Montclair Kimberley Academy

Montclair Kimberley Academy
Address
201 Valley Road
Montclair, NJ, 07042
Information
Type Private Coeducational
Motto Knowledge, Vision, Integrity
Established 1974
Headmaster Thomas W. Nammack
Faculty 175 (on FTE basis)[1]
Grades Pre-K-12
Enrollment 1014
Student to teacher ratio 6:1[1]
Color(s) Green     , Blue     , White     
Athletics conference Super Essex Conference
Nickname Cougars
Accreditation New Jersey Association of Independent Schools
Newspaper The Academy News
Endowment $2.3 million
Signature programs Character Education, The MKA Core, Writing Challenge, May Term, Global Experience Program, 1:1 technology
Awards 2013-15 Apple Distinguished School, National School of Character Award, 2003
Website
MKA's elementary school
Brookside campus

Montclair Kimberley Academy, known as "MKA", is one of New Jersey's largest independent day schools, the co-educational, Pre-K-12 Montclair Kimberley Academy recently celebrated its 125th anniversary. Established in 1974, the current school is the result of the merger of three separate schools: Montclair Academy, a boys' school founded in 1887; The Kimberley School, a girls' school founded in 1906; and Brookside, a coed school founded in 1925.[2][3] Benefiting from a renowned faculty professional development program, 79% of the 175 faculty members hold advanced degrees and 11 hold doctorates.

Curriculum

The school's liberal arts innovative curriculum combines excellence in teaching, creativity in curriculum and a highly personal, technology-enriched environment. A college-prep education includes Signature Programs in Writing, Ethics and Character Education and the MKA Core. It also enjoys a national reputation for the integration of technology in the curriculum, and students ilearn in a 1:1 laptop learning environment.

MKA offers a college prep curriculum featuring Signature Programs in Ethics, Writing, and the MKA Core – works of western and non-western literary, artistic, musical, historical or mathematical significance. Each graduating senior is required to complete May Term. Choices for May Term include internships and travel opportunities in Europe and Asia. French and Spanish are offered from Pre-K onwards; Latin and Chinese in 6th grade. The school has advanced technology, science labs supporting research-based learning, four gymnasiums, a swimming pool, auditoriums, a black box theatre and a $3 million arts wing at the Upper School. There is an interscholastic athletic program, and fields competitive teams in over 25 sports that have won over 100 championships in the past 10 years.[4] Students have access to fine and performing arts opportunities ranging from a tri-campus Strings Program, to mounting a full Shakespeare production in 7th grade, to making movies in the Upper School. Numerous community service opportunities exist at each campus, as well as extensive extracurricular offerings. 100% of students go on to college, with an 87% acceptance rate to one of their first three colleges of choice.

The school is a member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools.[5]

Awards and recognition

In 2013, MKA was recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for its use of technology in education.

In 2009, Montclair Kimberley Academy was voted Best NJ Private School by parents in Bloomberg Businessweek.[6] In 2010, the school was designated a Johns Hopkins School of Excellence.

In 2003, Montclair Kimberley Academy was recognized as a National School of Character by the Character Education Partnership, one of ten schools selected nationwide.[7]

Athletics

The Montclair Kimberley Academy Cougars compete in the Super Essex Conference, which includes public and private high schools in Essex County and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[8] Prior to the NJSIAA's 2010 realignment, he school had previously participated in the Colonial Hills Conference which included public and parochial high schools covering Essex County, Morris County and Somerset County in west Central Jersey.[9]

MKA's longtime rival is Newark Academy; there is also a rivalry with Montclair High School, Montclair's public high school. Some of the school's more successful Athletic Teams include Girls Tennis, Boys Tennis, Boys Soccer, Softball, Ice Hockey, Golf, Varsity and Junior Varsity Baseball, Boys Lacrosse, Girls Volleyball and Field Hockey.

