Summit High School
Encyclopedia
Summit High School is a four-year public high school
in Summit
, in Union County
, New Jersey
, United States, and is operated by the Summit Board of Education as a part of the Summit Public Schools
. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Commission on Secondary Schools since 1934.
The school was opened in 1888 due to an increased need for a publicly-operated secondary school within the City of Summit. The school's athletic teams are referred to as the Hilltoppers, though the school's actual mascot is a mountain goat wearing a Summit High School athletic jersey. The school's colors are maroon and gold, although for most of its history they were maroon and white.
In 2009-10, the school had an enrollment of 1,056 students and 79 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.37.
In 1962, the high school relocated to a larger, more modern facility located at 125 Kent Place Boulevard, slightly outside of downtown Summit and within the Washington Elementary School district. In the late 1990s, a push was made to renovate the outdated high school. From 2000 until 2003, the high school building underwent a series of renovations, including the construction of a new media center, cafeteria, gymnasium, and science laboratories. Special attention was also paid to upgrading the building's existing facilities and to increasing the information technology capacities of classrooms.
magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 22nd in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 20th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.
In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post
, the school was ranked 17th in New Jersey and 687th nationwide.
The school was ranked 419th in Newsweek
's 2009 ranking of the top 1,500 high schools in the United States and was the ninth-ranked school in New Jersey, with 2.289 AP tests taken in 2008 per graduating senior and 47% of all graduating seniors passing at least one AP exam; The school was ranked 441st nationwide in 2008.
The drama club has been extremely successful. In 2006 the Spring Musical "Les Misérables (musical)
" sold out virtually every night and was so successful that the company put on an extra performance. This was the first year Summit High School participated in the Rising Star program and it was nominated for twelve Rising Star awards. In 2007, the spring musical was Titanic
, which sold out almost every performance. Anne Poyner, the director, entered the production into the Paper Mill Playhouse
Rising Star Awards, a statewide competition of excellence in New Jersey high school musicals. Summit High School received 12 final nominations. In June, Titanic ended up winning a record seven Rising Star Awards, including Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical, making Summit High School the top theatre school program in the state of New Jersey. In 2008, their production of Fiddler on the Roof
was nominated for 11 awards, including, for the third year in a row, Best Overall Production of a Musical. In 2009, their production of Music Man
was nominated for 17 awards.
The Forensics Team has reached the National Forensic League
's National Speech and Debate Tournament
in recent years. In January 2011, the team, coached by John Kratch and Anne Poyner, won the First Place Sweepstakes Trophy at the Freehold High School Speech Tournament. It placed 33rd out of 240 public forum debate teams at a national competition held at Harvard University
in February.
. Prior to the 2010 realignment, the school had participated in the Iron Hills Conference
.
Despite the fact that Summit High School faces many of the challenges that small, suburban public high schools are plagued by — most notably, competition with private schools, a small student-athlete base, and frequent turnover due to graduation — Summit High School's athletic teams have a long and proud tradition.
The Summit High School cross-country team has been successful since 2004. The women's team has won several sectional championships, and has made it to the Meet of Champions.
The women's lacrosse team has won two state championships, defeating Cinnaminson High School
in1986 and Moorestown High School
in 1999.
The mens' lacrosse team won state championships in 1981 against Montclair High School and in 1983 versus Columbia High School
. The mens' lacrosse team made it to the state championship in 2001, falling 8-3 to Moorestown High School in the championship game, after a 4-2 semi-final win over Delbarton School
. The team won Group I titles against Mountain Lakes High School
in both 2005 and 2010, and defeated Moorestown High School in Group II in 2009. After losing in the Tournament of Champions
to Delbarton School in 2005, the 2009 team defeated Delbarton by a score of 8-4 and in 2010 the team won the ToC against St. Joseph High School.
The 2002 men's lacrosse team was ranked #1 in the state before falling to #2 Ridgewood High School
in the state semi-finals. They finished the year ranked #4.
