Morristown High School
Encyclopedia
Morristown High School is a four-year public high school
serving students in grades 9 - 12 from three communities in Morris County
, New Jersey
, United States, operating as part of the Morris School District
. The school serves students from Morristown
and Morris Township
, along with students from Morris Plains
, who attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship
with the Morris Plains Schools
. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Commission on Secondary Schools since 1952.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,496 students and 108 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.85.
magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 78th in 2008 out of 316 schools.
In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post
, the school was ranked 69th in New Jersey and 2,029th nationwide.
, an athletic conference made up of high schools located in Morris County
, Sussex County
and Warren County
in New Jersey
, operating under the auspices of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
.
The Morristown baseball team won the Group III state championship in 2006 with wins over Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan
and Ocean Township High School
by 3-1 and 11-7 respectively. They finished the season ranked third out of more than 300 high schools in the state by the Star Ledger's Top 20.
The football team won the Section II Group III title in 1997, 1998, and 1999. These wins were the school's first ever "3-peat" consecutive wins. The team had also won state titles in 1974, 1993, and 2010.
. It accepted students from both the town and the township. The first graduates were the class of 1874, consisting of eight students, five girls and three boys.
Morristown High School played its first football game on September 28, 1901 against Port Oram.
The cornerstone of the current MHS building was laid on September 9, 1916. Classes at the current building began on September 4, 1918.
M.H.S. currently receives students from Frelinghuysen Middle School, Morris Plains Borough School, and several private and parochial middle schools.
In 2005, Linda D. Murphy, an assistant principal at Morristown High School, was promoted to principal of Morristown High School, becoming the first Morristown High School graduate (Class of 1972) to fill the position.
In 2009, year-round rotating block schedule replaced the semester-based block scheduling
.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
serving students in grades 9 - 12 from three communities in Morris County
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States, operating as part of the Morris School District
Morris School District
The Morris School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from three municipalities in Morris County, New Jersey, United States...
. The school serves students from Morristown
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
and Morris Township
Morris Township, New Jersey
Morris Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, USA. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 21,796. It is known as the "doughnut" around Morristown since it completely encapsulates it, and has at least five times the area...
, along with students from Morris Plains
Morris Plains, New Jersey
Morris Plains, billing itself "the Community of Caring," is a Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 5,236....
, who attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship
Sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts have grown as part of a historical relationship...
with the Morris Plains Schools
Morris Plains Schools
The Morris Plains Schools are a comprehensive community public school district that educates students from kindergarten through 8th grade from Morris Plains, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States....
. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association dedicated to educational excellence and improvement through peer evaluation and accreditation...
Commission on Secondary Schools since 1952.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,496 students and 108 classroom teachers (on an FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.85.
Awards and recognition
The school was the 66th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey MonthlyNew Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly is a monthly glossy publication featuring issues of possible interest to residents of the United States state of New Jersey...
magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 78th in 2008 out of 316 schools.
In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, the school was ranked 69th in New Jersey and 2,029th nationwide.
Athletics
The Morristown High School Colonials participate in the Northwest Jersey Athletic ConferenceNorthwest Jersey Athletic Conference
The Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference is a sports league that includes public and private high schools from Morris County, Sussex County and Warren County, New Jersey, that operates under the auspices of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association...
, an athletic conference made up of high schools located in Morris County
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
, Sussex County
Sussex County, New Jersey
The County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
and Warren County
Warren County, New Jersey
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 108,692. Its county seat is Belvidere...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, operating under the auspices of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports.-State championships:...
.
The Morristown baseball team won the Group III state championship in 2006 with wins over Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan
Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan
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...
and Ocean Township High School
Ocean Township High School
Ocean Township High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Ocean Township, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Ocean Township School District...
by 3-1 and 11-7 respectively. They finished the season ranked third out of more than 300 high schools in the state by the Star Ledger's Top 20.
The football team won the Section II Group III title in 1997, 1998, and 1999. These wins were the school's first ever "3-peat" consecutive wins. The team had also won state titles in 1974, 1993, and 2010.
History
Morristown High School was opened on December 13, 1869 on Maple Avenue, four years after Morristown had seceded from Morris TownshipMorris Township, New Jersey
Morris Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, USA. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 21,796. It is known as the "doughnut" around Morristown since it completely encapsulates it, and has at least five times the area...
. It accepted students from both the town and the township. The first graduates were the class of 1874, consisting of eight students, five girls and three boys.
