Private High School in Bergen County, NJ | Saddle River Day School
Source: http://www.saddleriverday.org/building-the-future
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:17
Private High School in Bergen County, NJ | Saddle River Day School
Today’s Campaign for Tomorrow’s Campus
Make a Gift
THE FUTURE STARTS NOW
Every day at Saddle River Day School, we create an entire experience designed for students to take charge of their future.
Building an excellent education that will propel our students to success in college and beyond requires continual progress and innovation. To that end, we are launching an ambitious campaign that will help us build the campus of tomorrow.
OUR VISION
Through the Building the Future campaign, we will create an all-encompassing, state-of-the-art campus, beginning with a new science and entrepreneurship center that can highlight each and every platform our exceptional school offers. We will also add a new turf field and increased parking. These enhancements will separate SRDS from its competitors and allow us to provide the absolute best for our students, our faculty and our community.
We hope you will join us in building an ever-brighter future for our school and our students.
Make a Gift
“We share a great responsibility and an exciting vision. Together we will transform the campus of today to build the thinkers, leaders and innovators of tomorrow.”
Jalaj Desai, Head of School
HALL OF SCIENCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
We will add new 21
st
century spaces and learning tools to bring students unparalleled opportunities to explore, innovate and discover their passions.
Upper School commons • Open, multiuse spaces to foster collaboration and social connection • New admissions center
4 state-of-the-art science labs • Support for advanced math and science courses, applied physics and engineering, and AP courses • A home for AI discovery, robotics, a financial lab, Coaching Academy, Saturday STEAM Bootcamps and more
19 additional classrooms • 4+ small-group instruction spaces • 3 specialty learning spaces
“The Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship will inspire a profound curiosity for exploration and empower students with the tools and space they need to excel. This investment promises a future marked by innovation, ensuring an exceptional and enriched student experience. We are thrilled to be part of its inception.”
Kristen and Francis Walsh P’28
INVESTMENT IN ATHLETICS
We will create a campus that encourages exceptional growth in all ways.
State-of-the-art turf field for lacrosse and soccer competition • A leading-edge space to inspire SRDS student-athletes, support interscholastic competition and build school spirit
“Investing in our athletic infrastructure will enhance our physical education curriculum and take us to a new level of competitive sports at SRDS. Extracurricular activities are an important part of how students learn, and this investment will allow us to increase our athletic offerings in all divisions.”
PJ Petrow, Director of Athletics
CAMPAIGN GOAL AND FUNDING
As of the public launch on January 18, 2024, we have raised $16 million in gifts and pledge commitments towards our $20 million goal. But we are not quite finished. We as a community must support the campaign to enable us to reach our goal.
What is the Building the Future Campaign?
Why is this happening now?
When will the work/construction start and how is it being phased?
What spaces will the Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship include?
Who will benefit from the Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship?
How much have we raised so far towards our $20 million campaign goal?
How is the Building the Future campaign different from the SRDS Fund?
Should we support both the Building the Future campaign and the SRDS Fund?
What types of gifts does SRDS accept?
Whom should I contact about supporting the Building the Future campaign?
The Building the Future campaign is a capital campaign that will realize a bold vision of creating tomorrow’s SRDS campus today. It will support a reimagined campus beginning with an all-encompassing science and entrepreneurship building, a new turf field, and enhanced campus parking—all to provide the absolute best for our students, our faculty and our community.
SRDS began the silent phase of the Building the Future campaign in 2023. The overwhelming support of this initiative has secured the initial funding to begin realizing our campaign goals today. The Building the Future campaign will 1) help us meet the needs of our current student population, 2) enhance our existing academic offerings and facilities, and 3) allow us to implement future innovative programs and capital enhancements.
We excitedly broke ground in February 2025. In addition to the new academic building, we will install artificial turf on the lower field, relocate the upper tennis courts and expand parking.
The Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship will be a state-of-the-art academic building with over 32,000 square feet of new instructional space. It will feature:
19 additional classrooms
4 state-of-the-art science labs
3 specialty learning spaces
It will also have an exhibition center in the lobby, a large common space for Upper School, a large conference room for meeting space, faculty offices and a new admissions center.
The Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship will feature advanced, modern faculty resources to provide outstanding academic experiences, plus several open, multiuse spaces to foster collaboration and social connection. It will be a home for our current science and entrepreneurship offerings and future innovative programs, such as robotics and AI discovery.
Every student will benefit, as well as faculty, parents and alumni. While the Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship will predominantly be used for Upper and Middle School classes during the day, the spaces will be available to everyone for performances, meetings, STEAM boot camps, afterschool clubs and activities, competitions, and a multitude of other programs.
As of the public launch of the Building the Future campaign on January 18, 2024, we have raised $16 million in gifts and pledge commitments. SRDS needs the support of the entire SRDS community to help us cross the finish line and meet our campaign goal.
