Mainland Regional High School (New Jersey)

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Mainland Regional High School
Location
1301 Oak Avenue
Flag of New Jersey Linwood, New Jersey 08221
Information
School district Mainland Regional High School District
Principal Dr. Robert Blake
Enrollment

1,646(as of 2005-06)[1]
Faculty 128.6 (on FTE basis)[1]
Student:teacher ratio 12.8[1]
Type Public high school
Grades 9-12
Athletics conference Cape-Atlantic League
Team name Mustangs
Color(s) Green & White
Information 609-927-4151
Homepage School website
For other uses, see Mainland High School.

Mainland Regional High School is a regional public high school and regional school district serving students in grades nine through twelve from the communities of Linwood, Northfield and Somers Point in Atlantic County, New Jersey, serving a total population of over 25,000 in the three communities.[2] The high school is located in Linwood. Mainland Regional High School has been recognized by the Blue Ribbon Schools Program, the highest honor that an American school can achieve.[3][4]

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,646 students and 128.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 12.8.[1]

The school is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the New Jersey Department of Education.

Contents

[edit] Awards and recognition

For the 1997-98 school year, Mainland Regional High School was formally designated by the United States Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School.[5]

The Washington Post writer Jay Matthews ranked Mainland sixth in New Jersey and 111th in the nation in his book, “Class Struggles: What’s Wrong (and Right) with America’s Best Public High Schools,” based on the school's efforts at exposing students to challenging course work. In New Jersey Monthly’s September 2002 issue, Mainland was ranked fifth among high schools in South Jersey.

In Newsweek's May 22, 2007 issue, ranking the country's top high schools, Mainland regional High School was listed in 719th place, the 14th-highest ranked school in New Jersey.[6] The school ranked as number 310 in Newsweek magazine's 2005 listing of "America's Best High Schools".[7]

[edit] Athletics

The Mainland Regional High School Mustangs compete in the Atlantic Division of the Cape-Atlantic League, an athletic conference consisting of both parochial and public high schools located in Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County, and Gloucester County, New Jersey. The Cape-Atlantic League operates under the aegis of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.

The football team won the 2002 South Jersey Group III State Championship, defeating Delsea Regional High School 21-7 in the final.[8]

In 2002, the golf team won the New Jersey State Championship, giving them the #1 ranking in the state for the 2003 season.

In 2003, the cross country team made history when 5th man Alex Palmentieri crossed the finish line to clinch the team's second consecutive Meet Of Champions title. The team's average time of 16:19, was a second off CBA's 1982 record for the state championship course, which resides in Holmdel, NJ. [1]

In 2007, the girls soccer team won the CAL-American Conference for the first time in Mainland's history.

In 2007, the Boys Rowing Team won the State Championship with the Varsity and Second Varsity Eight.

[edit] Marching Band

The school's marching band was Tournament of Bands Chapter One Champions in 1979 (Group 2), 1980 and 1984 (Group 3) and 1989 (Group 1).[9]

[edit] 2006 Graduation controversy

In Mainland Regional High School's graduation of 2006, valedictorian Kareem Elnahal gave an unauthorized speech instead of the approved one. In his speech he criticized Mainland saying "the education we have received here is not only incomplete, it is entirely hollow." After delivering his speech, Mr. Elnahal received an ovation from the some of the students in the audience. Kareem then left the graduation ceremonies before receiving his diploma. [10][11][12]

[edit] October 2006 Bomb Threats

Mainland experienced several bomb threats during the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year. A series of four written threats in a five school day time span were left by students throughout the school. After several school lockdowns, evacuations, five arrests, and the installation of cameras with government funding throughout the school, it seems the problem has been resolved. Two girls held responsible were placed on probation and face fines of up to $11,000 dollars to cover costs incurred by police departments from Linwood, Somers Point, Northfield, The State Police, Prosecutors Office, Atlantic City Bomb Squad, Egg Harbor Township K-9 units and Cape May County, who were forced to respond to the incidents. This includes the Atlantic County Emergency Response Units' vehicle. The two girls also must provide hours of community service and various other forms of restitution. School officials have implied that the students arrested will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.[13]

[edit] Administration

  • Russell Dever, Ed. D. - Superintendent
  • Kim Jensen Gniewyk - Board Secretary / Business Administrator
  • Dr. Robert Blake - Principal
  • Jahvan O'neal - Assistant Principal(Grades 10 and 12)
  • Mark Marrone - Assistant Principal (Grades 9 and 11)

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Mainland Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 29, 2007.
  2. ^ Mainland Regional High School 2005-2006 Profile, accessed May 13, 2007. "Mainland Regional High School, located eight miles southwest of Atlantic City, serves the municipalities of Linwood, Northfield, and Somers Point -- total population 26,511."
  3. ^ CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department, Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
  4. ^ Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
  5. ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), accessed May 11, 2006.
  6. ^ "The Top of the Class: The complete list of the 1,200 top U.S. schools", Newsweek, May 22, 2007. Accessed May 24, 2007.
  7. ^ The Complete List of the 1,000 Top U.S. Schools, Newsweek, August 5, 2005.
  8. ^ 2002 Football - South, Group III, NJSIAA, Accessed May 20, 2007.
  9. ^ Tournament of Bands - Chapter One History, Tournament of Bands. Accessed July 5, 2007.
  10. ^ 2006 Valedictorian Speech, Press of Atlantic City, June 22, 2006.
  11. ^ Valedictorian Complains of 'Hollow' Public School Education, Cybercast News Service, June 29, 2006.
  12. ^ Applause (and some boos) for graduation speaker, Press of Atlantic City, June 25, 2006.
  13. ^ Mainland to hold meeting on bomb scares at school, Press of Atlantic City, October 30, 2006.
  14. ^ Greg Buttle: NFL Analyst, MSG Network. Accessed December 2, 2006.
  15. ^ John Stone, databaseFootball.com. Accessed March 12, 2008.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
School districts of Atlantic County, New Jersey
K-8 Absecon | Brigantine | Egg Harbor City | Estell Manor | Folsom | Galloway Township | Hamilton Township | Linwood | Margate City | Mullica Township | Northfield | Port Republic | Somers Point | Ventnor City | Weymouth Township
K-12

Atlantic City | Buena Regional | Egg Harbor Township | Hammonton | Pleasantville
9-12 Greater Egg Harbor Regional | Mainland Regional
None Corbin City | Longport