J.P. Stevens High School

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John P. Stevens High School
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Enter to learn, depart to serve
Location
855 Grove Avenue 40°34′48″N, 74°21′44″W
Edison, NJ, USA
Information
Principal Ms. Gail Pawlikowski
Enrollment

2,228 (as of 2005-06)[1]
Faculty 157.6 (on FTE basis)[1]
Student:teacher ratio 14.1[1]
Type Public high school
Grades 9-12
Nickname Hawks
Color(s) Dartmouth Green and Old Gold
Established 1964
Information 40°34'48"N 74°21'44"W
Homepage http://www.jpstevens.org/

John P. Stevens High School (abbr. JP or JPS) is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves the northern end of Edison, in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It is one of two public high schools in the Edison Township Public Schools, the other being Edison High School.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,228 students and 157.6 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis, for a student-teacher ratio of 14.1.[1]

JPS has had an SAT average that has surpassed the state's mean since it opened. Moreover, about 79% of its graduates advance to four-year colleges, with many attending Ivy League schools.

J.P. Stevens High School was the 82nd-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.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

The school is named after J.P. Stevens, an alumnus of the nearby Wardlaw-Hartridge School and CEO of the J.P. Stevens Textile Corporation, who served as a member of the Edison Board of Education.[citation needed]

J.P. Stevens was founded in 1964, and rapidly expanded with North Edison. Originally, JPS was a senior high school, serving grades 10 through 12. In 1984, the Edison School District changed the junior high schools into middle schools, moving 9th grade into JPS.

[edit] Students

The population of J.P. Stevens High School is around 2,200 students, entering from two of Edison's middle schools: John Adams Middle School and Woodrow Wilson Middle School.

The history of the demographics of J.P. Stevens is somewhat unusual. From the time it opened through the 1980s, the school was mainly comprised of Caucasian, with an African American minority. Beginning in the 1980s, J. P. Stevens saw increasing numbers of Asian Americans. By the school year, the largest group of students at J.P. Stevens was of the Asian Americans (particularly Indian Americans), following the same trend as Edison as a whole. As of the school year, Asian-Americans constitute 56% of students. In addition, 34% of the school is Caucasian, 7% African American, and 3% Hispanic. Only 35% of JPS students speak English as their primary language at home.

The average class size of the school is about 27 students. The school's ratio of students to computers is 12 to 1 while the state average is 4 to 1.

On the Language Arts section of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA), 54% of students scored proficient and 37% scored advanced. On the Math section of the test, 38% scored proficient and 52% scored advanced. The average SAT score is 1160 out of 1600. The Advanced Placement Program (AP) participation is 22%. The average attendance rate is 96%. As of the school year, JPS had a suspension rate of 11%. 97% of JPS seniors graduated and only 7% of the school graduated via the SRA process. 77% of the graduating seniors go on to four-year colleges and another 17% of the graduating seniors go on to two year colleges.

[edit] Faculty

The faculty population of J.P. Stevens High School is around 200 teachers. The student to faculty ratio is 13 to 1. The faculty gets paid $55,035 a year while the state average is $52,563

[edit] Curriculum

J.P. Stevens students are required to take four years of English, four years of math, three years of science, three years of history (one of world and two of U.S.) and at least two years of a foreign language (including Latin, French, and Spanish). In addition, health and physical education classes are required for every year in which a student attends J.P. Stevens. Starting with the Class of 2008, one year of "Career Education and Consumer, Family and Life Skills" such as Foods or Technology Fundamentals is required as well as another year of the "Visual Performing Arts" such Chorus, Band, Visual Arts, Clothing for Fashion, and Architectural Drawing. J.P. Stevens has an Honors college preparatory track that features several Advanced Placement courses.

[edit] School funding

The school receives 88% of the money from local taxes. The total cost per pupil in the school district is $11,964.

[edit] Extracurricular activities

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[edit] Athletics

The J.P. Stevens High School Hawks compete in the Red Division of the Greater Middlesex Conference, against nearby rivals such as Edison High School, East Brunswick High School, and Woodbridge High School.