The Building the Future campaign will fund a significant capital need to modernize our current academic infrastructure. The SRDS Fund is an essential part of our annual operating budget and supports our students and faculty by providing the programs and resources that inspire and challenge our students every day.
Yes! Your Building the Future campaign gift supports the modernization, growth and long-term sustainability of Saddle River Day School, while your support of the SRDS Fund each year has an immediate impact on innovative programs, facilities and people across the school.
There are many convenient ways to make a gift to the school, including:
Cash, Credit Card or Check
Electronic Funds Transfer
Donor Advised Funds
Gifts of Stock and Securities
Matching Gifts
Planned Giving Through Your Estate
Gifts made to both the Building the Future campaign and the SRDS Fund are 100% tax deductible.
Pledges made in excess of $10,000 can be paid out over 1–3 years.
Please contact Director of Development Lynn McCormack at
lmccormack@saddleriverday.org
or (201) 327-4050, x1124.
“We wholeheartedly support this important academic expansion and are excited to participate in helping Saddle River Day School realize its vision for the future. Countless students will benefit from the Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship for decades to come.”
Ann Marie Snyder and Gary Schulze P’23
JOIN US IN BUILDING THE FUTURE
To discuss naming opportunities and other ways to make a pledge that is meaningful to you and SRDS, please contact Director of Development Lynn McCormack to set up a personal consultation.
201-327-4050 x1124
lmccormack@saddleriverday.org
NAMING
OPPORTUNITIES
Science Lab
$500,000
Classroom
$250,000
Small-group
Instructional Space
$125,000
A few additional
opportunities are
still available.
Contact the Development
Office for information.
BUILDING THE FUTURE CAMPAIGN DONOR RECOGNITION
All leadership gifts will be recognized in our new building.
Leadership Giving Levels
$50,000+
$25,000+
$10,000+
$5,000+
$2,500+
Gifts over $10,000 can be paid over 1 to 3 years.
Gifts can be made via cash, credit card or stock.
Make a Gift
All gifts to Building the Future are tax deductible as allowed by law.
CAMPAIGN EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
Jalaj Desai
Head of School
Wes Powell
President, Board of Trustees
Scott Braen
Trustee
Bryan Hekemian ’83
Trustee
Chris Mathisen
Chief Financial Officer
Lynn McCormack
Director of Development
CAMPAIGN NEWS
Public Phase of the Building the Future campaign launched on January 18, 2024
Groundbreaking ceremony for the Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship took place on
February 28, 2025
Today’s Campaign for Tomorrow’s Campus
Make a Gift
THE FUTURE STARTS NOW
Every day at Saddle River Day School, we create an entire experience designed for students to take charge of their future.
Building an excellent education that will propel our students to success in college and beyond requires continual progress and innovation. To that end, we are launching an ambitious campaign that will help us build the campus of tomorrow.
OUR VISION
Through the Building the Future campaign, we will create an all-encompassing, state-of-the-art campus, beginning with a new science and entrepreneurship center that can highlight each and every platform our exceptional school offers. We will also add a new turf field and increased parking. These enhancements will separate SRDS from its competitors and allow us to provide the absolute best for our students, our faculty and our community.
We hope you will join us in building an ever-brighter future for our school and our students.
Make a Gift
“We share a great responsibility and an exciting vision. Together we will transform the campus of today to build the thinkers, leaders and innovators of tomorrow.”
Jalaj Desai, Head of School
HALL OF SCIENCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
We will add new 21
st
century spaces and learning tools to bring students unparalleled opportunities to explore, innovate and discover their passions.
Upper School commons • Open, multiuse spaces to foster collaboration and social connection • New admissions center
4 state-of-the-art science labs • Support for advanced math and science courses, applied physics and engineering, and AP courses • A home for AI discovery, robotics, a financial lab, Coaching Academy, Saturday STEAM Bootcamps and more
19 additional classrooms • 4+ small-group instruction spaces • 3 specialty learning spaces
“The Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship will inspire a profound curiosity for exploration and empower students with the tools and space they need to excel. This investment promises a future marked by innovation, ensuring an exceptional and enriched student experience. We are thrilled to be part of its inception.”
Kristen and Francis Walsh P’28
INVESTMENT IN ATHLETICS
We will create a campus that encourages exceptional growth in all ways.
State-of-the-art turf field for lacrosse and soccer competition • A leading-edge space to inspire SRDS student-athletes, support interscholastic competition and build school spirit
“Investing in our athletic infrastructure will enhance our physical education curriculum and take us to a new level of competitive sports at SRDS. Extracurricular activities are an important part of how students learn, and this investment will allow us to increase our athletic offerings in all divisions.”
