Mahwah High School

Mahwah High School (MHS) is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students from Mahwah in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as the only secondary school of the Mahwah Township Public Schools. The school is accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education and has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1962.[3]

Mahwah High School
Address
50 Ridge Road

Mahwah
,
Bergen County
,
New Jersey
07430

United States
Coordinates41.091033°N 74.156778°W / 41.091033; -74.156778
Information
TypePublic high school
Established1959 (1959)
School districtMahwah Township Public Schools
NCES School ID3409330[1]
PrincipalJohn P. Pascale
Faculty95.3 FTEs[1]
Enrollment912 (as of 2018–19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio9.6:1[1]
CampusSuburban
Color(s)  Columbia Blue and
  Black[2]
Athletics conferenceBig North Conference
Team nameThunderbirds[2]
RivalRamsey Rams
Websitewww.mahwah.k12.nj.us/Page/9

As of the 2018–19 school year, the school had an enrollment of 912 students and 95.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.6:1. There were 60 students (6.6% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 21 (2.3% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 69th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology.[4] The school had been ranked 55th in state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 56th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[5] The magazine ranked the school 68th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[6] The school was ranked 46th in the magazine's 2006 rankings.[7] Schooldigger.com ranked the school 79th out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (a decrease of 18 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (90.9%) and language arts literacy (94.8%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).[8]

In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post, the school was ranked 70th in New Jersey and 2,033rd nationwide.[9]

In its 2013 report on "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast ranked the school 615th in the nation among participating public high schools and 47th among schools in New Jersey.[10]

In its listing of "America's Best High Schools 2016", the school was ranked 366th out of 500 best high schools in the country; it was ranked 42nd among all high schools in New Jersey and 25th among the state's non-magnet schools.[11]

In Niches 2017 list of the Best Schools in the Nation, Mahwah High School as the 28th school in New Jersey.

In its 2020 annual ranking of 17,792 secondary public schools across the country, U.S. News and World Report ranked Mahwah High School as 39th[12] best out of 451 secondary schools in New Jersey and 888th[12] best in the United States.

History

Construction on the $3.25 million campus-style facility began in August 1958, with 13 buildings spread out over 20 acres (8.1 ha) of the 62-acre (25 ha) property to accommodate 600 students from Mahwah and Allendale. Delays in starting the work meant that the initial set of classrooms would not be available until November 1958, with completion of the 1,200-student capacity facility due for February 1959. Before the buildings opened, the district rented space from Ramsey High School, with Allendale and Mahwah students who had already started in the Ramsey district remaining there until graduation. With the opening of the high school, the Mahwah district's elementary schools were changed from K-8 to K-6, with the new high school serving students in grades 7-12.[13]

In May 1963, voters in Allendale and Upper Saddle River approved a referendum to create Northern Highlands Regional High School, with the expenditure of $3.65 million to build a facility on a 40-acre site, with plans to complete the building in time to start classes in September 1965.[14] The Northern Highland school building, completed at a cost of $4 million, was dedicated in February 1966.[15] The first all-Mahwah graduating class was in 1967.

The present school building was constructed in 1984 with three floors on the site of the original school, with an addition completed in "March 2005" (along with the expansion of Ramapo Ridge Middle School), according to a plaque in the new wing.[16]

In Fall 2009, the Freshman Advisory, a full year freshman transition program, was implemented. Freshman Advisory is a required course for all freshman students, and it is taught by upperclassmen (juniors and seniors) and supervised by the high school faculty. The following topics are addressed: study and organizational skills, time management, coping skills, peer pressure, Habits of Mind, and college/post-secondary planning.[17]

In Summer of 2018 construction began on a new extension to the high school. Named the STEAM room and also known as The Thunderbird Think Tank and houses new science rooms and computer labs. The extension was completed August, 2019 and opened for students in September, 2019.

