West Orange High School (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
West Orange High School is a comprehensive
four-year public high school
, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from West Orange
in Essex County
, New Jersey
. WOHS is currently the only high school serving the West Orange Public Schools
. West Orange High School is accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education
and by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Commission on Secondary Schools since 1928.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,042 students and 172 classroom teachers (on a FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.87.
West Orange High School has a comprehensive program with a wide variety of course offerings. Graduation requirements are based on study in grades nine through twelve. Students must satisfy the state and local requirements for graduation and take additional courses to total a minimum of 135 credits. In addition to the basic academic courses offered at multiple ability levels, there are Honors and Advanced Placement courses in most disciplines. Programs in business education, technical and industrial education, computer education, performing and fine arts, and English as a Second Language
are also offered.
The Horizons Program, an alternative approach to education, is offered to meet the needs of disaffected students. The Cooperative Education Program provides students with the opportunity to study academics as well as receive on-the-job training. Students can also choose from a wide variety of electives.
, a private Catholic
school. Mountain High School and the adjoined Abraham Lincoln Junior High School were converted into the existing facility. In 2004, a new building was added, doubling the size of the school. The current athletic complex includes a football field, two soccer fields, five tennis courts and a baseball field.
, the school was ranked 44th in New Jersey and 1,379th nationwide.
The school was the 128th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly
magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 114th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 98th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
For the 1998-99 school year, West Orange High School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education
, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.
West Orange High School applied for, and was awarded, a Dodge Grant for the 2004-05 academic year through Montclair State University
. The focus of the grant is to explore how to develop a Conflict Resolution program responsive to the needs of West Orange High School. The Dodge Grant Team has spent this past year researching and developing a potential Conflict Resolution Model for West Orange High School.
, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
. Before the 2010 realignment, the school had participated in the Northern Hills Conference
.
The 2006 Boys Soccer team finished the season with a 24-1 record, and was ranked 4th in the nation at the beginning of the 2006 Season but finished 17th in the NSCAA/adidas National Rankings. The 2006 team won the Group IV State Championship with a 4-1 win over Bridgewater-Raritan High School
in the semifinals and a 3-0 win against Manalapan High School
in the finals.
Their marching band, the Marching Mountaineers, are three-year United States Scholastic Band Association
(USSBA) Group V Open State Champs (2005, 2006, 2009), USSBA Group V Open Northern State Champs (2009), and ninth in the northeastern region as of 2007 BOA (Bands of America). In addition, their Color Guard is nationally known for their "globe-tossing" performance.
The school hosted a match between a team representing the New York Athletic Club and teams from Russia
and Romania
. The NYAC team beat Russia 14-11 in free style and Romania 14-12 in Greco-Roman matches.
an episode entitled The Test Dream shows Tony Soprano in a dream scene with his high school football coach, Mr. Molinero. The school letters "W.O.H.S." were shown on a jacket in the coach's office.
Comprehensive high school
Comprehensive high schools are the most common form of public high schools in the United States and are meant to serve the needs of all students, as compared to the common practice in other nations in which examinations are used to sort students into different high schools for different populations...
four-year public high school
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 ninth through twelfth grades from West Orange
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
in Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
, 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...
. WOHS is currently the only high school serving the West Orange Public Schools
West Orange Public Schools
The West Orange Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district serving students in Kindergarten through 12th grade in West Orange in Essex County, New Jersey, United States....
. West Orange High School is accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education
New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education administers state and federal aid programs affecting more than 1.4 million public and non-public elementary and secondary school children in the state of New Jersey. The department is headquartered in Trenton.The Department is responsible for ensuring that...
and 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 1928.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,042 students and 172 classroom teachers (on a 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 11.87.
Faculty and academics
A faculty of 200 includes administration and supervisory personnel, as well as Guidance Staff, two full-time Library Media Specialists, two nurses, a Student Assistance Counselor, and a full-time Child Study Team. The majority of the professional staff members have earned masters degrees, seven have earned doctorates.West Orange High School has a comprehensive program with a wide variety of course offerings. Graduation requirements are based on study in grades nine through twelve. Students must satisfy the state and local requirements for graduation and take additional courses to total a minimum of 135 credits. In addition to the basic academic courses offered at multiple ability levels, there are Honors and Advanced Placement courses in most disciplines. Programs in business education, technical and industrial education, computer education, performing and fine arts, and English as a Second Language
English language learning and teaching
English as a second language , English for speakers of other languages and English as a foreign language all refer to the use or study of English by speakers with different native languages. The precise usage, including the different use of the terms ESL and ESOL in different countries, is...
are also offered.