Softball won eight Non Public B State Championships over the span of a decade, winning in 1999-2000, 2002, 2004–07, and 2009. They also won ten straight Colonial Hills Conference Championships 1999-2008. The team won the North B state title in 2007 and 2009. This streak tied the state's longest streak for consecutive state championships and overall state championships. This streak was broken during the 2008 season when the Cougar softball team fell in the 2008 Non-Public B State Championship game.

The MKA Girls' Soccer Team were 2010 NJ Prep B State Champions, Girls' Basketball were 2010 SEC Independence Division Co-Champions and Girls' Track and Field were SEC Colonial Division Champions.

Girls' Tennis won their 4th straight Parochial B State championship in 2006 and most recently won the 2007 Colonial Hills Conference championship.[10]

In 2009, the Girls' Field Hockey Team were NJSIAA Prep B State Champions with a 2-1 win over Stuart Country Day School.[11]

In the 2005-06 season the MKA Wrestling team won their first Prep B State championship in the history of the school.[12]

The MKA Ice Hockey team finished the 2006-07 season ranked in the top 20 in New Jersey but lost 2-1 to Paramus Catholic High School in the first round of the state playoffs. The season was highlighted with a win over Montclair High School in the Montclair Cup game. MKA would then win the Montclair Cup again in 2008. The two teams met again in 2009, Montclair High shutout MKA 4-0 to regain the Cup. The Cougars would finish the 2009 campaign at 5-19, leading to Head Coach Gary Kramer's resignation. In the spring of 2009, MKA named former MHS alumni and coach, Brack Healy, their new bench boss. In Healy's first game against his former team, MKA beat Montclair High 2-1. MKA's 9-2-3 start was rewarded with a Star Ledger Top 20 ranking. MKA qualified for the state playoffs and recorded their first postseason win since 1995 with a 3-2 win vs. Bishop Eustace. Citing professional advancement, Healy resigned from MKA after only one season behind the bench and took over as the head man at Fair Lawn High School. In 2010-11 season the Cougars picked up John LaGorce as head coach. On January 3 they beat cross-town rival, MHS in the annual Montclair Cup 3-0, only the second shutout in Montclair Cup history. The team capped off the season with a 4-2 victory over West Essex High School in the McInnis Cup championship. The Cougars were later declared the Essex County team of the year.

The Boys' Soccer team were Prep B State Champions and NJSIAA sectional finalists, and won North Parochial B and overall Non-Public B championship in 2006, the school's first ever wins in the tournament.[13][14] The 2007 and 2009 teams also won the Prep B State Championship. The 2011 team finished the season with an 21–2–2 record, winning the Prep B state championship and earning the NJSIAA Non-Public B state championship with a 1–0 overtime win against Gill St. Bernard's School.[15]

Baseball has also done well in years past winning four Prep B State Title since 1991, most recently in 2009, and six Colonial Hills Conference Championships, the most recent was in 2009 when the Cougars were named the Colonial Hills Conference Co-Champions. The MKA baseball has also won three Non Public B North crowns, in 1997, 2002 and 2009. In 2002 the Cougars were led by Frank Herrmann who currently pitches for the Cleveland Indians (MLB). The Cougars' head baseball coach since 1991, Ralph Pacifico, won his 300th game in 2007. In 2009 MKA Baseball captured both the conference title and the Prep B championship. Pacifico was named Coach of the Year in the Colonial Hills Conference. On June 2, 2009, MKA defeated St. Mary's (Rutherford) by a score of 7-3 to win the North Non-Public B crown and clinch a spot in the overall state title game.[16]

The Cougars' Boys Lacrosse team won the 2007 Prep B state title, ending Morristown-Beard School's five-year win streak.

The Girls' Volleyball team has also been very successful, most recently winning the 2006 and 2007 Colonial Hills Conference Championship. The Cougar volleyball coach Mike Tully was also recently named the 2008 New Jersey State Coach of the year.

