North Plainfield High School

North Plainfield High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grade from North Plainfield, in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the North Plainfield School District. The school is fully certified 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 1929.[3]

North Plainfield High School
Address
34 Wilson Avenue

North Plainfield
,
(Somerset County)
,
New Jersey
07060

United States
Coordinates40.622797°N 74.440423°W / 40.622797; -74.440423
Information
TypePublic high school
School districtNorth Plainfield School District
NCES School ID3411640[1]
PrincipalJerard W. Stephenson
Asst. principalCasey McKeen
Charles Rowan
Edison Torres Jr.
Faculty92.0 FTEs[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment1,052 (as of 2018–19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio11.4:1[1]
Color(s)  Maroon
  Black
  White[2]
Athletics conferenceSkyland Conference
AccreditationMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools[3]
Websitenphs.nplainfield.org
Last updated: August 5, 2020 (2020-08-05)

As of the 2018–19 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,052 students and 92.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.4:1. There were 282 students (26.8% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 109 (10.4% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 266th-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 207th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 256th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[5] The magazine ranked the school 226th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[6] The school was ranked 189th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[7]

Academic programs

North Plainfield High School offers a comprehensive program of studies. 81% of the class of 2005 entered college or other post-secondary education, 13% sought employment, and 6% pursued other options. The array of classes at Advanced Placement (AP), high ability, college preparatory, and general levels includes opportunities for independent study, a shared-time vocational program with Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School, courses in conjunction with Satellite Education Resource Consortium, and courses offered through a Tech-Prep partnership developed with Raritan Valley Community College. Courses in AP Calculus and AP Physics, Probability and Statistics, and Latin have also been offered either through other school districts in the Interactive Television (ITV) classroom or through the Florida Virtual Academy, an internet-based resource. A state-of-the-art Computer Assisted Drafting Lab, networked computer lab, and a comprehensive physical education facility opened in 1990-1991.

Athletics

The North Plainfield High School Canucks[2] have competed since 2005 in the Raritan Division of the Skyland Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren counties, and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[8] The school had competed in the Mountain Valley Conference prior to the NJSIAA's 2009 reorganization.[9] With 733 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.[10] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group III North for football for 2018–2020.[11]

The boys track team won the Group III spring track state championship in 1964 (as co-champion).[12]

North Plainfield's football team won the 2008 Skyland Conference Raritan Division championship.[13] In 2011 North Plainfield's Canucks went undefeated during the regular season achieving the record of 9-0. They won the Skyland Conference and entered the conference playoffs as the number 1 seed and secured home field advantage for the remainder of the playoffs. The North Plainfield Canucks played the #8 seed Carteret High School Ramblers, losing by a score of 27-21. The 2011 Canucks were the 3rd football team in Canuck history to ever achieve the record of 9-0 during the regular season.

North Plainfield's soccer team won three Group II Conference Championships, in 1986, 1987 and 1988. The team finished those seasons ranked as one of the top teams in the state outscoring opponents (127 goals for 8 against).

The 1996 North Plainfield baseball team won the Cental Jersey Group II state title with a 9-6 win over Ridge High School, earning the first title in school history.[14]

The girls spring track team was the Group II state champion in 1996.[15]

In 2010, the boys' soccer team won the Central Jersey Group II title after defeating Delaware Valley Regional High School 2-1.[16]

Notable alumni

Administration

Core members of the school's administration are:[32]

  • Dr. Jerard W. Stephenson, Principal
  • Casey McKeen, Assistant Principal
  • Charles Rowan, Assistant Principal
  • Edison Torres Jr., Assistant Principal