The Horizons Program, an alternative approach to education, is offered to meet the needs of disaffected students. The Cooperative Education Program provides students with the opportunity to study academics as well as receive on-the-job training. Students can also choose from a wide variety of electives.
History
The high school was built in 1898 on Gaston Street in West Orange and burned down in 1913. It was rebuilt and then moved to a new building on Northfield Avenue in 1922. The old building became Gaston Street Junior High School and was torn down in 1972. The current facility was built in 1960 as Mountain High School. In 1984, the building constructed in 1922 was sold to become Seton Hall Preparatory SchoolSeton 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...
, a private Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
school. Mountain High School and the adjoined Abraham Lincoln Junior High School were converted into the existing facility. In 2004, a new building was added, doubling the size of the school. The current athletic complex includes a football field, two soccer fields, five tennis courts and a baseball field.
Awards and recognition
In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington PostThe 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 44th in New Jersey and 1,379th nationwide.
The school was the 128th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly
New 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 114th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 98th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
For the 1998-99 school year, West Orange High School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education
New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education administers state and federal aid programs affecting more than 1.4 million public and non-public elementary and secondary school children in the state of New Jersey. The department is headquartered in Trenton.The Department is responsible for ensuring that...
, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.
West Orange High School applied for, and was awarded, a Dodge Grant for the 2004-05 academic year through Montclair State University
Montclair State University
Montclair State University is a public research university located in the Upper Montclair section of Montclair, the Great Notch area of Little Falls, and Clifton, New Jersey. As of October 2009, there were 18,171 total enrolled students: 14,139 undergraduate students and 4,032 graduate students...
. The focus of the grant is to explore how to develop a Conflict Resolution program responsive to the needs of West Orange High School. The Dodge Grant Team has spent this past year researching and developing a potential Conflict Resolution Model for West Orange High School.
Athletics
West Orange High School competes in the Super Essex ConferenceSuper Essex Conference
The Super Essex Conference is a high school athletic conference located in Essex County, New Jersey. The conference was formed in 2009 by the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association and was a result of a larger realignment that swept through North Jersey.-Divisions:The Super Essex...
, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by 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:...
. Before the 2010 realignment, the school had participated in the Northern Hills Conference
Northern Hills Conference
The Northern Hills Conference, was an athletic conference of nineteen private and public high schools located in Essex, Morris and Passaic County Counties in Northern New Jersey....
.
The 2006 Boys Soccer team finished the season with a 24-1 record, and was ranked 4th in the nation at the beginning of the 2006 Season but finished 17th in the NSCAA/adidas National Rankings. The 2006 team won the Group IV State Championship with a 4-1 win over Bridgewater-Raritan High School
Bridgewater-Raritan High School
Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school. It is the single high school of the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District serving students from Bridgewater Township and Raritan in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States...
in the semifinals and a 3-0 win against Manalapan High School
Manalapan High School
Manalapan High School is a comprehensive four-year public high school located in Manalapan Township, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Freehold Regional High School District. The school serves students from all of Englishtown and portions of Manalapan...
in the finals.
Their marching band, the Marching Mountaineers, are three-year United States Scholastic Band Association
United States Scholastic Band Association
The United States Scholastic Band Association was formed in the Fall of 1988 to provide high school band programs with a competitive circuit featuring top judges from across the continent and a venue for the US Scholastic Band Championship....
(USSBA) Group V Open State Champs (2005, 2006, 2009), USSBA Group V Open Northern State Champs (2009), and ninth in the northeastern region as of 2007 BOA (Bands of America). In addition, their Color Guard is nationally known for their "globe-tossing" performance.
The school hosted a match between a team representing the New York Athletic Club and teams from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. The NYAC team beat Russia 14-11 in free style and Romania 14-12 in Greco-Roman matches.
