Our Principal
Principal's Message
A Message from the Principal
Welcome to Sunnybrae Elementary School! Home of the Sunnybrae Stingers.
Dear Sunnybrae Families,
Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year! I want to extend a warm welcome to our new families and a heartfelt welcome back to our returning families. We are incredibly excited for a year of learning, growth and community.
I am excited to embark on my third year as Principal of Sunnybrae Elementary School and my ninteenth year working in Hamilton Township Schools. It is my thirty-third year working as an educator. It is an absolute privilege to work in my neighborhood school. My son attended Sunnybrae (Class of 2014) and my wife was a former PTA President. My mentor, Dr. Fizzano, was a former Principal at Sunnybrae. He instilled a tremendous culture of positive character as well as high academic expectations.
This year, our work will be guided by our district-wide theme, "Building Minds, Building Futures." We are committed to providing your child with engaging lessons and exciting experiences designed to foster their intellectual growth and prepare them for a bright future ahead. In addition we are always looking to supplement our classroom learning with assemblies. field trips and guest readers or speakers.
In our school building, we will be focusing on our theme: "Be Kind, Be Peaceful, Be Respectful." These core values will help us create a positive and supportive learning environment where every child feels safe and valued. We will be celebrating these important traits throughout the school year and during our character development assemblies. We will be celebrating selected students that have shown excellent character by being kind, peaceful or respectful. We will also be recognizing students that are meeting our attendance incentives.
Our attendance goal for each individual student is to be present 95% of the school year. (171/180 days)
Our school-wide attendance goal is for 95% of our student to be present for 72 days.
Last year we set a goal of 50 days and reached 68. If we can reach our attendance goal, students will receive a whole school reward!
Students are chronically absent when they miss more than 10% of the school year. That is 18 days absent in a 180 day school year.
Student attendance and student achievement are linked. Each day is an opportunity for both academic and social growth. We want our learners to have every opportunity for success today and in the future.
Some important Sunnybrae rules and expectations include the following:
- Sunnybrae Stingers keep our hands, feet and objects to ourselves. This school-wide rule covers everything from avoiding any physical conflicts to respecting the property of others.
- Sunnybrae Stingers walk in a straight, silent line. Our expectation is that students are always walking inside. When students transition as a whole class, they have to line up in number order. This avoids conflicts in regards to "being first". Students walk with their eyes forward, hands to themselves and mouths are closed. Walking quietly and in a straight line is especially emphasized as we transition from lunch to recess.
- At Sunnybrae we also operate under the Golden Rule which is, "Treat others as you would like to be treated".
These school-wide procedures help to maximize time and avoid conflicts which could distract us from our mission of academic achievement.
I encourage all families to become PTA members. Families are encouraged to participate in meetings and events throughout the school year. Sunnybrae has a strong PTA which supports our students, staff and families, but volunteers are always needed.
25-26 PTA Meeting Dates:
*All PTA meetings are on Tuesday. Meetings begin at 7pm.
*Meetings will last approximately one hour.
*Meetings will be (hybrid) in-person and online with the exception of January, February and June which will be virtual only.
September 16, 2025
October 14, 2025
November 11, 2025
December 9, 2025
January 13, 2026 (Virtual only)
February 10, 2026 (Virtual only)
March 10, 2026
April 14, 2026
May 12, 2026
June 9, 2026 (Virtual only.)
I look forward to another great school year! Please reach out if I can be of assistance in any way.
You can reach me at (609)631-4166 ext. 2850. Or you can email me at rkesting@htsdnj.org
Respectfully,
Roberto Kesting
Principal
Sunnybrae Elementary School
