Absegami High School

Absegami High School
Address
201 South Wrangleboro Road Galloway Township , Atlantic County , New Jersey 08205 United States
Coordinates	39°28′26″N74°30′49″W / 39.474014°N 74.513473°W / 39.474014; -74.513473
Information
Type	Public high school
Established	1972
School district	Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District
NCES School ID	340606000122 [1]
Principal	Daniel Kern
Faculty	100.8 FTEs [1]
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	1,125 (as of 2022–23) [1]
Student to teacher ratio	11.2:1 [1]
Color(s)	Brown and   Vegas Gold [2]
Athletics conference	Cape-Atlantic League
Team name	Braves [2]
GEHRHSD	Absegami High School Cedar Creek High School Oakcrest High School
Community served	Galloway Township
Website	www.gehrhsd.net/o/ahs

Absegami High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades in Galloway Township, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey The student body comes from Galloway Township. ^[3] The school is one of three secondary schools operating as part of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District, which also serves students from the constituent municipalities of Egg Harbor City, Hamilton Township and Mullica Township, together with students from Port Republic and Washington Township (in Burlington County) who attend as part of sending/receiving relationships. ^[4]

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,125 students and 100.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.2:1. There were 453 students (40.3% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 127 (11.3% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch. ^[1]

Oakcrest High School and Cedar Creek High School are Absegami's sister schools. Absegami and Oakcrest shared the same buildings during the period from the creation of Absegami High School in 1972 to the construction of a separate campus for Absegami in 1982. In a referendum held on September 25, 2007, voters approved by a 3,176 – 1,719 margin a plan to construct a third high school in the district, to be located in Egg Harbor City, which would help alleviate overcrowding in the two existing schools and serve students from Egg Harbor City and Mullica Township. Construction started in Fall 2008 and was completed in Summer 2010 at a total project cost of $80 million (of which $59.9 million was related to construction costs), with the new facility opening that September. ^[5]

The school has a variety of programs designed for a diverse student body, including 'special needs', a "High School-to-Work" program, college preparatory, Advanced Placement (AP), and performing arts. The school offers 13 courses through which students earn college credits by taking AP examinations, and 89% of students planned to go on to college. ^[3]

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 164th-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. ^[6] The school had been ranked 260th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 238th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. ^[7] The magazine ranked the school 230th in 2008 out of 316 schools. ^[8] The school was ranked 231st in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state. ^[9]

Programs

The school's mission statement objective is to "provide each student the educational opportunity and support that will enable him or her to develop the skills necessary to function politically, economically, and socially as a responsible and contributing citizen in a democratic society." ^[10] To accomplish this goal, Absegami provides a diverse range of classes designed to help students reach their full potential during their future careers in mathematics, art, wood technology, humanities, and science.

Athletics

Girls Soccer Award plaque, a sample of the various awards Absegami has collected.

The Absegami High School Braves ^[2] compete in the Atlantic Division of the Cape-Atlantic League, an athletic conference comprised of public and private high schools in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Gloucester counties that operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). ^[11] With 893 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2022–24 school year as Group III South for most athletic competition purposes. ^[12] The football team competes in the United Division of the 94-team West Jersey Football League superconference ^{[13] [14]} and was classified by the NJSIAA as Group IV South for football for 2022–2024, which included schools with 893 to 1,296 students. ^[15]

School colors are brown and Vegas gold. ^[16] Sports offered at the school include tennis (women), lacrosse (men), lacrosse (women), baseball, track and field winter (men), tennis (men), track and field winter (women), swimming (women), golf (men), swimming (men), field hockey, soccer (women), football, soccer (men), cross country (women), softball, volleyball (women), basketball (men), wrestling (men), track and field spring (women), basketball (women), track and field spring (men), cross country (men), crew (women), crew (men). ^[2]

The wrestling team won the South Jersey Group III sectional title in 1997 and the South Jersey Group IV championship in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. The team was Group IV state champion in 2001 to 2004. ^[17]

The girls basketball team won the Group IV state title in 2005 (defeating Montclair High School in the tournament finals) and 2006 (vs. Bayonne High School). ^[18] Behind by as many as 13 points late in the first half of the finals, the 2005 team came back to defeat Montclair 62-57 and win the Group IV championship. ^[19] The team won the Group IV title in 2006 with a 58-48 win against Bayonne at the Ritacco Center. ^[20]

The football team beat Cherokee High School 27–26 to win the 2006 South Jersey Group IV championship. ^{[21] [22]}

The boys spring track team won the state championship in Group IV in 2008. ^[23]

The boys indoor track team won the Group IV state championship in 2010. ^[24]

