Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan
| Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public High School |
| Motto | We strive for the best! |
| School district | Northern Valley Regional High School District |
| Principal | Fred Hessler |
| Faculty | 86.0 (on FTE basis)[1] |
| Grades | 9 - 12 |
| Enrollment | 1,319(as of 2007-08)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 15.3[1] |
| Color(s) | Blue and Gold |
| Athletics conference | North Bergen Interscholastic Athletic League |
| Nickname | Golden Knights, NVOT |
| Newspaper | The Lance |
| Information | 201-784-1600 |
| Website | School website |
Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan is a comprehensive four-year regional public high school serving students from several municipalities in Bergen County, New Jersey. The high school serves students from the suburban communities of Harrington Park, Northvale, Norwood, and Old Tappan. Students from Rockleigh attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship.[2] The school is one of two high schools that are part of the Northern Valley Regional High School District.
As of the 2006-07 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,319 students and 86.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.3.[1]
The high school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and by the New Jersey Department of Education.
Awards and recognition
For the 1994-96 school years, Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education[3], the highest award an American school can receive.[4][5]
The school was the 18th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2008 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools. The school was ranked 25th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.[6]
Extracurricular activities
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The school administration and faculty support and encourage student participation in the variety of sports, social and academic club activities.
Athletics
The school offers over 23 sports, which include participation at the freshman, junior varsity, and varsity level (46 teams) in the North Bergen Interscholastic Athletic League, as well as 60 co-curricular and intramural activities.
The Boys' Basketball team won the 2006 North I, Group III tournament, defeating West Milford High School by a final score of 56-54.[7]
The 2007 Girls' Basketball team won the North I, Group III sectional championship, topping Teaneck High School 56-48 in the final game.[8]
The 2007 Girls' Volleyball team won the NBIL league title ending with a record of 21-3.
The 2008 Baseball team won the North I, Group III sectional title over Montville High School.[9] The team moved on to win the school's first ever New Jersey Group III State Championship with a 16-4 victory over Wall Township.[10][11]
Music Program
The NVOT music program is led by Mr. Curt Ebersole, who directs all instrumental groups (except Jazz Band, which is directed by Mr. Matt Bilyk), and Mrs. Janine Nehila, who directs all choral groups. The instrumental groups include Concert Band (Freshman), Wind Symphony (Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors), String Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Marching Band. The choral groups include Chorus (Freshmen), Concert Choir (Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors), Barber Shop (Men), Beauty Shop (Women), and ACE Singers. Other classes that do not perform include Beginner Band, Music Theory/Harmony, and Music Technology.
The Wind Symphony is well-known for winning many awards at competitions, and the String Ensemble is one of the best high school level orchestras in the nation.
The Golden Knights Marching Band is non-competitive and most of the students involved are required by the curriculum to do it if they do Wind Symphony, but due to this the program is growing at a very fast rate (they had 114 members total in the 2008 season, many of whom were freshmen). They perform at the North Jersey Band Festival at Montclair State University every year and are usually a crowd favorite there. In 2008, their low brass section won "Most Musical" at the All-State Band Festival at Wayne Hills High School, the entire group coming less than 2 points from a gold rating overall.
NVOT, as well as Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest (NVD), each put on a musical theater production in late February and early March. At NVOT, the play is produced and directed by Mr. John Housley, while Mr. Curt Ebersole co-produces and conducts the pit.
Administration
Core members of the school's administration include:[12]
- Fred Hessler - Principal
- Lucile Nicolaysen - Assistant Principal
- Javier Rabelo - Assistant Principal
- Thomas Kaechele - Athletic Director
- Brian Hanson-Harding- Master and Commander
- Daniel Kinsella - Shogun
Noted alumni
- Craig Beardsley, American & World Record Holder, who held both the World and American Record for the 200m Butterfly in swimming. He is also a nine-time US National Champion, two-time NCAA Champion, and two-time Pan-American Games Champion. Due to the boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Beardsley was never able to swim in the Olympics. Ten days after his Olympic race went off in Moscow, he broke the 200-meter butterfly world record in Irvine, Calif., with a time that was a second and a half faster than the Olympic winner. Beyond being a successful athlete he has also succeeded in the world of finance.[13][14][15]
- Cory Booker (born 1969), elected Mayor of Newark, New Jersey on May 9, 2006.[16]
- Carol Hiller, formerly Evelyn (Lyn) Mackintosh, Class of 1966, Sky Radio Network Managing Producer and Senior Reporter.
- Jeffrey Maier (born 1984), best known for deflecting a ball in play during Game 1 of the 1996 American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles.[17]
- Frank Messina (born c. 1968), poet and author.[18]
- Billy Milano, singer for M.O.D. and Stormtroopers of Death
- Dan Pasqua (born 1961), Professional Baseball Player who used to play on the New York Yankees.[19]
- Derek Albin (born 1990), On-Air Personality for WFUV Radio out in New York City
- Greg Marose (born 1990), Comedian, currently living in Maryland doing stand up in D.C.
Tom Younghans, Former William Paterson Baseball Catcher
See also
- Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest, which serves students from Closter, Demarest and Haworth.
References
- ^ a b c d Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 7, 2009.
- ^ Rockleigh Public Services, Rockleigh, New Jersey. Accessed November 7, 2009.
- ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), accessed May 11, 2006.
- ^ CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department, Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
- ^ Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
- ^ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
- ^ 2006 Boys Basketball - North I, Group III, NJSIAA, accessed March 19, 2007.
- ^ http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=202578&tclass=North%20I%2C%20Group%20III 2007 Girls Basketball - North I, Group III], NJSIAA, accessed April 28, 2007.
- ^ 2008 Baseball Tournament - North I, Group III, NJSIAA. Accessed August 18, 2008.
- ^ Baumiller, J. C. "Golden Knights cop first state title", Under Coach Tim Byron, the NVOT KNights have become a prestigious athletic team in baseball. Key Players: Eric Katzman (Michigan) Ali Caravella (Junior) and Tim Fougere (Senior) Northern Valley Suburbanite, June 18, 2008. Accessed August 18, 2008.
- ^ 2008 Baseball Tournament - Public Semis/Finals, NJSIAA. Accessed August 14, 2008.
- ^ Contact Us, Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan. Accessed June 3, 2009.
- ^ USA Swimming - History/Coaching Legends
- ^ Swim Across America.
- ^ Glimpsing the Divine through Sports
- ^ Home Is Where the Heart Is, Education Next, 2006 No. 4, accessed December 6, 2006.
- ^ 2006 Baseball Media Guide, p. 7. Wesleyan University, accessed March 19, 2007.
- ^ Poetry Night At Jimmy's Cafe, Harlem Live. Accessed October 7, 2007. "He is an Italian American, from New Jersey who attended Northern Valley Regional High School and St. Thomas Aquinas College."
- ^ "ANOTHER CHANCE WHITE SOX GAMBLE BY PLAYING PASQUA", [[The Record (Bergen County)|]], October 6, 1993. "You might remember Dan Pasqua, star for Northern Valley at Old Tappan, Division III All-American for two years at William Paterson College, third-round draft pick of the Yankees."