as they look forward to the secondary school application process. While most of our Lower School female graduates move on “up the hill” to our all-girls Upper School, our male graduates leave Oak Knoll to attend some of the finest secondary schools in the area — including a diverse variety of wonderful Catholic, independent, and public schools.

A Star is Born: Oak Knoll Senior Authors Children’s Tale

Katie Nguyen ’23 has gone well beyond the remit of her senior capstone project to author and illustrate a heartwarming morality tale for young readers that many agree has promising commercial potential. Her bespoke children’s story, entitled The Starfish Wish, is a captivating tale that follows a young girl named June who goes on a quest to find a mythical wish-granting starfish hidden in a distant cove that she hopes might heal her mother from a seemingly incurable ailment.

A Nod to Broadway with the Lower School Spring Arts Celebration

Last week’s Spring Arts Celebration engaged students in grades 3-6 in Oak Knoll’s first venture into Broadway fair with a production of Into the Woods Jr. Students were confident and well prepared to bring their best to the stage. 

Parents’ Association Showers Newborns and Mothers with Gifts

Oak Knoll volunteers met at Mulcahy Hall on the Oak Knoll campus for a heartwarming “baby shower” service project. Attendees assembled layettes  — complete gift bags containing clothing, supplies, and helpful accessories for a newborn infants — for the benefit of Birth Haven, an independent, nonsectarian, non-profit organization that provides shelter, support and education for homeless and/or pregnant women and girls throughout the tri-state area regardless of race, ethnicity, religious belief, or life circumstance.

Grade Six Moves On with Confidence Following Leadership Capstone Projects

Grade six students have been participating in a year-long Leadership Institute that culminates this month as they complete a final Capstone Project. The Capstone Project is an opportunity for students to highlight and present a leadership trait they admire and a well-known leader they feel embodies that trait.

Oak Knoll Celebrates 10 Years of Family Literacy Night

On May 4, 2023, teachers and children in grades K-2 and their families celebrated 10 years of Family Literacy Night at OKS. OKS’ first Family Literacy Night was in 2013. Teachers read children a story titled, “Penguin on Vacation” by Salina Yoon.

Nurturing the Inner Poet in Lower School

April was National Poetry Month, and to celebrate, sixth grade students embarked on an extended poetry unit. The unit began with a Zoom visit by the popular children’s poet, Kenn Nesbitt. Specializing in humorous poems, Nesbitt’s work has been published in magazines, books, anthologies, text books, and on audio and TV. During the session, he led students through his poetry writing process and guided them through writing an original piece. 

Margie Palatini Visits for a Rousing PK-2 Author’s Day

In the Lower School, the only thing better than teaching students to read is helping them fall in love with reading. One of the many ways we do that is author visits. Students closed out their week with laughter and joy as celebrated picture book author Margie Palatini visited for a pre-K to grade 2 Author Day on Friday, April 14, 2023.

Generation AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Lower School faculty are eagerly developing units of learning that embrace aAI and machine learning while digging under the hood so that students understand how these systems work, their strengths and weaknesses, and how to use them ethically and appropriately.

Student Council Leaders in the Lower School

For many, student councils and class representatives are typically associated with middle or upper schools. At Oak Knoll, this excellent opportunity to serve others and learn how to lead is available as early as grade 4. And what’s more, the Oak Knoll Lower School Student Council places a high emphasis on inclusivity.

Career Day Assembly Showcases Talented Lower School Parents

Students in the Lower School attended a special assembly on Monday, March 27, to hear from four parents representing a diverse set of career options. This annual Career Day Assembly culminates a week of age-appropriate career-based activities in K-6 Social Emotional Learning classes and caps off a month of activities in the Lower School commemorating the month’s designated value — responsibility.

20th Annual Author Day at Oak Knoll

Author Day at Oak Knoll marked its second decade as a Lower School tradition. ALA Book Award Winner Wendy Mass spoke to and answered questions from students in grades three to six.

Podcast: James and the Giant Peach Spotlights Creative Arts at Oak Knoll

With the addition of two new full-time faculty in the Upper School, the Creative Arts Department at Oak Knoll is spreading it’s wings. Music teacher Teresa Gotanco and Theater Teacher Lisa Bodollo joined the team for the 2022-2023 school year and they are collaborating with an ensemble of students to stage a particularly challenging musical, James and the Giant Peach. Here is Teresa Gotanco with some highlights including a sneak peak at the performance.

Tickets on Sale Now for James and the Giant Peach 

Oak Knoll’s Upper School Drama Program announces that tickets are now on sale for the musical “James and the Giant Peach.” The show will take place in the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts from February 23-25, 2023, with 7 p.m. performances on Thursday and Friday evening and a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday.