Marching band

The band was Tournament Of Bands Chapter 1 Champions 1991 (Group 2), 1998-2005, 2021 (Group 3). ^[25] NJ State Champions 1991, 98, 99, 2000, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 13. Atlantic Coast Group III Champions 1998, 2002. USSBA Central Jersey Regional Champions 2006, 2007, 2010. USSBA New Jersey State Champions 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011,2013 and 2014. Absegami was recognized as the USSBA Group IV National Champions for 2006, for its program titled "Through the Eyes of Children". Absegami Marching Braves won the title of group lV AA national champions 2013 with their show, "New World Symphony" as well as Group IVA New Jersey State Champions and had the first undefeated season in history. ^[26]

Administration

The school's principal is Daniel Kern. His administration team includes two assistant principals and the athletic director. ^[27]

2005 incident

Absegami employs a school resource officer, who is a member of the area's police force permanently assigned to a particular school. In March–April 2005, it was revealed that Absegami's then resource officer, Eric Allen, had sex with a 17-year-old female student in his patrol car three times over the course of a month. ^{[28] [29]} Allen was dismissed from his position and found guilty of official misconduct.

Notable alumni

See also: Category:Absegami High School alumni

• Abdullah Anderson (born 1996), American football defensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. ^[30]
• Tabitha D'umo (born 1973), hip hop choreographer. ^[31]
• Anne Grunow (born c. 1959, class of 1977), senior research scientist at Ohio State University in the Byrd Polar Research Center. ^[32]
• Meaghan Jarensky (born 1978), Miss New York USA 2005. ^[33]
• Rodney Jerkins (born 1977), producer, hip hop mogul. ^[34]
• Mushond Lee (born 1967), actor who appeared on The Cosby Show and in the film Lean on Me . ^[35]
• Ford Palmer (born 1990, class of 2009), professional middle-distance runner who specializes in the 1500 meters and the mile. ^[36]
• Vincent J. Polistina (born 1971), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 2nd Legislative District from 2008 to 2012. ^[37]
• Erica Skroski (born 1994), soccer player who plays as a defender for Sky Blue FC in the NWSL. ^[38]

Notable faculty

• Doug Colman (born 1973), former NFL linebacker who coached Absegami to a 40–15 record, including the program's only South Jersey Group IV championship, won in 2006. ^[39]

