Mainland Regional High School (New Jersey)

Mainland Regional High School
Superintendent: Dr. Thomas Baruffi
Business Administrator: Kim Gniewyk
Address: 1301 Oak Avenue
Linwood, NJ 08221
Grade Range: 7-12/9-12
School facilities: 1
Enrollment: 1,611 (as of 2009-10)[1]
Faculty (in FTEs): 133
Student–teacher ratio: 12.11
District Factor Group: DE
Web site: http://mainlandregional.net
Ind. Per Pupil District
Spending		 Rank
(*)		 7-12/9-12
Average		  %± vs.
Average
1 Comparative Cost $13,193 15 $13,710 -3.8%
2 Classroom Instruction 7,620 17 7,564 0.7%
6 Support Services 1,895 21 1,987 -4.6%
8 Administrative Cost 1,133 1 1,475 -23.2%
10 Operations & Maintenance 1,688 20 1,816 -7.0%
13 Extracurricular Activities 677 19 749 -9.6%
16 Median Teacher Salary 64,900 32 62,000
Data from NJDoE 2009 Comparative Spending Guide.[2]
*Of 7-12/9-12 districts with any number of students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=47
Mainland Regional High School
Information
Type Public high school
Principal Mark Marrone
Asst. Principal Jahvan O'Neal
Grades 9-12
Color(s)      Green
     White
Athletics conference Cape-Atlantic League
Team name Mustangs
Website School website

Mainland Regional High School is a regional public high school and 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.[3] 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.[4][5]

As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,611 students and 133 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.11.[1]

The school is fully accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education.

The school was the 139th-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 116th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[6] The school was ranked 104th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[7]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "DE", the fifth highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.[8]

Contents

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.[9]

In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post, the school was ranked 26th in New Jersey and 910th nationwide.[10] 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.[11] The school ranked as number 310 in Newsweek magazine's 2005 listing of "America's Best High Schools".[12] 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.

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, operating under the aegis of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.

In 2002, the golf team won the New Jersey State Championship, giving them the #1 ranking in the state for the 2003 season. In 2010, Mainland's Kylie Strijek won the girls state tournament of champions.[13]

In 2003, the cross country team made history when fifth 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 of the record set by Christian Brothers Academy in 1982 for the state championship course in Holmdel Township, New Jersey.[14]

In 2007, the girls soccer team won the Cape-Atlantic League American Conference for the first time in Mainland's history.[15] A 1-0 win over Oakcrest High School guaranteed that Mainland would take the Cape-Atlantic League American Conference title in 2009.[16]

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

In 2008, the JV Girls Rowing Team, won the National Championships.

The football team won the 2002 South Jersey Group III State Championship, defeating Delsea Regional High School 21-7 in the final.[17] In 2008, the football team won their first South Jersey Group IV sectional championship with a 21-14 win against Southern Regional High School, going 12-0 for the first time.[18] All previous Mainland championships were in South Jersey Group III.

In 2010, the Girls Track and Field team won County Champions.

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). The marching band also won the USSBA New Jersey State Championship in 2005 and 2006, and were Northern All-State Group 1A Champions in 2008.[19]

Mock trial

Mainland Mock trial team won the Vincent J. Apruzzese Mock Trial Competition covering the whole state of New Jersey in 2003 and went on to compete in the National High School Mock Trial Championship in New Orleans. On March 31, 2009, the Mainland "mockers" won the state championship in New Brunswick, New Jersey. They went undefeated (11-0) to get there, after winning county and regional tournaments and went on to participate in the American Mock Trial Invitational.[20]

Controversy and incidents

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, Elnahal received an ovation from the some of the students in the audience. Kareem then left the graduation ceremonies before receiving his diploma.[21][22][23]

2008 graduation controversy

During the 2008 Graduation ceremony, Salutatorian Jennifer Chau's speech was cut off, after she strayed from her approved text and issued a criticism of the school's administration. Students and parents in the audience protested the cut off, requesting that she be allowed to finish her remarks. Chau's issue revolved around her not receiving credit for a freshman honors class, which she believed allowed another student, the child of a Board of Education member, to be chosen as valedictorian.[24]

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.[25]

Loss of four football players in 2011

Four players from the school's football team were killed in a crash on the Garden State Parkway when the SUV they were driving in to an annual team breakfast on August 20, 2011, overturned, killing four of the eight passengers when the vehicle lost control and crashed.[26]

