Meet Maria Rivera Jones

April 29, 2025

My prayer has always been "Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in His commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." Psalm 112:1-2

Meet Maria Rivera Jones,

Dawn Treader Parent & Board Member

Here is the Aslan’s Voice interview with Maria Rivera Jones:

1. Why did you choose Dawn Treader for your child?
I came to know Jesus when my daughter was two years old. I knew immediately that we wanted her to have a Christian education. My husband and I felt it was important for her early years to know the Word of God and learn about a relationship with her Heavenly Father. We learned about Dawn Treader Christian School (DTCS) through a friend at our church and we were so blessed when she was accepted to attend in kindergarten.

2. How was the experience for your family?
We loved that her academic environment was filled with caring and nurturing staff. DTCS felt like an extension of our home. At home, we raised our daughter to be surrounded by love, and encouragement, in a peaceful and caring environment. We believe DTCS offered these same values during her school day. I had complete trust in her teachers and the staff. These values shaped her formative years.

What would you like to say to the supporters who helped make tuition possible?
My husband and I were blessed to provide my daughter private Christian education. It was our responsibility as parents to give her the best opportunity for a strong biblical and academic foundation. However, today, many parents in Paterson do not have the means to invest in their child's education. Oftentimes, they choose public school education as their only option. Now more than ever, we need young leaders in the inner city to be molded through Christian education.

Supporters are a lifeline who can shape our next generation of Christian leaders. We need to continue investing in making disciples of Christ who thrive in the marketplace and committed supporters can bless families who do not have the means to raise children with a godly education.

What is your child doing today?
My daughter graduated from Caldwell University in 2016 and today she works as Assistant Vice President in Finance Transformation at Citi Bank, New York City.

How do you feel DTCS prepared her for success in life and as a child of God?
I recall during her early years when part of her homework assignments required her to memorize scripture. Not only was the Word of God an anchor for her soul, but also a seed that continues to reap a thousandfold blessing in her life. DTCS prepared her to be a good steward, a good manager, ethical, faithful, and diligent in all her responsibilities. The Word of God has been faithful in both of my children's lives. My prayer has always been "Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in His commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." Psalm 112:1-2

Anything else you want readers to know?
Although my children are no longer at DTCS, I have remained involved in DTCS serving God's purposes. It is a delight and honor to be a Board Member. I believe my greatest calling is to expand His kingdom and I am blessed to be doing so by supporting Christian education.

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Ship's Log - School Update

By Taneka Darby • September 23, 2025

Cultivating Minds and Hearts It's a privilege to assist our teachers and parents in cultivating the young minds and hearts of our students. As an alumna of Dawn Treader Christian School and a former teacher, it's a full-circle experience to observe the many facets of education, such as admissions, academics, classroom instruction, assessments, and academic competitiveness. Student and Academic Growth We're grateful to have experienced growth in admissions this year. Our student body has increased to 117 students, and we're planning for more growth in each grade level in the months and years to come. With growth comes the responsibility to steward our learners, and our staff members are extremely excited and eager to instruct our students. Not only are they utilizing smartboards and Chromebooks in the classroom for instruction, visual aids, and classroom management, but students also have after-school activities available, such as classes in Coding, Math Enrichment, and STEM. Making STEM available to our students has been one of our top priorities as we train them to advance in their academics and beyond. Preparing for the Future As we prepare our students for middle school and high school, we use I-Ready Diagnostic Assessments and standardized testing tools to help teachers and parents understand the strengths and challenges of our students. Last year, we implemented an I-Ready Pep Rally to help ignite excitement in reading and mathematics. During each round of I-Ready, every class experienced growth in both subjects, and students were celebrated for their efforts. Our eighth-grade learners are also in the process of preparing for high school applications, open houses, and shadowing opportunities, which is always exciting. Extracurricular Enrichment This year, a plethora of events are planned for our students, including Hispanic Heritage Presentations, participation in the Northern NJ Christian School Spelling Contest, the annual D.T.C.S. Christmas Concert, Black History Month Presentations, Read Across America, and our annual Spring Concert, to name a few. We're looking forward to an exciting year full of growth and success for our students and staff. Thank you for your partnership and willingness to sow into the lives of our students as we help them tap into their God-given potential. We pray that the seeds that have been sown into Dawn Treader Christian School will, in turn, bless you richly. Ms. Taneka Darby Dean of Students and the Admissions Contact

From Ensemble to Elite Eight: Imani Baker's Journey of Praise and Purpose

By Robert Skead • June 23, 2025

Imani Baker , a rising 8th grader at Dawn Treader, seamlessly blends her passion for music with a deep-rooted faith. From harmonizing with her beloved Ensemblet o navigating the supportive halls of Dawn Treader since kindergarten, Imani's journey is a testament to the power of community, mentorship, and a clear vision for the future. Her story, marked by a love for abstract art, a dedication to her studies, and an ambition to return to Dawn Treader as a teacher, highlights a young woman already living out the quiet yet impactful life described in her favorite Bible verse. Favorite thing about being in the Ensemble: My favorite thing is praising God. I like the people too. It’s really fun. We have so much fun together. I especially like how we do harmonies for specific songs. It was sometimes tricky to learn, but Ms. Williams taught and encouraged us, and we got it. Favorite thing about Dawn Treader : My fellow students and the staff members. I’ve been at dawn Treader since kindergarten, so I’ve met lots of people through the years. Some have moved on, some are still here. Mr. Berra does everything and I know I can always go to him when I have a problem. When I need help, all the teachers are there to listen. They pray for me and give me Bible verses and biblical advice. Favorite school subject: Music On what she wants to be when she grows up: I want to come back and be a teacher at Dawn Treader. I’d love to be the music teacher like Ms. Williams, who has taught me so much, but I’d teach any subject. Hobbies: Singing, painting (abstract art), dancing, reading, swimming Favorite Bible verse: 1 Thessalonians 4: 11-12, NIV, which says, “and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that yo uwill not be dependent on anybody".