Dwight Morrow High School

Dwight Morrow High School
Location
274 Knickerbocker Road
Englewood, NJ 07631
Information
Type Public high school
Established 1967
School district Englewood Public School District
Principal Peter Elbert
Asst. Principal Daniela Small-Bailey
Faculty 91 (on FTE basis)[1]
Grades 9–12
Enrollment 1,035 (as of 2009-10)[1]
Student to teacher ratio 11.37[1]
Campus Suburban
Color(s) Maroon and White
Athletics conference Big North Conference
Mascot Maroon Raiders
Accreditation(s) New Jersey Department of Education
Newspaper 'Engle Magazine'
Yearbook 'Engle Log'
Website School website

Dwight Morrow High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Englewood, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Englewood Public School District. The school also serves students from Englewood Cliffs, who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship.[2] The school has been accredited since 1928 by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.[3]

Founded in 1932, the school is named after Dwight Morrow, a businessman, politician, and diplomat, who lived in the city. The school shares its campus with the Academies@Englewood and Janis E. Dismus Middle School. Dwight Morrow & the Academies at Englewood are located east of Miller's Pond and share the same administration. Janis E. Dismus Middle School, the former Englewood Middle School is located south of Millers Pond and operates independently.

As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,035 students and 91 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.37.[1]

The school was the 83rd-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 128th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[4] The school was ranked 180th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[5]

Contents

Academic programs

The Academies@Englewood also known as A@E or Academies @ Englewood is a four-year comprehensive magnet public high school program started by Dr. John Grieco (founder of the Bergen County Academies) in an effort to diversify the Dwight Morrow High School campus, to raise the standard of public education for Englewood residents, and to attract white residents of Englewood and Englewood Cliffs back to the public school system.[6] The school was created at a time when Englewood and Englewood Cliffs population was about 42% and 67% white, respectively, while the Dwight Morrow was some 99.9% African-American and Hispanic.[7] As established, the school would accept 75 students from Englewood and Englewood Cliffs, and 75 students from out of the district in each grade, for a total enrollment of 600 students.[8]

The school was established in 2002 with four academies: Finance, Information Systems, Law and Public Safety, and Pre-Engineering. A fifth academy, Biomedicine, was added in 2004. The school graduated its first class in 2006, with 91 students, about half of whom were from Englewood, the other half from other North Jersey communities.

The school participates in the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, having been approved on November 2, 1999, as one of the first ten districts statewide to participate in the program.[9] Seats in the program for non-resident students are specified by the district and are allocated by lottery, with tuition paid for participating students by the New Jersey Department of Education.[10] The school's participation in the program has drawn students from over 40 Bergen County, Hudson County and Passaic County towns.[11][12]

As of the 2007–08 school year, the school will require students to declare a major that will guide their course selection throughout their four years at the school.[13]

Controversy

The primary controversy with the Academies is its location on the Dwight Morrow High School campus. The South building was taken away from Dwight Morrow High in 2002 to establish the Academies and the two schools also share a single auditorium and gymnasium. This left Dwight Morrow High with only the North Building and fewer available classrooms. Residents in the City of Englewood have expressed feelings of anger in allowing the Academies to operate on the campus; newspapers such as the The Record have quoted residents accusing the Academies of being a racist institution, regardless of the fact that there are many African American and Hispanic students in the Academies @ Englewood and the Academies @ Englewood were created to reintegrate Dwight Morrow which was the subject of years of white flight.[14]

The Englewood Board of Education has repeatedly attempted in various ways to integrate the two schools, but that task has been proven difficult due to many issues. The original idea in bringing the Academies to Dwight Morrow High School campus was to diversify the student body of Dwight Morrow while setting a higher standing for education in the entire district. The campus itself has been diversified, but the two schools are kept almost completely separate. Until recently, the schools shared only classes such as electives, music, art, and gym, but from the school year of 2006-07 onward, they now operate on the same day schedule and many students share core classes. However, if the Academies @ Englewood are not included as part of the Dwight Morrow High School student body the school still remains overwhelmingly minority, about 98% black and Hispanic.