Administration

Core members of the district's / school's administration are:[27]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ a b District information for the Mainland Regional School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed June 5, 2011.
  2. ^ Comparative Spending Guide March 2009, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed October 28, 2009.
  3. ^ Mainland Regional High School 2010 School Report Card, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 31, 2011. "Enrollment stayed at approximately 1600 students in our 9-12 building. The school serves the communities of Linwood, Northfield, and Somers Point with a total population of 26,511."
  4. ^ "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."
  5. ^ "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."
  6. ^ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed February 1, 2011.
  7. ^ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  8. ^ NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed October 27, 2009.
  9. ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), United States Department of Education. Accessed March 31, 2011.
  10. ^ Mathews, Jay. "The High School Challenge 2011: Mainland Regional High School", The Washington Post. Accessed August 4, 2011.
  11. ^ "The Top of the Class: The complete list of the 1,200 top U.S. schools", Newsweek, May 22, 2007. Accessed May 24, 2007.
  12. ^ The Complete List of the 1,000 Top U.S. Schools, Newsweek, August 5, 2005.
  13. ^ McGarry, Michael. "Mainland Regional's Kylie Strijek wins state girls golf title", The Press of Atlantic City, May 27, 2010. Accessed July 10, 2011. "Kylie Strijek once talked about giving up competitive golf. Now, she's the best girls high school golfer in the state. The Mainland Regional High School senior shot a 2-over-par 76 to win the girls Tournament of Champions at Bamm Hollow Country Club on Wednesday."
  14. ^ Egerman, Josh. "Mainland secured place in history The Mustangs sought to be among the best teams ever. Their season has earned them that distinction.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 13, 2003. Accessed July 10, 2011. "The Mustangs became the first public-school team since Bernards in 1981-82 to win back-to-back Meet of Champions crowns. And they did it in impressive fashion. Their average time at Holmdel Park was 16 minutes, 19.6 seconds, matching the second-fastest average in the history of Holmdel and just 1.2 seconds off the record set by Christian Brothers Academy in 1982."
  15. ^ Staff. "Girls High School Soccer Roundup", The Press of Atlantic City, October 16, 2007. Accessed July 10, 2011. "Tess McLaughlin's 2 goals help Mainland clinch CAL American Tess McLaughlin scored a goal in each half as Mainland Regional beat Oakcrest 2-0 to clinch the Mustangs' first Cape-Atlantic League American Conference girls soccer title Monday."
  16. ^ Staff. "High school girls soccer / Mainland captures American Conference title", The Press of Atlantic City, October 22, 2009. Accessed July 10, 2011.
  17. ^ 2002 Football - South, Group III, NJSIAA, Accessed May 20, 2007.
  18. ^ McGarry, Michael. "Mainland's perfect in winning S.J. title story / Mustangs' unbeaten football season highlights sports year", The Press of Atlantic City, June 21, 2009. Accessed July 10, 2011. "Where do quarterback Brent Caprio and his Mainland Regional High School football teammates rank in history? Caprio was the Press Football Player of the Year last fall. Mainland finished 12-0 and beat Southern Regional 21-14 to win the South Jersey Group IV title Dec. 6. The Mustangs were No. 1 in the Press Elite 11 final ranking."
  19. ^ Tournament of Bands - Chapter One History, Tournament of Bands. Accessed July 5, 2007.
  20. ^ Staff. Mainland Regional High School Wins State Mock Trial Title, New Jersey State Bar Foundation press release dated March 31, 2009. Accessed July 10, 2011. "Mainland Regional High School of Atlantic County has captured the coveted state title in the New Jersey State Bar Foundation's 2008-2009 Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition.In an exciting finish to the months-long series of spirited contests that ended with the student courtroom version of March Madness, the winning team edged out West Morris Mendham High School of Morris County at the New Jersey Law Center on March 31.... Mr. Fernandez has led Mainland's mock trial teams for the past 13 years, during which they made it to the southern regionals in 1998 and again in 2007. In between, they scored top honors in 2003.... As first-place state champions, the Mainland Regional team, along with West Morris Mendham's second-place team and North Brunswick's third-place team, will represent New Jersey in the Fourth Annual American Mock Trial Invitational, known as AMTI."
  21. ^ 2006 Valedictorian Speech, The Press of Atlantic City, June 22, 2006.