PJ Petrow, Director of Athletics
CAMPAIGN GOAL AND FUNDING
As of the public launch on January 18, 2024, we have raised $16 million in gifts and pledge commitments towards our $20 million goal. But we are not quite finished. We as a community must support the campaign to enable us to reach our goal.
What is the Building the Future Campaign?
Why is this happening now?
When will the work/construction start and how is it being phased?
What spaces will the Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship include?
Who will benefit from the Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship?
How much have we raised so far towards our $20 million campaign goal?
How is the Building the Future campaign different from the SRDS Fund?
Should we support both the Building the Future campaign and the SRDS Fund?
What types of gifts does SRDS accept?
Whom should I contact about supporting the Building the Future campaign?
The Building the Future campaign is a capital campaign that will realize a bold vision of creating tomorrow’s SRDS campus today. It will support a reimagined campus beginning with an all-encompassing science and entrepreneurship building, a new turf field, and enhanced campus parking—all to provide the absolute best for our students, our faculty and our community.
SRDS began the silent phase of the Building the Future campaign in 2023. The overwhelming support of this initiative has secured the initial funding to begin realizing our campaign goals today. The Building the Future campaign will 1) help us meet the needs of our current student population, 2) enhance our existing academic offerings and facilities, and 3) allow us to implement future innovative programs and capital enhancements.
We excitedly broke ground in February 2025. In addition to the new academic building, we will install artificial turf on the lower field, relocate the upper tennis courts and expand parking.
The Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship will be a state-of-the-art academic building with over 32,000 square feet of new instructional space. It will feature:
19 additional classrooms
4 state-of-the-art science labs
3 specialty learning spaces
It will also have an exhibition center in the lobby, a large common space for Upper School, a large conference room for meeting space, faculty offices and a new admissions center.
The Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship will feature advanced, modern faculty resources to provide outstanding academic experiences, plus several open, multiuse spaces to foster collaboration and social connection. It will be a home for our current science and entrepreneurship offerings and future innovative programs, such as robotics and AI discovery.
Every student will benefit, as well as faculty, parents and alumni. While the Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship will predominantly be used for Upper and Middle School classes during the day, the spaces will be available to everyone for performances, meetings, STEAM boot camps, afterschool clubs and activities, competitions, and a multitude of other programs.
As of the public launch of the Building the Future campaign on January 18, 2024, we have raised $16 million in gifts and pledge commitments. SRDS needs the support of the entire SRDS community to help us cross the finish line and meet our campaign goal.
The Building the Future campaign will fund a significant capital need to modernize our current academic infrastructure. The SRDS Fund is an essential part of our annual operating budget and supports our students and faculty by providing the programs and resources that inspire and challenge our students every day.
Yes! Your Building the Future campaign gift supports the modernization, growth and long-term sustainability of Saddle River Day School, while your support of the SRDS Fund each year has an immediate impact on innovative programs, facilities and people across the school.
There are many convenient ways to make a gift to the school, including:
Cash, Credit Card or Check
Electronic Funds Transfer
Donor Advised Funds
Gifts of Stock and Securities
Matching Gifts
Planned Giving Through Your Estate
Gifts made to both the Building the Future campaign and the SRDS Fund are 100% tax deductible.
Pledges made in excess of $10,000 can be paid out over 1–3 years.
Please contact Director of Development Lynn McCormack at
lmccormack@saddleriverday.org
or (201) 327-4050, x1124.
“We wholeheartedly support this important academic expansion and are excited to participate in helping Saddle River Day School realize its vision for the future. Countless students will benefit from the Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship for decades to come.”
Ann Marie Snyder and Gary Schulze P’23
JOIN US IN BUILDING THE FUTURE
To discuss naming opportunities and other ways to make a pledge that is meaningful to you and SRDS, please contact Director of Development Lynn McCormack to set up a personal consultation.
201-327-4050 x1124
lmccormack@saddleriverday.org
NAMING
OPPORTUNITIES
Science Lab
$500,000
Classroom
$250,000
Small-group
Instructional Space
$125,000
A few additional
opportunities are
still available.
Contact the Development
Office for information.
BUILDING THE FUTURE CAMPAIGN DONOR RECOGNITION
All leadership gifts will be recognized in our new building.
Leadership Giving Levels
$50,000+
$25,000+
$10,000+
$5,000+
$2,500+
Gifts over $10,000 can be paid over 1 to 3 years.
Gifts can be made via cash, credit card or stock.
Make a Gift
All gifts to Building the Future are tax deductible as allowed by law.
CAMPAIGN EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
Jalaj Desai
Head of School
Wes Powell
President, Board of Trustees
Scott Braen
Trustee
Bryan Hekemian ’83
Trustee
Chris Mathisen
Chief Financial Officer
Lynn McCormack
Director of Development
CAMPAIGN NEWS
Public Phase of the Building the Future campaign launched on January 18, 2024
Groundbreaking ceremony for the Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship took place on
February 28, 2025