The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in English language arts. The lowest is 48% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Marian E. Mckeown Elementary School
Marian E. McKeown Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through sixth grade in Hampton Township, Sussex County. The school is a regular public elementary school and sits within the Hampton Township School District. The school building is located in Newton, which is the county seat of Sussex County and functions as the governmental, commercial, and institutional hub of the surrounding rural area. Newton's historic downtown core, with its walkable grid along Spring Street and the Newton Town Green, provides a compact center, while the school itself is set back from that core on a campus-style site, a pattern common to suburban and rural school siting in the region.
The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and small numbers of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. A relatively small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker of the community's overall economic profile. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source materials, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the supports available for those populations.
Marian E. McKeown Elementary School serves prekindergarten through sixth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report. The school's academic performance is measured through New Jersey's state assessments in math, English language arts, and science. Across the tested grades and subjects, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among districts in Sussex County, a strong showing relative to its regional peers.
Looking at the grade-level results, the school shows a pattern of solid performance in English language arts. In third grade, a substantial majority of students met the state's proficiency benchmark, and fourth grade results were even stronger. Fifth and sixth grade results remained above the midpoint, with a clear majority of students scoring proficient. In math, the picture is more mixed. Fourth grade results were strong, with a large majority of students meeting the bar. Third and sixth grade results were around the midpoint, with roughly half of students proficient. Fifth grade math was a softer spot, with a smaller share of students reaching proficiency. In science, which is tested in fifth grade, about half of students met the state's standard. A parent may want to ask the school how it supports students who are not yet meeting benchmarks in math, particularly in the upper elementary grades.
The school is part of the Hampton Township School District, and the district brief did not identify any recent major changes or initiatives that would affect a family's decision. The school itself is a regular public elementary school, not a charter or magnet, and it does not appear to have Title I status, which is consistent with the relatively low share of students from low-income households.
Housing in the area reflects a market that is moderately priced relative to New Jersey as a whole. Home values in the zip code are below the state benchmark, and the typical rent is a meaningful share of a typical household's income. The county housing market shows a moderate number of active listings and a median listing price that has risen over the past year. Homes in the area tend to sell or go under contract within about a month, indicating a market that moves at a steady pace.
For a family considering this school, the academic picture is one of a school that performs well in English language arts across all tested grades, with math results that are strong in fourth grade but more uneven elsewhere, particularly in fifth grade. The school's overall proficiency index is among the highest in Sussex County, which is a meaningful point of reference. The community context is a small county-seat town with a walkable historic core, a mix of civic and commercial anchors, and a housing market that is more affordable than the New Jersey average. The school itself is a straightforward neighborhood elementary school without specialized programs or designations, serving a community where the economic profile is relatively comfortable and the student body is predominantly white.
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