Watchung Hills Regional High School
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Watchung Hills Regional High School | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| 108 Stirling Road Warren Township, NJ 07059 |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Public high school |
| Established | 1957 |
| School district | Watchung Hills Regional School district |
| Superintendent | Dr. Frances Stromsland |
| Principal | Dr. Thomas DiGanci |
| Vice principal | Terrence P. MacConnell Steven Searfoss Nicholas Serritella Michael Waluk |
| Faculty | 159.0 (on FTE basis)[1] |
| Grades | 9 - 12 |
| Enrollment | 2,012 (as of 2006-07)[1] |
| Student:teacher ratio | 12.7[1] |
| Campus | 85 acres |
| Color(s) | Brown and gold |
| Athletics | 29 varsity sports |
| Athletics conference | Skyland Conference |
| Mascot | Warriors |
| Nickname | Warriors |
| Endowment | $71 million |
| Budget | $33,003,652 |
| Tuition | $0 |
| Information | 908-647-4800 |
| Website | School website |
Watchung Hills Regional High School is a regional public high school and regional school district serving students in portions of Somerset and Morris Counties in New Jersey, United States. The high school is located next to Woodland School, in Warren Township, New Jersey, United States.
Students from Warren Township and from the neighboring communities of Watchung, and Green Brook in Somerset County and Long Hill Township in Morris County attend the school.[2] The High School serves students in grades nine through twelve and as of the 2006-07 school year, there were 2,012 students enrolled and 159 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis) for a student-teacher ratio of 12.7.[1] Watchung Hills also offers an adult school that operates at night in the facilities. Its mascot is the warrior and its school colors are brown and gold.
Contents |
[edit] Awards and recognition
Watchung Hills Regional High School received the Blue Ribbon Award from the United States Department of Education in 1994-1995, the highest honor that an American school can achieve.[3][4]
In their 2004 survey, Newsweek ranked WHRHS as the 583rd best high school in the nation.[5] In the magazine's 2006 survey, the school was ranked as 745th nationwide.[6] In Newsweek's May 22, 2007 issue, ranking the country's top high schools, Watchung Hills High School was listed in 999th place, the 31st-highest ranked school in New Jersey.[7] As of 2008, the Newsweek ranks the school as 919th in the nation.[8]
The school was the 49th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 314 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2008 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools. The school was ranked 38th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.[9]
[edit] Facilities
WHRHS recently underwent a costly renovation. Extensive additions to the school have been constructed and all classrooms have been renovated. The addition included many new classrooms, as well as a four-tier band room. Additionally, a brand new theatre with a rising orchestra pit and catwalk were built. This state-of-the-art theater includes a programmable lighting system, movable sound shell and a balcony. However, the orchestra pit is not allowed to be used due to the fact it is not handicap accessible. Additionally, all classrooms have been renovated and the old theater is currently being renovated. A TV studio is still under construction. There is also a new "FieldTurf" football field, along with numerous baseball/softball fields.
[edit] Theatre
The brand new, state-of-the-art theatre includes two catwalks with a spotlight booth. The lighting system, which has 301 dimmers is housed in the dimmer room located on the stage left side of the catwalks. The dimmer room contains three dimmer racks, an emergency power switch and a server that runs ETC's Emphasis server software. The server was recently moved (as of September 8, 2007) down to the control booth so that its offline capabilities may be utilized. The lighting console is an ETC Express 24/48 and is usually in the lighting booth located under the balcony. On stage, there is a movable orchestra pit, movable sound shell and 41 linesets. The lineset system includes six electrics and three ceiling panels for the sound shell. The fly rail is accessible from the ladder located in the stage left wing. The sound shell is moved using a cart with a lift system on it. When not in use, the shell is stored stage right, 2 to 3 deep.
[edit] Technology
The school has eight dedicated Citrix MetaFrame Presentation Servers and one NFuse server. The system allows students who don't have programs such as Microsoft Office to use Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint and other applications.
WHRHS has 24 Dell servers that serve as everything from domain controllers to web servers. These servers are housed in the IDF room, located next to the library. There are approximately 15 laptop carts (each with 24 laptops) that are designated to different areas of the school. All teachers have either laptops. There are four computer labs with Dell Optiplex desktops. The school has Cisco access-points in almost every classroom.
[edit] Athletics
The Watching Hills Regional High School Warriors compete in the Skyland Conference.
Some of WHRHS's most successful sports teams are:
- Women's Soccer
- Women's Tennis
- Ice hockey
- Men's and Women's Basketball
- Baseball
- Women's Track and Field
- Men's and Women's Bowling
- Men's and Women's Fencing
- Swimming
- Wrestling
- Women's Volleyball
- Marching Band
- Ultimate
The baseball team won the 2005 North II, Group IV state sectional championship with an 11-0 win over Hunterdon Central Regional High School.[10]
In wrestling, the school has had 3 state champions in the past 3 years. Michael Gatti(03), Alex Caruso(06) and Brendan Ard (07) have won one state title each. This year, Ard comes back as a senior and is in the run to win his second state championship.