Oak Knoll Celebrates 49th Annual National Catholic Schools Week

Faith, excellence and service were the themes of this year’s National Catholic Schools Week — which runs annually from the last Sunday in January through the remainder of the week. Since 1974, the week has been celebrated throughout the country in honor of Catholic education and the value it provides to young people. At Oak Knoll, the week is an opportunity for Lower School students to show their school spirit, alongside their holy spirit, through a series of themed days, surprises, and activities. 

Oak Knoll Alum Appointed to Holy Child Network Board

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child Alumna, Ashley Simpson Esq. ’03, has been appointed to serve on the new Board of Trustees of the Holy Child Network of Schools. “Oak Knoll has had such a strong impact on my life,” said Simpson, a “lifer” who attended Oak Knoll from kindergarten to grade 12. “Serving on the Board is definitely not something that I would say no to. It’s a very special institution and I’m glad to serve.”

Oak Knoll Hosts School’s First-Ever MLK Day of Service

While some may see the third Monday in January – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day – as simply a day off from work or school, an increasing number of socially conscious individuals are celebrating MLK Jr. Day as a day of service. Such was the case with a group of Oak Knoll families who gathered at the school last Monday to assemble lunch bags for Bridges Outreach.

The Christmas Spirit: An Audio Postcard

For this, our last podcast of the calendar year, we thought it would be fun to take you on an audio journey through December at Oak Knoll school of the Holy Child.

The Season of Giving

The very soul of Christmas is the gift of love embodied in the birth of the Holy Child Jesus. In that spirit, each year, Oak Knoll students enter the holiday season participating in a variety of service and outreach projects.

The Penguin Project: Connecting Oak Knoll to Antarctica

Oak Knoll grade three students have just completed a major trimester-long investigation of fossils, animals, and environments that change over time. They concluded the unit by counting penguins for a team of Antarctica scientists who planted an Oak Knoll flag in The Ice! The whole unit is an excellent example of the Lower School’s truly engaging curriculum and interdisciplinary project-based-learning.

Oak Knoll to Offer Half Day Pre-Kindergarten Program

In the fall of 2020, Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child announced it would open a full-day pre-K program for 4-year-olds in Summit, New Jersey. Since graduating two classes of Little Acorns, the school is proud to announce today the addition of a half-day option to offer families additional flexibility during this period of rapid cognitive development in their children.

Cracking the Code at Oak Knoll for Computer Science Education Week

Oak Knoll School places an extremely high value on technology integration at all grade levels, and the Lower School celebrated the week with special activities each day in the Ideas Lab maker-space. With computer science jobs abounding and experienced computer programmers at a premium, Oak Knoll recognizes that a well-rounded curriculum must introduce all students to the experience of coding and programming. 

Mary Gilliland ’69 Wins Codhill Press Book Award for Poetry

Poet Mary Gilliland ’69 was recently awarded the Codhill Press Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award for her collection of themed poems entitled The Devil’s Fools which was released on November 1, 2022. According to her publisher, “The title of Mary Gilliland’s new poetry collection is slyly ironic, suggesting our misperceptions of life’s blessings and tragedies is apt to make us seem so. These poems shed light and bring joy where we might otherwise despair or slog through life unaware.”

Oak Knoll Launches Sixth Grade Leadership Institute

With the start of the 2022-23 school year, Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child announced a new Leadership Institute in the sixth grade that instills creative thinking, design thinking, presentation, and leadership skills.

Giving Thanks and Giving Back

During this week leading up to the Thanksgiving Break, the Oak Knoll community practiced gratitude and giving back to the community.

Munching and Mentoring

Once a month, grades one and five gather for a lunchtime discussion followed by a group activity. Each group consists of at least one grade five mentor and around five grade one students. During lunch, the older students lead a discussion based on the Lower School’s current monthly value.

There’s an Ambo in my iPhone

The last place most folks would want their phone to be flaunted is in church. Recently, though, Oak Knoll students in grade nine have been encouraged to use them conspicuously in the chapel. What’s more surprising is that they are encouraged to do so by their theology teacher.

Service Day: Being in Community with Others

Students stepped away from their academic studies this week to participate in Oak Knoll’s annual Service Day. Though it is a day devoted to learning about and performing service acts, more broadly it is a day to remind students that being in service is a mindset that should be ever present rather than an activity that is performed for others.

Up to the Challenge: Global Maker Day

Tuesday, October 18 was Maker Day around the globe and students in the Oak Knoll Lower School were up for the challenge. They enthusiastically entered the IDEAS Lab — one of two well-equipped maker spaces on the Oak Knoll campus — in sessions throughout the day to tackle challenges released by the Global Maker Day website, as well as a few challenges cooked up by Associate Director of Technology, Integration, and Innovation Kimberly Connolly.

