Cranford High School

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Cranford High School

Founded	1902
Principal	Carol Grossi
School type	Public
Motto	Praeclara video proboque
Location	Cranford, New Jersey
Sports teams	Cougars

Cranford High School is a public, four-year public high school located in Cranford, New Jersey, USA, as part of the Cranford Township Public Schools. Founded in 1902, the present building was built in 1937, and classes began in January of 1938. For several decades, the school was actually a six-year school, housing students from seventh grade to twelfth grade. In the 1970s, while the school was undergoing renovations, it was a two-year school for students in eleventh grade and twelfth grade. In 1973, the school completed the additions, and it returned to its status as a four-year school in 1979.

The student population is around 1,000 and consists primarily of students who attended junior high school at either Orange Avenue Schoolor Hillside Avenue School within the Cranford Township Public Schools or went to Saint Michael's School. The school is home to championship sports teams, a competitive academic program, and a large amount of clubs.

1 Awards and recognition
2 Academics
3 Clubs
4 Sports
5 Music
6 In the movies
7 Notable alumni
8 Notable faculty
9 References
10 External links

[edit] Awards and recognition

In rankings the school places among the top 75 high schools in New Jersey.

Cranford High School was the 39th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2006 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools^[1].

For the 2002-03 school year, Cranford High School was designated as a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve^[2], and the school has been selected for the Best Practice Award.

In 2004, Cranford High School was recognized as a National School of Character Winner by the Character Education Partnership, one of ten schools selected nationwide for its efforts in instilling character education in its curriculum and students^[3].

[edit] Academics

CHS offers 20 Advanced Placement Program (AP) classes in addition to many honors and college-preparatory classes. The faculty contributes to the scholastic environment with over 40% of the staff with post-baccalaureate degrees. Recently, the Supervisor of Academic Affairs developed "The High School University of Cranford," a program that provides a unique experience for those who wish to extend their education without having to place in the top % of the class.

[edit] Clubs

Cranford High School is has over 70 extra-curricular groups. The CHS Model United Nations team, the second largest organization in the school, returns each year with numerous awards with many conference officers as well as one Secretary General in 1996-1997. The Youth In Government Team has also been accustomed to high achievement with a smaller contingent of members. Members of the Youth in Government Club have been successful in passing mock legislation in this annual statewide conference and in having students serve in the Cabinet. Both clubs have produced an abundant amount of Political Science and International Relations students at the collegiate level.

Cranford's DECA delegation also comes home from their conference(s) with numerous awards as well. Twelve students advanced during the regional competition to participate in the state competition, and two subsequently advanced to the national competition.

The Math League, the school's largest student club with over 300 members, holds six competitions throughout the year. CHS students have regularly placed well in New Jersey Math League competitions. The CHS Mock Trial team has been active for many years and ranks as one of the best mock trial teams in Union County, New Jersey. The mock trial team has one over a dozen county championships. The CHS Forensics Team has been ranked as a top team in New Jersey and has competed in the New Jersey Catholic Forensics League and has sent several students to national competitions.

The CHS Student Government is an active presence in the school, staging a series of events during the course of the year, including food drives, spirit weeks, and community service fundraisers. The student government president and other members serve on a variety of school committees. The four class governments stage fundraisers and events throughout the year. The senior class stages an annual Pasta Night as a big final fundraiser for the school prom.

The school's Drug Free Youth Club advocates for a drug free school environment. In past years, the DFY Club has staged a series of Dialogue Nights which bring together students, faculty, parents and community leaders to discuss high school issues and to prevent underage drinking in the community.

The CHS Peer Development Program was started in the 1980s in order to assist freshmen with the transition to high school. The program consists of juniors and seniors serving as peer leaders. The juniors and seniors take a class in peer leadership and high school issues and then they lead a weekly class all freshmen take. Two peer leaders lead each peer class, which is held once a week in place of gym for freshmen. In the classes, students explore the transition to being a teenager, peer pressure, sex, and alcohol. The class is meant to be a supportive environment for students to discuss these issues with peer leaders who are only slightly older than themselves.

The Spotlight is the student newspaper of CHS. The Spotlight is published several times a year and students are both volunteers and in journalism classes. The Spotlight has received regular awards from statewide and national student press organizations and alumni have gone on to careers in journalism.

[edit] Sports

Cranford High School has a history of award-winning sports teams. The track team is one of the most well known and honored teams in CHS history, regularly winning county and conference championships in its two seasons of running. The cross-country team has also distinguished itself, winning the Union County and Watchung Conference championships for the past eight years. The cross country and track teams have been known as some of the best teams in the school over the years, with many indivdual and team championships over the years.

Cranford High School baseball won the state championship in 1971 and 1997, the Union County Championship in 1999, 2000, and 2001. Softball also won the best in the state. Field hockey, ice hockey, golf and tennis are also some of the best teams in the school. The ice hockey team won a series of conference and division championships in the 1990s and some of its alumni have been measured as the best scholastic ice hockey players in New Jersey.

Cranford High School football had a history of losing seasons, until the past three years when they have become extremely successful throughout the state playoffs. Cranford recently erected lights at the local football field and Friday night football games have become a staple of town nightlife.

From the conference's inception until the 2005-2006 school year, Cranford was a member of the Watchung Conference. Due to the size of the student body and location, Cranford decided to leave the Watchung Conference for the Mountain Valley Conference. The change was approved in 2006 and Cranford began competition in most sports in the 2006-07 school year.

[edit] Music

The school also has a notable music program. The Cougar Marching Band in October of 2005 received new band uniforms after 30 years. The marching band performs at all of the varsity football team's games. In the fall of 2006, the Cougar Marching Band placed first at the Bloomfield Band Festival and second at a USSBA show in Plainfield.

The music department hosts the renowned Madrigal Choir as well as the Concert Choir. Also included in the music department are the men's and women's choir and an orchestra. All music classes are given as classes and several concerts are held during the year. The winter and spring concerts are held with all choirs performing, along with the band and orchestra. A jazz band consists of several marching band performers. The Madrigals and Jazz Band perform in a variety of community settings during the course of the year.

The Concert Choir and Band travel to annual competitions around the country. The two groups, along with the Madrigals, have won many national awards for their work. The choir and band trips are well known activities and fundraising for them is an annual event.

The school productions occur twice a year. The spring musical has become renown in the past several years. The school's production of Jekyll and Hyde in 2005 won, among other categories, "Best Overall Production of a Musical" at the prestigious state-wide Rising Star Award Ceremony at the Paper Mill Playhouse. The 2006 production of The Scarlet Pimpernel also won several awards. The annual fall production is usually a comedy with the spring being a musical production.