Verona High School (New Jersey)

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Verona High School
Location
151 Fairview Avenue
Verona, NJ 07044
Information
Type Public high school
Motto Your Future Starts Here
School district Verona Public Schools
Principal Joshua Cogdill
Faculty 47.4 (on FTE basis)[1]
Grades 9–12
Enrollment 609[1] (as of 2013-14)
Student to teacher ratio 12.8:1[1]
Color(s)      Maroon and
     White[2]
Team name Hillbillies[2]
Newspaper The Fairviewer
Yearbook Shadows
Website School website

Verona High School is a four-year comprehensive community public high school, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade in Verona, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States, operating as the lone secondary school of the Verona Public Schools. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools since 1947.[3][4]

As of the 2013-14 school year, the school had an enrollment of 609 students and 47.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8:1. There were 7 students (1.1% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and none eligible for reduced-cost lunch..[1]

The school mascot is the Verona Hillbilly, which was originally pictured with a bottle of whiskey and a shotgun, but was revised to be with a dog and a fishing pole, due to concerns of school violence and under-age drinking.[5]

Awards, recognition and rankings

Verona High School won the New Jersey Star School Award for the 1995–96 school year.[6] The school won the New Jersey Best Practice Award in the 1995–96 school year for Citizenship / Tolerance in recognition of its program in Prejudice Reduction. In the 1997–98 school year, it received the Best Practice Award for Citizenship & Character Education in recognition of Teaching Responsibility Through Involvement.[7]

The school was the 56th-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.[8] The school had been ranked 70th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 53rd in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[9] The magazine ranked the school 53rd in 2008 out of 316 schools.[10] The school was ranked 47th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.[11] Schooldigger.com ranked the school tied for 133rd out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (an increase of 33 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (83.7%) and language arts literacy (95.4%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).[12]

In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post, the school was ranked 59th in New Jersey and 1,718th nationwide.[13]

In its 2013 report on "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast ranked the school 718th in the nation among participating public high schools and 56th among schools in New Jersey.[14]

Athletics

The Verona High School Hillbillies[2] compete in the Super Essex Conference, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[15] With 459 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2014–15 school year as North I, Group I for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 117 to 478 students in that grade range.[16] Prior to the realignment in 2010, the school had participated in the Colonial Hills Conference, which was made up of public and parochial high schools covering Essex County, Morris County and Somerset County in Northern New Jersey.[17]

2005–06

In 2005, the Verona High School football team reached the state championship at Giants Stadium where they lost to Hoboken High School by a score of 21–6,[18] but they avenged the loss with a 7–3 victory in the 2006 NJSIAA Semifinals, the following season.[19]

2006–07

The girls track team won the North II, Group I sectional title and the Group I state championship. The girls softball team won the North II, Group I title for the first time ever, and along with the baseball team, won the Conference title. The girls tennis team won the North II Group I title and finished 2nd in the state for Group I.

2007–08

The boys and girls spring track and field teams both won the Colonial Hills Conference Relay Championship, ending the boy's 53-year title drought. Both the boys and girls teams also went on to win the Colonial Hills Conference Championships, sweeping the Conference. The boys baseball team tied the school record for most wins in a season with 21, and made it to the North I Group I sectional championship game, falling to Hasbrouck Heights High School 7–4 in the tournament final.[20]

In the 2007–08 school year, the men's cross country team defeated Pingry School for the conference victory. It was the first in school history.[21] The following week, the team followed up with a State Sectional Championship, the first since 1980 when they tied with Kinnelon for the title.

Rick Porcello of Seton Hall pitched a perfect game at the Verona High School baseball field.

