Delbarton School | |
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Succisa virescit
(Cut down, it grows back stronger)
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230 Mendham Road Morristown, NJ (Morris County), 07960 |
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Information | |
Type | Private, All-Boys |
Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic, Benedictine |
Established | 1939[1] |
President | Rt. Rev. Giles Hayes |
Headmaster | Very Ven. Paul Diveny, O.S.B.[1] |
Faculty | 67.9 (on FTE basis)[2] |
Grades | 7–12 |
Enrollment | 540[2] (2009-10) |
Student to teacher ratio | 8.0:1 |
Campus size | 200 acres (0.81 km2) |
Color(s) | Green and White |
Athletics | 15 sports |
Athletics conference | Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference |
Mascot | Green Wave |
Team name | Green Wave |
Rival | Seton Hall Prep, Morristown High School, Christian Brothers Academy |
Accreditation(s) | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[3] |
Average SAT scores | 1,330 |
Newspaper | The Courier |
Yearbook | Archway |
School fees | $400-600 (books) |
Tuition | $27,800 |
Assistant Headmaster | Charles Ruebling |
Dean of Faculty | Anne Leckie |
Dean of Studies | Michael McGeough |
Dean of Admissions | David Donovan |
Athletic Director | Daniel Whalen |
Website | www.delbarton.org |
Delbarton School is a private all-male Roman Catholic college preparatory school in Morristown, New Jersey, educating young men from 7th to 12th grade. Delbarton is a Catholic independent school directed by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary's Abbey.
Delbarton's student body comprises students from more than eight New Jersey counties and 60 communities.[4] Minority students represent about 12% of the student body.[2] As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 540 students and 67.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.0.[2]
In 2007, The Wall Street Journal ranked Delbarton School ninth among America's high schools.[5] For the 1983-84 school year, Delbarton School received the Blue Ribbon Award from the United States Department of Education, the highest honor that an American school can achieve.[6]
Delbarton is a member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools[7] and has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools since 1961.[3]
Annual tuition is $27,800 for the 2001-12 school year. Books are extra, estimated between $400 and $600 per year. Optional transportation costs $1,300 to $3,000 annually.[8]
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In the 1880s, Luther Kountze established an estate in northern New Jersey. He began to buy more land, eventually turning his estate into a four-thousand acre (16 km²) property. This eventually became the home of St. Mary’s Abbey/Delbarton, Morristown National Historical Park and Lewis Morris County Park. Kountze eventually named the estate “Delbarton," borrowing one syllable from the names of each of the first three children (del-bar-ton).
In 1918, Kountze died, leaving the entire property to his family. The family decided to put the estate for sale. In 1925, the monks of Saint Mary’s Abbey, then in Newark, purchased approximately four hundred acres of Delbarton to use as a separate house for younger members for studying, finally settling on the property in 1927.
After some time, the monks decided to open a secondary school, as the Newark residence had done so with St. Benedict’s Preparatory School. After some deliberation, Abbot Patrick O’Brien opened Delbarton School in 1939, appointing Father Augustine Wirth as the first headmaster. At that time, the school was a boarding school for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students.
In 1942, Father Stephen Findlay succeeded as Headmaster and introduced drastic changes. The grade levels were modified, ultimately resulting in seventh through twelfth grades being offered. The Kountze carriage house was destroyed in a fire in 1947, leading to the construction of the St. Joseph Gymnasium. Because of the fire, the school chose as its motto, "Succisa Virescit" (having been cut down, it grows back stronger), borrowing from the often destroyed Abbey of Monte Cassino in Italy. Trinity Hall opened in 1959, allowing the enrollment to increase to over 300. Father Stephen retired in 1967 to the position of Director of Development. In 1971 the Schmeil-O’Brien Hall dormitory was dedicated, although the majority of students were day students.
Delbarton’s fourth headmaster, Father Gerard Lair (1975–1980), initiated more changes. The system of discipline from demerits and detention changed to a conversational program designed to bring about positive changes. As the academic prestige of the School grew, the Board of Trustees decided to terminate the residential program in 1978. The last two resident students graduated in 1983.
Since then, more facilities have been built, with the dedication of the Lynch Athletic Center in 1983, Findlay Science Pavilion in 1995, and Fine Arts Center in 2006.