One Body, Many Parts, One Community

Each year in the Lower School, the Liturgical Ministry Mass offers 6th graders the opportunity to shine as Lower School leaders and celebrates the Oak Knoll commitment to service and community.

Oak Knoll Establishes Strategic University Partnerships

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child has established strategic partnerships with Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania to ensure the entire senior class enters higher education with enhanced leadership confidence and students in grades 10-12 have the option of earning a certificate in Social Entrepreneurship.

29th Annual Oak Knoll Royal Boutique Adds Vendors

The Oak Knoll Parents’ Association is proud to announce that the school’s cherished holiday shopping event, the 29th annual Royal Boutique, will take place on the Oak Knoll Campus from November 3-5, 2022 in the Tisdall Hall Gymnasium located at 83 Ashland Road in Summit, NJ.

Oak Knoll Installs Jennifer G. Landis as Sixth Head of School

Members of the Oak Knoll School community, friends, family, distinguished guests, and a live streaming audience joined Head of School Jennifer G. Landis for a long-awaited Installation Mass on the beautiful, albeit somewhat chilly, Oak Knoll School campus on Friday, September 30, 2022. The celebration had been delayed due to COVID. Chair of the Board […]

Oak Knoll Honors 22 Faculty and Staff for Years of Dedicated Service

The spiritual start of the school year was celebrated by students, faculty, and staff in the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts during the school’s annual Mass of the Holy Spirit, on Tuesday, September 20, 2022. In a fashion reminiscent of Founder Cornelia Connelly who once said, “Be yourself only make that self […]

Oak Knoll Head of School Joins ICGS Governing Board of Directors

Jennifer G. Landis, Head of Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, was appointed to the governing Board of Directors of the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools.

Oak Knoll Honored for Service During Bridges Impact Night 2022

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child was honored for the school’s 25-year partnership to help end homelessness on June 15, 2022, during the Bridges Outreach Impact Night.  Bridges Outreach is a nonprofit organization with locations in Newark and Summit, NJ, focused on ending homelessness. Bridges works with individuals experiencing homelessness through street outreach and […]

24 Oak Knoll Students Mark Transition Into Middle School During Lower School Graduation

Twenty-four Oak Knoll students were graduated from Oak Knoll’s Lower School on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, on campus among family, friends, faculty, and staff while marking their transition to middle school. Father Robert Stagg, pastor at the Church of the Presentation in Upper Saddle River, NJ, led a special graduation liturgy before Jennifer G. Landis […]

31 Oak Knoll School Kindergarten Students Graduate to First Grade

A joyful and animated group of 31 Oak Knoll kindergarten students “bloomed where they were planted” this past school year as they lived and acted out the Parable of the Mustard Seed and Parable of the Sower during the school’s Kindergarten Graduation on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. The on-campus celebration was held in the Mary […]

Oak Knoll’s Little Acorns Pre-K Class of 2022 Moves Up to Kindergarten

A tight-knit group of 10 4-year-olds “sustained a bright and joyful spirit” this past school year as they lived out the beliefs of their school’s founder, Cornelia Connelly. Oak Knoll’s Little Acorns preschool class moved up to Kindergarten on Friday, June 3, 2022. The on-campus celebration was held in the Choral Music Room for parents […]

Lower School Celebrates K-2 Family Literacy Night

Oak Knoll’s Lower School students in kindergarten through second grade traded in their uniforms for their pajamas during an Encanto-themed Family Literacy Night on Thursday, May 12, 2022. Children gathered in the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts and dining hall on campus with their parents, and teachers to celebrate literacy. The night […]

Oak Knoll Lower School Celebrates Career Week

Students in Oak Knoll’s Lower School gathered in the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts this week to listen to parent volunteers talk about their professional journeys and careers during Lower School’s annual Career Week.  On Thursday, March 31, 2022 (grades 3-6), and Friday, April 1, 2022 (PreK-grade 2), students listened to a […]

Oak Knoll Lower School Holds Collection Drive for Ukrainian Refugees

Students at Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child’s PK-6 coeducational Lower School are collecting donations for those in Poland trying to escape the violence and conflict in Ukraine.  

