West Morris Regional High School District

The West Morris Regional High School District is a limited purpose regional public high school district in New Jersey that serves students from the surrounding Morris County communities of Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township and Washington Township.[3][4] Elementary school students of the constituent municipalities attend separate K-8 school districts maintained by four of the five municipalities; Chester Borough and Chester Township schools are consolidated under the Chester School District and the remaining three municipalities each have their own districts (Mendham Borough Schools, Mendham Township Public Schools and Washington Township Schools).[4]

West Morris Regional High School District
Address
10 South Four Bridges Road
Chester, NJ 07930
United States
Coordinates40.80851°N 74.730149°W / 40.80851; -74.730149
District information
Grades9-12
SuperintendentMichael Ben-David
Business administratorL. Douglas Pechanec
Schools2
Students and staff
Enrollment2,489 (as of 2018–19)[1]
Faculty191.8 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio13.0:1[1]
Other information
District Factor GroupI
WebsiteDistrict website
Ind.Per pupilDistrict
spending		Rank
(*)		9-12
average		%± vs.
average
1ATotal Spending$23,50013$21,8667.5%
1Budgetary Cost17,6561616,5996.4%
2Classroom Instruction9,775179,7240.5%
6Support Services2,953282,7019.3%
8Administrative Cost1,841241,7743.8%
10Operations & Maintenance1,85181,985−6.8%
13Extracurricular Activities1,21333331266.5%
16Median Teacher Salary77,8902372,376
Data from NJDoE 2019 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2]
*Of 9-12 districts with any number of students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=47

As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 2,489 students and 191.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.0:1.[1]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I", the second-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.[5]

Both schools in the district are fully accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the International Baccalaureate program.[6] In August 2015, West Morris Central (ranked 151st) and Mendham (18th) were ranked among "America's Top High Schools 2015" by Newsweek magazine.[7]

The West Morris Regional High School District is the only school district in New Jersey to offer students both the International Baccalaureate Diploma and Career programs.

West Morris Mendham High School was ranked as the seventh-most challenging public, non-magnet, non-charter high school in 2017 by The Washington Post and the most challenging such school in New Jersey.[8]

History

The district was established in March 1956, with the first school opening on September 1, 1958, at what is now West Morris Central. The district originally included Mount Olive Township, until that municipality voted to leave the regional system. Students from Mount Olive Township attended West Morris Central High School until 1972. West Morris Mount Olive High School, in Flanders, opened in 1972 and was operated by the regional district until the 1978-1979 school year, with the West Morris Mount Olive High School Class of 1978 being the last graduating class from this facility under the regional administration. The high school building and remaining faculty became part of the Mount Olive Township School District and is operated as Mount Olive High School.[9]

In June 2015, a feasibility study requested by Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough and Mendham Township was released that discussed potential restructuring of the West Morris Regional High School District, considering two different options. In one scenario, West Morris Mendham High School would be stripped away from the district to become a standalone regional high school for the Chesters and Mendhams. In the second scenario, the existing PreK-8 districts would be dissolved and combined with West Morris Mendham to create a consolidated PreK-12 district. In either scenario, Washington Township would take over West Morris Central High School and become its own PreK-12 district. Significant tax savings would have been achieved for the Chesters and Mendhams under both scenarios, with equivalent tax increases for Washington Township.[10]

Schools

Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[11]) are:[12][13]

  • West Morris Central High School[14] was built in 1958 with 173,210 square feet (16,092 m2) of space, is located in -- and serves students from -- Washington Township.[4] Enrollment was 1,228.
  • West Morris Mendham High School[15] was built in 1970 with 171,025 square feet (15,889 m2) of space, is located in Mendham Borough and serves Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough and Mendham Township.[4] Enrollment was 1,222.

Administration

Core members of the district's administration are:[16]

  • Michael Ben-David, Superintendent[17]
  • L. Douglas Pechanec, Business Administrator / Board Secretary[18]

Board of education

The district's board of education, comprised of nine members, sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the day-to-day operation of the district.[19][20] The nine seats on the board of education are allocated based on the populations of the constituent municipalities, with four seats assigned to Washington Township, two to Chester Township and one each to Chester Borough, Mendham Borough and Mendham Township.[21]

References
  1. District information for West Morris Regional High School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
  2. Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
  3. About the Board, West Morris Regional High School District. Accessed August 17, 2020. "The West Morris Regional High School District (WMRHSD) Board of Education is comprised of nine members who represent five municipalities in western Morris County; Mendham Borough, Mendham Township, Chester Borough, Chester Township, and Washington Township. Because Chester Borough and Chester Township have joined to form a consolidated K-8 school district, there are a total of four separate K-8 districts that send students to the WMRHSD."
  4. West Morris Regional High School District 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 4, 2016. "Established in 1958, the West Morris Regional High School District operates two schools, West Morris Central High School and West Morris Mendham High School. The regional district serves the students of five Morris County communities: Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township and Washington Township. Students from Washington Township attend West Morris Central High School, and students from the Chesters and the Mendhams attend West Morris Mendham High School."
  5. NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 8, 2009.
  6. About, West Morris Regional High School District. Accessed October 11, 2015.
  7. Staff. "America's Top High Schools 2015", Newsweek. Accessed October 11, 2015.
  8. Seymour, Kara. "These Are The 'Most Challenging' High Schools In NJ, According To The Washington Post; The Washington Post has released its 2017 list of the Most Challenging High Schools in the U.S. Here are the top 25 from New Jersey.", Westfield, NJ, Patch, May 12, 2017. Accessed August 18, 2020.
  9. History, West Morris Regional High School District. Accessed June 28, 2012.
  10. Ross Haber and Associates. <ref?West Morris Regional High School District Restructuring Feasibility Study, Chester SChool District, June 2015. Accessed February 12, 2020.
  11. West Morris Regional High School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
  12. About, West Morris Regional High School District. Accessed March 17, 2017. "The West Morris Regional High School District (WMRHSD) consists of two high schools that are known for their challenging curriculum, academic excellence and supportive communities: West Morris Central (WMC), built in 1958, is located in, and serves, Washington Township. West Morris Mendham (WMM), built in 1970, is located in Mendham Borough, and serves Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, and Mendham Township."
  13. New Jersey School Directory for the West Morris Regional High School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 29, 2016.
  14. West Morris Central High School, West Morris Regional High School District. Accessed February 12, 2020.
  15. West Morris Mendham High School, West Morris Regional High School District. Accessed February 12, 2020.
  16. New Jersey School Directory for Morris County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 29, 2016.
  17. Superintendent, West Morris Regional High School District. Accessed February 12, 2020.
  18. Business Office, West Morris Regional High School District. Accessed February 12, 2020.
  19. New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
  20. Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the West Morris Regional High School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2019. Accessed August 18, 2020. "The School District is administered by a nine-member Board of Education ('the Board'), with three members elected each year for three-year terms.... The Superintendent of Schools is appointed by the Board on a renewable contractual basis for a minimum of three and a maximum of five years."
  21. Board of Education, West Morris Regional High School District. Accessed February 12, 2020.
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