The mens' hockey team surprised the well-respected and dominant team from Brick and eventually lost in the public school final game to Bayonne High School
in 2000.
The mens' tennis team has won, or shared, the conference or county title many years in a row. This includes a Group II state championship in 2003 earned with a 4-1 win over Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
. The junior varsity team is coached by Mr. Vinnie Turturiello in 2011 who stresses fundmentals, challenge matches, and appreciates the team's dedication, enthusiasm, and he expects a strong showing for the spring 2011 season.
The 2005 mens basketball team won the North II, Group II state sectional championship with a 61-58 win over Hillside High School
.
The 1998 womens tennis team won the Group II state championship (with a 3-2 win over Moorestown) and finished in the top 5 in the state. In 2007, the womens tennis team won the North II, Group II state sectional championship with a 3-2 win over Mountain Lakes High School
in the tournament final.
The mens swim team was 13-2 in the 2007-08 swim season, losing only to Seton Hall Preparatory School
in the regular season and Mountain Lakes High School
in the sectional finals of the state tournament.
Track and Field:
The mens cross country team qualified for Meet Of Champions for the first time in school history, placing 14th out of 20 teams. They also won the Union County Title for the first time in school history.
Soccer:
The mens varsity soccer team was 16-6-1 in the 2008-09 soccer season. They reached the Union County Final for the first time in 27 years, losing to Elizabeth High School. They also reached the Semifinals of their state sectional group. They were currently known as one of the most physical teams in the state of New Jersey.
in ninth grade, biology
in tenth grade, and chemistry
in eleventh grade; these subjects can be studied at different levels, from modified to regular and to advanced/honors. Science department supervisor Tom O'Dowd explained that "teaching physics in ninth grade has been identified as the best option because physics is the fundamental science ... It is potentially the most concrete and the best suited for inquiry-based learning." A movement towards teaching physics has been going on for years, explained one school spokesperson, who explained that physics is "more basic than biology" and "makes for a more rigorous and thoughtful curriculum."
Generally honors and AP programs require test scores or honors applications (see chart) for a student to be accepted, and students in these programs are expected to maintain a B- average or better to continue in the next year's accelerated science courses. It's possible for students to apply for a more accelerated course each year by getting a favorable teacher recommendation or applying to an honors course. (One note not shown on chart: students taking modified biology in grade ten have a choice to study environmental science in their eleventh grade year.) Students in their sophomore, junior, or senior years of high school also have the option of participating in a shared-time program offered through the Union County Vocational Technical Schools
(UCVTS). Student enrolled in the shared-time program can receive science credits for their coursework at UCVTS, and should discuss this option for science credit with their guidance counselors.
Single semester electives are available to juniors and seniors in the following subjects: Forensic science
; Marine Biology
/Oceanography
; and Astronomy
. Full-year courses for seniors include: Environmental science
, Honors physics, and AP study. AP courses offered include: AP Environmental Science, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C, and AP Physics B. Generally, honors and AP courses have prerequisites of past study in honors or AP courses (and maintaining grades of B- or better in those courses); and students can be admitted via a teacher recommendation.
Pathways for studying science at Summit High School
(as of January 2010)
" and the victory song is "King of the Road
."
SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL ALMA MATER
Alma mater, wise and glorious
Thee we hail with loudest praise.
As we honor Summit High School
Honor thee through all our days.
May thy precepts ever strengthen us
As we fight for truth and right.
Of thy name, oh make us worthy
Worthy of the red and white.
Chorus:
Hail, hail!
Alma mater hail!
Hail Summit High great and glorious!
Hail, hail!
Alma mater hail!
Hail red and white victorious!
Thou hast given us more than learning;
Thou hast helped us to prepare
For the struggle which will follow
When we leave thy portals fair;
And through all the years yet coming
May thou firmer, stronger, be—
Handing on the torch of learning,
Guiding others, praise to thee.
