Paulsboro High School

Paulsboro High School
Location
670 North Delaware Street
Paulsboro, NJ 08066
Information
Type Public high school
Principal Paul Morina
Vice principal James Pandolfo
Faculty 57.6 (on FTE basis)[1]
Enrollment 529[1] (as of 2012-13)
Student to teacher ratio 9.18:1[1]
Color(s)      Red
     White
Athletics conference Colonial Conference
Team name Red Raiders
Rival Woodbury High School;
West Deptford High School
Website School website

Paulsboro High School is a comprehensive community six-year public high school that serves students in seventh through twelfth grade from Paulsboro, in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States, operating as the lone secondary school of the Paulsboro Public Schools.

As of the 2012-13 school year, the school had an enrollment of 529 students and 57.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.18:1. There were 310 students (58.6% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 43 (8.1% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]

Students in grades 9-12 from Greenwich Township attend Paulsboro High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Greenwich Township School District.[2][3]

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 309th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology.[4] The school had been ranked 278th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 265th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[5] The magazine ranked the school 277th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[6] The school was ranked 264th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[7]

Athletics

Paulsboro High School is a member school in the Colonial Conference, which is composed of small schools whose enrollments generally do not exceed between 750-800 students for grades 9-12, and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[8] With 263 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2014-15 school year as South Jersey, Group I for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 182 to 473 students in that grade range.[9]

Wrestling dynasty

1,000 wins

On February 2, 2011, Paulsboro became just the third high school in history to accumulate 1,000 wins.[10] It joined Granite City High School (Granite City, Illinois) and Vacaville High School (Vacaville, California) in the 1,000-win club.[11] Head coach Paul Morina, who is still the coach as of the 2010–11 season, has coached over 500 of those wins.[10]

37-year conference unbeaten streak

Paulsboro High School's wrestling team had a streak of 307 consecutive victories against Colonial Conference opponents. The streak started in 1971 when Haddon Township High School had handed them their last conference loss. It would be nearly four decades until Collingswood High School was responsible for halting the streak on January 16, 2008, with a 28–22 decision over the Red Raiders.[12] Paulsboro had won 25 consecutive state championships in Group I until 2008 when they lost early in the state tournament. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, that streak was the longest in the entire nation at the time, and only three other teams have won more state championships overall than Paulsboro.[13]

'The Streak'

Paulsboro High School owns the New Jersey state record for consecutive football victories with 63 running from 1992 and until September 26, 1998, when they finally lost to longtime rival Woodbury High School by a score of 14-13. The 63 consecutive wins is still the state record, surpassing the next closest streak in South Jersey by 20 games, and besting the previous state record holder by nine.[14][15][16]

Controversy

Principal Lucia Pollino was suspended after an incident in which three students were allegedly strip searched while on a senior trip to Walt Disney World in April 2007. A lawsuit has been filed by an attorney representing one of the students asking for $250,000 in damages related to the incident.[17] Pollino sued the board claiming she was a victim of gender discrimination. She denied authorizing a strip search and said two male teachers who carried out the search were not disciplined. School Superintendent Frank Scambia said Pollino would be reassigned to become director of assessments, receiving the same salary she did as principal.

Popular culture

A special premiere of the 2004 Kevin Smith film Jersey Girl was held at the school, which had been the location of several scenes in the film. A street leading out of the school was named Kevin Smith Way.[18]