Lower School Hosts 19th Annual Author Day

Two fiction and nonfiction authors were on campus Tuesday, March 1, and Thursday, March 3, 2022, where they shared their storytelling process and love of reading and writing with young readers during Oak Knoll School’s annual Author Day. David A. Adler, award-winning author of more than 275 books – 56 of which include the popular “Cam Jansen” […]

Oak Knoll Flags Fly at Half-Staff in Honor of Judge Barbara A. Curran

The flag of the United States of America and New Jersey’s state flag were ordered to fly at half-staff today to honor the passing of Judge Barbara A. Curran, the first woman to serve in all three branches of New Jersey government and mother of Oak Knoll School alumna Katie Curran Darcy ’92, OKS Special […]

Oak Knoll Celebrates 48th Annual National Catholic Schools Week

Students at Oak Knoll’s Catholic coeducational pre-K to grade 6 Lower School proudly demonstrated their faith, excellence and service last week on campus during the 48th annual national celebration of Catholic Schools Week. Through several different COVID-friendly activities focusing on prayer, giving back to others – and following the “Actions, not words,” mantro of Oak […]

Oak Knoll Students Dedicate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day to Serve Those in Need

While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is typically a day off school for many children, students at Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child in Summit, NJ, dedicated their day away from school to help those in need in their community. Oak Knoll students spent time on Monday, January 17, 2022, making more than […]

Oak Knoll School Celebrates Thanksgiving by Practicing Gratitude, Helping Families in Need

Giving back to those most in need occurs year-round within the Oak Knoll School community and as Thanksgiving approaches, students are putting their “Actions, not words,” into motion to feed the hungry while learning about the importance of gratitude.  With nearly 200,000 New Jersey children facing hunger each day, Oak Knoll’s students in both the […]

Oak Knoll Sixth Graders Commissioned into Liturgical Ministries

Sixth graders at Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child were commissioned into their liturgical ministries on November 9, 2021, during a special prayer service in Grace Hall Chapel.  Rev. Bob Stagg from the Church of the Presentation in Upper Saddle River presided over the prayer service and anointed the hands (anointing on the head […]

Oak Knoll School Offers Helping Hands to Communities in Need During Annual Service Day

Oak Knoll School students put their classes on hold Thursday, October 28, 2021, and instead served the community on and off campus to support area nonprofits — many of which are still short staffed due to COVID — during the school’s nearly 20-year tradition of helping others and communities in need during their annual Service […]

Fifth Graders’ Field Trip Helps Those Struggling with Food Insecurity

Oak Knoll School fifth graders learned how to help those in need during a field trip to Longmeadow Farm in Blairstown, NJ recently – gleaning nearly 2,000 pounds of apples all to benefit America’s Grow-a-Row- a New Jersey-based nonprofit that relies on volunteers to plant, pick, rescue and deliver free fresh produce to local hunger-relief agencies. 

Lower School Students Focus on Emotional Intelligence During October’s Anti-Bullying Month

A group of Oak Knoll School first graders participated in a social-emotional lesson about how to express their feelings and when it’s right to tell on someone vs. tattle recently – part of a larger month-long effort throughout all of Oak Knoll’s Lower School grades calling attention to National Anti-Bullying month during October. According to […]

28th Annual Oak Knoll Royal Boutique Returns to Summit

The Oak Knoll Parents’ Association is proud to announce the school’s cherished holiday shopping event, the annual Royal Boutique, will return to its campus for its 28th year in Summit from November 11-13, 2021. After switching to a virtual format last year due to the pandemic, the annual shopping extravaganza will now be back in […]

Oak Knoll Celebrates 175th Anniversary of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus

For the first time since October 2019, the entire Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child community in the Upper and Lower schools gathered on the school turf field Friday, October 15, 2021, proudly displaying their school colors to honor Founders’ Day – the anniversary of the founding of the Society of the Holy Child […]

‘Hello Week’ Fosters Inclusivity, Welcomes Students to Oak Knoll

With another full week behind us in the 2021-22 school year, Oak Knoll’s coed PK-6 Lower School community prioritized fostering kindness and community inclusivity through the school’s first-ever “Hello Week.”

Oak Knoll Remembers Loved Ones Lost on 9/11, Birth of Formal Service Day Tradition 

Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Oak Knoll formalized a grassroots service program, now known as the school’s annual Service Day – where, for the past 20 years, students have dedicated a day of service to those in their communities instead of attending classes. Today, the school partners with more than a dozen organizations during its annual Service Day.

Melissa Miller Joins Oak Knoll School as Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice

Melissa Miller has joined Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child as Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ). Miller brings steep experience in DEIJ, admissions, special events, and donor relations from Newark Academy where she most recently served as the school’s Assistant Director of Admissions.