(Repeat Chorus)
or ACT. The school subscribes to a web-based college information program called Naviance which helps students choose colleges as well as provides data about how past Summit seniors fared with particular colleges.
Ninth graders have a choice of a Global Studies course which will meet for two periods each day; it teaches literacy skills with literature in a historical context and combines freshman English and world history. English 1 is also offered, as a one-period course, and it will teach literacy skills including reading and writing and focuses on putting text in a thematic or literary context. The choice of which course to take should be based on a student's learning style; the Global Studies course will have more interaction and cooperative-based learning. Both English and Global Studies will require a research project to be completed. School authorities decided to eliminate ninth grade English honors in 2009 to permit a "fairer, more efficient process for assessing the willingness and readiness of students to enter the honors program in tenth grade," according to one account. Students can apply for English 2 Honors taught in tenth grade.
Journalism is taught as an elective one-semester course and includes entry-level exposure to the SHS student newspaper. Honors and AP courses are open by application to students in grades 11 and 12. And a course in public speaking will be replaced by a course entitled "21st century media and communications." The English faculty includes novel
ist Robert Kaplow
whose bestselling novel Me and Orson Welles
was made into a film.
Notes: (s) = semester course. * = Admission requires application. Date: January 2010
The department will offer a two-year algebra program as a way to "firmly develop the concepts" of the course; the aim is "establishing a stronger foundation of Algebra 1 concepts (to) increase the potential of the student to reach Honors level courses," according to a letter to parents. School board officials suggested that a two-year algebra sequence will lead to "increased participation and greater success," and will be phased in from 2010 through 2012. It is expected that greater numbers of students will complete the sequence in pre-calculus. Instructor David Pease, during back–to–school night, asks parents to solve mathematics questions (click on reference) to impart to parents a sense of what their sophomores experience as students. The school lends graphing calculators to students for their use throughout some courses such as trigonometry, and expects the calculators to be returned in functional condition at the end of the school year. Each teacher has specific grading metrics based on such measures as attendance, quizzes and tests, homework, special assignments, classroom participation, projects, and so forth.
Students who progress quickly have an opportunity to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses such as AP Calculus AB or BC and, as a result, possibly qualify for college credit. The highest level course is multivariate calculus. In addition, electives are offered in personal finance, AP statistics, and computer programming. The proposed flowchart, if approved, will apply to the 2010–2011 school year, and will affect the choices of incoming ninth grade students.
Date: January 2010
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....
in Summit
Summit, New Jersey
Summit is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 21,457. Summit had the 16th-highest per capita income in the state as of the 2000 Census....
, in Union County
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 536,499. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Elizabeth. Union County ranks 93rd among the highest-income counties in the United States. It also ranks 74th 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...
, United States, and is operated by the Summit Board of Education as a part of the Summit Public Schools
Summit Public Schools
The Summit Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade from Summit, in Union 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 1934.
The school was opened in 1888 due to an increased need for a publicly-operated secondary school within the City of Summit. The school's athletic teams are referred to as the Hilltoppers, though the school's actual mascot is a mountain goat wearing a Summit High School athletic jersey. The school's colors are maroon and gold, although for most of its history they were maroon and white.
In 2009-10, the school had an enrollment of 1,056 students and 79 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 13.37.
Facilities
The school was originally located in a building constructed in the 1920s on Morris Avenue between Maple and Elm Streets near downtown Summit. It shared this building with the junior high school until 1936, when Edison Junior High School opened in east Summit. However, a number of parents outside of east Summit—then called "Deantown" -- objected to their children traveling to this section of the city. By 1943, the new junior high school had closed and the high school again shared the Morris Avenue building with the junior high school. (The building still houses the junior high school, now known as Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School.)In 1962, the high school relocated to a larger, more modern facility located at 125 Kent Place Boulevard, slightly outside of downtown Summit and within the Washington Elementary School district. In the late 1990s, a push was made to renovate the outdated high school. From 2000 until 2003, the high school building underwent a series of renovations, including the construction of a new media center, cafeteria, gymnasium, and science laboratories. Special attention was also paid to upgrading the building's existing facilities and to increasing the information technology capacities of classrooms.
