Hackensack High School

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Location
Hackensack High School

First & Beech Streets Hackensack, NJ, 07601 USA
Information
School district	Hackensack Public Schools
Principal	Mark Porto
Asst. Principal	Mark Johnson James Montesano William Paladino
Enrollment	1,854 (as of 2005-06)^[1]
Faculty	141.2 (on FTE basis)^[1]
Student:teacher ratio	13.1^[1]
Type	Public high school
Grades	9-12
Athletics conference	Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League
Motto	"There is no limit to the good a man can do, if he doesn't care who gets the credit." Seal motto: Scientia Terras Irradiamus (We irradiate the Earth with knowledge.)
Accreditation(s)	Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Nickname	Comets
Color(s)	Blue and Gold
Yearbook	The Comet
Newspaper	The Voice
Established	1894
Information	201-646-7900
School Song	Old Hackensack
Athletics	25 Teams
Homepage	School website

Hackensack High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Hackensack, New Jersey, in the United States as part of the Hackensack Public Schools. Hackensack High School serves students from the Bergen County, New Jersey communities of Hackensack, South Hackensack, Maywood, and Rochelle Park.^[2] Students from Teterboro, New Jersey may choose to attend either Hackensack High School or Hasbrouck Heights High School in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey as part of sending/receiving relationship with the respective districts.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,854 students and 141.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 13.2.^[1]

1 History
2 Sports
3 School Song
4 Notable alumni
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

Hackensack High School was founded in 1894 and graduated its first class on February 1, 1898. The cornerstone for its present location at First and Beech Streets in Hackensack was laid on December 2, 1916. The building was dedicated in 1918. By 1920, twenty-two Bergen County towns sent their students to Hackensack High School. New wings were built in the 40's and 50's. The 1965 expansion of Hackensack High School encompassed neighboring Beech Street School and extended a two-story bridge over First Street and in 1967 the Beech Street elementary school became the "east wing" of the high school as it stands today^[3].

[edit] Sports

Hackensack is a founding member of the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League. Hackensack High and Ridgewood High School are the only founding members of the NNJIL to remain in the league. Since the 1912 visit of Halley's Comet, Hackensack's athletic teams have been known as the Comets ("Colts" before 1912). During the 1924-25 season, the Hackensack Comets Boys Basketball team beat Passaic High School which had won an amazing 159 consecutive games. The ball commemorating this feat still remains in the trophy case in the gym named for that team's captain, Howard Bollerman, Sr. (later principal of Hackensack High School).

The HHS homecoming football game has been held annually on Thanksgiving Day against rival Teaneck High School since 1931.

Vince Lombardi was hired to coach football at Hackensack High School, but couldn't get out of his contract with neighboring St. Cecilia's in Englewood, New Jersey. Hackensack turned to Tom DellaTorre to coach the football team, he responded by winning 13 championships and having the football field renamed "Tom DellaTorre Athletic Field"

[edit] School Song

The alma mater of Hackensack High School was written by W. Demarest and B. Pratt of the Class of 1918. It is to the tune of the alma mater of New York University, "Palisades" (used by permission).

"OLD HACKENSACK"

Oh Hackensack, dear Alma Mater,

For thee we raise the gold and blue,

And strive to lift thy banner higher

In each and everything we do.

And when we bring up to thy altar

Trophies from football, field, and track,

We'll mingle many hearts and voices

in praise of Hackensack.

But high school friendships all must sever

And fade as does the dying day,

And comrades all must come to parting

As out in life we wend our way.

Whatever fate may hold in secret

May we turn our memories back,

Renew once more our old devotion

For thee, dear Hackensack.

[edit] Notable alumni

Chet Forte (1935-1996), television sports pioneer.^[4]
Mike Fratello (1947-), former NBA coach who starred at Hackensack High School as a student and who returned for his first job as an assistant coach after graduating from college.^[5]
Alex Vincent (1981-), played Andy Barclay in the film Child's Play and its sequel Child's Play 2.^{[citation needed]}