References

1. School data for Absegami High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
2. Absegami High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
3. Absegami High School 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed September 26, 2017. "A most positive and strong relationship exists with the Galloway Township School District which sends students to Absegami High School thus providing a seamless transition into ninth grade."
4. Greater Egg Harbor Regional School District 2016 Report Card Narrative Archived September 27, 2017, at the Wayback Machine , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed September 26, 2017. "The Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District serves the communities of Galloway Township, Hamilton Township, Egg Harbor City, Mullica Township and participates in receiving relationships with Port Republic and Washington Township. The geographic area of the district is the largest in the state, covering 324 square miles. The student body of each of the district's three comprehensive high schools, Absegami High School, Cedar Creek High School, and Oakcrest High School, reflects the socioeconomic and ethnic diversity of this geographic area."
5. Cedar Creek High School, Learning by Design Outstanding Project 2011. Accessed July 10, 2011.
6. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly , September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
7. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2012. Accessed September 12, 2012.
8. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2010. Accessed January 31, 2011.
9. "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly , September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
10. "Absegami Website". Absegami High School. Archived from the original on January 6, 2007. Retrieved January 6, 2007.
11. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
12. NJSIAA General Classifications - Public Schools 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
13. Absegami Braves, West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023.
14. Home Page, West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023. "The WJFL is a 94-school super conference that stretches from Princeton to Wildwood encompassing schools from the Colonial Valley Conference, the Burlington County Scholastic League, the Olympic Conference, the Tri-County Conference, the Colonial Conference, and the Cape Atlantic League. The WJFL is made up of sixteen divisions with divisional alignments based on school size, geography and a strength-of-program component."
15. Football Public School Classifications 2022–2024,  New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
16. About, Absegami High School. Accessed December 20, 2022. "School colors are brown and vegas gold. Our mascot is the Braves"
17. NJSIAA Wrestling Team Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
18. NJSIAA Girls Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
19. Skaf, Lian. "Absegami girls rally to win Group 4 championship", Courier-Post , March 14, 2005. Accessed March 2, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The Absegami High School girls' basketball team is not used to playing from behind.... But in Sunday's Group 4 state final against North Jersey champ Montclair at the Ritacco Center at Toms River North High School, they were in a unique situation. After suffering through an 18-0 Montclair run, Absegami trailed 20-9 with under five minutes to play in the first half and were down 31-18 with 1:28 left in the half. Slowly chipping away, Absegami, No. 4 in the Courier-Post Top 20, came through under pressure, capturing the Group 4 state title 62-57. It was the first Group 4 state title for the Braves, who advance to this week's Tournament of Champions."
20. Schnatz, Pete. "Absegami 58, Bayonne 48 Braves repeat title, set sights on T of C", The Philadelphia Inquirer , March 13, 2006. Accessed November 30, 2020. "The Absegami girls' basketball team might have some unfinished business to take care of, but the Braves had plenty to celebrate yesterday at the Ritacco Center. Coach Greg Goodwin's team won its second consecutive NJSIAA Group 4 state championship by grinding out a 58-48 victory over Bayonne."
21. 2006 Football Tournament - South, Group IV, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 5, 2006.
22. NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
23. NJSIAA Spring Track Summary of Group Titles Boys, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
24. Boys Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1922-2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024.
25. Tournament of Bands - Chapter One History, Tournament of Bands. Accessed July 5, 2007.
26. USSBA National Championship Titles Archived May 3, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , United States Scholastic Band Association (USSBA) press release dated November 14, 2006. Accessed January 31, 2011.
27. Administration, Absegami High School. Accessed February 5, 2024.
28. 6abc.com: Cop Admits Affair with School Girl Archived June 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine , WPVI-TV, May 20, 2005.
29. Cop Working In High School Arrested On Sex Charges Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , WCAU, April 7, 2005.
30. Gill, Mike. "Absegami Grad Abdullah Anderson Heading to Windy City", WPEN (FM), April 28, 2018. Accessed September 28, 2019. "He was the 2017 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, and in 43 career games, the 2014 Absegami alum accumulated 171 tackles, 33.5 tackles for a loss, 15.5 sacks and four blocked kicks."
31. Cronick, Scott. "Everyone has a story: Galloway woman choreographs 'Rockin' Eve'", The Press of Atlantic City , December 30, 2009. Accessed January 31, 2011. "The Absegami High School graduate and Los Angeles resident can be seen on Fox's 'So You Think You Can Dance,' where she and her husband earned an Emmy nomination this year for outstanding choreography on the show and choreographed a number for the Emmys that was performed live."
32. Brunetti, Michelle. "Galloway Township native has Antarctic peak named for her", The Press of Atlantic City , December 23, 2017. Accessed November 24, 2018. "Anne Grunow, who recently had an Antarctic peak named after her, wasn’t terribly interested in science while a student at Absegami High School in the 1970s. 'I was dead set against doing anything with math or science. I loved history,' said the senior research scientist at Ohio State University and member of Absegami’s Class of 1977.... She always loved being outdoors, having grown up on a potato farm in the Pomona section of Galloway Township."
33. "Meaghan Jarensky". Facebook . Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021. Went to Absegami High School [...] From Galloway, New Jersey
34. Jackson, Vincent. "(Rodney) Jerkin's Journey / How Hometown Musician Got To The Grammy Awards", The Press of Atlantic City , February 21, 1999. Accessed September 28, 2019. "Six years ago, record producer Rodney Jerkins, 15, was an Absegami High School sophomore trying to sell cassettes of his Christian rap album. Now, Jerkins is the producer of the No. 1 pop song in the country, has his own record label and has been asked to work with Michael Jackson."
35. Toner, Noreen. "Smithville's Own Lee Brothers Find Hollywood Success", The Press of Atlantic City , October 7, 1992. Accessed January 31, 2011. "When you reach for your TV book this evening, check the 8 p.m. listing for today's episode of 'Beverly Hills, 90210.' You may recognize the name of someone you know. Namely, that of Mushond Lee, a 1989 Absegami High School graduate who grew up in Smithville."
36. McGarry, Michael. "Former Absegami High School runner Ford Palmer chases 4-minute mark in mile", The Press of Atlantic City , July 19, 2014. Accessed September 27, 2017. "The 2009 Absegami High School graduate now runs for the New Jersey-New York Track Club."
37. Vince Polistina - Republican, The Press of Atlantic City . Accessed July 19, 2019. "Assemblyman Vince Polistina, 40, grew up in Atlantic County, graduating from Absegami High School and later, Rutgers University – where he studied bioenvironmental engineering."
38. Capoferri, Carmen. "N.J. pro soccer team drafts 'Jersey Girl' Erica Skroski", The Press of Atlantic City , January 16, 2016. Accessed April 27, 2016. "The New Jersey-based team Sky Blue FC chose Skroski, a Galloway Township native and standout defender for the Scarlet Knights, with the 23rd overall pick during the National Women's Soccer League draft in Baltimore on Friday.... Sky Blue FC plays its home games at Rutgers' Yurcak Field, where the 2012 Absegami High School graduate already experienced a great deal of success."
39. Narducci, Marc. "Colman rides fast track to NFL", The Philadelphia Inquirer , February 2, 2014. Accessed September 27, 2017. "Doug Colman has kept moving in the coaching profession, and the pace is quicker at each level.... After going a combined 14-7 his first two years, Colman had the Braves in the South Jersey Group 4 final in 2005, when they lost, 32-25, in overtime to Cherokee, before beating Cherokee, 27-26, in the final the next year."

External links

• Absegami High School website
• Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District
• School Performance Report for Absegami High School , New Jersey Department of Education
• School Data for the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District, National Center for Education Statistics
• Absegami Alumni Web Site
• South Jersey Sports: Absegami HS