Athletic facilities
- The Metro Homes Sports Complex, better known as Tatlock Field, one of the biggest fields in the county, located on Butler Parkway (a short distance from the high school), is used as Summit High School's main venue for football, men's lacrosse, and track and field. The field was recently converted to FieldTurfFieldTurfFieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
due to frequent problems with poor field conditions. A grant was made by the Metro Homes Corporation, and the football stadium has been renamed Metro Homes Field. Tatlock also includes a field house with locker room facilities and practice fields adjacent to Washington Elementary School. Junior varsity and middle school tennis practices at the four tennis courts adjacent to the track complex. - Memorial Field is located a short drive from the high school on Larned Road near the Brayton School this large public field (currently operated by the Board of Recreation) is used for soccer, cross country, baseball and softball. This field complex is also used extensively by Summit's youth sports programs. Varsity and junior varsity tennis matches are played at the new eight-court complex next to the Brayton School. It is also the only field that has been sold out in the town's history, when the varsity played on it, before the HS Upper Field was being rebuilt. Around 67 people came to watch that game. Since then, Summit has brought in big crowds.
- Warinaco Rink, located in Warinaco Park in ElizabethElizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
is shared by Summit High School, Westfield High SchoolWestfield High School (New Jersey)Westfield Senior High School, or simply, Westfield High School is the only public high school located in Westfield, in Union County, New Jersey, operating as part of the Westfield Public Schools. It was established in the early 1900s at its original location on Elm Street until 1951 when it was...
, Arthur L. Johnson High SchoolArthur L. Johnson High SchoolArthur L. Johnson High School is a four-year public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Clark, in Union County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Clark Public School District...
in ClarkClark, New JerseyClark is a township in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 14,756.-History:...
, and Cranford High SchoolCranford High SchoolCranford High School is a four-year public high school located in Cranford, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Cranford Township Public Schools...
as a home hockey venue. The Summit High School hockey team also uses several other local rinks for practice and has hosted home games at the newer, smaller Union Sports Arena, also located in Union Township. - Summit High School Gymnasium, the high school's main gymnasium, is used to host men's and women's basketball as well as volleyball. The high school's second (newer) gymnasium used primarily as a practice facility.
- Summit High School Lower Field, located directly behind the high school, is used for field hockey, women's lacrosse, and physical education classes.
- Buntin and Hurst Pools, located at the Summit YMCA in downtown Summit, these facilities are utilized by the men's and women's swimming teams.
- Summit High School Upper Field, located directly behind the high school, is used for boys' JV and varsity soccer, and lacrosse. It was being rebuilt into a FieldTurf.
Awards and recognition
The school was the 25th-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 22nd in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 20th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.
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 17th in New Jersey and 687th nationwide.
The school was ranked 419th in Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
's 2009 ranking of the top 1,500 high schools in the United States and was the ninth-ranked school in New Jersey, with 2.289 AP tests taken in 2008 per graduating senior and 47% of all graduating seniors passing at least one AP exam; The school was ranked 441st nationwide in 2008.
The drama club has been extremely successful. In 2006 the Spring Musical "Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
" sold out virtually every night and was so successful that the company put on an extra performance. This was the first year Summit High School participated in the Rising Star program and it was nominated for twelve Rising Star awards. In 2007, the spring musical was Titanic
Titanic (musical)
Titanic is a musical with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and a book by Peter Stone that opened on Broadway in 1997. It won five Tony Awards including the award for Best Musical...
, which sold out almost every performance. Anne Poyner, the director, entered the production into the Paper Mill Playhouse
Paper Mill Playhouse
Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theatre with approximately 1200 seats, located in Millburn, New Jersey, less than 25 miles from Manhattan. Due to its location, it can draw from the pool of actors who live in New York City. Its location, as well as its focus on producing large-scale shows, makes...