Oak Knoll’s Summer Scholars Program Preps Students for the Fall

This summer, children may not only be battling the “summer slide” – or loss of learning during the summer months – but now also a COVID slide, or gaps in academic growth due to pandemic learning disruptions from last year.  Whether it is reading a favorite book, visiting a museum, or taking a virtual tour […]

Jennifer G. Landis Assumes Role as Head of Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child

Oak Knoll has announced Jennifer G. Landis will assume the role of Head of School effective July 1, 2021. She becomes the sixth official Head in the school’s 97-year history. Landis, Oak Knoll’s Associate Head of School, succeeds Timothy J. Saburn, who previously announced his retirement after 16 years as Head of School.  “It is […]

Oak Knoll Graduates First-Ever Pre-K Class from the Little Acorns

A tight-knit group of 14 4-year-olds who never let any friend be alone and loved playing together were the first class to graduate on Friday, June 4, 2021, from Oak Knoll School’s Little Acorns preschool program. The on-campus celebration was held in the Choral Music Room for parents and teachers.  Despite the pandemic, Oak Knoll’s […]

Oak Knoll Community Spreads Messages of Gratitude with Day of Giving

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child is going BIG as we wind down the 2020-21 school year, sending messages of gratitude and thanking loved ones, friends, and colleagues near and far. Tomorrow on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, the OKS Office of Advancement is set to honor the end of another successful school year with […]

Oak Knoll Lower School Celebrates Career Week

Ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, students in Oak Knoll’s Lower School spent their social studies classes talking about what they want to be when they grow up and drawing inspiration from adult volunteers who recorded videos about their own careers.  From flying planes, to fighting fires and flying drones, Oak Knoll students listened […]

Second Annual Virtual Run Raises More than $7K for OKS Emergency Fund

169 athletes kept track of how far they walked, ran, or their other form of physical activities for the second year in a row, all to benefit families in their community who suffered financial losses because of the COVID-19 pandemic.   Oak Knoll School came together in spirit and in movement and wrapped up its second […]

Oak Knoll Yearbooks Earn National Program of Excellence Awards

Oak Knoll School’s Upper School yearbook Aquila and Lower School yearbook Oak Leaves were both recently recognized as award-winning yearbooks by Jostens, the leading producer of yearbooks and student-created content. Oak Knoll’s Aquila and Oak Leaves earned Josten’s 2021 National Yearbook Program of Excellence award at the Bronze Level. Jostens’ National Yearbook Program of Excellence […]

Lower School Celebrates Virtual Family Literacy Night

Oak Knoll’s Lower School students in pre-K through third grade cozied up in their pajamas and logged onto Oak Knoll’s virtual Family Literacy Night on Thursday, April 29, 2021. Children gathered online with their parents, teachers and favorite stuffed animal and pets all to celebrate literacy.  OKS teachers read poems and stories to students including […]

Former Summit Police Chief Named Oak Knoll School Director of Security

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child recently named long-time Summit Police Chief Robert Weck as the school’s Director of Security. Weck, a resident of Hilltop City, arrives to campus after working for 31 years with the Summit Police Department, including the last nine years as Chief of Police. Weck succeeds current Director of Security […]

Oak Knoll ‘Vaccine Angels’ Help Community Book COVID-19 Shot Appointments

While finding a COVID-19 vaccine appointment this year has been a burdensome task for most, for Samantha Werres Melworm ’98 of Clinton, NJ, there is nothing to it. Melworm, a fourth grade teacher in Scotch Plains-Fanwood, has been unselfishly stepping up to the plate to help colleagues, friends and her fellow Oak Knoll community members […]

Coin Collecting Runs Deep for Jack Topping ’11 (LS)

Oak Knoll’s History Classes Connect the Dots for Alum’s Study of Numismatics When he was seven, one of Jack Topping’s grandfathers gifted him with an American coin set on Christmas morning and he’s never looked at pocket change the same way since. Topping ’11 (LS) is an avid coin collector in the field of numismatics – […]

Oak Knoll Students Assemble Easter Baskets for Children in Need

In efforts to spread spring cheer, Oak Knoll fifth and sixth-grade students assembled more than 100 Easter baskets for children living in welfare motels throughout New Jersey. As part of a social studies citizenship project where students discuss the issue of homelessness in classes, students collected all the fixings for Easter baskets including candy, toys, […]

Second Grade ‘Share a Sweater’ Project Benefits Those in Need

Oak Knoll second graders collected and sorted gently used sweaters for those in need who are serviced by Bridges Outreach and Catholic Charities.

Students Celebrate National Catholic Schools Week Through ‘Actions, Not Words’

Oak Knoll’s coeducational pre-K to grade 6 Lower School didn’t let the major snowstorm earlier this week deter their efforts to celebrate its Catholic education during the 47th annual national celebration of Catholic Schools Week.