Delbarton has made many efforts to open up the student body to the international community. Over the past few years many respectable speakers have spoken to the student body including James Luom, Elie Wiesel, Dith Pran, Scott Smiley and Lech Wałęsa. Elie Wiesel's visit and the subsequent donation of a statue in honor of the visit, was to be made possible by the generosity of Ernst family, though this has never been brought to fruition as the funds were not forthcoming.[9]
Delbarton students also have several opportunities to travel abroad. The school participates in foreign exchange programs with schools in Ireland, particularly sister school Glenstal Abbey School in County Limerick, and the Bildungszentrum Markdorf School in Markdorf, Germany. Juniors can travel to the Caribbean during the summer between their junior and senior year to learn about the culture and history of select islands through the school's SOL program. Students also have the opportunity to experience eco-tourism first hand in Costa Rica. Students have visited nature reserves, Arenal Volcano, JACO, Poás Volcano National Park, Monteverde and Alex's all under the guidance of Carlos Vallerte while studying at the CPI language school in Heredia, Costa Rica. Delbarton students have also traveled to Spain on several organized summer trips and to Germany for World Youth Day with the school's religious educator David Hajduk. The school has also sent several students to help assist in Operation Smile Missions in China, Honduras, and Thailand. The most recent established trip overseas was a mission trip to Nairobi, Kenya, and Hanga, Tanzania, where students donated money and aid to several schools.
Within the school’s regular activities, students participate in the school’s Model United Nations and Challenge 20 / 20 clubs. The Model United Nations club participates in 4 – 5 Model UN Conferences every year and has attained much success, winning the Best Small Delegation Award at Princeton’s 2005 conference, the 2007 Seton Hall University conference, and 2009 WAMUNC.[10] The club also participated in The Hague International Model United Nations, held in the Netherlands from 2006 to 2008.
Most students arrive at school between 7:45 a.m and 8:00 a.m. Students can purchase breakfast before school between 7:15 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., as well as an afternoon snack between 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.[11] Delbarton operates an 8:15 a.m. to 2:34 p.m. schedule, including six class periods and lunch.[12] All students have a thirty minute free period in the middle of the day, known colloquially as "M Block."[13]
Delbarton offers 24 Advanced Placement courses.[14] Students who take AP courses receive a bump when determining their GPA, as Delbarton does not offer honors courses.[14] In 2009, 107 Delbarton students qualified as AP scholars, with 16 students qualifying for the National AP Scholar Award, 37 qualifying for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award, 26 qualifying for the AP Scholar with Honor Award, and 34 students qualifying for the AP Scholar Award.[15]
In the 2010 graduating class, 100% of graduates went onto four-year colleges or universities.[16] Several Delbarton students received National Merit Scholarship accolades in the 2010 school year, including 2 Merit Scholars, 3 finalists, and 13 commended students.[17] Eleven students were named Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars. These individual class statistics are indicative of previous years' performances.[18][19][20]
Delbarton competes under the nickname "The Green Wave" in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[21]
Delbarton offers Cross Country, Football, and Soccer as sports in the Fall season.[22]
Delbarton's football program has won two state football championships, in 1993 and 1998.[23] Delbarton has also finished second in 1988, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2006, and 2011. On December 2, 2006, Delbarton faced Immaculata High School in the Non-Public Group III state final at Rutgers University, losing 22-14.[24]
From 1946 to 1987 Delbarton was coached by William Regan Sr., who compiled a 236-83-10 record with 33 winning seasons and 7 undefeated seasons.[25] From 1987 to 2002, Delbarton was coached by John Kowalik. From 2003 to the present, the coach is Brian Bowers.
Delbarton has won five Morris County soccer championships and four state championships since 1995 under former all-American David Donovan. In 1997, under interim head coach Erin Sullivan, Delbarton won a triple crown - winning the Northern Hills Conference, Morris County Tournament and NJSIAA Parochial A state tournament. Again in 2003 and 2004, Delbarton won the triple crown, finishing second in The Star-Ledger state rankings in 2003 and first in 2004. In 2003, the team beat Saint Benedict's Preparatory School of Newark, New Jersey, which was the number one team in the country and had not lost to a New Jersey team in 12 years.[26] In 2007, Delbarton's soccer team made it to the North Jersey Non-Public A final and had achieved a No. 4 ranking in the nation but lost to arch-rival Seton Hall Preparatory School. Delbarton still finished ranked in the top 10.[27] Delbarton also was ranked number 2 in Non Public A soccer group in the 2008 soccer season.