Advanced Placement offerings

Mahwah High School offers 20 Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which include AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP Computer Science, AP Economics (includes one semester of macroeconomics and one semester of microeconomics), AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP European History, AP French, AP Music Theory, AP Physics, AP Psychology, AP Spanish, AP Statistics, AP Studio Art, AP Psychology AP United States Government and Politics, and AP US History. In the 2009-10 school year, 128 students participated in Mahwah High School's AP course offerings, taking a total of 258 examinations that year of which 87% achieved a grade of 3 or higher.[18]

Athletics

The Mahwah High School Thunderbirds[2] compete in the Big North Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Bergen nd Passaic counties and was created following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[19] With 676 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group II for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 486 to 758 students in that grade range.[20] Prior to the 2010 realignment, Mahwah was one of the member schools of the North Bergen Interscholastic Athletic League.[21] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group II North for football for 2018–2020.[22]

Interscholastic sports offered include (those listed with an asterisk, although they are technically two teams that compete and score separately, usually practice and have their events with each other):[2]

  • Fall sports: Cross country (boys)*, Cross country (girls)*, Football (boys), Soccer (boys), Soccer (boys), Soccer (girls), Tennis (girls), Volleyball (girls), Marching Band and Fall Cheerleading.
  • Winter sports: Basketball (boys), Basketball (girls), Bowling (boys)*, Bowling (girls)*, Ice hockey (boys), Track (boys)*, Track (girls)*, Wrestling (boys) and Winter Cheerleading
  • Spring sports: Baseball (boys), Golf (boys)*, Golf (girls)*, Softball (girls), Tennis (boys), Track (boys)*, Track (girls)*, Lacrosse (boys) and Lacrosse (girls)

The football team was awarded the sectional championship by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association in 1960 (as co-champion).[23] Since the playoff system was introduced in 1974, the team has won the NJSIAA North I Group I state sectional championship in 1978, 1979, 1981, 2015 and 2016.[24] The team won the 1979 North I Group I sectional title with a 49-16 win against Pompton Lakes High School in the finals.[25] In 1981, the team finished the season with a 9-1-1 record after winning the North I Group I state sectional title by defeating Park Ridge High School by a score of 21-11 in the championship game.[26] In 2015, the football team finished with a team record 11 wins, defeating Glen Rock High School by a score of 38-13 in the tournament final at MetLife Stadium to win the North I Group II state sectional title.[27] In 2016, the team won its second consecutive North I, Group II state sectional title with a 35-28 win against Westwood Regional High School in the tournament final, the program's fifth title in the playoff era.[28]

The boys cross country running team won the Group II state championship in 1975.[29]

The girls' basketball team won the Group II state title in 1993, defeating Delran High School by a score of 34-27 in the tournament final played at Monmouth College.[30][31]

In 2010, the boys lacrosse team defeated Bergen Catholic High School in the BCCA Lacrosse Championship 10-6 to win a county title in only its second year of varsity existence.[32]

The girls' soccer team won the Group I state championship in 1985 (defeating Maple Shade High School in the tournament final) and won the Group II title in 2010 (vs. Arthur L. Johnson High School).[33] The 1985 team finished the season with a 15-3-3 record after winning the Group I title with a 4-0 victory against Maple Shade in the championship game played at Mercer County Park.[34] In 2010, the girls soccer team, ranked 15th in the state by The Star-Ledger, defeated Arthur L. Johnson High School in the NJSIAA Group II state finals, with a final score of 3-1.[35] The team had made it to the 2009 NJSIAA Group II State Finals, before losing 2-1 in overtime to Haddonfield Memorial High School.[36]

The girls tennis team won the Group I state championship in 1985, defeating Haddonfield Memorial High School in the tournament final.[37] The team won the 1985 title with a 4-1 win against Metuchen High School in the semifinals and a 5-0 victory in the finals against Haddonfield.[38]

The 2012 baseball team defeated Buena Regional High School by a score of 11-4 to capture the Group II state championship, earning the first baseball state championship in the team's 52 season history.[39][40]

In 2014, the boy's winter track and field team defeated a field of over 20 teams and won the North I Group II state sectional title.[41]