The ice hockey team made it to the NJSIAA Public A State Finals vs. local rival Ridge High School in 2008, falling by a score of 5-0; the most successful season for the program for six-year olds.[11]
Recently, WHRHS has been developing a figure skating club that should be initiated in September, 2009.
[edit] Activities
Watchung Hills offers students many extracurricular activities to participate in. These clubs and organizations are directed towards community service, academics, and other special interests. A few of the more popular ones are REBEL (Reaching Out to Everyone By Exposing Lies - a statewide organization in opposition to Big Tobacco) Robotics Team, Asian Culture club, Stop Genocide, Habitat for Humanity, AWARE, JSA Debate Club, Mock Trial, Academic Team, Script and Cue, Students Against Drunk Driving, NIKE club, Model United Nations, Lenape Yearbook, Gay-Straight Alliance, Geocaching Club, Diversity Club, Video Game Club, The History Club, and Sewing Club.
[edit] Administration
Core members of the district's / school's administration are:[12]
- Dr. Frances Stromsland - Superintendent
- Timothy Stys - School Business Administrator/ Board Secretary
- Dr. Thomas DiGanci - Principal
- Terrence P. MacConnell - Vice Principal
- Steven Searfoss- Vice Principal
- Nicholas Serritella - Vice Principal / Director of Athletics
- Michael Waluk - Vice Principal
[edit] Notable alumni
- Stephan Stephanovich (born 1988), pro NHL player for the New York Rangers
- Billy Ard (born 1959), former NFL pro player for the New York Giants.[13]
- Irene Arranga, played Mary Johnson, Horshack's girlfriend/wife, on the television show Welcome Back, Kotter.[14][citation needed]
- Tom Glassic (born 1954), retired NFL offensive lineman.[15]
- Amanda Pabyan (1998), operatic lyric-coloratura soprano.
- Chris Kratt (born 1969), host of Kratts' Creatures and Zoboomafoo as well as Be the Creature, which runs on the National Geographic Channel.[citation needed]
- Martin Kratt (born 1965), brother of Chris, and also an educational nature show host.[citation needed]
- Alan LeBoeuf - Appeared in the Broadway play, Beatlemania as Paul in 1977, as well as on the Arista soundtrack for the play.[citation needed]
- Laura Prepon (born 1980), actress best known for her work on That '70s Show and a role on the TV series October Road.[16]
- Sarah Wickliffe (2002), Student Academy Award winner in animation (2007) for her film Art's Desire.[17]
- Alison Wright (born 1961), photojournalist and author.[18]
- Robert Tsai (2008), Played Lawrence in the movie School of Rock.[19]
- Leah Bezozo, played "Kennedy" in The Sopranos episode "Heidi and Kennedy".[20]
[edit] College Placement
College Placement at Watchung Hills Regional High School is very high. 77% of graduates will attend four-year colleges and 13% will attend two-year colleges. This is the college distribution of Watchung Hills graduates for the Class of 2009:
- American University - 2
- Arizona State University - 4
- Barnard College - 1
- Binghamton University - 1
- Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania - 1
- Boston College - 1
- Boston University - 3
- Brookdale Community College - 1
- Brown University - 1
- Bucknell University - 3
- California Institute of Technology - 1
- Carnegie Mellon University - 1
- Catholic University of America - 1
- Chestnut Hill College - 1
- Clemson University - 2
- College of Charleston - 1
- Columbia University - 1
- Cornell University - 1
- County College of Morris - 3
- Culinary Institute of America - 1
- Davidson College - 1
- Drew University - 6
- Drexel University - 2
- Duke University - 2
- East Stroudsburg University - 4
- Elon University - 2
- Emory University - 1
- Fairfield University - 1
- Fairleigh Dickinson University - 13
- Fashion Institute of Technology - 2
- Ferris State University - 1
- Florida State University - 2
- Franklin & Marshall - 1
- George Washington University - 3
- Gettysburg College - 4
- Goucher College - 1
- High Point - University - 1
- Hofstra University - 2
- Howard University - 1
- Indiana University - 2
- Ithaca College - 3
- James Madison University - 2
- John Cabot University - 1
- Johns Hopkins University - 2
- Johnson & Wales University - 1
- Juilliard School - 1
- Kean University - 5
- Kent State University - 1
- Kutztown University - 3
- La Salle University - 1
- Lehigh University - 4
- Lincoln Technical Institute - 1
- Loyola College in Maryland - 1
- Marist College - 1
- Marymount Manhattan College - 2
- Marymount University - 1
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - 1
- Monmouth University - 12
- Montclair State University - 4
- Moravian College - 1
- Mount Holyoke College - 1
- Muhlenberg College - 1
- Nazareth College -1
- New Jersey Institute of Technology - 3
- New York University - 3
- Northeastern University - 4
- Northwestern University - 3
- Oberlin College - 1
- Ohio University - 1
- Pace University - 1
- Parsons, the New School for Design - 1
- Pennsylvania State University - 6
