| Summit High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 125 Kent Place Boulevard Summit, NJ 07901 |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Public high school |
| Established | 1888 |
| School district | Summit Public Schools |
| Principal | Paul Sears |
| Asst. Principal | Anthony Akey Stacy Grimaldi |
| Faculty | 79 (on FTE basis)[1] |
| Grades | 9 - 12 |
| Enrollment | 1,056 (as of 2009-10)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 13.37[1] |
| Color(s) | Maroon and gold |
| Athletics conference | Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference |
| Nickname | Hilltoppers |
| Website | School website |
Summit High School is a four-year public high school in Summit, in Union County, New Jersey, United States, and is operated by the Summit Board of Education as a part of the Summit Public Schools. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools since 1934.[2]
The school was opened in 1888 due to an increased need for a publicly-operated secondary school within the City of Summit. The school's athletic teams are referred to as the Hilltoppers, though the school's actual mascot is a mountain goat wearing a Summit High School athletic jersey. The school's colors are maroon and gold, although for most of its history they were maroon and white.
In 2009-10, the school had an enrollment of 1,056 students and 79 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.37.[1]
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The school was originally located in a building constructed in the 1920s on Morris Avenue between Maple and Elm Streets near downtown Summit. It shared this building with the junior high school until 1936, when Edison Junior High School opened in east Summit. However, a number of parents outside of east Summit—then called "Deantown" -- objected to their children traveling to this section of the city. By 1943, the new junior high school had closed and the high school again shared the Morris Avenue building with the junior high school. (The building still houses the junior high school, now known as Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School.)
In 1962, the high school relocated to a larger, more modern facility located at 125 Kent Place Boulevard, slightly outside of downtown Summit and within the Washington Elementary School district. In the late 1990s, a push was made to renovate the outdated high school. From 2000 until 2003, the high school building underwent a series of renovations, including the construction of a new media center, cafeteria, gymnasium, and science laboratories. Special attention was also paid to upgrading the building's existing facilities and to increasing the information technology capacities of classrooms.
The school was the 25th-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 22nd in 2008 out of 316 schools.[3] The school was ranked 20th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.[4]
In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post, the school was ranked 17th in New Jersey and 687th nationwide.[5] The school was ranked 419th in Newsweek's 2009 ranking of the top 1,500 high schools in the United States and was the ninth-ranked school in New Jersey, with 2.289 AP tests taken in 2008 per graduating senior and 47% of all graduating seniors passing at least one AP exam; The school was ranked 441st nationwide in 2008.[6]
The drama club has been extremely successful. In 2006 the Spring Musical "Les Misérables (musical)" sold out virtually every night and was so successful that the company put on an extra performance. This was the first year Summit High School participated in the Rising Star program and it was nominated for twelve Rising Star awards. In 2007, the spring musical was Titanic, which sold out almost every performance. Anne Poyner, the director, entered the production into the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards, a statewide competition of excellence in New Jersey high school musicals. Summit High School received 12 final nominations. In June, Titanic ended up winning a record seven Rising Star Awards, including Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical, making Summit High School the top theatre school program in the state of New Jersey. In 2008, their production of Fiddler on the Roof was nominated for 11 awards, including, for the third year in a row, Best Overall Production of a Musical. In 2009, their production of Music Man was nominated for 17 awards.[7]
The Forensics Team has reached the National Forensic League's National Speech and Debate Tournament in recent years. In January 2011, the team, coached by John Kratch and Anne Poyner, won the First Place Sweepstakes Trophy at the Freehold High School Speech Tournament.[8] It placed 33rd out of 240 public forum debate teams at a national competition held at Harvard University in February.[9]
The Summit High School Hilltoppers now compete in the Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[10] Prior to the 2010 realignment, the school had participated in the Iron Hills Conference. Despite the fact that Summit High School faces many of the challenges that small, suburban public high schools are plagued by — most notably, competition with private schools, a small student-athlete base, and frequent turnover due to graduation — Summit High School's athletic teams have a long and proud tradition.
The football team won the NJSIAA North II Group III state sectional championships in 1976 and 1980, and has won the North II Group II titles in 1988, 1993-94 and 2009.[11] The 2009 football team finished the season with a12-0 record, winning the 2009 North II Group II title with a 28-19 win over Orange High School in a game played at Giants Stadium.[12][13]
The Summit High School cross-country team has been successful since 2004. The women's team has won several sectional championships, and has made it to the Meet of Champions.
The women's lacrosse team has won two state championships, defeating Cinnaminson High School in1986 and Moorestown High School in 1999.[14]
The mens' lacrosse team won state championships in 1981 against Montclair High School and in 1983 versus Columbia High School. The mens' lacrosse team made it to the state championship in 2001, falling 8-3 to Moorestown High School in the championship game, after a 4-2 semi-final win over Delbarton School.[15] The team won Group I titles against Mountain Lakes High School in both 2005 and 2010, and defeated Moorestown High School in Group II in 2009. After losing in the Tournament of Champions to Delbarton School in 2005, the 2009 team defeated Delbarton by a score of 8-4 and in 2010 the team won the ToC against St. Joseph High School.[16]
The 2002 men's lacrosse team was ranked #1 in the state before falling to #2 Ridgewood High School in the state semi-finals. They finished the year ranked #4.