In the winter, Delbarton offers three major sports (sports with three separate team levels): Basketball, Ice Hockey, and Wrestling. In addition, five minor sports (sports with two or fewer levels of competition) compete under the Green Wave: Bowling, Indoor Track, Squash, Ski Team, and Swimming.[22]
Delbarton won the Morris County Tournament in 2006. Delbarton placed second in the same tournament in 2007 and 2008.
Delbarton won outright state championships in 1992, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 and the state co-championship in 1989. Delbarton won Morris County's Mennen Cup championship 18 times over a 21-year span from 1984-2004. The hockey program then left the Morris County league to compete in the state's top league, the Gordon Conference, beginning with the 2004-05 school year. The team won the Gordon Cup championship in its first season.
Delbarton's chief rival is Seton Hall Prep. At the height of the teams' rivalry, regular-season games between the two regularly drew more than 1,000 fans.[28] In 2006, Delbarton defeated previously undefeated Seton Hall Prep to win the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) non-public state Championship.[29] Although the rivalry was once big, it has become more one - sided. Delbarton won the state championship in 2008 by defeating St. Augustine Prep 5-1. It was Delbarton's fourth outright state championship and fifth overall, and the Green Wave set a state record with 27 wins, finishing the season 27-1-1.[30] In 2009, Delbarton repeated with another 27-win season that included victories over Massachusetts state champion Catholic Memorial, Hotchkiss (CT), and Christian Brothers Academy in the state final. Delbarton finished the season ranked No. 1 in the Northeast by Hockey Night in Boston.
Delbarton plays its home games at the Aspen Ice Arena in Randolph, New Jersey following years of early morning winter practices at the outdoor Essex Hunt Club (Peapack) and the more local (and enclosed) Mennen Arena in Morristown.[31]
In 2006, Delbarton's Mike Grey became the first four-time New Jersey state champion in the sport of wrestling.[32] In 2008, Delbarton won its first Northern Hills Conference Championship in wrestling. In 2009, Delbarton wrestling continued its winning ways by winning the Morris County tournament for the second time in school history, the Northern Hills Conference, and the District IX tournament. That year, they also finished 20th in the state with an 18-2 record. In 2011, Delbarton won its first North Non-Public A sectional championship by defeating Bergen Catholic as well as the state Group Non-Public A championship by defeating Bishop Ahr. The Green Wave finished the season 13-1 and ranked 5th in state.[33]
In 2009, Delbarton captured its 7th straight Northern Hills Conference title.[34] Also in 2009, Delbarton placed third in Division A of the NJSIAA Prep State Championships and fourth at the Morris County Championships.[35]
In 2009, Delbarton tied for third overall at the NHC Championships, behind West Orange and Passaic Tech.[36] Delbarton also sent relay teams to the Nike Indoor Nationals in 2009 in both distance and sprinting events. On January 29, 2010, Pat Schellberg won the boys' mile at the 103rd Millrose Games with a time of 4:14.84.[37]
Delbarton has Junior Varsity and Varsity squash teams, which compete with other schools in the Tri-State area. The Varsity team also competes in certain national events, such as the National High School Championships at Yale University.. In 2011 Delbarton won the U.S. High School Team Squash Championships for Division V.
The 2010-11 year will introduce a ski team.
During the Spring season, Baseball, Lacrosse, Tennis, Golf and Track & Field are the sports offered to the students. This Spring Delbarton competed in 3 Tournament of Champions tournaments.[22]
Brian Fleury was Director of Athletics, head varsity baseball coach, and an English teacher at Delbarton. In his ten years as Delbarton's head baseball coach, his teams compiled a record of 223-63 and won nine Northern Hills Conference championships plus NJSIAA state championships in 2002 and 2006. He continued to inspire students, his fellow teachers, and the entire Delbarton community with his relentless determination to succeed in his battle with cancer until his passing on October 19, 2007. The team won the Morris County Tournament championship in 2008 and had a Non-Public A State Runner-up finish in 2009.
Under the guidance of 1979 alumnus Chuck Ruebling , Delbarton has had the best lacrosse team in New Jersey from 1999-2006. Delbarton won five straight Tournament of Champions in the years 2002-06 and seven out of the last eight. They lost in the Tournament of Champions in 2009 to Summit High School by a score of 8-4. The school has won eight consecutive state championships. The 2009 championship broke a tie with Montclair and Mountain Lakes for the most championships (Each have nine). In 2007, the Delbarton lacrosse team was ranked fifth in the nation by STX/Inside Lacrosse.[38] Delbarton's lacrosse team was also ranked fifth in the nation in 2007 by the LaxPower.com National High School Coaches Poll.[39][40] The 2007 team won the Non-Public A state championship with a 14-5 win over Christian Brothers Academy.[41] Recently the Duke Blue Devils won a NCAA championship in lacrosse with help from Delbarton graduates Ned Crotty and Tommy Patterson.
