Delaware Valley Regional High School

Delaware Valley Regional High School
Address
19 Senator Stout Road Frenchtown , Hunterdon County , New Jersey , 08825 United States
District information
Grades	9th-12th
Superintendent	Scott McKinney [1]
Business administrator	Teresa E. O'Brien [1]
Schools	1
Students and staff
Enrollment	722 (as of 2022–23) [2]
Faculty	59.9 FTEs [2]
Student–teacher ratio	12.1:1 [2]
Other information
District Factor Group	GH
Website	www.dvrhs.org
Ind. Per pupil District spending Rank (*) 9-12 average  %± vs. average 1A Total Spending $19,791 17 $18,891 4.8% 1 Budgetary Cost 16,335 26 15,592 4.8% 2 Classroom Instruction 8,659 21 8,807 −1.7% 6 Support Services 3,001 40 2,294 30.8% 8 Administrative Cost 1,609 21 1,592 1.1% 10 Operations & Maintenance 1,708 12 1,954 −12.6% 13 Extracurricular Activities 1,357 45 873 55.4% 16 Median Teacher Salary 63,425 14 71,726 Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending. [3] *Of 9-12 districts with any number of students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=47

Delaware Valley Regional High School
Location
Coordinates	40°33′42″N75°00′34″W / 40.561579°N 75.009449°W / 40.561579; -75.009449
Information
Type	Public high school
Motto	"Cultivating Gold Standards"
Established	1959
NCES School ID	340375002978 [2]
Principal	Michael Kays [4]
Faculty	59.9 FTEs [2]
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	722 (as of 2022–23) [2]
Student to teacher ratio	12.1:1 [2]
Color(s)	Navy blue and   gold [5]
Athletics conference	Skyland Conference (general) Big Central Football Conference (football)
Team name	Terriers [5]

Delaware Valley Regional High School is a regional, four-year public high school and school district, that serves students in western Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. ^{[6] [7] [8]} The high school is located in Alexandria Township. Students hail from the townships of Alexandria, Holland and Kingwood along with the boroughs of Frenchtown and Milford. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 722 students and 59.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1. There were 28 students (3.9% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 15 (2.1% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch. ^[2]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "GH", the third-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J. ^[12]

History

Prior to the school's completion, students from Frenchtown had attended Frenchtown High School, which held its final graduation ceremonies in June 1959. ^[13]

Constructed at a cost of $1.6 million (equivalent to $16.7 million in 2023) on a 67-acre (27 ha) site, the school opened in September 1959 with 430 students. ^[14]

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 140th-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. ^[15] The school had been ranked 131st in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 88th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. ^[16] The magazine ranked the school 83rd in 2008 out of 316 schools. ^[17] The school was ranked 80th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state. ^[18] Schooldigger.com ranked the school 180th out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (a decrease of 81 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (79.4%) and language arts literacy (93.3%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA). ^[19]

Athletics

The Delaware Valley Regional High School Terriers ^[5] compete in the Skyland Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren counties, and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). ^[20] With 509 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group II for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 486 to 758 students in that grade range. ^[21] The football team competes in Division 2A of the Big Central Football Conference, which includes 60 public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, Union and Warren counties, which are broken down into 10 divisions by size and location. ^[22] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group II South for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 514 to 685 students. ^[23]

The Del Val wrestling team has had eight individual state champions and 33 individual state placewinners. ^[24] The team has been the Central Jersey Group II sectional champion 16 times, won two sectional titles in North II Group I, and has won the New Jersey Group II state championship in 1984, 1985, 1987–1990 and 2017, and the Group I title in 2022; The program's eight state titles through 2020 were tied for ninth-most in the state. ^{[25] [26]} The 2017 team finished the season with a 23–3 record after defeating Collingswood High School in the semis and moving on to beat Hanover Park High School in the finals 30–28 to win the program's eighth Group II title. ^[27] The 2022 team knocked off "perennial Group 1 favorite" Paulsboro High School in the semifinals and then defeated Kittatinny Regional High School by a score of 36–23 in the Group I tournament final, to claim the program's ninth state title. ^[26]

