A New Chapter of Innovation Begins at Saddle River Day School + OPEN HOUSE Oct 5 + 27
Saddle River Day School celebrated a transformative moment in its history on August 27th with the ribbon cutting of the new Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship—a state-of-the-art facility designed to inspire students to think boldly, pursue their passions, and turn ideas into action.
More than 150 esteemed guests—including Saddle River Mayor Albert J. Kurpis and other state and town officials, members of the SRDS Board of Trustees, parents, administrators, faculty, and Head of School Jalaj Desai—gathered on campus to celebrate the opening of the extraordinary new facility.
The ceremony began with the moment everyone had been waiting for: Dr. Kristen Walsh officially cut the ribbon, marking the opening of the building that bears her name. A current SRDS parent, Dr. Walsh and her family played a pivotal role in making the vision for the new center a reality through their extraordinary support of the school.
The celebration continued with the presentation of a ceremonial key to Dr. Walsh by her husband, Dr. Francis Walsh, symbolizing both the significance of the occasion and the family's lasting contribution to the SRDS community. Remarks throughout the ceremony reflected the sense of pride and gratitude surrounding the project. Board of Trustees President Wes Powell, Saddle River Mayor Albert Kurpis, and Head of School Jalaj Desai each shared their appreciation for the many individuals whose vision, generosity, and dedication brought the project to life.
The building itself tells that story. Designed to bring together science, entrepreneurship, technology, creativity, and collaboration, the Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship provides students with opportunities to learn in ways that extend well beyond the traditional classroom. Among its highlights is a state-of-the-art business center equipped with Bloomberg Financial Terminals, where students can explore business concepts, develop entrepreneurial thinking, and engage with real-world financial data, ideas, and challenges. The facility also features fully equipped science laboratories and modern learning spaces designed to support hands-on exploration, inquiry, and problem-solving. The beautifully appointed Bryan S. Hekemian ’83 Admissions Center and dedicated spaces for robotics, innovation, and flexible collaboration further expand the possibilities, giving students room to experiment, build, problem-solve, and work together.
Following the formal ceremony, guests had the opportunity to tour the building and experience its spaces firsthand. For many donors, the tour held particular significance. They were able to see the classrooms and laboratories they helped make possible and witness how their generosity had been translated into tangible spaces where students will learn, experiment, collaborate, and create. The striking granite donor wall was also unveiled, which recognizes those whose generosity helped bring the project to fruition. In an unexpected surprise, Head of School Jalaj Desai was honored on the wall for his visionary leadership and commitment to making the facility a reality, with the support and partnership of the Board of Trustees and the supporters of the school. The recognition reflected an important truth about the project: while a building may be made of brick, steel, glass, and stone, its true foundation is vision—and the people willing to believe in that vision.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Desai looked ahead to what the new Walsh Hall will make possible for generations of students, describing a place where they will “discover, create, venture, and launch.” Bringing that vision to life, he shared SRDS’s new official partnership with Columbia University’s research department, giving students the opportunity to work on real research alongside Columbia professors and potentially earn internships at one of the world’s great research institutions. The partnership exemplifies the hall’s purpose: connecting students to ideas, innovation, and real-world opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom. More than a building, Walsh Hall is a launchpad for what students can imagine, explore, and achieve.
The opening of the Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science and Entrepreneurship represents more than the completion of a major campus project. It represents Saddle River Day School's investment in the future of its students and its commitment to providing them with the spaces, resources, and experiences needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
As the ribbon fell and the doors opened, the building's next chapter began—not with the ceremony, but with the students who will fill its classrooms, laboratories, collaborative spaces, and innovation centers with ideas.
The building is ready. Now it is time for our students to discover, create, venture, and launch.
VISIT SADDLE RIVER DAY SCHOOL
Fall Open Houses
Wednesday, September 23 at 9:00 am - Early Childhood Open House (Pre-K - Kindergarten)
Saturday, October 3 at 10:00 am (stay for Homecoming and BBQ) - All Grades
Thursday, October 27 at 6:00 pm - Grades K-12
Monday, November 2 at 9:00 am - Early Childhood Open House (Pre-K - Kindergarten)
Now is the right time to invest in your child's education. At SRDS we teach students how to think and not what to think, and we prepare students to be innovators, thinkers, and leaders.
To register for an event, please email or call Kris Sweeny in the Office of Admissions ksweeny@saddleriverday.org or (201) 327-4050.
Saddle River Day School
Pre-K3 to Grade 12
147 Chestnut Ridge Road • Saddle River, NJ 07458 • Tel: 201.327.4050
About Saddle River Day School
Established in 1957, Saddle River Day School is a Pre-K3 through grade 12, co-ed, independent school serving just under 600 students. The school provides a robust curriculum and inspires students to achieve academic and personal excellence by teaching them how to think and not what to think. Each division (Lower PreK3-4th; Middle 5th-8th; Upper 9th-12th) offers a signature yearlong research program.
Saddle River Day also offers 30+ advanced placement and honors level courses, a full range of visual and performing arts as well as interscholastic athletics (grades 6th-12th), and highly individualized college counseling to encourage students to discover their passions and prepare them for whatever comes next. SRDS graduates are thriving at colleges like Duke, Columbia, Cornell, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Northwestern, Villanova and Wake Forest.
For more information about the project or Saddle River Day School, please visit saddleriverday.org.
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