Oak Knoll Head of School Earns NJAIS Service Award

Timothy J. Saburn, Head of Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, is one of three recipients of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools’ 2020 Service Award.

Students reflect, serve those in need in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

As the famous civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Everyone can be great, because everybody can serve.” The Oak Knoll community took this creed to heart this past week as they celebrated Dr. King’s life through service to others and by learning about his legacy.

Oak Knoll Ushers in the Christmas Season by Serving Those Most in Need

This month, the Oak Knoll community is making Christmas spirits bright for neighboring children and families in need. For the past month, both the Lower and Upper schools have been busy dedicating time to organizing special Christmas service programs that are sure to bring a little extra holiday magic to others. In the Lower School, […]

Oak Knoll panel discussion tackles important conversation about disordered eating

Oak Knoll School’s Athletics Department moderated a virtual panel discussion on Monday evening where a panel of five experts discussed the definitions, signs, symptoms, and treatments for eating disorders and disordered eating. “There is an increased obsession among our culture lately with size, weight, diet and exercise,” said Dr. Melissa Maskery, Ed.D., Oak Knoll’s Assistant […]

Oak Knoll School Community Gives Back During Thanksgiving Season

Giving back to those most in need occurs year round within the Oak Knoll School community and Thanksgiving is no exception. This Thanksgiving the Upper School collected donations and raised $500 for the Pierre Toussaint Food Pantry located in Newark, NJ – one of 20 MEND member food pantries within the (M)eeting (E)ssential (N)eeds With […]

Social – Emotional Curriculum Focuses on Building Strong Character, One Step at a Time

A brand new social and emotional character building curriculum is buzzing throughout Oak Knoll’s Lower School PK-6 classrooms this year, in efforts to teach students how to build important character traits — like empathy, kindness and respect — at an early age.

Oak Knoll Alum, Instagram Data Scientist: ‘Female Voices Are Really Needed in the Engineering World Right Now’

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child alumna Molly Duffy ’10 spoke about her experiences as a Data Scientist at the popular social media platform Instagram.

Oak Knoll’s 27th Annual Royal Boutique Goes Virtual

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child has made the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping easier than ever before as the school brings their largest fundraising event online, in its first-ever, week-long Virtual Royal Boutique. Starting November 30 and running through December 5, 2020, Oak Knoll’s Virtual Royal Boutique, sponsored by the Oak Knoll […]

Oak Knoll Prioritizes Hands-On Learning Curriculum

In this continuing COVID-19 era, much has changed for children who are attending school in person. Reduced capacity classrooms look different this year, readied with plexiglass desks, and spaced out 6 feet apart. Although the children and teachers are sitting and standing further apart than they are used to, hands-on learning is still very much […]

Oak Knoll Community Dedicates Annual Service Day to Helping Neighbors in Need

The Oak Knoll School halls were buzzing today, bringing to life the phrase of their school’s founder Cornelia Connelly, “Actions, not words,” on Thursday, October 21, 2020, continuing a nearly 20-year tradition of helping others, during their annual Service Day. This year, Oak Knoll School’s Good Samaritan Service Day focused on their neighbors in need […]

19 Faculty and Staff Honored During Mass of the Holy Spirit

Students, faculty and staff gathered at a distance in Grace Hall Chapel and via Zoom across campus, to officially greet the new school year during the school’s annual Mass of the Holy Spirit, on Tuesday, September 22, 2020. During the spiritual celebration, Father Larry Evans of St. Francis Assisi Parish in Ridgefield Park, NJ, rallied […]

Ready for Anything: Oak Knoll Unveils Full Day On-Campus, Remote Options for Fall

With so much uncertainty surrounding reopening schools in the fall, one thing is clear: Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child in Summit is ready for anything. After investing more than $600,000 in hygiene and facilities upgrades, Oak Knoll announced its full reopening plan for the 2020-21 academic school year nearly four months after Gov. […]

Crafting A Better Future, One Bracelet at a Time

As the world watched the Black Lives Matter movement assemble in recent weeks in the fight against racial inequality, two Oak Knoll sisters – Abigail Adragna ’27 and Celia Adragna ’29 of Summit – decided to turn their hobby of making bracelets into a way to make a difference and show support for the cause. […]

Oak Knoll Announces Virtual, Outdoor Day Camps for Summer 2020

Those lazy, hazy days of summer are looking a bit different this time of year for many New Jersey area children. School is almost out for the summer, but due to COVID-19, many area day camps have closed due to health and state-wide restrictions. Oak Knoll School, however, has implemented a variety of online day […]

Lower School Celebrates Virtual Literacy Night

Students in kindergarten through third grade and their parents celebrated reading during Oak Knoll’s annual Family Literacy Night on Thursday, April 30, 2020.