Extra-curricular activities

Some of the extra-curricular activities offered at Mahwah High School include Ani-Pals, Art Club, Athletes in Action, Audio-Visual Club, Calliope (literary magazine), Chinese Honor Society, Current Events Club, Environmental Club, Executive Student Council, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), French National Honor Society, Gay-Straight Alliance, Junior Classical League, Marching band, Mock trial, Model United Nations, Multi-Cultural Club, National Honor Society, Omni Club, Philosophy Club, Reaching Everyone By Exposing Lies (REBEL), Science National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Stage Crew, Ski Club, Step Dance, Student Council, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), Thunderbird (yearbook), Tom-Tom (school paper), Ultimate Frisbee Club, Interact, Wood Tech Club and Young Politicians Club. Additionally, freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior class activities are offered.[42]

The Robo T-Birds

One of the older clubs in the school, the Robotics Club Team 1672, was started in 2005. This team assigned #1672, is part of the FIRST Robotics Competition. This club encourages all students with or without knowledge in the STEM field wishing to learn more about mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, as well as running a business. Teams of highschool students around the world compete in yearly competitions. The club continues to participate in FIRST. The current advisors are Ms. Catherine Schwarts and Mr. Joseph Carmelo Montana.[43]

Mock trial

The mock trial team is one of the most successful public schools in the county, winning four Bergen County titles, in 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2014.[44] They also made an appearance in a fourth final, when they lost to Bergen Catholic High School in 2010.

Administration

The school's principal is John P. Pascale. His administration team includes an assistant principal.[45]