2008–09

The boys indoor track & field team won their first ever conference championship, as well as winning the North II Group I State Sectional Championship.[22] The Boy's and Girl's both won the North 1, Group 1 State Sectional Championship for the Indoor and Outdoor, a first for the Boy's squad, and for the second consecutive year for the Girl's Squad.[23]

In 2008, the football team finished the season with an 11–1 record and were North II Group I state champions with a 13–12 victory over Hoboken High School in the final, earning the program's first sectional title since 2001.[24]

2009–10

The boys indoor track & field won their second consecutive Colonial Hills Conference championship, and North I Group I state sectional championship.[22]

The girls basketball team won the Super Essex Conference (SEC) championship, the program's first conference title since 1976.[25]

2014–15

The Verona High School football team won the NJSIAA Group 1 Section 1 State Championship defeating Cresskill High School by a score of 20–0 in MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Hillbillies finished the season 11–0, clinching the first undefeated season in program history. The team also beat Cedar Grove High School by a score of 35–6 to clinch the Super Essex Conference Colonial Division Championship.

Music

The Verona Marching Band was one of three bands to win the newly awarded Cadets Award at both the USSBA state competition and the USSBA nationals competition.[26] The concert band was the first non-professional band to be performing at Newark's Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart.[27]

"Verona School Band to Perform in Historic Church", Verona_Cedar Grove Times, April 8, 2012. Accessed September 20, 2012. "The Verona High School Concert Band will be the first non-professional group ever to perform at Newark's Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Wednesday, April 11 at 12 p.m." In April of 2016 the Verona High School Concert Band will head to the Cathedral again under the direction of Erik Lynch.[28]

In the summer of 2014, Verona High School alumnus of the school's Color Guard, Rebecca Karpinski, class of 2015, also marched in Fusion Core Drum and Bugle Corps color guard and won DCA World Championships with the Harvey Olderman Memorial Award for "Best Color Guard"[29][better source needed]

In the spring of 2015, the Color Guard gained its first male guard, Matthew Sarett, class of 2016.

Drama

Verona High has a long history of drama clubs and productions.

Productions began in the 1920s with Edmond Rostand's The Romancers (1926) being the final production directed by Winifred Bostwick, a long-time teacher at the school. Other shows helmed by Bostwick had included The Exchange (1922), The Man Who Married a Dumb Wife (1923) and The Knave of Hearts in 1925.

Harold Butterworth was a longtime director for the club (1936–1956). Under his direction, the drama club boasted its largest membership (137 registered members in 1945), became The Troupers in 1951 and continued to present contemporary dramas. Then, after Butterworth's tenure, The Troupers presented their first "classic" play: Thornton Wilder's Our Town, also the last play performed at the then-VHS building that is now H. B. Whitehorne Middle School.

A series of directors took the Troupers into Fairview Avenue's newly constructed Verona High School, where they performed such classics as The Man Who Came to Dinner (1958), You Can't Take It with You (1960), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1962). Sometime in this era, the title Troupers disappeared in favor of the more generic Drama Club.

In the early 1970s, classic productions dominated: Harvey (1972, directed by Ruth Garoni), a new production of Arsenic and Old Lace (1973 and presented again in 1993) and the first production of a true Broadway musical – Oliver!, combining the students of the high school and middle school under the music direction of long-time Verona band teacher, Harry Owens. Director Jim Walsh continued dramatic shows on alternate years with Scapino, Count Dracula, and The Good Doctor.

In the early 80s, Maurice J. Moran began his 27-year tenure as drama advisor and introduced both a non-musical and musical in the same school year. The Importance of Being Earnest, Mame (1982), Grease (1984), The Fantasticks (1985), Godspell (1986), The Odd Couple, "Story Theater" and The Crucible are some examples of shows done in the 80s.

In 1991, the VHS Drama Club became The Spotlight Players. In 1996, VHS joined 100 other New Jersey high schools participating in the Paper Mill Playhouse's Rising Star Awards, winning a "best actress" nomination in its first year with a repeat production of Anything Goes. New plays and classic musicals (and Star nominations) continued as the 90s closed: All in the Timing, The Canterbury Tales, and Senior Square contrasting with Gypsy, The Music Man, and Pippin.

The 21st century began with what was apparently only the second VHS Shakespeare presentation: A Midsummer Night's Dream. In that same year, parent volunteers organized themselves to help the performing arts as The Spotlight Players Parents Association. To raise funds for the theater program, the parents' group began the annual Verona Talent Night, which continues to give an opportunity for Verona students, adults, and friends to sing, dance, play musical instruments, or tell jokes without the need for competition.