A 2005 report by the New Jersey Department of Education documented the continuing segregation between the Academies and Dwight Morrow, with African-American and Latino enrollment in the Academies declining each year, despite the stated goal of achieving greater minority balance.[8][15]

History

During the 1980s, changes in local demographics drastically altered the school's ethnic body resulting in an African American majority. The nearby district of Englewood Cliffs attempted to end its sending receiving relationship with Englewood due to the poor performance of the school. This led to a bitter court battle between Englewood and Englewood Cliffs beginning in 1985, a move characterized by Englewood as racist. By 1992, the school was 97% African American and Hispanic. "There were more violent incidents reported at DMHS (Dwight Morrow High School) than any other school in Bergen County in the 1991–92 school year, and test scores remained painfully low." [16] Court battles continued, in an attempt to desegregate the high school.

According to Assemblyman John E. Rooney, "white students from Englewood Cliffs, the district trying to end its obligation to send its students to Dwight Morrow, feared for their safety at the heavily minority institution." Most Englewood Cliffs parents have chosen private school over Dwight Morrow High School. [17]

Current situation

In the fall of 2002, a new magnet program was opened up in an attempt to attract non- African American students back to the school. The opening of the new academy led to more discrimination from the viewpoint of Englewood's African American community. The academy was given a portion of the campus to operate on, and the regular high school, Dwight Morrow, continued to operate on the remainder of the campus. The academy has a diverse population and is kept separate from Dwight Morrow while occupying the same campus. This has created two distinct schools on one campus. Dwight Morrow has recently had protests, overcrowded classrooms and an inferior education.

"The books are old and the classes are overcrowded,' said..., a junior. "In my history class at least five students have to stand up each day.".[18]

The academy has highly-qualified teachers as well as better resources.

"Academies@Englewood; longer school day, rigorous and engaging core academic curriculum, technology, upgraded classroom materials and equipment not available to Dwight Morrow students, climate reflecting high expectations, inviting classrooms. Students are spirited and proud of their school and opportunities."

Dwight Morrow high school continues to have major problems and continues to be 97% black and Hispanic. If the Academies @ Englewood are included as part of the High School's total population, that percentage is considerably lower.

Many residents of Englewood feel that the City of Englewood has worked against the progress of the high school by opening up the Academies. About 50% of the students are from Englewood. Englewood's African American community feels the city and the board of education has put its minority residents second with this move.

"For the past three years they've been feeling like second-class citizens in their own town, sharing a campus with another high school touted as academically superior, and getting no respect...The message to kids and parents at that 97 percent African-American and Hispanic high school is that for so-called integration to happen on the campus, you must swallow the bitter pill that tastes like apartheid."[19]

Future plans

The Englewood Board of Education has plans to integrate the Academies @ Englewood with Dwight Morrow High School. The plan to phase the two schools in to one will take place over the next few years. The integration of Dwight Morrow with the Academies has caused much controversy.

Athletics

The Dwight Morrow High School Maroon Raiders now compete in the Big North Conference, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[20] The school had previously participated in the BCSL American athletic conference of the Bergen County Scholastic League.[21]

The boys basketball team won the 2008 North I, Group II state sectional title, defeating Pascack Hills High School 72–65 in the tournament final.[22] The win marked the team's first sectional title since 2005, ending a two-year run by Pascack Hills.[23]

Administration

Core members of the Dwight Morrow administration are:[24][25]

Notable alumni

Graduated:

