| Don Bosco Preparatory High School | |
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| Address | |
| 492 North Franklin Turnpike Ramsey, NJ (Bergen County), 07446 |
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| Information | |
| Type | Private, All-Male |
| Motto | Molding Men Today To Lead Tomorrow |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1915 |
| President | Fr. Jim Heuser SDB |
| Principal | John Stanczak |
| Asst. Principal | Albert Del Principio Tom DeLucci |
| Faculty | 62.5 (on FTE basis)[1] |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 873 (as of 2009-10)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 14.0[1] |
| Campus size | 35 acres (140,000 m2) |
| Color(s) | Maroon and White |
| Athletics conference | Big North Conference |
| Team name | Ironmen |
| Accreditation(s) | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[2] |
| Newspaper | 'Ironman' |
| Yearbook | 'Bosconian' |
| Website | www.donboscoprep.com |
Don Bosco Preparatory High School (Don Bosco Prep) is a private, Roman Catholic secondary school for young men, grades 9 through 12. Founded by the Salesians of Don Bosco, a religious order of priests and brothers, the school is situated on a 35 acres (140,000 m2) campus in Ramsey, New Jersey, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.[3]
The school draws students from a wide geographical region, including Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Essex and Sussex counties in New Jersey as well as Rockland and Orange counties in New York.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 873 students and 62.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.0.[1]
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The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools since 1960.[2] Don Bosco Prep is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the National Catholic Educational Association, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Honor Society and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.
Courses currently available include: Algebra I*, Geometry*, Algebra II/Trigonometry*, Pre-Calculus*, Statistics, AP Calculus AB and BC, Composition, American Literature*, British Literature*, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, Creative Writing, AP Latin, Latin, French, Italian, German, Spanish*, World History*, AP United States History*, AP European History, AP United States Government and Politics, Biology*, Chemistry*, Physics*, Environmental Science, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics B, Astronomy, AP Psychology, Economics, Criminal Justice, Film Studies, Intro to Law, Sociology, Musical Arts, Theology, Anatomy and Physiology, Fine Arts, AP Studio Art, Visual BASIC, and Computer Science
Don Bosco now competes in the Big North Conference, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[4] Prior to the 2010 realignment, the school had competed in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League.
The athletic teams are nicknamed the Ironmen and the school colors are maroon and white. In 2008 they were ranked as the number nine sports program in the nation by Sports Illustrated.[5]
The school was recognized as the Group A winner of the NJSIAA ShopRite Cup in 2006-07. The award recognized the school for achieving a tie for 3rd in Boys Soccer, 1st in Boys Cross Country, 1st in Football, 2nd in Wrestling, 2nd in Boys Indoor Track and Field Relays, a tie for 3rd in baseball, 2nd in boys golf, a tie for 3rd in boys lacrosse and 2nd in boys track and field.[6]
The Prep fields football, soccer and cross country teams in the fall.
The cross country team won the New Jersey State Meets of Champions in 2007 and 2009 along with Non-Public A Titles four consecutive years from 2006-2009. The Ironmen placed third at the Nike Northeast Regional Race, and placed 10th at Nike Team Nationals in Portland, Oregon in 2007. They also recently ended Christian Brothers Academy's 11-year winning streak at the state group championships with their string of four wins, and in 2005 the freshman cross country team ended the 19 year streak of CBA in the NJCTCs.[7] More recently the squad finished sixth in the country at Nike Cross Nationals in 2008. The Ironmen were the best team not to make nationals in 2009 finishing 23rd in the country. Under the guidance of head coach Kevin Kilduff, the program was named North Jersey's "Program of the Decade" for 2000-2009.
The soccer team were state runners-up in 2009 and is a perennial competitor for the state title. In 2009, they defeated Bergen Catholic High School in the Bergen County Tournament final 3-0, behind goals from Dylan Renna, Gio Esposito and Ryan McNamara.[8] The Bergen County Coaches Association named Don Bosco's Ian Joyce and Steve Franchini to its All Decade Team, but selected Ramapo High School in 2010 as its Program of the Decade, despite both teams having won five championships in the ten-year span, citing the fact that Ramapo had beaten Don Bosco three of the four times the teams had played each other in the county championship.[9]
Don Bosco Prep's football program is a competitor for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public Group IV championship almost every year, appearing in every state championship game since 2002. Since Don Bosco first started playing football, the Ironmen have won 13 state championships (1968, 1970, 1973, 1983, 1984, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010).[10] Don Bosco Prep has been boosted by regular season competition with perennial powerhouses such as Bergen Catholic High School, Saint Peter's Preparatory High School, and Saint Joseph Regional High School. The football team ended the 2002 season ranked No. 8 in the nation in USA Today’s “Super 25” ranking of the best high school football teams in the country,[11] and was ranked 2nd in the nation in the 2003 season.[12] In 2006, the Ironmen finished the season ranked No. 7 in the nation.[13] In 2002, 2003, and 2006, the football team won the Star Ledger Trophy as the best team in New Jersey and ended the season in each of those three years ranked number 1 in the East by USA Today.[14][15][16]
On September 27, 2008, the nationally-ranked football team traveled to California where they defeated powerhouse De La Salle High School 23 - 21 on national television, the winning margin coming with 10 seconds left on a 19-yard field goal.[17]
On September 12, 2009, the Ironmen hosted national powerhouse De La Salle High School, from Concord, California. The Ironmen of Don Bosco defeated De La Salle 30-6, for the second consecutive time. Don Bosco also traveled later in the year to Prattville, Alabama to take on another national powerhouse. This game was televised nationwide by ESPN. The Ironmen came out on top winning 35-24. The Ironmen finished the season with an undefeated record of 12-0, while finishing strong with a 35-15 victory over Saint Peter's Prep in the state championship at Giants Stadium. Don Bosco prep wrapped up this season as the number one team in America.[18] Bosco has become one of the most notable high school football teams in the past few years. Bosco has sent more than 40 football players to Division I colleges across the country.[19]
In the beginning of the 2009 season the Ironmen were ranked as one of the top 30 teams in the nation, and was ranked second in the nation after a number of victories, until national powerhouse Saint Thomas Aquinas of Fort Lauderdale, Florida lost in the Florida State semi-finals playoffs. Don Bosco Prep ended the season ranked number one in the nation by USA Today,[20] achieving their first national title, and becoming the first team in New Jersey state history to finish at number one in the nation.