Rising Star Awards, a statewide competition of excellence in New Jersey high school musicals. Summit High School received 12 final nominations. In June, Titanic ended up winning a record seven Rising Star Awards, including Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical, making Summit High School the top theatre school program in the state of New Jersey. In 2008, their production of Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
was nominated for 11 awards, including, for the third year in a row, Best Overall Production of a Musical. In 2009, their production of Music Man
Music Man
Music Man can refer to:* The Music Man, a Broadway musical play by Meredith Willson** The Music Man , a feature film adaptation** The Music Man , a television film remake...
was nominated for 17 awards.
The Forensics Team has reached the National Forensic League
National Forensic League
The National Forensic League is a non-partisan, non-profit educational honor society established to encourage and motivate American high school students to participate in and become proficient in the forensic arts: debate, public speaking and interpretation. NFL is the America's oldest and largest...
's National Speech and Debate Tournament
National Speech and Debate Tournament
The National Speech and Debate Tournament is a week-long high school championship forensics competition hosted by the National Forensic League...
in recent years. In January 2011, the team, coached by John Kratch and Anne Poyner, won the First Place Sweepstakes Trophy at the Freehold High School Speech Tournament. It placed 33rd out of 240 public forum debate teams at a national competition held at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in February.
Athletics
The Summit High School Hilltoppers now compete in the Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic AssociationNew 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:...
. Prior to the 2010 realignment, the school had participated in the Iron Hills Conference
Iron Hills Conference
The Iron Hills Conference was an athletic conference of twenty high schools located in Essex County, Morris County and Union County in New Jersey. The Iron division is often regarded as one of the most competitive in the state....
.
Despite the fact that Summit High School faces many of the challenges that small, suburban public high schools are plagued by — most notably, competition with private schools, a small student-athlete base, and frequent turnover due to graduation — Summit High School's athletic teams have a long and proud tradition.
The Summit High School cross-country team has been successful since 2004. The women's team has won several sectional championships, and has made it to the Meet of Champions.
The women's lacrosse team has won two state championships, defeating Cinnaminson High School
Cinnaminson High School
Cinnaminson High School is a four-year public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Cinnaminson Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Cinnaminson Township Public Schools. The grounds are approximately , including the land...
in1986 and Moorestown High School
Moorestown High School
Moorestown High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Moorestown Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Moorestown Township Public Schools...
in 1999.
The mens' lacrosse team won state championships in 1981 against Montclair High School and in 1983 versus Columbia High School
Columbia High School (New Jersey)
Columbia High School is a four-year comprehensive regional public high school located at 17 Parker Avenue in Maplewood, New Jersey, which serves students in grades nine through twelve within the South Orange-Maplewood School District, which includes Maplewood and South Orange Townships...
. The mens' lacrosse team made it to the state championship in 2001, falling 8-3 to Moorestown High School in the championship game, after a 4-2 semi-final win over Delbarton School
Delbarton School
Delbarton School is a private all-male Roman Catholic college preparatory school in Morristown, New Jersey, educating young men from 7th to 12th grade. Delbarton is a Catholic independent school directed by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary's Abbey....
. The team won Group I titles against Mountain Lakes High School
Mountain Lakes High School
Mountain Lakes High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Mountain Lakes, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Mountain Lakes Schools...
in both 2005 and 2010, and defeated Moorestown High School in Group II in 2009. After losing in the Tournament of Champions
Tournament of Champions (NJSIAA)
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Tournament of Champions is the sports tournament for New Jersey high schools that determines which high school will be crowned as the #1 overall team in the state for each sport...
to Delbarton School in 2005, the 2009 team defeated Delbarton by a score of 8-4 and in 2010 the team won the ToC against St. Joseph High School.
The 2002 men's lacrosse team was ranked #1 in the state before falling to #2 Ridgewood High School
Ridgewood High School (New Jersey)
Ridgewood High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students from Ridgewood, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Ridgewood Public Schools....
in the state semi-finals. They finished the year ranked #4.