In 2000, the mens' hockey team surprised the #1-seeded team from Brick Township High School and eventually lost in the public school final game to second-seeded Bayonne High School by a score of 6-3.[17]
The mens' tennis team has won, or shared, the conference or county title many years in a row. This includes a Group II state championship in 2003 earned with a 4-1 win over Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School.[18] The junior varsity team is coached by Mr. Vinnie Turturiello in 2011 who stresses fundmentals, challenge matches, and appreciates the team's dedication, enthusiasm, and he expects a strong showing for the spring 2011 season.
The 2005 mens basketball team won the North II, Group II state sectional championship with a 61-58 win over Hillside High School.[19]
The 1998 womens tennis team won the Group II state championship (with a 3-2 win over Moorestown) and finished in the top 5 in the state. In 2007, the womens tennis team won the North II, Group II state sectional championship with a 3-2 win over Mountain Lakes High School in the tournament final.[20]
The mens swim team was 13-2 in the 2007-08 swim season, losing only to Seton Hall Preparatory School in the regular season and Mountain Lakes High School in the sectional finals of the state tournament.
Track and Field: The mens cross country team qualified for Meet Of Champions for the first time in school history, placing 14th out of 20 teams. They also won the Union County Title for the first time in school history.
Soccer: The mens varsity soccer team was 16-6-1 in the 2008-09 soccer season. They reached the Union County Final for the first time in 27 years, losing to Elizabeth High School. They also reached the Semifinals of their state sectional group. They were currently known as one of the most physical teams in the state of New Jersey.
Core members of the school's administration are:[21]
The general pattern for students is to study physics in ninth grade, biology in tenth grade, and chemistry in eleventh grade; these subjects can be studied at different levels, from modified to regular and to advanced/honors. Science department supervisor Tom O'Dowd explained that "teaching physics in ninth grade has been identified as the best option because physics is the fundamental science ... It is potentially the most concrete and the best suited for inquiry-based learning."[22] A movement towards teaching physics has been going on for years, explained one school spokesperson, who explained that physics is "more basic than biology" and "makes for a more rigorous and thoughtful curriculum."[23]
Generally honors and AP programs require test scores or honors applications (see chart) for a student to be accepted, and students in these programs are expected to maintain a B- average or better to continue in the next year's accelerated science courses. It's possible for students to apply for a more accelerated course each year by getting a favorable teacher recommendation or applying to an honors course. (One note not shown on chart: students taking modified biology in grade ten have a choice to study environmental science in their eleventh grade year.) Students in their sophomore, junior, or senior years of high school also have the option of participating in a shared-time program offered through the Union County Vocational Technical Schools (UCVTS). Student enrolled in the shared-time program can receive science credits for their coursework at UCVTS, and should discuss this option for science credit with their guidance counselors. [24]
Single semester electives are available to juniors and seniors in the following subjects: Forensic science; Marine Biology/Oceanography; and Astronomy. Full-year courses for seniors include: Environmental science, Honors physics, and AP study. AP courses offered include: AP Environmental Science, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C, and AP Physics B. Generally, honors and AP courses have prerequisites of past study in honors or AP courses (and maintaining grades of B- or better in those courses); and students can be admitted via a teacher recommendation.
Pathways for studying science at Summit High School (as of January 2010)
| Eighth grade | Ninth grade | Tenth grade | Eleventh grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Modified physics | Modified biology | Conceptual chemistry | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teacher recommendation | Teacher recommendation | Teacher recommendation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Earth science | Physics | Biology | Chemistry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Math & science grades scores placement test | Honors application | Honors application | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Honors Physics -9 | AP Biology | AP Chemistry | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
At football games, the school's fight song is "Stand Up and Cheer" and the victory song is "King of the Road."
SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL ALMA MATER
Alma mater, wise and glorious Thee we hail with loudest praise. As we honor Summit High School Honor thee through all our days. May thy precepts ever strengthen us As we fight for truth and right. Of thy name, oh make us worthy Worthy of the red and white.
Chorus: Hail, hail! Alma mater hail! Hail Summit High great and glorious! Hail, hail! Alma mater hail! Hail red and white victorious!
Thou hast given us more than learning; Thou hast helped us to prepare For the struggle which will follow When we leave thy portals fair; And through all the years yet coming May thou firmer, stronger, be— Handing on the torch of learning, Guiding others, praise to thee.
(Repeat Chorus)
The Department of Guidance and Counseling had nine staff members in 2011. It helps students plan courses and electives and arrange schedules. It assists parents and students in the college application process including hosting an informational Junior Family Night in October and visits by college representatives as well as a College Night in November.[25][26] College representatives typically visit during the fall and meet with students who are interested in attending their college.[26] Counselors meet with students and families in small groups and have an individual family conference in spring of junior year. Counselors advise about test taking strategies such as whether to take the SAT or ACT.[26] The school subscribes to a web-based college information program called Naviance which helps students choose colleges as well as provides data about how past Summit seniors fared with particular colleges.[25]
Emphasis is on written and oral communication. The curriculum seeks to develop students' reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing (media literacy), and critical thinking. There is a Writing Center for assistance which is staffed during school hours by English teachers.
