For other schools named Brunswick High School see Brunswick High School (disambiguation).

South Brunswick High School
"The South Brunswick High School community values excellence, diversity, and a safe learning environment. The school empowers students to develop skills and explore their talents and interests in order to become responsible, informed citizens and leaders."
Location
750 Ridge Road Monmouth Junction, NJ, 08852 USA
Information
Type	Public high school
School district	South Brunswick Public Schools
Principal	Timothy Matheney
Asst. Principal	Peter Varela (Leadership) Jaymee Boehmer Susana Nikitczuk (10th) Patricia Abitabilo (12th)
Faculty	247.0 (on FTE basis)[1]
Grades	9-12
Number of students	2,660 (as of 2008-09)[1]
Student:teacher ratio	140:13[1]
Color(s)	Black and Gold
Nickname	Vikings
Information	732-329-4044
Website	School website

South Brunswick High School is a comprehensive community public high school in the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the South Brunswick Public Schools. As of the 2006-07 school year, there were 2,643 students enrolled and 189 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis) for a student–teacher ratio of 14.0.^[1]

[edit] Awards and recognition

For the 1990-91 school year, South Brunswick High School received the Blue Ribbon Award from the United States Department of Education, the highest honor that an American school can achieve.^[2]

For the 2000-01 school year, South Brunswick High School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.^[3]

The school was the 74th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2008 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools. The school was ranked 75th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.^[4]

[edit] Student achievements

Scores on the SAT indicate that South Brunswick High School students continue to out-perform both the State and national averages. The combined math and verbal mean score for the 2003-2004 school year was 1069.

AP exams administered during the 2003-2004 school year showed growth and improvement. The number of exams taken increased from 487 in 2002-2003 to 540 in 2003-2004. Nearly 82% of the students who took AP exams scored "three" or better. In addition, the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) administered to students in Grade 11 in March 2004 yielded a passing grade for 96.6% of students in Language Arts and 85.9% in Mathematics.

During the 2005-06 school year, South Brunswick High School had 45 Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars, three National Merit Scholarship Program Semi-finalists, 29 National Merit Commended students, two National Achievement Scholars, two Governor's Scholars, and six students named as National Advanced Placement Scholars.

In the area of musical activities, the South Brunswick District Music Departments are among the leading music departments in the country. The school has received numerous awards including being named one among the top 100 school districts for music education in 2005 and 2006. The South Brunswick High School Viking Marching Band is the largest band in New Jersey, as well as one of the largest in the nation and receives some of the highest scores in the state with a "Group VI" designation by the United States Scholastic Band Association(USSBA) including a 98.7 in Allentown, PA performing "Leonardo Dreams" this year they are doing "Reaching For the Light" and a Group AAAA designation by Bands of America(BOA). The South Brunswick Marching Band toughest competitors are Immaculata High School (New Jersey) in Sommerville, NJ and Roxbury High School in Roxbury Township, NJ. In the March of 2008, the South Brunswick High School Wind Ensemble was invited to perform in Indianapolis, IN, for the Music for All National Concert Band Festival along with the top 16 high school wind bands in the country. They were previously invited in 2001.

In addition, the high school has won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Sportsmanship Award for the past four years.

The school's recent success belies its troubled past. Constructed on a shoestring budget in the 1960's, the school's enrollment quickly exceeded capacity. Just a few years after opening, the school day was shifted to split sessions to accommodate overcrowding, while the physical plant crumbled, and multiple bond issues were rejected by local voters. During the worst of the facility deterioration, barrels were placed in hallways during rainy days to collect water from a chronically leaking roof. To avoid embarassment, the school for a time chose to move graduation ceremonies to nearby Princeton, NJ, so visitors would not have to see the deteriorating structure the students actually attended. During the late 1960's and early 1970's, while the physical structure was dilapidated, the school also suffered under weak administrative leadership. Additionally, both student and teacher apathy were pronounced.

[edit] Curriculum

South Brunswick High School offers a challenging curriculum coupled with extensive opportunities in the fine and performing arts, athletics, and extracurricular activities.

All students attending SBHS are encouraged to take a minimum of 16 units during the duration of their academic career. Starting with the Class of 2008, all students must also take a Practical Art (Such as Business, Technology) and Visual/Performing Art (such as Art I, II or Band).

The school offers around twenty Advanced Placement Program (AP) courses. It is one of the few schools in the nation that combines both AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics into one course.

[edit] Athletics

The South Brunswick High School Vikings compete in the Greater Middlesex Conference, made up of public and private high schools located in the greater Middlesex County area. The league operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.

The South Brunswick Boys Soccer team has won back to back Red Division Championships in 2006 and 2007. SBHS Boys soccer program has also produced some of the most elite players in the state.

South Brunswick High School has also produced 3 of the county and state's best baseball players in Kyle Breese, Tyler Chromey, and Michael Mariano. Breese, a lefty pitcher, went on to play Division I ball at Monmouth University, where his team won a berth in the NCAA Regionals in 2007. Chromey, another pitcher, also went on to play Division I at Lafayette College, where his team also made it to the field of 64 in the NCAA Regional Tournament in 2007. Mariano, a catcher, continued his career at the Division I level at the University of Pennsylvania. These three led SBHS to a Red Division title in 2006.

[edit] Clubs

Clubs offered at South Brunswick High School include:^[5]

[edit] Administration

Members of the school administration are:^[6]

• Timothy Matheney - Principal
• Peter Varela - Assistant Principal for Academic Leadership
• Susana Nikitczuk - Assistant Principal for Student Services

For the 2009-2010 school year, the Assistant Principals are:

• Patricia Abitabilo - Assistant Principal for Class of 2012

[edit] Notable alumni and faculty

• Donald Fagen (born 1948), Singer songwriter and member of Steely Dan.^[7]
• Tony Macrini, radio host of a morning gay rights talk show from Norfolk, VA at WNIS.^[8]
• Anna Quindlen (born 1952), best selling novelist & Pulitzer Prize winning columnist, Class of 1970.^[9]
• Myrna Smith, singer & writer, Sweet Inspirations & back up vocalist for Elvis Presley, faculty [c. 1965].^{[citation needed]}
• Sherman T. Potter, from the television show MASH, Class of 2007.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

Steven Portnoy - Radio Broadcaster and Newsman for 770 AM WABC Class of 1999

[edit] External links

• South Brunswick High School Website
• South Brunswick High School's 2007-08 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
• Data for the South Brunswick Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics

Coordinates: 40°22′21″N 74°33′48″W / 40.372564°N 74.563463°W / 40.372564; -74.563463