The mens' hockey team surprised the well-respected and dominant team from Brick and eventually lost in the public school final game to Bayonne High School
Bayonne High School
Bayonne High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey, operated by the Bayonne Board of Education....
in 2000.
The mens' tennis team has won, or shared, the conference or county title many years in a row. This includes a Group II state championship in 2003 earned with a 4-1 win over Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School is a regional, four-year comprehensive public high school and school district, serving students in grades 9 through 12 from the suburban Monmouth County, New Jersey, communities of Fair Haven and Rumson...
. The junior varsity team is coached by Mr. Vinnie Turturiello in 2011 who stresses fundmentals, challenge matches, and appreciates the team's dedication, enthusiasm, and he expects a strong showing for the spring 2011 season.
The 2005 mens basketball team won the North II, Group II state sectional championship with a 61-58 win over Hillside High School
Hillside High School (New Jersey)
Hillside High School is a comprehensive community four-year public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Hillside, in Union County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Hillside Public Schools....
.
The 1998 womens tennis team won the Group II state championship (with a 3-2 win over Moorestown) and finished in the top 5 in the state. In 2007, the womens tennis team won the North II, Group II state sectional championship with a 3-2 win over Mountain Lakes High School
Mountain Lakes High School
Mountain Lakes High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Mountain Lakes, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Mountain Lakes Schools...
in the tournament final.
The mens swim team was 13-2 in the 2007-08 swim season, losing only to Seton Hall Preparatory School
Seton Hall Preparatory School
Seton Hall Preparatory School, generally called Seton Hall Prep, is a Roman Catholic boys' high school located in the suburban community of West Orange in Essex County, New Jersey, operating under the supervision of the Archdiocese of Newark...
in the regular season and Mountain Lakes High School
Mountain Lakes High School
Mountain Lakes High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Mountain Lakes, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Mountain Lakes Schools...
in the sectional finals of the state tournament.
Track and Field:
The mens cross country team qualified for Meet Of Champions for the first time in school history, placing 14th out of 20 teams. They also won the Union County Title for the first time in school history.
Soccer:
The mens varsity soccer team was 16-6-1 in the 2008-09 soccer season. They reached the Union County Final for the first time in 27 years, losing to Elizabeth High School. They also reached the Semifinals of their state sectional group. They were currently known as one of the most physical teams in the state of New Jersey.
Administration
Core members of the school's administration are:- Paul Sears, Principal
- Anthony Akey, Assistant Principal
- Stacy Grimaldi, Assistant Principal
Science
The general pattern for students is to study physicsPhysics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
in ninth grade, biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
in tenth grade, and chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
in eleventh grade; these subjects can be studied at different levels, from modified to regular and to advanced/honors. Science department supervisor Tom O'Dowd explained that "teaching physics in ninth grade has been identified as the best option because physics is the fundamental science ... It is potentially the most concrete and the best suited for inquiry-based learning." A movement towards teaching physics has been going on for years, explained one school spokesperson, who explained that physics is "more basic than biology" and "makes for a more rigorous and thoughtful curriculum."
Generally honors and AP programs require test scores or honors applications (see chart) for a student to be accepted, and students in these programs are expected to maintain a B- average or better to continue in the next year's accelerated science courses. It's possible for students to apply for a more accelerated course each year by getting a favorable teacher recommendation or applying to an honors course. (One note not shown on chart: students taking modified biology in grade ten have a choice to study environmental science in their eleventh grade year.) Students in their sophomore, junior, or senior years of high school also have the option of participating in a shared-time program offered through the Union County Vocational Technical Schools
Union County Vocational Technical Schools
The Union County Vocational Technical Schools are a grouping of schools on the Union County Vocational Technical Schools Campus in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, United States. This organization offers six potential programs to the student, five at the High School level and one at the adult education...