  22. ^ Valedictorian Complains of 'Hollow' Public School Education, Cybercast News Service, June 29, 2006.
  23. ^ Applause (and some boos) for graduation speaker, Press of Atlantic City, June 25, 2006.
  24. ^ "NJ Salutatorian has critical speech cut off", The Press of Atlantic City, June 20, 2008. Accessed June 20, 2008.
  25. ^ Mainland to hold meeting on bomb scares at school, Press of Atlantic City, October 30, 2006.
  26. ^ Dineen, Caitlin; and Mckelvey, Wallace. "Four Mainland Regional High School football players killed in Parkway crash after last summer practice", The Press of Atlantic City, August 20, 2011. Accessed August 21, 2011. "Football camaraderie and tradition. That was what the Mainland Regional High School team was looking forward to on Saturday. Instead, it became a tragic morning when the driver of an SUV carrying eight members of the team lost control of the vehicle, which overturned several times near exit 38A southbound on the Garden State Parkway, said Sgt. Julian Castellanos, spokesman for the State Police. The accident happened about 11:45 a.m.... Three of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene. The fourth victim died at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, in Atlantic City. Bozzi and Khoury were thrown from the vehicle, Castellanos said."
  27. ^ Board of Education, Mainland Regional High School. Accessed June 5, 2011.
  28. ^ Wompierski, Jordan. "Blake follows grads leaving Mainland", Shore News Today, June 29, 2011. Accessed July 27, 2011. "As Mainland Regional High School Principal Robert Blake bid the Class of 2011 adieu at graduation last week, his speech to the crowd served a dual purpose – not only were the 380 seniors in the class preparing to leave Mainland to pursue their dreams, but Blake, too, was ready to move on.... On Friday, July 1, Blake will leave Mainland to take a job as superintendent of the Pinelands Regional School District in Ocean County.... Taking Blake’s place as the head honcho at the high school on Friday will be Assistant Principal Mark Marrone, who joined Mainland three and a half years ago."
  29. ^ Hilt, Ed. "NFL FOOTBALL / EX-JET BUTTLE CREDITS PARCELLS FOR MOLDING TEAM INTO CHAMP", The Press of Atlantic City, January 17, 1999. Accessed July 28, 2011. "'People around here are so excited about the Jets this season, they forgot they were 1-15 two years ago, and that takes some doing,' said Buttle, a Jet linebacker from 1976-84 who also starred at Penn State and Mainland Regional High School."
  30. ^ New York Jets profile.
  31. ^ Who’s Who Among American High School Students, 1972-1973, Educational Services, Inc., Northfield, Illinois, 1973 and 1973 Alumni Records. Accessed February 22, 2009.
  32. ^ Weinberg, David. "NFL / WAITING FOR THE CALL: DAVID KLEMIC, CORY BIRD GEAR UP FOR NFL DRAFT", The Press of Atlantic City, April 20, 2001. Accessed July 28, 2011. "David Klemic has a busy weekend planned. First, he will compete in the long jump and 100-meter dash for the Northeastern University track and field team Saturday at the Huskie Invitational in Boston. From there, he will head home to Somers Point, where the Mainland Regional High School alumnus will watch the second-day coverage of the NFL draft on ESPN on Sunday."
  33. ^ Dave Klemic, nfl.com. Accessed September 6, 2009.
  34. ^ Lemongello, Steven. "Playmate's journey began in Somers Point", The Press of Atlantic City, April 19, 2009. Accessed July 28, 2011. "'From Gregory's to Caroline's to the Anchorage,' Jennifer Pershing, 28, listed her hometown drinking establishments, 'pretty much any time I walk into one, I see somebody I know.' The former Jennifer Ackley, a 1998 graduate of Mainland Regional High School, returned to the area this weekend for an appearance at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort - or, as this week's At The Shore puts it, locals and visitors had the chance to "Party with a Playmate.""
  35. ^ Staff. "Winners of National Merit Scholarships", The New York Times, August 8, 1993. Accessed July 10, 2011. "Stephen H. Segal . . . Mainland Regional H.S."
  36. ^ Huffman, Beth. "Mainland's Stone Excels On Special Teams At Wake Forest", The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 27, 2000. Accessed July 28, 2011. "The Wake Forest football team has struggled to an 0-3 start, but Mainland Regional graduate John Stone has done plenty to help the Demon Deacons. A junior wide receiver and return specialist, Stone earned the Atlantic Coast Conference Specialist of the Week award after his performance in a 20-16 season-opening loss to Appalachian State on Aug. 31. Stone returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown."
  37. ^ John Stone, databaseFootball.com. Accessed March 12, 2008.
  38. ^ Tim Watson, NFL.com. Accessed September 6, 2009.

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