Call of Duty: Doctor Battles COVID-19 Health Crisis Through Telemedicine

Doctor Neilda Baron, M.D. ’77 doesn’t regret the jump she made into pharmacological medicine 24 years ago when her two oldest children were three and four. Long and inconsistent shifts as an Internal Medicine Resident / Hematology-Oncology Fellow filled her days, nights and weekends with work but left her with little or no time to spend with her young children.

ER, EMS Doctor Navigates COVID-19 on the Frontlines

Matt Steenberg (LS ’93) recently taught his son how to tie his tie over FaceTime. Steenberg, an emergency medical doctor, has been living separately from his family for the last month as an extra precaution while on the frontlines caring for COVID-19 patients.
 

Stories from the Frontline: Helping Patients Regain Independence One Step At a Time

Laura Steenberg ’05 was always the Oak Knoll classmate that others could count on. She tended to scraped knees, helped when classmates needed to go to the nurse’s office and lent a listening ear, always with a smile on her face.

Oak Knoll Offers Relief to Families in Financial Distress

In response to the financial impact COVID-19 has had across the globe, Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child on Saturday announced the establishment of an Emergency Fund for families who are in financial distress.

Stories from the Frontline: Nursing Patients Inside NYC ICU Unit

Olivia Gasser ’14 is thankful for her college internship while at Georgetown University where for one summer, she worked with adult patients in the ICU unit at Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital in New York City. Gasser, a pediatric ICU nurse now at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell in NYC, was told last week that her unit, which treats pediatric ICU patients, was converting into a full adult ICU unit to treat those with COVID-19. Gasser is now one of the nurses on the frontlines treating adult COVID-19 patients 3 days a week.

Balance is Key to Oak Knoll School’s Distance Learning Plan

As the global COVID-19 pandemic swiftly began to infiltrate our region in early March, Oak Knoll School, like others around the state, turned to an emergency distance learning model for the first time in the school’s 95-year history.

Oak Knoll, Parents Mobilize to Support COVID-19 Frontline Heroes

New Jersey’s social distancing orders are keeping all groups at home these days, but that hasn’t stopped Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child from pitching in to help those fighting COVID-19 on the frontlines.

Stories from the Frontline: New Nurse Navigates a COVID-19 World

Kate Treanor ’14 was halfway through her first undergraduate degree as an English Literature major at Holy Cross College when her father became sick and hospitalized from a rare form of pneumonia. After witnessing the life-saving care the medical team and nurses from Brigham and Woman’s Hospital in Boston performed, Treanor changed career paths to become a nurse.

Stories from the Frontline: Local Family-Owned Grocery Chain Feeds Frontline Heroes

When Ali Sumas Good ’95, Oak Knoll’s varsity field hockey coach, and her family heard rumblings about a widespread virus beginning to wreak havoc in New Jersey, they immediately sprang into action.

Stories from the Frontline: Delivering New Life Under Dire Circumstances

Ghislaine Smith ’08, a third year OB/GYN resident at Saint Barnabas Hospital, said that as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the country, New Jersey is running out of essential supplies and ventilators.

Stories from the Frontline: The Mental Health Aspect of a Global Pandemic

Oak Knoll alumna Alicia Romeo ’90, M.D., a psychiatrist with the Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina, isn’t a novice when it comes to helping patients cope with stress and anxiety. As a former Yale School of Medicine faculty member who worked with patients in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Shooting in 2012, Romeo is experienced in helping people exposed to trauma.

Pandemic Relief: Alum Starts Summit Effort to Support Frontline Hospital Staff

As the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools for her children, Katie Curran Darcy ’92 sprang into action, searching for ways to help those around her.

Oak Knoll Moves to Virtual Learning

Amid the rapid spread of the novel COVID-19 virus, Oak Knoll School kicked off its move to a distance learning schedule on Monday, March 23, 2020. Oak Knoll joined the unprecedented virtual learning movement that hundreds of schools in the state and thousands across the country have quickly adopted. Before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy […]

Oak Knoll Appoints Kelly Dun Director of Enrollment Management

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child announced Friday, March 13, 2020, the appointment of Kelly Dun, the school’s first Director of Enrollment Management. She will oversee student admission, financial aid and retention efforts, as well as manage the Admission Office’s three full-time staff. Ms. Dun brings nearly 30 years of experience in secondary education, […]