(UCVTS). Student enrolled in the shared-time program can receive science credits for their coursework at UCVTS, and should discuss this option for science credit with their guidance counselors.
Single semester electives are available to juniors and seniors in the following subjects: Forensic science
Forensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...
; Marine Biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
/Oceanography
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
; and Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
. Full-year courses for seniors include: Environmental science
Environmental science
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences, to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems...
, Honors physics, and AP study. AP courses offered include: AP Environmental Science, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C, and AP Physics B. Generally, honors and AP courses have prerequisites of past study in honors or AP courses (and maintaining grades of B- or better in those courses); and students can be admitted via a teacher recommendation.
Pathways for studying science at Summit High School
(as of January 2010)
School Songs
At football games, the school's fight song is "Stand Up and CheerStand Up and Cheer (song)
Stand Up and Cheer is the fight song of:*Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky,*Ohio University in Athens, Ohio,*Montana State University in Bozeman, MT,*University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota,...
" and the victory song is "King of the Road
King of the Road
- Music :* "King of the Road" , a 1965 song by Roger Miller* King of the Road , an album by Fu Manchu* King of the Road, an EP by The Proclaimers- Other uses :* King of the Road , a contest sponsored by Thrasher magazine...
."
SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL ALMA MATER
Alma mater, wise and glorious
Thee we hail with loudest praise.
As we honor Summit High School
Honor thee through all our days.
May thy precepts ever strengthen us
As we fight for truth and right.
Of thy name, oh make us worthy
Worthy of the red and white.
Chorus:
Hail, hail!
Alma mater hail!
Hail Summit High great and glorious!
Hail, hail!
Alma mater hail!
Hail red and white victorious!
Thou hast given us more than learning;
Thou hast helped us to prepare
For the struggle which will follow
When we leave thy portals fair;
And through all the years yet coming
May thou firmer, stronger, be—
Handing on the torch of learning,
Guiding others, praise to thee.
(Repeat Chorus)
Guidance and counseling
The Department of Guidance and Counseling had nine staff members in 2011. It helps students plan courses and electives and arrange schedules. It assists parents and students in the college application process including hosting an informational Junior Family Night in October and visits by college representatives as well as a College Night in November. College representatives typically visit during the fall and meet with students who are interested in attending their college. Counselors meet with students and families in small groups and have an individual family conference in spring of junior year. Counselors advise about test taking strategies such as whether to take the SATSAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
or ACT. The school subscribes to a web-based college information program called Naviance which helps students choose colleges as well as provides data about how past Summit seniors fared with particular colleges.
English
Emphasis is on written and oral communication. The curriculum seeks to develop students' reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing (media literacy), and critical thinking. There is a Writing Center for assistance which is staffed during school hours by English teachers.Ninth graders have a choice of a Global Studies course which will meet for two periods each day; it teaches literacy skills with literature in a historical context and combines freshman English and world history. English 1 is also offered, as a one-period course, and it will teach literacy skills including reading and writing and focuses on putting text in a thematic or literary context. The choice of which course to take should be based on a student's learning style; the Global Studies course will have more interaction and cooperative-based learning. Both English and Global Studies will require a research project to be completed. School authorities decided to eliminate ninth grade English honors in 2009 to permit a "fairer, more efficient process for assessing the willingness and readiness of students to enter the honors program in tenth grade," according to one account. Students can apply for English 2 Honors taught in tenth grade.
Journalism is taught as an elective one-semester course and includes entry-level exposure to the SHS student newspaper. Honors and AP courses are open by application to students in grades 11 and 12. And a course in public speaking will be replaced by a course entitled "21st century media and communications." The English faculty includes novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
ist Robert Kaplow
Robert Kaplow
Robert Kaplow is an American novelist and teacher whose coming-of-age novel was made into a film titled Me and Orson Welles. The story is about "youthful creative ambition" and has received positive reviews from the New York Times which described it as "nimble, likable and smart." Kaplow has...
whose bestselling novel Me and Orson Welles
Me and Orson Welles
Me and Orson Welles is a 2009 period-drama film directed by Richard Linklater and starring Zac Efron, Christian McKay, and Claire Danes. Based on Robert Kaplow's novel of the same name, the story, set in 1937 New York, tells of a teenager hired to perform in Orson Welles's stage production of...
was made into a film.