In 2002, for the first time, a completely student-produced musical was presented, Bat Boy: The Musical. The show was presented by the then-recently established local chapter of the International Thespian Society, and featured a student cast, with a student director, music director, band, and choreographer. Other productions have included Godspell, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and the 2006 presentation of Musical of Musicals, being featured in The Star-Ledger's "Young and Talented" column.

Another major change was the hiring of an outside director. After 30 years directing school musicals around North Jersey, Moran decided to give up that role and serve instead as a producer of the musicals. He continued to direct the non-musicals (Moon Over Buffalo in 2005, for example) but recent musicals have been directed by non-VHS faculty, with 2008's On the Town being the third production directed by Danielle Aldrich.

Verona's drama program expanded in 2008, with the revamping of the theater including new seats, better acoustics, and a new lighting and sound booth. A One-Act Play Festival began in May of that year, bringing the number of theater offerings to four per year.

Student organizations

Do Anything Nice (D.A.N.)

Do Anything Nice (D.A.N.) is a student-led organization that demonstrates the importance of acts of kindness in everyday life and leads in creative strategies for people to practice kindness in their daily lives. D.A.N. members engage in innovative new methods to bring community service to educational institutions.

Founded by a small group of senior students, VHS D.A.N. is now in its 7th year active at Verona High School. In the fall of 2001 the first random act of kindness was to put candy in every student's locker during the evening hours of the night. Since then the club has expanded to include a second D.A.N. chapter located at Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York; that is now in its 3rd year active.

GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance (formerly Gay Straight Alliance))

The GSA is run by Mrs. Dana Lustig, L.S.W., S.A.C.(Verona's District Anti-Bullying Coordinator) and Dr. Stacey Smith (English IV/Humanities Teacher).[30]

Early in the 2014–2015 school year, Verona High School saw an astonishing social change. Three students, (one Junior and two Freshmen) came out as Female to Male Transgender. And even more astonishingly, there was very little rejection from other students. This caused the club to rethink its name and have it incorporate more people that fall under the LGBTQ* "umbrella". Sexuality and Gender identity fall on a spectrum. There is no exact definition for every individual's situation. Therefore, the name was changes from the very limiting, Gay Straight Alliance to the more broad and all-encompassing, Gender and Sexuality Alliance.

Administration

Core members of the school's administration are:

  • Joshua Cogdill – Principal[31]
  • Tom Lancaster - Assistant Principal[32]