Name Class
Regina Belle (born 1963), Grammy Award-winning singer.[26] 1981
Wayne A. Cauthen (born 1955), City Manager of Kansas City, Missouri. 1974
Peter Coyote (born Peter Cohon, 1941. actor, Grammy winner, writer, "Sleeping Where I Fall", history of the radical anarchist left during the 1960s in California. 1960
David X. Cohen (born 1966), executive producer and head writer of Futurama.[27] 1984
David Feldman, comedy writer.[13][28]
Bruce Harper (born 1955), former NFL Player New York Jets.[29] 1973
Ernie Isley (born 1952), lead guitarist for the Isley Brothers.[28] 1970
Marvin Isley (born 1953), bass guitarist for the Isley Brothers.[30] 1972
Richard Lewis (born 1947), comedian and actor. Curb Your Enthusiasm.[28] 1965
Rick Overton (born 1954), comedian and actor.[13][28] 1972
Freddie Perren (1943–2004), songwriter, record producer.[31] 1961
Clarke Peters (born 1952), actor (Det. Lester Freamon) from the HBO series The Wire was born Peter Clark.[28] 1970
Keith Reddin (born 1956), playwright and actor.[32] 1974
Tracey Ross (born Linda Tracey Ross, 1959), actress, Ryan's Hope (1985–1987) and Passions (1999–2008). 1977
Owen Renfroe (born 1968), director, General Hospital (2001–present). 1986
Richie Scheinblum (born 1942), MLB All-Star outfielder.[33]
Wally Schirra (1923–2007) NASA astronaut.[34]
Sister Souljah (born 1964), activist and writer.[35]
Tony Tolbert (born 1967), former NFL Player Dallas Cowboys.[36]
David Townsend (1954–2005), musician who played guitar with The Isley Brothers, and formed Surface with bassist David Conley in 1983. Had a #5 US/#1 US R&B hit in 1989 with "Shower Me With Your Love". 1972
Joey Travolta (born 1950), actor.[37] 1969
Austin Volk (1919–2010), former Mayor of Englewood and two-term member of the New Jersey General Assembly.[38] 1937
Sherman White (1928–2011), college basketball player who was indicted in the famous New York City Colleges Point Shaving Scandal of 1951.[39] 1947
Bill Willoughby (born 1957), former NBA Player who, along with Darryl Dawkins, were the first high school players drafted by the NBA. 1975
John T. Wright, First African American Councilman elected in Bergen County, in November 1952. This week in Black History-Jet Magazine 1969,1985
Tom Wright (born 1952), actor (Weekend at Bernie's II, The Brother from Another Planet).[40] 1970

Attended:

Name Notes
Doug Howard (born 1956), Musician.[41] attended, dropped out in 1973
Christina McHale (born 1992), Professional Tennis Player. attended, transferred in 2007
Sarah Jessica Parker (born 1965), actress.[42] attended, moved to Hollywood
John Travolta (born 1954), actor.[43] attended, dropped out in 1971

Architecture

Dwight Morrow High School has two buildings. One building is called the North building and was the original structure of the school. Later on the Academies at Englewood, also known as the South building, was added to the campus in 2001. The High School's North building was built using Gothic architecture. The North building features a 100 foot tower.

Millers Pond on the campus coupled with the Janis E. Dismus Middle School on the grounds lends a collegiate atmosphere to the school.