Administration
Core members of the school's administration are:- Arthur Alloggiamento – Principal
- Louis Della Pia – Assistant Principal
- Dr. Kimberly Juirdano-Mancarella – Assistant Principal
- Hayden N. Moore – Assistant Principal
- Eric Price – Assistant Principal
Notable alumni
- Brendan ByrneBrendan ByrneBrendan Thomas Byrne is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served as the 47th Governor of New Jersey, from 1974 to 1982.-Early life and education:...
(born 1924), former governor of New Jersey. - Ginny DuenkelGinny DuenkelVirginia Duenkel is an American swimmer who represented the United States at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She medaled in two swimming events as a 17-year old, winning a Gold medal in the 400 meter freestyle and a Bronze medal in the 100 meter backstroke.Duenkel was an honoree of the...
(born 1947), gold medalist in the 400 meter freestyle at the 1964 Summer Olympics1964 Summer OlympicsThe 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
in TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. - Mark Kelly (born 1964), astronaut and identical twin of Scott Kelly.
- Scott Kelly (born 1964), astronaut and identical twin of Mark Kelly.
- General Paul J. KernPaul J. KernGeneral Paul John Kern became President and Chief Operating Officer of AM General LLC on August 1, 2008. His unique career blends technical expertise, combat operations, program management, policy development, and advisory roles to senior political leaders.Kern held numerous leadership positions...
was the commanding general of the United States Army Materiel CommandUnited States Army Materiel CommandThe U.S. Army Materiel Command is the primary provider of materiel to the United States Army.The Command's mission includes the research & development of weapons systems as well as maintenance and parts distribution....
from 2001-2004. - Joshua D. Maurer, actor best known as "Roger Horn" on Tour of DutyTour of Duty (TV series)Tour of Duty is an American drama television series on CBS. It ran for three seasons from September 1987 to April 1990 as 58 one–hour episodes. The show was created by Steve Duncan and L. Travis Clark, and produced by Zev Braun....
and producer of Introducing Dorothy DandridgeIntroducing Dorothy DandridgeIntroducing Dorothy Dandridge is a television film directed by Martha Coolidge. Filmed over a span of a few weeks in early 1998, the film was aired in the United States on August 21, 1999. The original music score was composed by Elmer Bernstein. The film is marketed with the tagline: "Right woman....
. - Vinnie PolitanVinnie PolitanVinnie Politan is a former attorney and journalist who anchors "Prime News with Vinnie Politan" on HLN, and, as of November 16, 2009, co-anchors In Session on the cable network truTV. This is Politan's second tour of duty on the network...
, anchor, talk show host for Court TVCourt TVtruTV is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Time Warner. The network launched as Court TV in 1991, changing to truTV in 2008...
; radio host for Sirius Satellite RadioSirius Satellite RadioSirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
. - Elizabeth ShinElizabeth ShinElizabeth Shin was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology student who died from burns inflicted by a fire in her dormitory room. Her death led to a lawsuit against MIT and controversy as to whether MIT paid adequate attention to its students' mental and emotional health, and whether MIT's...
(1980–2000), MITMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
student who died from burns inflicted by a fire in her dormitory room. Her death resulted in the upgrading of MIT's counseling services. - Scott WolfScott WolfScott Richard Wolf is an American actor, known for his roles on the television series Party of Five as Bailey Salinger and on Everwood as Dr. Jake Hartman. Since 2009, he has appeared in the Sci-Fi series V as the morally ambiguous journalist, Chad Decker.-Early life:Wolf was born in Boston,...
(born 1968), actor best known as "Bailey Salinger" on Party of FiveParty of FiveParty of Five is an American teen drama television series that aired on Fox for six seasons, from September 12, 1994, until May 3, 2000.Critically acclaimed, the show suffered from low ratings and after its first season was slated for cancellation...
. - Ian ZieringIan ZieringIan Andrew Ziering is an American actor best known for playing Steve Sanders on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210.-Personal life:...
(born 1964), actor best known as "Steve Sanders" on Beverly Hills, 90210Beverly Hills, 90210Beverly Hills, 90210 is an American drama series that originally aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on Fox and was produced by Spelling Television in the United States, and subsequently on various networks around the world. It is the first series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
.
Popular culture references
In the fifth season of the HBO series The SopranosThe Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
an episode entitled The Test Dream shows Tony Soprano in a dream scene with his high school football coach, Mr. Molinero. The school letters "W.O.H.S." were shown on a jacket in the coach's office.
External links
- West Orange High School
- Data for West Orange High School, 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...