References
  1. School data for North Plainfield Middle School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
  2. North Plainfield High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  3. North Plainfield High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed February 8, 2018.
  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 26, 2011.
  7. "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  8. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  9. Home Page, Mountain Valley Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 9, 2009. Accessed November 22, 2014.
  10. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  11. NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2018–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, finalized August 2019. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  12. NJSIAA Spring Track Summary of Group Titles Boys, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  13. North Plainfield High School 2006 Football Preview, The Courier-News, accessed December 16, 2006.
  14. Narducci, Marc. "Eustace, Gloucester Catholic Squaring Off For Baseball Title", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 3, 1996. Accessed November 22, 2014. "North Plainfield is a veteran team with seven seniors. The Canucks' 9-6 Central Jersey Group 2 championship win over Ridge was their first sectional baseball title in the 100-year history of the school."
  15. NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  16. Chodan, Miller. "Boys Soccer: North Plainfield tops Del Val for 1st sectional title", The Daily Journal (New Jersey), November 11, 2010. Accessed June 18, 2011. "The win gives third-seeded North Plainfield (13-6-1) its first sectional title. The Canucks will play the South champion Tuesday in the Group II semifinals."
  17. May, Melissa. "North Plainfield High School honors its alumni", Courier News, September 29, 1999. Accessed January 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "This year's banquet will honor six North Plainfield High School graduates and one teacher at its 1999 Alumni Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies. The honorees are Dr. Miriam Alter, 1967, medicine; Dr. Paul Auerbach, 1969, medicine... Dr. Paul Auerbach has served as professor and chief of emergency medicine at both Vanderbilt and Stanford universities. He is the driving force behind the field of wilderness medicine as an author, teacher, researcher and organizational leader."
  18. Hank Beenders, Basketball-Reference.com. Accessed September 22, 2007.
  19. Lewis, Brian. "Bicknell interested in Rutgers coaching job", Courier-News, December 7, 1995. Accessed July 5, 2018. "Now, North Plainfield native Jack Bicknell would love nothing more than to come home as the next Rutgers football coach.... A 1955 North Plainfield grad, and a former Watchung Hills assistant, Bicknell's roots are strictly Central Jersey."
  20. Staff. "Veteran NFL Coach Pete Carmichael Joins Panthers Football Staff" Archived January 12, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Pittsburgh Panthers football, March 1, 2004. Accessed September 21, 2015. "A native of Plainfield, N.J., he attended North Plainfield High, where he lettered three years in both football and baseball."
  21. "Anne Lovi Casale, 72, noted gourmet cook and author; former Watchung resident", New Jersey Hills Media Group, December 19, 2002. Accessed January 18, 2020. "Anne Lovi Casale, 72, of Glendale, Ariz., and formerly of Watchung, died Monday, Dec. 2, 2002 at her home. Born in Perth Amboy, Mrs. Casale resided there before moving to North Plainfield in 1945.... She was a 1948 graduate of North Plainfield High School and Berkeley Business School in East Orange."
  22. "North Plainfield High School Alumni Association 2018 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Set for April 21", TAP into Warren, March 18, 2018. Accessed July 5, 2018. "John DiMaggio, Class of ’86 – Film/TV Arts"
  23. Pettinger, Peter. "Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings", via The New York Times. Accessed July 5, 2018. "The family moved to 490 Greenbrook Road, the brothers now attending North Plainfield High School."
  24. "High school bands to jazz things up at festival", Courier-News, April 14, 1988. Accessed July 5, 2018. "It is named for jazz pianist Bill Evans, who graduated from North Plainfield High School in 1946."
  25. Peters, Philip M. Harry Leahey: Master Guitarist, Musician and Teacher, p. 8, The NOTE, Winter / Spring 2008. Accessed August 6, 2020. "Leahey attended North Plainfield High School from which he was graduated in 1953."
  26. "Jack Melick's Song Gave Lift to Freed Jersey GI", Courier News, April 24, 1953. Accessed January 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Corp. Jack T. Melick may have only gotten a dollar for the song he wrote the music to, but it meant hundreds of dollars worth of happiness to a New Jersey friend of his, released from Communist captivity this week. Corporal Melick, 23, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Melick of 188 Belmont Ave....The corporal hasn't written any other songs, although as band leader in high school and college--North Plainfield and Oberlin (Ohio)--he has done a lot of arranging."
  27. An oral history of Jack Melick recorded May 6, 2011.
  28. Morella, Nicole. "Attacks hit home - and heart - for `Third Watch' actress", Courier News (New Jersey), September 23, 2002. Accessed February 26, 2011. "The television star grew up in North Plainfield where her mother still lives. Price graduated from North Plainfield High School and enrolled at Rutgers."
  29. Hines, Janet A. "At 17, he's busy projecting a dramatic future", Courier News, June 30, 1998. Accessed January 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "A typical day in the life of Gerry Rosenthal consists of school work, band practice and a once-in-a-while basketball game with friends. And, oh yes, the television commercials and movie appearances. The recent North Plainfield High School graduate is a thespian, and while some graduates are still debating what college courses to take this fall, Rosenthal attends casting calls."
  30. Makin, Bob. "Makin Waves with Myke Scavone of Doughboys, Yardbirds", Courier News, June 19, 2016. Accessed September 30, 2016. "Q: What are you looking forward to most about playing the North Plainfield High School class reunion on Sept. 9? A: That's my 50th high school reunion."
  31. Staff. "North Plainfield H.S. Alumni Hall of Fame to induct 5 new members", The Messenger-Gazette, September 26, 2011. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Schmidt was extensively involved with student government at NPHS and has carried this interest to the highest levels of State and National Politics. He is currently the Vice Chairman of Edelman Public Affairs in Sacramento, CA. Schmidt served as a senior advisor to the McCain presidential campaign, and as Campaign Manager for the re-election of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. He also served as deputy assistant to President George W. Bush."
  32. Staff, North Plainfield High School. Accessed August 5, 2020.
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