Notable alumni

Popular culture

  • The original, unaired pilot of the television show Strangers with Candy was filmed in Verona High School. The VHS signboard is also used in almost every episode thereafter to display various witticisms, although the name has been changed to that of the school in the show, Flatpoint High School.[citation needed]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 School Data for Verona High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 16, 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Verona High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 16, 2015.
  3. ↑ Verona High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools, backed up by the Internet Archive as of April 24, 2014. Accessed March 30, 2015.
  4. ↑ Member Directory, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed September 20, 2012.
  5. ↑ Starnes, Joe Samuel. "SOAPBOX; Smile When You Say That", The New York Times, March 19, 2006. Accessed September 10, 2011. "It has been Verona High School's nickname for more than 60 years, and the original Hillbilly mascot, dating back to the 1950s, carried a rifle and a jug of liquor. In recent years his image was softened by replacing the gun and the moonshine with a fishing pole."
  6. ↑ Star School Award recipient detail, New Jersey Department of Education, Archived December 18, 2006. Accessed November 30, 2009.
  7. ↑ About VHS, Verona High School. Accessed September 10, 2011.
  8. ↑ Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  9. ↑ Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed September 20, 2012.
  10. ↑ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed September 10, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  12. ↑ New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2010–2011, Schooldigger.com. Accessed March 5, 2012.
  13. ↑ Mathews, Jay. "The High School Challenge 2011: Verona High School", The Washington Post. Accessed September 10, 2011.
  14. ↑ Streib, Lauren. "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast, May 6, 2013. Accessed May 9, 2013.
  15. ↑ League Memberships – 2014–2015, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 25, 2014.
  16. ↑ 2014–2015 Public Schools Group Classification: ShopRite Cup–Basketball–Baseball–Softball for North I, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, as of July 8, 2014. Accessed November 25, 2014.
  17. ↑ Home Page, Colonial Hills Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of November 19, 2010. Accessed November 25, 2014.
  18. ↑ 2005 Football – North II, Group I, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 3, 2007.
  19. ↑ 2006 Football Tournament – North II, Group I, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 3, 2007.
  20. ↑ 2007 Baseball – North I, Group I, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 30, 2007.
  21. ↑ http://mctrack.org/ColonialHills/07XC/07ColonialXCVb.htm
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 2011 NJSIAA/Star-Ledger/M-F AthleteSectional Track & Field Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed March 5, 2012.
  23. ↑ North Jersey, Section 1 Boys Track – High School Boys Track and Field
  24. ↑ Staff. "Verona 13, Hoboken 12", The Star-Ledger, December 6, 2008. Accessed September 10, 2011. "Holmes made two interceptions from free safety in the final 1:07 to help preserve Verona's 13–12 victory over Hoboken yesterday for the NJSIAA/Gatorade North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 championship in East Rutherford. Verona, making its third final appearance in four years at Giants Stadium, won its first title since 2001."
  25. ↑ Pangilinan, Noel. "Verona shuts down Sussex Tech in 4th quarter for win", Verona-Cedar Grove Times, March 4, 2010. Accessed September 20, 2012. "The Lady Hillbillies came into the State tournament fresh from winning the Super Essex Conference's Independence Division championship on Saturday. The conference championship was the first for the Verona girls team since 1976 and the second ever for the school."
  26. ↑ Staff. "Two In A Row for Verona's Marching Maroon and White", Baristanet, November 17, 2011. Accessed September 20, 2012.
  27. ↑ "Two In A Row for Verona's Marching Maroon and White"
  28. ↑ "Verona School Band to Perform in Historic Church"
  29. ↑ Fusion Core Drum and Bugle Corps
  30. ↑ anonymous
  31. ↑ Principal, Verona High School. Accessed November 16, 2015.
  32. ↑ Assistant Principal, Verona High School. Accessed November 16, 2015.
  33. ↑ Demasio, Nunyo. "SIXTH MAN NOT 1ST CHOICE, BANNON IS BEST ONE FOR RUTGERS", Daily News (New York), August 19, 1997. Accessed January 25, 2011.
  34. ↑ Anthony Fasano profile, NFL Players Association, accessed May 12, 2007. "Anthony Joseph Fasano was a four-year letterman and two-year captain at Verona, N.J., High School as a tight end and defensive lineman. He helped led the team to the New Jersey state title among Group 1 schools and threw the game-winning PAT pass in the 2001 title game. As a senior he caught 78 passes for 1,460 yards and a county-record 23 touchdowns."
  35. ↑ Fred Hill: Head Coach, Rutgers University. Accessed July 23, 2007. "A New Jersey native who attended Verona High School, Hill is a 1977 graduate of Verona High School and a 1981 graduate of Montclair State College, where he was an All-Conference guard as a senior on a team that reached the NCAA Division III Tournament."
  36. ↑ Chean, Steven. "Comedian Jay Mohr has two great passions: humor and sports. And his new TV show features plenty of both.", USA Weekend, June 30, 2002. Accessed May 12, 2007. "If there's one thing the former captain of New Jersey's Verona High School wrestling team has learned since taking to the stage some 15 years ago, it's that comedians and athletes have something in common: 'We're the most competitive people on the face of the planet. Now, that can be good, or very not good.'"
  37. ↑ Nguyen, Stacy. "Kal Parekh to fly to superstardom with new "Pan Am" role?", Northwest Asian Weekly, October 13, 2011. Accessed March 5, 2012. "He moved the family across the world, settling in New Jersey in the late 1980s.Parekh attended Verona High School. He said at that point, he was shy — an introvert."

External links

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