Notes: (s) = semester course. * = Admission requires application. Date: January 2010
History
Summit high school offers a variety of programs in history, including World History. Instructors such as Andrea LaQuerre emphasize the importance of understanding how people in past times thought about their situation, and she encourages students to see the multiplicity of factors underlying historical events as well as how individuals changed history.Languages
Different courses of language instruction are offered, including Mandarin Chinese, which is "getting more and more popular", according to one account.Mathematics
The Summit High School math department offers a variety of instructional paths allowing students who work hard to accelerate or decelerate their program as their needs change.The department will offer a two-year algebra program as a way to "firmly develop the concepts" of the course; the aim is "establishing a stronger foundation of Algebra 1 concepts (to) increase the potential of the student to reach Honors level courses," according to a letter to parents. School board officials suggested that a two-year algebra sequence will lead to "increased participation and greater success," and will be phased in from 2010 through 2012. It is expected that greater numbers of students will complete the sequence in pre-calculus. Instructor David Pease, during back–to–school night, asks parents to solve mathematics questions (click on reference) to impart to parents a sense of what their sophomores experience as students. The school lends graphing calculators to students for their use throughout some courses such as trigonometry, and expects the calculators to be returned in functional condition at the end of the school year. Each teacher has specific grading metrics based on such measures as attendance, quizzes and tests, homework, special assignments, classroom participation, projects, and so forth.
Students who progress quickly have an opportunity to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses such as AP Calculus AB or BC and, as a result, possibly qualify for college credit. The highest level course is multivariate calculus. In addition, electives are offered in personal finance, AP statistics, and computer programming. The proposed flowchart, if approved, will apply to the 2010–2011 school year, and will affect the choices of incoming ninth grade students.
Date: January 2010
Notable alumni
- Mark BersonMark BersonMark Berson is currently the men's soccer coach at the University of South Carolina. He started his coaching career at The Citadel in 1976.-Collegiate career:...
(born 1953), men's soccerSouth Carolina Gamecocks men's soccerThe South Carolina Gamecocks men's soccer team represents the University of South Carolina and competes in Conference USA. The team has been coached by Mark Berson since its inception in 1978 and has participated in 20 NCAA Tournaments, reaching the Quarterfinals on four occasions...
coach at the University of South CarolinaUniversity of South CarolinaThe University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. - Kathy Heddy (born 1958), Olympic swimmer who competed in 1972 Olympics in Montreal. Finished 5th in 400 meter freestyle.
- Lawton C. JohnsonLawton C. JohnsonLawton Corbin Johnson, Jr. was a New Jersey-based educator and administrator notable for his hard work, devotion to excellence and long term of service at the Summit Public Schools. During 47 years, he never missed one day of work. In 2004, the middle school was named "Lawton C...
(1937–2009), administrator who worked for over 52 years in the district. The middle school was named in his honor in 2004. - Dennis RitchieDennis RitchieDennis MacAlistair Ritchie , was an American computer scientist who "helped shape the digital era." He created the C programming language and, with long-time colleague Ken Thompson, the UNIX operating system...
(1941–2011), creator of the C programming language and co-inventor of the UNIX operating system. - Willie WilsonWillie Wilson (baseball player)Willie James Wilson is a former Major League Baseball player for the Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, and Chicago Cubs. He was an outfielder known for his speed and ability as an effective leadoff hitter....
(born 1955), former Major League Baseball player for the Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, and Chicago Cubs.
External links
- Summit High School's Official Website
- Summit High School sports
- Data for Summit Public Schools, 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...