The Boys Tennis team were 2009 NJISAA Prep B State Co-Champions. The team also made it to the finals of the 2007 North Non-Public B state championship where they lost to Newark Academy 3-2. The 2008 team would repeat their 2007 success by making it back to the finals of the North Non-Public B State Championship in which they lost 3-2. The 2008 team also won the Colonial Hills Conference and Essex County Championships. The county tournament win was the first in the school's history.[17]

The MKA Golf team finished the 2010 season as Parochial Non Public B State Champions and NJISAA Prep B State Champions. In 2007, the team had a 19-1 record, winning the 2007 Colonial Hills Conference Championship, came in 2nd in the 2007 Essex County Tournament and won the 2007 Prep B State Championship.

In 2008, Coach Tony Jones led the Boy's Basketball team to the school's first Prep B championship for the sport, defeating Collegiate School 82-59.[18] Kyrie Irving, who was a Sophomore at the time, became the school's second 1,000 point scorer two days earlier in the semi-final game against top seeded and defending champion Solomon Schechter. In 2010, they were named SEC Independence Division Champions.

Notable faculty

Notable alumni

Alumni Association Awards

Every year, the Alumni Association awards a notable MA, TKS or MKA alum the Distinguished Alumni Award.[30]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Montclair Kimberley Academy, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed June 14, 2011.
  2. ↑ History, Montclair Kimberley Academy. Accessed June 14, 2011.
  3. ↑ Day, Richard W. Merger: The First Two Years, Education Resources Information Center. Accessed June 14, 2011.
  4. ↑ Athletics, Montclair Kimberley Academy. Accessed August 12, 2012.
  5. ↑ School Search, New Jersey Association of Independent Schools. Accessed July 29, 2008.
  6. ↑ Gopal, Prashant."America's Best High Schools: New Jersey, Bloomberg Businessweek, January 15, 2009. Accessed June 14, 2011.
  7. ↑ 2003 National Schools of Character Winners, Character Education Partnership. Accessed September 25, 2006.
  8. ↑ League Memberships – 2014-2015, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 15, 2014.
  9. ↑ Home Page, Colonial Hills Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive, as of November 19, 2010. Accessed December 15, 2014.
  10. ↑ 2006 Girls Team Tennis - North B, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, accessed March 23, 2007
  11. ↑ Staff. "Montclair Kimberley 2, Stuart Day 1 (High school Field Hockey scores and results) - Field Hockey", The Star-Ledger, November 7, 2010. Accessed June 14, 2011. "Angela Gallagher scored in the first half for Stuart Country Day, but Montclair Kimberley Academy responded with two goals in the second half and went on to a 2-1 victory yesterday in the championship of the NJISAA Prep B tournament at Watchung Field in Montclair."
  12. ↑ 2005-2006 Athletics, Montclair Kimberley Academy. Accessed August 12, 2012.
  13. ↑ Lulgjuraj, Susan. "BOYS HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER / 'HEARTBREAKING TO LOSE LIKE THAT' / WILDWOOD CATHOLIC FALLS IN STATE NON-PUBLIC B FINAL TO MONTCLAIR KIMBERLEY", The Press of Atlantic City, November 15, 2006. Accessed November 15, 2011.
  14. ↑ HISTORY OF NJSIAA BOYS SOCCER, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 15, 2011.
  15. ↑ Karn, Jeff. "Gill St. Bernard's (0) at Montclair Kimberley (1), NJSIAA Tournament, Final Round, North Jersey, Non-Public B - Boys Soccer", The Star-Ledger, November 14, 2011. Accessed November 15, 2011. "Dixon barely got a foot on a shot by Miles Hackett and redirected it into the net with 1:32 remaining in the first overtime to send Montclair Kimberley Academy, No. 15 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, to a thrilling 1-0 victory over Gill St. Bernard’s in the NJSIAA/Sports Authority Non-Public B final yesterday at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. Montclair Kimberley (21-2-2) won its first state title since 2006."
