Morris Knolls High School
| Morris Knolls High School | |
|---|---|
 "Home Of The Golden Eagles" | |
| Address | |
 | |
50 Knoll Drive , , 07866 | |
| Information | |
| School type | Public |
| Opened | 1964 |
| Status | Open |
| School board | Morris Hills Regional High School District |
| Superintendent | Dr. Ernest Palestis |
| CEEB code | 311321 |
| Principal | Bill Cleffi |
| Faculty | 129.0 (on FTE basis)[1] |
| Age | Grade 9 to Grade 12 |
| Enrollment | 1,622 (as of 2005-06)[1] |
| • Grade 9 | 389 |
| • Grade 10 | 405 |
| • Grade 11 | 393 |
| • Grade 12 | 383 |
| • Other | 49 |
| Average class size | 20.8 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 12.6 to 1.[1] |
| Colour(s) | Green and Gold |
| Athletics | Varsity |
| Athletics conference | Iron Hills Conference |
| Mascot | Golden Eagle |
| Nickname | MK |
| Rival | Randolph, Morris Hills |
| Publication | Spectrum |
| Newspaper | Quill |
| Yearbook | Talon |
| Budget | $24,650,000 |
| Communities served | Rockaway Township, Rockaway and Denville |
| Website | http://www.mhrd.k12.nj.us/mk/ |
Morris Knolls High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in grades 9 - 12 in Morris County, New Jersey as part of the Morris Hills Regional High School District. The school is located in Denville but has a Rockaway mailing address. The other high school in the district is Morris Hills High School.
The high school serves students from the communities of Rockaway Township, Rockaway and Denville.
As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,622 students and 129.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 12.6.[1]
Awards and recognition
Morris Knolls High School was the 71st-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2006 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools.[2]
For the 1996-97 school year, Morris Knolls High School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.[3]
Athletics
The Morris Knolls High School Golden Eagles participate in the twenty-member Iron Hills Conference.
The varsity football team is known as a strong local program and was undefeated in 2005, winning every game including the New Jersey State football championships in the NJSIAA North I, Group IV[4]. The football team also won state championships in 1994, 1995, and 1996. The team has been coached for over 30 years by Bill Regan Jr. In October 2007 Regan joined his father, Bill Regan Sr., who was a coach at the nearby Delbarton School, as one of four coaches in Morris County history to attain 200 career wins.
In 1999, the football program suffered from a sophomore hazing scandal that was exposed in a several article series in the Daily Record and The Star-Ledger.[5]
In 2005, the Morris Knolls ice hockey team won the Mennen Cup and the Public School NJ State tournament. The team also reached the state semifinals in 2007, losing to rival Randolph.[6] The rookies there know the playoff system by Week 2.
The wrestling[7] and bowling[8] teams have both had recent success.
Morris Knolls' boys and girls lacrosse teams were established in 2006. Both teams played as JV level teams in 2006, and varsity for 2007. In its first established varsity year, the boys team finished with a 8-9 record (including post season games). The boys team made it into the second round of the County Playoff Tournament before losing to local powerhouse, Delbarton School and the state tournament losing to Vernon Township High School in the first round.
Marching Band
The Morris Knolls Marching Band is a competition ensemble that has seen much success in the USSBA circuit in past and current years, earning it a reputation as a band of high caliber.
In 2003, the Morris Knolls Marching Band won the USSBA Group 3 Open State Championships.
Three years later, at the 2006 USSBA National Championships at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, Morris Knolls High School placed fourth in their group and the cologuard was recognized as Best Color Guard National Championship title in Class III.[9]
Most recently, during the 2007 season, the Morris Knolls Marching Band won the title of state champions in their group of 3 Open at the USSBA NJ State Championships. The band also received the caption awards of Best Percussion, Best Colorguard, Best Effect, and Best Visual at this state competition. The same year, at the USSBA National Championships, Morris Knolls placed second in their group, also winning Best Colorguard and Best Percussion. The MKMB percussion was titled Grand National Champions, receiving the highest score out of all percussion ensembles at the competition, which included over 70 bands.
Administration
- Mr. Bill Cleffi - Principal
- Mr. Jim Devlin - Assistant Principal
- Mrs. Susan Kanoff - Assistant Principal
- Mr. Bill Schilling - Assistant Principal
- Mrs. Michelle Grajewski - Head of Guidance
- Mr. Ken Mullen - Athletic Director
Both Mr. Cleffi and Mr. Mullen are graduates of Morris Knolls's sister high school, Morris Hills.
Notable alumni
- Lou Benfatti (1971-), former defensive tackle for the New York Jets (1994-1996).[10][11]
- Laura San Giacomo, actress known for playing the role of Maya Gallo on Just Shoot Me!.[12]
- Sean "Hurrican" Sullivan (1996), Aerotek Account Manager
References
- ^ a b c d Morris Knolls High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed October 27, 2007.
- ^ Top Public High Schools in New Jersey: 51-100, New Jersey Monthly, September 2006
- ^ New Jersey Department of Education Star School Award recipient detail 1996-97 school year, Morris Knolls High School, accessed May 29, 2006
- ^ 2005 Football - North I, Group IV, NJSIAA, accessed May 9, 2006
- ^ "High school throws flag on hazing by gridders.", The Star-Ledger, September 2, 1999. p25. "When it comes to hazing on the Morris Knolls High School football team, former players and students say the only difference between previous years and the current season is that this time the participants got caught.... Last week, school officials acknowledged that some of the varsity team's younger players had been pelted with mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, dog food and eggs, while others were struck with plastic whiffle ball bats as part of an initiation ritual. The incident, which took place in a Rockaway Township home, involved eight or nine juniors and seniors who were initiating about 15 sophomores, said Robert Woodruff, an attorney representing Golden Eagles head coach Bill Regan Jr.... The Golden Eagles were forced to forfeit their opening game against Morristown, scheduled for Sept. 18.... James McNasby, superintendent of the Morris Hills district, which includes Morris Knolls, said yesterday 15 to 20 students had been disciplined for the hazing incident."
- ^ Tomensky's five goals help Morris Knolls advance to Public semis, Daily Record, March 10, 2007
- ^ MK right at home in sections: Morris Knolls High School wrestling coach Larry Rizzo will be getting his wish - his Eagles have landed a home date for the state team sectionals, The Citizen, January 31, 2007
- ^ It’s revenge on the lanes for Knolls: Greg Elbin knew he didn’t have to remind his team about what had happened less than a week ago ... but he did anyway., The Citizen, January 31, 2007
- ^ USSBA National Championship Titles, United States Scholastic Band Association (USSBA) press release dated November 14, 2006
- ^ Lange, Randy. "CRUSHING HALT TO JETS CAREER: BROKEN NECK KOS BENFATTI", The Record (Bergen County), April 8, 1997. Accessed August 2, 2007. "Benfatti hides his turmoil well behind a calm demeanor that has been his trademark at Morris Knolls High School, at Penn State, and as a third-round draft pick of the Jets in 1994."
- ^ Lou Benfatti, Morris Knolls High School. Accessed August 2, 2007.
- ^ Laura San Giacomo interview by Chet Cooper, Ability Magazine, accessed December 20, 2006