A student at the school won the girls' 5,000 meter race at the 1983 Kinney National High School Cross-Country Championships held in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, with a time of 16 minutes 43.7 seconds.[3]

[edit] Music

[edit] Chorus

The J.P. Stevens High School Chorus is directed by Diane Wions. The J.P. Stevens Choir has won numerous awards, including Best Overall Choir at National and State competitions. In the 2006 Music Festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia, all competing groups from J.P. Stevens won first place, including best overall choir with all superior ratings. At the ACDA Festival in May of 2006, the A Cappella Ensemble and the Chamber Ensemble both received The Sweepstakes award with a perfect score. In the Roxbury Invitational 2007, J.P. Stevens A Cappella Ensemble was one of two concert choirs selected to be in the showcase (previously in 2005), and went home with a 1st runner up trophy (with a rating of gold), behind Hopewell Valley Chamber Singers. In 2008, J.P. Stevens A Capella once again qualified as one of two showcase choirs at Roxbury Invitational, receiving a rating of gold. In addition, two concert soloists were selected to perform in the showcase. Many students from the choir are accepted into the Regions II Choir, the NJ All-State Choir, All-Eastern High School Honor Choir, and Governor's School of the Arts. Most recently at the Heritage Festivals in Boston, Massachusetts in April 2007, the A Cappella Ensemble received second place and the Concert Choir won first place, as well as the Adjudicator's award. In addition, the Chamber Choir was awarded first place in the Madrigal Choir category, and the school won Best Overall Choir and the Sweepstakes award. All performing groups received a gold rating. In the 2008 Festivals of Music in Washington, D.C., all competing groups from J.P. Stevens won the top honors.

  • Concert Choir - Open to all students, about 170-190 members; Weekly Thursday rehearsals
  • A Cappella Ensemble - Open by audition to all students, about 120-130 members; Weekly Monday rehearsals
  • Men's Ensemble - Open to audition, automatic membership with acceptance into A Cappella Ensemble; Weekly morning rehearsals
  • Women's Ensemble - Open to audition, automatic membership with acceptance into A Cappella Ensemble; Weekly morning rehearsals
  • Chamber Ensemble - Most selective group, open to audition, grades 10-12, 38 members; Weekly Monday rehearsals, following A Capella

[edit] Band

The J.P. Stevens High School band program is under the direction of Andrew S. DeNicola and assistant director John Zazzali. Around 200 students participate in several ensembles, among which are Freshman Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Lab Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Marching Band. Students can also participate in pep band, pit band, and various small ensembles. Freshman band consists of incoming freshmen and allows the young student to grow accustomed to the atmosphere of a new band program. As the student progresses through his high school career, he joins either the symphonic band or the wind ensemble, both of which are groups that comprise sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The repertoire of the symphonic band is more advanced than that of the freshman band, and the symphonic band attends several festivals and competitions throughout the year. The wind ensemble is among the finest in the state, attending the state gala concert for the past three years, winning numerous awards. Membership is limited through audition only. The members are among the finest musicians across the state. Many of them are accepted into region and all-state bands year after year.

The J.P. Stevens High School jazz program is also among the finest in the state. Membership is through audition only. Students are accepted into either Lab Jazz or Top Jazz. Lab Jazz Ensemble consists of musicians showing a particular interest in jazz. The Lab Jazz Ensemble is directed by John Zazzali. The Jazz Ensemble (Top Jazz), directed by Andrew DeNicola, is the highest level jazz group. It has been accepted to the NJIAJE Jazz Finals every year from , and was named state champion in 1998, 2000, & 2004 (though a minor time penalty pushed their placement to 2nd).

[edit] Marching Hawks

The J.P. Stevens Marching Hawks perform at Varsity Football games and competitions around the area. The Marching Hawks are a Class VI Marching Band, composed of around 150 members. Anyone attending J.P. Stevens High School is eligible to participate. The Marching Hawks have won many competitions, and rank as one of the top 10 Marching Bands in the state as of 2005.

The 2007-2008 Marching Hawks

The 2007-08 Marching Hawks currently have around 150 members. The three Drum Majors are Kristie Kuo, Michael Zhang, and Edward Yang. They will be conducting 3 different movements from the show "Rio!".