Notable alumni

References
  1. School data for Mahwah High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
  2. Mahwah High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  3. Mahwah High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools, nacked up by the Internet Archive as of March 15, 2012. Accessed March 26, 2015.
  4. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  5. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed December 2, 2012.
  6. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed February 10, 2011.
  7. "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  8. New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2010-2011, Schooldigger.com. Accessed March 1, 2012.
  9. Mathews, Jay. "The High School Challenge 2011: Mahwah High School", The Washington Post. Accessed September 11, 2011.
  10. Streib, Lauren. "America's Best High Schools" Archived May 8, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Beast, May 6, 2013. Accessed May 9, 2013.
  11. Staff. "America's Best High Schools 2016", Newsweek. Accessed November 11, 2016.
  12. "U.S. News School Rankings, Overview of Mahwah High". April 13, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  13. "Mahwah Building A Campus School; 13 Buildings of Junior-Senior High Will Occupy Only 20 of Site's 62 Acres", The New York Times, August 3, 1958. Accessed September 14, 2020.
  14. Staff. "2 Jersey Towns Approve New Regional High School", The New York Times, May 26, 1963. Accessed August 21, 2011.
  15. Robbins, William. "Jersey School Is Equipped for Space Age Library Has Glass Walls", The New York Times, March 27, 1966. Accessed August 21, 2011.
  16. Mission and Belief Statement: Profile Archived July 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Mahwah High School. Accessed July 30, 2008.
  17. Freshman Advisory Curriculum, Mahwah Board of Education approved, February 2009
  18. Profile 2010-2011 Archived July 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Mahwah High School. Accessed March 7, 2011.
  19. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  20. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  21. New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association League Memberships – 2009-2010, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, backed up by the Internet Archive as of July 24, 2011. Accessed November 20, 2014.
  22. NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2018–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, finalized August 2019. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  23. Conrad, JJ; and Iseman, Chris. "NJ HS football championships: How past finalists fared", The Record, November 27, 2016. "Although the state established the current playoff format in 1974, titles have been awarded for decades. Here are the most decorated North Jersey teams playing for a title this weekend, listed by their state championship totals:.... Mahwah (5): 1960 (co-champs), 1978, 1979, 1981, 2015"
  24. NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  25. "Pascack Hills, Sparta, Mahwah, Rahway win", New York Daily News, December 2, 1979. Accessed January 16, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Mahwah 49, Pompton Lakes 16 - Mahwah, trailing 16-8 in the first period, exploded for six more touchdowns in winning its second straight North Jersey, Section 1, Group 1 championship in Ramsey."
  26. "Seton Hall Prep Downs Bergen Catholic", The New York Times, December 6, 1981. Accessed January 11, 2021. "Roger Remo passed for one touchdown and ran for another to send Mahwah (9-1-1) to a 21-11 victory over Park Ridge (10-1) in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 1 title game."
  27. Lanni, Patrick. "Mahwah ends 34-year title drought with 38-13 win over Glen Rock in North 1, Group 2", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 4, 2015. Accessed December 5, 2015. "Mahwah entered Friday's NJSIAA/SportsCare Institute North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 final with average margin of victory of 37 points, and they continued that trend here at MetLife Stadium with a 38-13 win over Glen Rock. The win secured Mahwah's third [sic] sectional title in school history and first in coach Jeff Remo's 18-year tenure as the Thunderbirds finished their campaign with a school record 11 wins."
  28. Perez, Braulio. "Mahwah downs Westwood in a thriller to capture N1G2 championship", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 4, 2016. Accessed December 9, 2016. "On Saturday evening, Mahwah was in a see-saw battle with Westwood, but came out on top 35-28 to capture the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 championship.... This is Mahwah's second-consecutive sectional championship and fifth since 1974."
  29. NJSIAA Boys Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  30. NJSIAA Group Basketball Past Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  31. via Associated Press. "West Side whips No 1 Egg Harbor in Group III final; Anthony's 25 points pace stunning upset by Roughriders.", Asbury Park Press, March 17, 1993. Accessed January 13, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Mahwah 34, Delran 27: Senior Kristy Nukk scored 19 points as the defensive-minded Thunderbirds downed the Bears to win the NJSIAA Group II championship at Monmouth College. It was the first-ever appearance in a state final for Mahwah (25-2), which has not allowed more than 40 points in a game this season."
  32. Staff. "Mahwah 10, Bergen Catholic 6", The Star-Ledger, May 9, 2010. Accessed June 10, 2011. "Mark Glicini scored three goals and assisted on two others and Ryan Magner sank three goals and had one assist to power top-seeded and undefeated Mahwah to the Bergen County Tournament championship on Sunday in Franklin Lakes. Mahwah (15-0) is only in its second varsity season and first with head coach Ernie Yenco."