Delbarton's tennis program has won nine of the last ten Morris County Tournaments and six consecutive state group titles, finishing second in the state in 2006. The 2006 tennis team won the 2006 Group A State Championship with a 5-0 win over St. Augustine College Preparatory School.[42]
The tennis team won the 2007 Non-Public, North A state sectional championship with a 3-2 win over Pingry School.[43]
In 2008, the tennis team won the Non-Public, North A state sectional championship with a 4-1 win over Pingry School.[44] It went on to defeat Westfield High School, 3-2, to win its first ever Tournament of Champions title.[45]
Delbarton's golf program is consistently one of the top-ranked squads in Morris County. Calling both Morris County Golf Club and Somerset Hills Country Club home, the Green Wave have excelled in recent years under the leadership of Coach Sean Flanagan. In 2000 and 2001, Delbarton won back to back state titles. In 2010, the Green Wave ended the season with a 17-0 record, having won the North Jersey, Non-Public A section, as well as the Non-Public Group A, Morris County Tournament, the Northwest Jersey Conference Tournament and the conference crown. The team ranked second in the state.[46] The current coach of the team is Mr. Sean Flanagan, the Star-Ledger's 2010 Coach of the Year.[47]
On April 23, 2010, at the 116th Penn Relays, Pat Schellberg won the high school boys' one mile (1.6 km) run championship and broke the track meet's event record. His time of 4:08.13 was also the fastest recorded mile run by any boy in the U.S. that year (2010).[48] The following year, Morgan Pearson won the boys' 3,000 meter run in the Penn Relays with a time of 8:22. Dean Sullivan won the boys' javelin throw at New Balance Outdoor Nationals in 2011 with a throw of 217 feet 9 inches.
Delbarton is also one of the few schools in the area with a Rugby Club.
In 2010, Coach Tom Feury, founder of Morris Youth Rugby, and Coach Bob Karetsky, who coached Harvard Rugby for several years, led Delbarton's Rugby Club to a 13-1 season; a remarkable accomplishment considering that 2010 was only the Green Wave club's second season. The team's only loss was to Morris Rugby, a team that was founded in 1977 composed of several players with more than four years experience. In the team's 11-0 dual schedule (one forfeit), the offense scored 402 points, and the defense only let up 60. The Delbarton Rugby Club is currently in its third season.
Delbarton's Abbey Players produce three theatrical productions yearly: a fall play, a winter musical and a spring 'One Act' production featuring student written and directed plays. The productions attract participants from neighboring schools.[49]
Delbarton has a range of musical ensembles, including a Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Abbey Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, and the Schola Cantorum. The group Schola Cantorum, commonly referred to as 'Schola,' features about 40 Delbarton students of all grades. The group performs all year in school concerts and at mass. Schola also travels to a European country every two years for 2 weeks and performs across the country. During the Summer of 2007 the Delbarton Schola Cantorum performed throughout Italy and in the Vatican.[50] Previous trips have included England, Ireland, and Scotland.
On October 19, 2006, Delbarton officially opened its brand new Fine Arts Center. The arts and music departments were formerly housed in the school's historic "Old Main" building. The new 36,000 sq ft (3,300 m2) building includes a 622-person theater, several art studios, and rehearsal spaces for Delbarton’s many musical groups. The school broke ground on the site during the Summer of 2005 and ended construction in the Fall of 2006.
After a six year battle between state officials and the Monks at Delbarton School, as well as $2 million in legal fees, a decision was made on July 26, 2006, that the request for a sewer extension to the proposed $100 million Abbey Woods development, a continuing-care retirement community, would not be allowed. Environmentalists and several Morris Township residents had been working against the project that would develop 71 acres (290,000 m2) of zoned land adjacent to the Jockey Hollow Park. Rev. Elias R. Lorenzo commented in the The Star-Ledger that "If the development is not passed, we will sell the land to other developers".[51] In 2009, Delbarton sold 188 acres (0.76 km2) of the Abbey Woods to The Trust for Public Land for $13.75 million. While the acquisition was primarily handled by the Trust, ownership will mostly be held by the Morris County Park Commission, with Morris Township receiving 10 acres (40,000 m2).[52]
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