Oak Knoll Students Snag Summit Essay Contest Title

Three Oak Knoll Lower School students earned accolades during the second annual Summit Elks Lodge No. 1246 Americanism Essay and Art Contest based on their essay topics of “What Freedom of Speech Means To Me.” The contest is geared toward students in grades 5-8 to promote patriotism among young people. Rorygrace Thompson ’27, of Maplewood, […]

Oak Knoll Tops Middle School Spelling Bee

Two Oak Knoll eighth graders earned first and second place at the New Jersey School Consortium Annual Spelling Bee held at Delbarton School in December. Julia Syzmanski ’24, of Ridgewood, took first place; Rory Weldon ’24, of Summit, took second. At the Spelling Bee, Oak Knoll entered the competition with four students each on a […]

Oak Knoll Named ‘Kindness Certified School’

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child was named a “Kindness Certified School” following its participation in the National Great Kindness Challenge earlier this month, which included 15 million students in 28,062 schools and 115 countries across the globe. The National Great Kindness Challenge is a grassroots movement presented by Kids for Peace, a global […]

Students ‘Live Their Faith’ During National Catholic Schools Week

Oak Knoll’s coeducational pre-K to grade 6 Lower School celebrated Catholic education during the 46th annual national celebration of Catholic Schools Week. The Lower School celebrated in true spirit week fashion through an action-packed schedule, including special activities each day, which focused on fun, prayer, vocation and service. Adhering to one of the school’s core […]

Oak Knoll School Brings Service to Those in Need This Christmas Season

The popular image of bright-eyed children excitedly opening gifts under the tree on Christmas morning may not be the norm for those in need. That is why at Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, giving back to the community – part of the school’s vital mission – is top of mind during Christmas as […]

Merge Cubes enhance augmented reality in the classroom

Oak Knoll’s coeducational elementary school is encouraging students to learn in a whole new dimension through augmented reality. Utilizing MERGE Cubes, students can learn and create using augmented reality. While appearing to be nothing more than a black and silver cube, when viewed through a smart device it can appear to be anything from a […]

‘Hour of Code’ Highlights Technology Integration and Innovation

Students in the Lower School of Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child joined more than 100 million students spanning the globe this week who participated in “Hour of Code” — the largest learning event in history. Here, students commit to learn and explore computer science methods for an hour during Computer Science Education Week, […]

Lower School Unveils New Stanford University-Based Math Curriculum

The Lower School at Oak Knoll has introduced Redbird Mathematics to the curriculum for students in grades 3-6. Based on more than a quarter-century of research by Stanford University, Redbird curriculum touts the latest in gamification, adaptive instruction and digital project-based learning. With an eye on meeting both state and national math standards, the curriculum […]

Lower School Launches New Signature Leadership Program

Oak Knoll’s coeducational pre-K to grade 6 elementary school has unveiled “Leadership Thrives Here,” a new signature program that encourages grades 5 and 6 students to embrace their roles as leaders of the Lower School. “We teach our kids how to be mathematicians and historians and dancers and actors and writers, and we tell them […]

Oak Knoll Supports Community Through Schoolwide Service Day

The entire Oak Knoll School community, continuing a nearly 20-year tradition, spent Thursday, October 24, 2019, serving local charitable organizations during the school’s annual Service Day. More than 325 Upper School students helped more than a dozen local organizations that support, among other things, the local homeless community, agricultural needs and educational efforts. “It’s really […]

First North American Woman to Climb Everest Speaks at Oak Knoll

Sharon Wood, the first North American woman to summit the world’s tallest mountain, spoke to students and faculty at Oak Knoll School Thursday, urging them to overcome the risks that prevent them from achieving their goals. Wood recounted to students in the afternoon, and in the evening to parents, how what she termed “anticipatory angst” […]

Oak Knoll Launches New Pre-K Program for Fall 2020

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child announced a new, full-day pre-K program to open in the fall of 2020. The Little Acorns Pre-K @ Oak Knoll will engage students to spark their creativity and critical thinking, while fostering spiritual development, independence and self-esteem. “In the tradition of Holy Child founder Cornelia Connelly, the program […]

Contact Us

Meghan Hodgin 

Director of Marketing & Communications
908-522-8148

James McEvoy 

Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
908-522-8103

Chris Starr 

Assistant Director for Content Strategy
908-522 8072
Remote Learning Day
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Due to the weather forecast and winter storm warning, Oak Knoll School’s campus will be closed on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, and will operate on a virtual learning schedule.

Upper School runs from 8:10 to 12:30. Students should check their email from Mrs. McGroarty for more information.

Lower School students in PreK to grade 2 brought home materials from teachers for optional review and enrichment and may also log in to Clever to access all learning apps. Teachers of students in grades 3-6 will post snow day assignments on the Homework grid on Clever by noon.

All after-school activities have been canceled.