Popular culture

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Dwight Morrow High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed June 12, 2011.
  2. ^ Dwight Morrow High School 2010 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 12, 2011. "Dwight Morrow High School serves Englewood and Englewood Cliffs."
  3. ^ Dwight Morrow High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools. Accessed June 12, 2011.
  4. ^ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed February 27, 2011.
  5. ^ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  6. ^ Commissioner Librera Praises Local and County Officials For Launch of Academies @ Englewood, New Jersey Department of Education press release dated September 5, 2002. Accessed June 28, 2007.
  7. ^ Newman, Maria. " As an Injunction Ends in Englewood, an Era in School Desegregation Closes as Well", The New York Times, April 4, 2003. Accessed April 1, 2008.
  8. ^ a b "COMMISSIONER FINDS MAGNET SCHOOL CREATING 'NEW PATTERN OF SEGREGATION' IN ENGLEWOOD", Education Law Center press release dated February 25, 2005.
  9. ^ Interdistrict Public School Choice Program: Approved Choice Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 19, 2008.
  10. ^ Interdistrict Public School Choice Program: Introduction, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 19, 2008.
  11. ^ Dwight Morrow High School 2010 School Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 12, 2011.
  12. ^ Rutgers report on New Jersey's school choice program.
  13. ^ a b c Hu, Winnie. "Forced to Pick a Major in High School", The New York Times, August 16, 2007. Accessed August 17, 2007. "But starting this fall, freshmen at Dwight Morrow High School here in Bergen County must declare a major that will determine what electives they take for four years and be noted on their diplomas.... The comedians David Feldman and Rick Overton, alumni of the high school, are scheduled to conduct a comedy writing workshop in October."
  14. ^ Aaron, Lawrence. "Englewood students take on a daunting assignment", The Record (Bergen County), November 9, 2005.
  15. ^ Englewood Cliffs v. Englewood Report to the State Board, New Jersey Department of Education, January 14, 2005. Accessed June 28, 2007.
  16. ^ Anne E. Tergeson, "School denies it's a hotbed of danger", The Record (Bergen County), October 22, 1993, sec. B, p. 1.
  17. ^ Englewood school turns heads
  18. ^ Englewood students stage walkout over chaotic conditions, The Record (Bergen County), September 23, 2005
  19. ^ Students still feel slighted at Dwight Morrow
  20. ^ League Memberships – 2011-2012, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 19, 2011.
  21. ^ School Info, Bergen County Scholastic League American Division. Accessed March 9, 2008.
  22. ^ 2008 Boys Basketball – North I, Group II, NJSIAA. Accessed March 9, 2008.
  23. ^ Stapleton, Art. "Stapleton: Englewood rallies for title", The Record (Bergen County), March 4, 2008. Accessed March 9, 2008. "The Maroon Raiders (19–8), with their first sectional title since 2005 in their back pocket, now will travel to Vernon for Thursday's State Group 2 semifinal against Lincoln."
  24. ^ Administration, Dwight Morrow High School. Accessed September 26, 2011.
  25. ^ Curley, Mike. "Ex-principal of middle school to lead Dwight Morrow in Englewood", Northern Valley Suburbanite, June 29, 2011. Accessed September 26, 2011. "At its June 16 meeting, the Board of Education voted in favor of a resolution to shift several administrators, including replacing Dwight Morrow Principal Dorian Milteer with Peter Elbert.... Elbert had been principal of the Janis E. Dismus Middle School until he was removed in September 2010 after the district restructured the school because of its failure to meet the No Child Left Behind Act benchmarks over the previous five school years.... Among the other changes, Daniela Small-Bailey will be moving from assistant principal of the Dr. John Grieco Elementary School to assistant principal of the high school."
  26. ^ Beckerman, Jim. "For Regina Belle, time for a special payback", The Record (Bergen County), October 31, 2004. Accessed July 9, 2007. "It was at Englewood's Mount Calvary Baptist Church, and then Paterson's Friendship Baptist Church (presided over by Belle's uncle, the Rev. Fred Belle), that Regina Belle began attracting attention with her vocal abilities. She sang her first solo in church at age 8; by the time she graduated from Dwight Morrow High School at age 17, she was the church's star singer."