  33. NJSIAA History of Girls Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  34. Cuneo, Ed. "Mahwah ends Maple Shade title bid", Courier-Post, November 24,1985. Accessed January 17, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Mahwah High School scored three goals in the second half to break open a close game as it defeated Maple Shade, 4-0, yesterday in the state Group 1 girls' soccer final at Mercer County Park. The game was relatively pressure-free for Maple Shade, as it came into the match as the Cinderella team of the tournament at 6-5-4. Mahwah entered with an impressive 15-3-3 mark."
  35. Chapman, Brian. "Mahwah 3, Johnson 1 (High school Girls Soccer scores and results), The Star-Ledger, November 20, 2010. Accessed August 21, 2011. "Truglio, with a little help from classmate Jordyn Davis, scored her second goal of the game with just under four minutes remaining to propel Mahwah, No. 15 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, to a 3-1 victory over upstart Johnson in the NJSIAA/The Sports Authority Stores Group 2 championship match yesterday at The College of New Jersey in Ewing."
  36. Staff. "Girls Soccer - 2009 NJSIAA Tournament - Group 2, Public Semis/Finals - Round 2 - Game 1 - Girls Soccer ", The Star-Ledger, November 21, 2009. Accessed August 21, 2011. "After the slick forward gathered a rebound of her initial shot, her delicate cross to the far post found an unmarked Johnston, who calmly scored from six yards with just over four minutes elapsed in the first overtime to lift Haddonfield to a 2-1 victory over Mahwah, No. 19 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, yesterday in the NJSIAA/Investors Savings Bank Group 2 final before 600 at The College of New Jersey in Ewing."
  37. History of NJSIAA Girls Team Tennis Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  38. "Curcuru sisters lead Mahwah to state title", The Record, October 31, 1985. Accessed January 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "For the Mahwah High School girls tennis team, winning the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group I title was an all-day affair. Yesterday morning, the T-Birds made short work of Metuchen winning, 4-1, behind the play of the Curcuru sisters.... In the state final, the Curcuru sisters struck again as Mahwah swept past Haddonfield, 5-0."
  39. Conrad, JJ. "Baseball: Mahwah rallies to first state title in its 52-year history", The Record, June 10, 2012. Accessed June 20, 2012. "Mahwah's magical postseason run culminated Saturday with its first state championship in the program's 52-year history, defeating South Jersey champion Buena, 11-4."
  40. NJSIAA Baseball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  41. Kellert, Robert. "North 1 Groups 1 and 2 Recap!", MileSplitNJ, February 2, 2014. Accessed December 5, 2015. "Group 2 Boys / Mahwah - 48 pts / Ramsey - 43 pts / Ridgefield Park - 40 pts"
  42. Mahwah High School 2014-2015 Student Handbook, Mahwah High School. Accessed December 5, 2015.
  43. team1672. "Mahwah Robo T-Birds – FRC Team 1672". Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  44. Boucicaut, Barbara. "Mock trial team keeps eyes on the prize", Mahwah Suburban News, March 3, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2011.
  45. MHS Administrative Leadership Team, Mahwah High School. Accessed February 13, 2020.
  46. Curt Blefary biography page, Society for American Baseball Research. Accessed July 16, 2010.
  47. Goldstein, Richard. "Curt Blefary, 57, Outfielder And A.L. Rookie of the Year", The New York Times, January 30, 2001. Accessed June 14, 2011. "A native of Brooklyn, Blefary was a high school baseball and football star in Mahwah, N.J., and signed with the Yankees in 1962 for a reported $40,000 out of Wagner College on Staten Island."
  48. Frank Chamberlin player profile, NFL Players Association. Accessed April 11, 2007. "Attended Mahwah High School, where, as a senior, two-way football star he rushed for 900 yards and 14 TDs while logging 114 tackles with 6 forced fumbles … Also as a senior, won state shot put championship."
  49. Ivry, Bob. "LFO, A K A VIPS -- Boy Band Du Jour Hits The Road With Britney Spears", The Record, February 26, 2000. Accessed March 23, 2008. "Brad Fischetti, 1993 graduate of Mahwah High School and one-third of the platinum-selling singing combo LFO, is not too proud to admit that he thinks the teen vixen is 'really cute.'"
  50. Sargeant, Keith. "Kevin Haslam thinks versatility helped him make Jaguars roster", Home News Tribune, September 7, 2010. Accessed January 25, 2011.
  51. Mazzola, Jessica. "Mahwah Musicians Featured on New NOW 45 CDTwo of the members of the band 'Born Cages' are recent Mahwah High School graduates", Mahwah Patch, February 12, 2013. Accessed April 30, 2017. "Born Cages – which features township residents and recent Mahwah High School grads Vlad Holiday on guitar and lead vocals and Amanda Carl on keyboards and vocals – has a song on the new Now 45 CD."
  52. Thunderbird Alumni, Mahwah High School. Accessed August 12, 2017.
  53. Bob Kratch Stats, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed March 11, 2018.
  54. Ivry, Bob. "Upstaged By A Lizard -- Mahwah's Maria Pitillo Finds Glory In Godzilla's Giant Shadow", The Record, May 23, 1998. Accessed December 2, 2013. "For Maria Pitillo, competing in the 100 meters for the Mahwah High School track team was good practice for Godzilla. In the role of Audrey, the aspiring TV reporter, she runs an awful lot."
  55. Fox, Ron. "Where's What's-His-Name?", The Record, December 28, 1991. Accessed June 1, 2013. "Despite his slender build, Randy Reutershan was known as a hardnosed football player. From Mahwah High School to the University of Pittsburgh to the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was an aggressive, punishing hitter."
  56. Chris Wragge profile Archived May 31, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, WCBS-TV. Accessed April 11, 2007. "Born in Hackensack, New Jersey, Wragge attended Mahwah High School in Bergen County."
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