Ninth graders have a choice of a Global Studies course which will meet for two periods each day; it teaches literacy skills with literature in a historical context and combines freshman English and world history. English 1 is also offered, as a one-period course, and it will teach literacy skills including reading and writing and focuses on putting text in a thematic or literary context.[27] The choice of which course to take should be based on a student's learning style; the Global Studies course will have more interaction and cooperative-based learning. Both English and Global Studies will require a research project to be completed. School authorities decided to eliminate ninth grade English honors in 2009 to permit a "fairer, more efficient process for assessing the willingness and readiness of students to enter the honors program in tenth grade," according to one account.[27] Students can apply for English 2 Honors taught in tenth grade.
Journalism is taught as an elective one-semester course and includes entry-level exposure to the SHS student newspaper. Honors and AP courses are open by application to students in grades 11 and 12. And a course in public speaking will be replaced by a course entitled "21st century media and communications."[28] The English faculty includes novelist Robert Kaplow whose bestselling novel Me and Orson Welles was made into a film.[29]
| 9th grade | 10th grade | 11th grade | 12th grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| English 1 | English 2 | English 3 | English 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Global studies | English 2 Honors* | English 3 Honors* | English 4 Honors* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| American Studies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| English 3 AP Language* | English 4 AP Literature* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electives | Electives | Electives | Electives | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Journalism I (s) | Journalism I (s), II | Journalism II, III | Journalism III, IV | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21st Century Media & Communications (s) | 21st Century Media & Communications (s) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Poetry (s) | Poetry (s) | Poetry (s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Film Studies (s) | Film Studies (s) | Film Studies (s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Creative Writing I, II (s) | Creative Writing I, II (s) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Humanities (s) | Humanities (s) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes: (s) = semester course. * = Admission requires application. Date: January 2010
Summit high school offers a variety of programs in history, including World History. Instructors such as Andrea LaQuerre emphasize the importance of understanding how people in past times thought about their situation, and she encourages students to see the multiplicity of factors underlying historical events as well as how individuals changed history.
Different courses of language instruction are offered, including Mandarin Chinese, which is "getting more and more popular", according to one account.[30]
The Summit High School math department offers a variety of instructional paths allowing students who work hard to accelerate or decelerate their program as their needs change.
The department will offer a two-year algebra program as a way to "firmly develop the concepts" of the course; the aim is "establishing a stronger foundation of Algebra 1 concepts (to) increase the potential of the student to reach Honors level courses," according to a letter to parents. School board officials suggested that a two-year algebra sequence will lead to "increased participation and greater success," and will be phased in from 2010 through 2012.[31] It is expected that greater numbers of students will complete the sequence in pre-calculus.[32] Instructor David Pease, during back–to–school night, asks parents to solve mathematics questions[33] (click on reference) to impart to parents a sense of what their sophomores experience as students. The school lends graphing calculators to students for their use throughout some courses such as trigonometry, and expects the calculators to be returned in functional condition at the end of the school year. Each teacher has specific grading metrics based on such measures as attendance, quizzes and tests, homework, special assignments, classroom participation, projects, and so forth.
Students who progress quickly have an opportunity to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses such as AP Calculus AB or BC and, as a result, possibly qualify for college credit. The highest level course is multivariate calculus. In addition, electives are offered in personal finance, AP statistics, and computer programming. The proposed flowchart, if approved, will apply to the 2010–2011 school year, and will affect the choices of incoming ninth grade students.
| 8th grade | 9th grade | 10th grade | 11th grade | 12th grade | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pre-algebra | Foundations of algebra | Algebra I | Geometry 3 | Algebra 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geometry 2 | Algebra 2 Trig | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geometry Honors | Algebra 2 Trig Hon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geometry 3 | Algebra 2 | Trig/ Algebra 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Algebra 1 | Geometry 2 | Algebra 2 Trig | Precalculus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geometry Honors | Algebra 2 Trig Hon | Precalculus Honors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intro to Analysis H | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geometry 3 | Algebra 2 | Trig/ Algebra 3 | Precalculus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Algebra 1 | Geometry 2 | Algebra 2 Trig | Precalculus | Calculus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Algebra 1 Enriched | Geometry Honors | Algebra 2 Trig Hon | Precalculus Honors | AP Calc AB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intro to Analysis H | AP Calc BC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Calculus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Precalculus Honors | AP Calc AB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Algebra 2 Trig | Precalculus | Intro to Analysis H | AP Calc BC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geometry | Algebra 2 Trig Hon | Precalculus Honors | AP Calc AB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intro to Analysis H | AP Calc BC | MultiVar Calc | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electives | Math for pers Finance | Statistics & Discrete Math | AP Statistics | Intro to Comp Prog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date: January 2010