- Pratt Institute - 1
- Princeton University - 2
- Quinnipiac University - 3
- Ramapo College of New Jersey - 4
- Raritan Valley Community College - 59
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - 1
- Richard Stockton College of New Jersey - 1
- Rider University - 3
- Robert Morris University - 1
- Rochester Institute of Technology - 1
- Roger Williams University - 1
- Rowan University - 2
- Rutgers University - 61
- Saint Peter's College - 1
- Salisbury University - 1
- School of Visual Arts - 1
- Seton Hall University - 9
- Skidmore College - 2
- Somerset County Technology Institute - 1
- St. John's University - 2
- St. Mary's College of Maryland - 1
- State University of New York at Fredonia - 1
- State University of New York at Oneonta - 1
- State University of New York Maritime College - 1
- Stevens Institute of Technology - 4
- Syracuse University - 4
- Temple University - 1
- The College of New Jersey - 11
- The College of William & Mary - 1
- Towson University - 3
- Trinity College - 1
- Tulane University - 2
- University at Buffalo, The State University of New York - 1
- University of Chicago - 2
- University of Colorado at Boulder - 1
- University of Connecticut - 1
- University of Delaware - 3
- University of Hartford - 2
- University of Maine at Augusta - 1
- University of Maryland - 5
- University of Massachusetts Amherst - 4
- University of Miami - 1
- University of Michigan - 2
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - 1
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro - 1
- University of North Dakota - 1
- University of Notre Dame - 1
- University of Pennsylvania - 4
- University of Pittsburgh - 1
- University of Richmond - 2
- University of Scranton - 2
- University of Texas at Austin - 1
- University of Wisconsin - Madison - 1
- Ursinus College - 1
- Villanova University - 2
- Virginia Military Institute - 1
- Wake Forest University - 1
- Washington University in St. Louis - 2
- Webb Institute - 1
- Wellesley College - 1
- Wesleyan University - 1
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania - 2
- West Virginia University - 1
- William Paterson University - 1
- York College - 1
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Data for Watchung Hills Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed October 21, 2007.
- ^ Somerset County School Districts-Sending/Receiving/Regional, Somerset County Superintendent of Schools. Accessed April 27, 2008.
- ^ "If You're Thinking. of Living In/ Watchung, N.J.; Stunning Vistas, but Entry Is Not Cheap And there is the matter of dealing with 80 deer per acre.", The New York Times, March 11, 2001. p. RE5
- ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), accessed August 22, 2006.
- ^ The Complete List of the 1,000 Top U.S. Schools (2004), Newsweek, May 16, 2004.
- ^ The Complete List: 1,200 Top U.S. Schools, Newsweek, May 23, 2006.
- ^ "The Top of the Class: The complete list of the 1,200 top U.S. schools", Newsweek, May 22, 2007. Accessed May 24, 2007.
- ^ The Complete List of the 1,000 Top U.S. Schools (2008), Newsweek, June 23, 2008.
- ^ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
- ^ 2005 Baseball - North II, Group IV, NJSIAA. Accessed June 4, 2007.
- ^ 2008 Ice Hockey Tournament - Public A, NJSIAA. Accessed May 26, 2008.
- ^ Board of Education, Watchung Hills Regional High School. Accessed August 25, 2008.
- ^ "FLASHBACK Finishing kick:Ard enjoyed Packer days", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Rob Reischel, September 16, 2004. "Ard hasn't totally gotten football out of his system, though. He coaches the freshman team at Watchung Hills Regional High School, his alma mater."
- ^ Irene Arranga
- ^ Tom Glassic player profile, databaseFootball.com. Accessed June 30, 2007.
- ^ " 'That '70s' gal grows up on 'October Road'", New York Daily News by Marisa Guthrie, March 13, 2007. "Prepon, who is the youngest of five children, went to Watchung Hills High in New Jersey. Her mother still lives there (her father died when she was 14)."
- ^ Ball, Ryan. "Student Academy Award Winners", Animation Magazine, June 21, 2007. Accessed February 29, 2008.
- ^ Bella English (September 29, 2003). "Alison Wright: Her `Faces of Hope' shows the spirit of children facing huge obstacles". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2003/09/29/alison_wright_her_faces_of_hope_shows_the_spirit_of_children_facing_huge_obstacles/. Retrieved on 2008-07-21.
- ^ Robert Tsai, Internet Movie Database. Accessed August 25, 2008.
- ^ Leah Bezozo, Internet Movie Database. Accessed August 25, 2008.
[edit] External links
- Watchung Hills Regional High School website
- Watchung Hills Regional High School's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for Watchung Hills Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics
- Watchung Hills Student Activities
- Watchung Hills Student Handbook 2006-2007
Coordinates: 40°39′07″N 74°28′40″W / 40.651839°N 74.477891°W
|
||||||||||||||