  27. ^ Rohan, Virginia. "Blast Forward", The Record (Bergen County), March 26, 1999. "After graduating from Englewood's Dwight Morrow High School, he headed off to Harvard..."
  28. ^ a b c d e "Dwight Morrow to hold fundraiser", The Record (Bergen County), June 20, 2007. Accessed November 19, 2007. "The celebration will feature alumni acts including musician Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers, actor Clarke Peters, and comedians Rick Overton, David Feldman and Michael Dermansky. Comedian Richard Lewis will appear on video."
  29. ^ Rondinaro, Gene. "Picturesque, Affluent West of Palisades", The New York Times, November 3, 1996. Accessed July 9, 2007. "A FORMER football standout at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, Mr. Harper was interested in finding a small, diverse community to live and raise a family in away from the media hype of New York's sports world."
  30. ^ Laing, Dave. "Marvin Isley obituary: Bassist for the Isley Brothers, he co-wrote many hits including Harvest for the World", The Guardian, June 9, 2010. Accessed June 12, 2011. "The family moved to New York, where he graduated from Dwight Morrow high school in Englewood, New Jersey, in 1972."
  31. ^ Staff. "Freddie Perren", Contemporary Black Biography:Profiles from the International Black Community, p. 122. Gale (publisher), 2007. ISBN 0787679321. Accessed August 19, 2011. "At Dwight Morrow High School, Perren was a member of the marching band, the orchestra, and sang in the chorus."
  32. ^ Chriastiansen, Richard. "RED-HOT REDDIN ACTOR-AUTHOR REACHING FOR 'HIGHEST STANDARD'", Chicago Tribune, September 14, 1986. Accessed June 12, 2011. "The new comedy, in fact, had its origins in Reddin's own experience in Russia, when he visited Moscow shortly after his graduation from Dwight Morrow High School ('John Travolta's alma mater') in Englewood, N.J., in 1973."
  33. ^ Horvitz, Peter S.; and Horvitz, Joachim. "The Big Book of Jewish Baseball: An Illustrated Encyclopedia & Anecdotal History", p. 165. SP Books, 2001. ISBN 1561719730. Accessed January 22, 2011.
  34. ^ Staff. "High-Flying Sportsman; Walter Marty Schirra Jr.", The New York Times, October 4, 1962. Accessed June 12, 2011. "He attended public schools in Oradell and graduated from Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood in 1940."
  35. ^ Wells, Amy Stuart. Both sides now: the story of school desegregation's graduates, p. 56. University of California Press, 2009. ISBN 0520256778. "In fact, Dwight Morrow's 'artsy' reputation was buttressed by its many famous alums, including John Travolta, Sister Souljah, and Sarah Jessica Parker, to name a few."
  36. ^ "TOLBERT WINS FIRST TRIP TO HONOLULU", The Record (Bergen County), December 13, 1996. Accessed July 4, 2008.
  37. ^ via United Press International. "Joey Travolta: you-know-who's brother", Eugene Register-Guard, June 7, 1979. Accessed June 12, 2011. "Joey's first appearance was on stage at Dwight Morrow (N.J.) high school, where his late mother directed school plays and musicals."
  38. ^ "Summer Southampton resident Austin N. Volk dies at 91". Southampton News. 2010-09-22. http://www.27east.com/story_detail.cfm?id=302795&town=Southampton&n=Summer%20Southampton%20resident%20Austin%20N.%20Volk%20dies%20at%2091. Retrieved 2010-10-06. 
  39. ^ Anderson, Dave (22 March 1998). "When Sherman White Threw It All Away". The New York Times. http://partners.nytimes.com/library/sports/backtalk/021701anderson-recollects032298.html. Retrieved 8 July 2010. 
  40. ^ Peters, Ida. "What's Happening: Backstage at Center Stage", Afro-American (newspaper), June 2, 1984. Accessed June 12, 2011. "Tom Wright has the role of Gerald. He's 31, six feet and weighs 170 pounds. He's the son of Harold and Winifred Wright of Englewood, N.J. He graduated from Dwight Morrow High School and West Chester State College."
  41. ^ The Star-Ledger Wednesday February 11, 1987 "Ex-Rocker turns 'He-Man" in Live Fantasy Show "....Howard grew up in Englewood and attended Dwight Morrow High School, though he regrets not graduating."
  42. ^ Klein, Alvin. "ACTRESS, 18, HAS SOME REGRETS", The New York Times, October 30, 1983. Accessed December 27, 2007. "Before attending Hollywood High School, she was a student at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood."
  43. ^ Reeves, Michael. "Travolta recalls lonely high schooldays", The StarPhoenix, September 28, 1978. Accessed June 12, 2011. "As far as academics were concerned, John was not the best student at Dwight Morrow High School. He confesses that 'I was only an average student.'"

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