With a record of 12-0, the 2010 team was the winner of the Star-Ledger Trophy, as the newspaper's top-ranked program in the state.[21]
The swimming program was only introduced three years ago but has climbed the ranks to place third this year in its league. On January 5, 2008, Don Bosco swim team defeated Bergen Catholic High School, 98-72. It was Bergen Catholic's first dual meet loss in 23 years.[22]
The indoor track team & field team has risen to national prominence in the past few years, as the Ironman quartet of Steven Wexler, Jason Baker, Conor Sullivan and anchor leg Sharif Webb won the National Championship in the 3200m (4x800m) relay at the 2006 National Scholastic Indoor Championships held in New York City. Four years later at the NSIC, the 2010 4x1 mile relay, led by an astonishing anchor from Michael Belgiovine (and also including Rafael Vargas, Howard Rosas and Phelan McCormack) earned 2nd team All-American status for their runner-up finish in that race. In addition, the Ironmen have won County championships indoors for five consecutive years and have won numerous league/conference and invitational titles. The team captured the NJSIAA Non-Public "A" State Title at the Bennett Indoor Complex in Toms River, NJ. The program was named "Program of the Decade" by the Bergen County Coaches Association.[23]
The wrestling team won the 2007 Non-Public North A state sectional championship with a 32-28 win against rival Bergen Catholic High School.[24]
The school offers seven varsity sports in the spring season including baseball, golf, lacrosse, track & field, tennis, crew and volleyball.
The lacrosse, golf, and volleyball teams are teams on the rise. The golf team finished undefeated in 2009 and was ranked within the top 5 teams in the state.
The Ironmen are 6-time state champions in Spring track with wins in 1955, 1961, 2006 and three consecutive titles in 2009, 2010 & 2011. The track team has won county championships for several years running, and won many league & conference titles in the now-defunct NNJIL before joining the Big North Conference. Also of note, in 2007 the Sprint Medley Relay (Jason Kelsey, Matthew Cato, Marvin Whilby and Sharif Webb) captured a National Title at the Nike Outdoor Nationals held in Greensboro, North Carolina. In 2009, the 4x1 Mile Relay team earned All-American status with a 5th place finish at the Nike Outdoor Nationals and most recently the Shuttle Hurdle Relay Team, 4x400m Relay Team and Javelin thrower Tyler Yee medalled at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in June 2011. Don Bosco Prep has become one of the elite high school track & field programs in the nation, culminating in an 8th place finish at the Nike Track Nationals, held in Eugene, Oregon in June 2011. The team was voted as "Program of the Decade" for 2000-2009 by the Record's track reporter, Paul Schwartz and Head Coach Rob DeCarlo, Jr. was also named "Coach of the Decade" for his efforts in leading the team since 2003, ending a 45 year state title drought in 2006, and was honored as New Jersey Boys Track "Coach of the Year" by Jim Lambert of the Star Ledger in June 2011.
The baseball team won the county title in 2001, 2006, 2007, and 2008. The 2008 squad posted a record of 33-0 and won the Non-Public A state championship, and were ranked No. 2 in the nation by USA Today that season.[25] Former MLB pitcher Mike Stanton coached the team in 2009 before stepping down.
The rowing team possesses two Scholastic Rowing Association of America National championships and two Stotesbury Cup Gold Medals.[26] They are also defending state champions in the Varsity Quad, and have at one point possessed the title in every men's sculling category. The rowing team has only competed against Bergen Catholic High School once during the spring sprint season in the Junior Quad head race qualifier at the 2010 Stotesbury Cup Regatta. The Bosco crew defeated the recently formed crew of their longtime athletic rivals by over a minute in the 1500 meter race
Don Bosco Prep offers clubs and activities for student involvement. These include:
In order to raise awareness of arts at Don Bosco Prep, the music department and alumni have begun a series of concerts. Some of these concerts feature religious or classical music and are included in the "Mary, Help of Christians Chapel Concert Series." Other concerts, organized by the alumni association, present more contemporary music. Billed artists have included:
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