  • 2nd Place - Piscataway HS
  • 3rd Place - South Brunswick HS
  • 5th Place - Hillsboro HS
  • Championship @ TCNJ
  • BOA Region Competition @ Hofstra University
  • New Jersey Competition @ Washington Township

[edit] Orchestra

Brian Verdi has been the director of orchestras since the school year. Each year a number of students audition and are selected to participate in both CJMEA Regions II and All-State Orchestra. The orchestras compete each year in various orchestra festivals and place first in every competition. Presently the orchestra program has over fifty members and continues to grow.

The J.P. Stevens High School Orchestra Program consists of three orchestras, a string quartet and some of the finest young musicians in the state of New Jersey. Chamber Orchestra includes 21 students who are selected by audition and perform standard string literature. Concert Orchestra has more than 50 students that is combined with winds and percussion to form the Symphonic Orchestra. Students who play in the string quartet are selected by audition and perform at weddings and other fundraisers around the community.

[edit] Theatre Company

The John P. Stevens award winning theatre company has been an ongoing program in the school for many years now. Since the foundation of the company, several Broadway and off-Broadway shows have been performed; some notable include: Grease, Into the Woods, Pippin, The Wiz, Leader of The Pack and Urinetown: The Musical. The theatre company's production of Urinetown: The Musical garnered several honorable mentions and nominations by the NJ Papermill Playhouse Rising Star Awards as well as a separate award being honored to student Thomas Minucci for the best set design. Other productions by the company from the past include Macbeth, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown and Working among others. The theatre company put on a production of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee's Inherit The Wind in November 2007. Most recently, the company put on perhaps their most successful and lauded show ever: the Stephen Sondheim musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in April 2008. Tickets easily sold out for the show, thus, each performance night oversaw members of the theatre company performing to one of the largest turnouts ever. Darlene Rich, an English and Theatre Arts teacher at the school, is currently the director and head of the theatre company.

[edit] "More Ways Out" Improv Troupe

The "More Ways Out" Improv Troupe meets every Thursday after school, to practice along with other students the art of "staying on ones toes". In the past years the "More Ways Out" improv troupe has won best in state numerous times. Most recently, the troupe went to New York City for an improv workshop encountering many professionals, as well as attending the NYC comedy festival.

[edit] Other

The Choir and Orchestra recently went to the Heritage Festival in Boston and swept the awards, receiving gold first place superior ratings in all categories entered.

SerenAIDe is an annual, entirely student-run, benefit concert that was organized to raise money and awareness for victims of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's Disease. This event takes place in the first week of May. The concert was inspired by the choral director's husband's struggle against this disease. Over the last three years the students have successfully raised over $24,000 towards the ALS foundation and the Jewish Community Center of Belle Mead, New Jersey.

[edit] Notable alumni

Noted JPS alumni include:

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d J. P. Stevens High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed October 28, 2007.
  2. ^ "Top Public High Schools in New Jersey" (Schools 51-100), New Jersey Monthly, September 2006, backed up by Internet Archive as of March 10, 2007. Accessed March 5, 2008.
  3. ^ " Jersey Senior Takes Girls' Cross-Country", The New York Times, December 11, 1983. Accessed December 2, 2007.
  4. ^ "In Brief: Tom Waits, BSBs", Rolling Stone, April 22, 2002. Accessed June 5, 2007. "Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan was inducted into the Hall of Honor at the John P. Stevens High School in Edison, New Jersey, over the weekend. Bryan graduated from the school in 1980."
  5. ^ Caiazza, Tom. "Five million miles and one heck of a view: Astronaut returns after space flight; township names day in his honor", Woodbridge Sentinel, May 9, 2007. Accessed June 4, 2007. "Polansky, an Edison native and graduate of J.P. Stevens High School, returned to his alma mater Monday after commanding STS-116, the space shuttle mission to the International Space Station last December."
  6. ^ "Sports Briefs", The Record (Bergen County), January 24, 2004. Accessed October 9, 2007. "Jeremy Zuttah of Edison's J.P. Stevens, rated the No. 34 best offensive guard in the country by Rivals.com, will attend Rutgers, according to his high school coach, Frank Zarro."

[edit] External links