Morristown High School played its first football game on September 28, 1901 against Port Oram.
The cornerstone of the current MHS building was laid on September 9, 1916. Classes at the current building began on September 4, 1918.
M.H.S. currently receives students from Frelinghuysen Middle School, Morris Plains Borough School, and several private and parochial middle schools.
In 2005, Linda D. Murphy, an assistant principal at Morristown High School, was promoted to principal of Morristown High School, becoming the first Morristown High School graduate (Class of 1972) to fill the position.
In 2009, year-round rotating block schedule replaced the semester-based block scheduling
Block scheduling
Block scheduling is a type of academic scheduling in which each student has fewer classes per day but each class is scheduled for a longer period of time . A student might be taking 7 different classes, but only 4 per day, and the specific daily classes would rotate through a changing daily cycle...
.
Administration
Core members of the school's administration are:- Linda Murphy, Principal
- Mike Bruchac, Vice Principal
Alumni
- James J. Barry, Jr. (born 1946, class of 1964), Director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer AffairsNew Jersey Division of Consumer AffairsThe New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is responsible for protecting the public "from fraud, deceit and misrepresentation in the sale of goods and services." The DCA operates within the New Jersey Department of Law and Public...
and member of the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average... - Craig NewmarkCraig NewmarkCraig Alexander Newmark is an Internet entrepreneur best known for being the founder of the San Francisco-based international website Craigslist.-Biography:...
(born 1952, class of 1971), creator of the web community craigslistCraigslistCraigslist is a centralized network of online communities featuring free online classified advertisements, with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums....
. - Gene ShalitGene ShalitGene Shalit is a film and book critic. He has filled these roles on NBC's The Today Show since January 15, 1973. He is known for his frequent use of puns, his oversized handlebar moustache, and for wearing colorful bowties.-Career:...
(born 1926), book and movie critic. - Rick SofieldRick SofieldRichard Michael Sofield , who is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball, is a coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates.Sofield played for the Minnesota Twins from to , appearing in 207 games and recording 612 at bats for a career average of .243.After his playing career ended, he became the...
(born 1956, class of 1975), former Major League Baseball first-round draft pick & outfielder for the Minnesota Twins 1979-1981 - Lexington SteeleLexington SteeleClifton Todd Britt , better known as Lexington Steele, is an American award-winning pornographic actor, director and owner of Mercenary Motion Pictures and Black Viking Pictures Inc. He is the first actor to have won the AVN Male Performer of the Year Award three times.- Education, career prior to...
(born 1969, class of 1987), Adult film star, and three time AVN Male Performer of the Year AwardAVN AwardsThe AVN Awards are movie awards sponsored and presented by the American adult video industry trade magazine AVN to honor exceptional performance in various aspects of the creation and marketing of American pornographic movies. They are called the "Oscars of porn"...
winner - Ben WeinmanBen WeinmanBen Weinman is an American musician, who is most notable for being the lead guitarist for the band The Dillinger Escape Plan. He is the founder and only original member remaining in the band....
1994, guitarist for The Dillinger Escape PlanThe Dillinger Escape PlanThe Dillinger Escape Plan is an American mathcore band from Morris Plains, New Jersey. The group originated in 1997 after the disbanding of Arcane, a hardcore punk trio consisting of Ben Weinman, Dimitri Minakakis, and Chris Pennie. The band's current line-up consists of guitarist Ben Weinman,...
Faculty
- John ChironnaJohn Chironna-References:GeneralSpecific...
, former head football coach at the University of Rhode IslandUniversity of Rhode IslandThe University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
, was a teacher and head football coach at Morristown and mentored Charlie Weis. - Joyce KilmerJoyce KilmerAlfred Joyce Kilmer was an American journalist, poet, literary critic, lecturer, and editor. Though a prolific poet whose works celebrated the common beauty of the natural world as well as his religious faith, Kilmer is remembered most for a short poem entitled "Trees" , which was published in...
(1886–1918), poet and author, taught at Morristown High School 1908-1909. - Charlie WeisCharlie WeisCharles Joseph "Charlie" Weis is an American football coach. He currently serves as offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators. For five years, from December 2004 through 2009, he was the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame...
(born 1956), former head football coach at the University of Notre DameUniversity of Notre DameThe University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, was an assistant football coach and English teacher from 1980-1985.He was also the school's fencing coach for the 1984-85 season.
External links
- Morristown High School
- Morris School District
- Marching Colonials
- Data for the Morris School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...