Administration

Core members of the school's administration are:[19]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 School Data for Paulsboro High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 29, 2015.
  2. ↑ Paulsboro Public Schools 2014 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 29, 2015. "The district schools serve just under 1,200 students including high school students from Greenwich Township."
  3. ↑ Paciolla, Christina. "Slash in school aid to Greenwich Township prompts tax hike", Gloucester County Times, March 25, 2010. Accessed January 25, 2011. "The cost of sending over 100 township students to Paulsboro High School also increased to $2,500 per pupil."
  4. ↑ Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  5. ↑ Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed September 3, 2012.
  6. ↑ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed February 6, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  8. ↑ League Memberships – 2014-2015, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 12, 2014.
  9. ↑ 2014-2015 Public Schools Group Classification: ShopRite Cup–Basketball–Baseball–Softball for South Jersey, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, as of July 8, 2014. Accessed October 12, 2014.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Benevento, Don (February 3, 2011). "Paulsboro becomes 3rd school in nation to post 1,000 wrestling wins". Courier-Post. Advance Publications. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
  11. ↑ Evans, Bill (February 3, 2011). "Isn't it Grand?". Gloucester County Times. Advance Publications. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
  12. ↑ Paulsboro streak ends - Courier Post Online. Accessed January 17, 2008.
  13. ↑ Yahoo! News - "300 Wins in a Row for High School Wrestling Team. Accessed October 17, 2007.
  14. ↑ A compendium of epic battles over the years - Philly.com. "1998: The Woodbury football team snapped Paulsboro's state-record 63-game winning streak with a surprising 14-13 win on Sept. 26. The game wasn't decided until Paulsboro missed a 32-yard field-goal attempt - it was wide by inches - with four seconds left." Accessed February 17, 2008.
  15. ↑ South Jersey's Longest Unbeaten Streaks - courierpostonline.com. Accessed February 17, 2008.
  16. ↑ Strunsky, Steve (October 26, 1997). "IN BRIEF; Paulsboro High's Football Team Sets Winning-Streak Record". The New York Times. Retrieved May 7, 2012. But in his second career, as coach of his alma mater, Mr. Howard, 37, entered the New Jersey high school football record books last Saturday by leading the Red Raiders to their 55th straight win, over Haddon Heights, breaking Randolph High School's mark of 54 set in 1991.
  17. ↑ Davies, Kristy. "Paulsboro student plans lawsuit over strip search", Courier-Post, June 6, 2007. Accessed July 8, 2007. "The attorney representing a Paulsboro High School student who was allegedly strip-searched on a class trip to Florida sent notice to the high school, public school district and Board of Education on Tuesday he intends to file suit for $250,000 in damages."
  18. ↑ Gurney, Kaitlin. "Paulsboro names a street for director of 'Jersey Girl'", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 23, 2002. Accessed May 7, 2012. "With all the pomp that Paulsboro could provide to pay homage to Hollywood, a tiny street was christened Kevin Smith Way yesterday.... As the golden curtain sheathing the new street sign in front of Paulsboro High School was removed by the Jersey Girl director, actress Liv Tyler piped up in protest: 'It used to be called Tyler Way.'"
  19. ↑ School Staff, Paulsboro High School. Accessed October 12, 2014.
  20. ↑ Carchidi, Sam. "Hodges leads Raiders over injury-riddled Herd", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 28, 2007. Accessed November 26, 2007. "On the second score, Hodges received a key downfield block from receiver Willie Little Flipper Anderson, whose father, Flipper Anderson, was a Paulsboro standout who later played in the NFL."
  21. ↑ Russell Carter player profile - ND. Accessed October 18, 2007.
  22. ↑ Szafran, Wes. "Paulsboro High School product Gerald Hodges plans to stick with Penn State", The News of Cumberland County, July 26, 2012. Accessed September 3, 2012. "While it is expected that some of the players will take advantage of their opportunity to transfer schools without sitting out a season, Paulsboro High School graduate and senior linebacker Gerald Hodges doesn’t plan on being one of those who jumps ship, according to his high school coach, Glenn Howard."
  23. ↑ Pittsburgh Steelers Sign Isaac Redman as Free Agent. Bowie State Athletics. Accessed August 13, 2009.
  24. ↑ Kevin Ross, database Football. Accessed November 26, 2007.
  25. ↑ Chappelear, Scott (February 5, 2012). "Dream comes true for Silvestro". Gloucester County Times. Gannett News Service. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  26. ↑ Brigadier General (Retired) Edwin H. Simmons, United States Marine Corps. Accessed May 13, 2007. "Edwin Howard Simmons was born August 25, 1921, in Paulsboro, N.J., and graduated from high school there in 1938."

External links

Coordinates: 39°50′13″N 75°14′38″W / 39.837032°N 75.243921°W