  16. ↑ 2009 Baseball Tournament - North, Group B, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 14, 2011.
  17. ↑ 2007 Boys Tennis - Non-Public, North B, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 8, 2007.
  18. ↑ Staff. "Montclair Kimberley 82, Collegiate 59 — Prep B Tournament", The Star-Ledger, February 19, 2008. Accessed June 14, 2011. "Kyrie Irving scored 11 of his 32 points over the final 3:22 of the third quarter when Montclair Kimberley broke a tie and pulled away to earn its first state Prep B title with an 82-59 victory over Collegiate in the championship game yesterday in Passaic."
  19. ↑ Tober, Steve. "Cougars benefit from depth in distance events", The Montclair Times, April 14, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2011. "The fact that Montclair Kimberley Academy's boys and girls track and field teams are particularly strong in the distance running events (800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters) should not be a surprise, since veteran head coach Tom Fleming – a pretty good distance runner himself in his day – has always produced an arsenal of hard-working mileage grinders willing to put in the necessary work in all three seasons (cross country, indoor and outdoor track) in order to keep improving. The Cougars' current squad certainly boasts numbers (32 boys and 17 girls on the respective rosters), meaning the interest in the sport is at a high point under the enthusiastic 12th-year head coach, who twice won the New York City Marathon during the early 1970s."
  20. ↑ Charpentier, Lauren, "Kerry Bishe, MKA Alumna and TV Star", The Cougar Call, Montclair Kimberley Academy, Friday, February 19, 2010
  21. ↑ "Founder's Cup", The Montclair Kimberley Academy website
  22. ↑ Bob Cottingham, Ivy@50. Accessed May 23, 2008. "Cottingham began fencing at Monclair Kimberley Academy under Columbia grad Carmen Marnell and was named all-state."
  23. ↑ James Andrew Courter, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed September 6, 2007.
  24. ↑ "WAYNE DUMONT, LAWYER, DIES AT 58; Succumbs to Heart Disease at Home in Little Falls, N. J., After Long Illness. ON SEVERAL BANKS' BOARDS Was President of the High Point Park Commission and a Member of Many Clubs.", The New York Times, April 8, 1929. Accessed July 11, 2008.
  25. ↑ Edison Family Album: Theodore Miller Edison, national Park Service. Accessed November 21, 2007.
  26. ↑ King, Peter. "Ten Things I Think I Think", Sports Illustrated, June 6, 2010. Accessed January 26, 2011.
  27. ↑ Tober, Steve. "MKA’s Riddick has unique view as she watches surging Mounties", The Montclair Times, May 20, 2005. Accessed August 27, 2007. "Former MKA goalkeeper Tim Howard recently had his starting keeper’s job taken away for Manchester United as the British power decided to insert the more experienced international player Roy Carroll in his place, at least for the moment, as the team approached solidifying its FA Cup final lineup."
  28. ↑ Boyer, Mary Schmitt. "Kyrie Irving wants to remain normal, but Cleveland Cavaliers' potential No. 1 pick is anything but, say coaches, teammates", The Plain Dealer, May 31, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2011. "High school: Montclair (N.J.) Kimberley Academy (freshman and sophomore years), St. Patrick in Elizabeth, N.J. (junior and senior years) "
  29. ↑ Whiteside, Kelly. "Money Player: Defensive end Sean Jones is paying large dividends for the Packers—and his financial clients", Sports Illustrated, December 5, 1994. Accessed January 26, 2011. "In high school, business was Scan's primary interest. He played football, basketball and lacrosse for Montclair Kimberley Academy prep school, but those activities simply passed the time."
  30. ↑ Alumni Awards, Montclair Kimberley Academy. Accessed March 6, 2011.

External links

Coordinates: 40°49′17″N 74°13′36″W / 40.821477°N 74.226614°W