The softball team finished the 1985 season with a 25–2 record after defeating Jefferson Township High School by a score of 3–1 in the final of the playoffs to win the Group II state championship. ^{[28] [29]}

The 2000 football team made it to the playoffs for the first time in school history, and posted the up-to-then best record while making it to the semi-final playoff game vs. Manasquan High School where they lost 40–0. The football team made it to the 2007 Central Jersey Group II state sectional tournament, falling to Carteret High School by a score of 13–7. ^[30] The football team also earned the region title in 2011 and made it to the semi-final round in the state playoffs.

In 2002, the Delaware Valley girls' soccer program won the school's only state championship, led by senior striker Cathy Abel who scored 36 goals while finishing her career with a school-record 82 goals and 52 assists. The team posted a record of 20 wins, 2 losses, and 3 draws on the way to winning the Hunterdon/Warren County Tournament Championship, the Central Jersey Group II Sectional Championship and shared the Group II state championship after a scoreless tie with Indian Hills High School. ^{[31] [32]}

The school's boys' and girls' cross-country teams have achieved success in the past few decades. In 2008 the boys' and girls' cross country teams won the Skyland Conference Raritan Division, the boys finishing 9–0 and the girls 7–0. Also in 2008 Julia Mark and Emma Giantisco placed 1st and 3rd at the Group II State Meet and 9th and 15th at the Meet of Champions. In 2009 under former Del Val grad and former boys' assistant coach for the past few years, Dave Giantisco, the Boys' XC Team went undefeated 10–0 bringing its dual meet streak to 20–0. The team won the CJ Group II title for the first time since 1986, placed 2nd at the Group II State Meet and placed 12th at the Meet of Champs. This was the first time the Del Val Boys' team made MoCs since 1975. In 2010, the team extended their dual meet streak to 26–0, won the CJ Group II title again, and took 3rd at Groups, qualifying them for MoCs for back to back years.

The Delaware Valley Regional High School cheerleading team has become one of the most recognized teams in the state and nation. They compete every year in the UCA National Cheerleading Competition in Orlando, Florida. The 2012–2013 team won the National Cheerleading Championship. ^[33] The 2011–2012 team ended the season with a 5th-place ranking in the UCA National High School Cheerleading championships as well as two New Jersey state championships in Medium Varsity and Group II. The 2010–2011 team was ranked 8th in the nation at the NHSCC. Their 2008–09 varsity team earned a 5th-place ranking at the UCA Nationals, as well as 1st place in The Garden State Open. They have also earned the NJ State Medium Varsity Champions for the 2006–07 and the 2007–2008 seasons. The team earned the Group II state championship title in 2003. ^[34]

In 2016, the top-ranked Delaware Valley baseball team defeated third-ranked Delran High School in the final game of the South Jersey Group II state sectional tournament by a score of 3–1, earning the program's first sectional title since 1959, advancing them to the Group II state semi-final game against West Deptford High School. ^[35]

Superintendent controversy

During the 2007–08 school year, district superintendent Robert Walsh was accused of embezzling money from the school. After a trial that lasted over a year, he was imprisoned. The superintendent who followed him, Elizabeth Nastus, made an announcement during the 2008–09 school year addressing this the day after he pleaded guilty of embezzlement of $90,000 to the district courts. ^[36] The funds were insured through the state, and were later documented and recovered at no cost to local taxpayers. ^[37]

Administration

Core administration members are: ^[38]

• Scott McKinney, superintendent ^[1]
• Teresa E. O'Brien, school business administrator and board secretary ^[1]
• Michael Kays, principal ^[4]

Board of education

The district's board of education is comprised of nine members who set policy and oversee the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by the voters in the constituent municipalities to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district. ^{[39] [40]} The nine seats on the board are allocated based on population so that three members are elected from Holland Township, two each from both Alexandria Township and Kingwood Township, and one each from both Frenchtown and Milford. ^{[41] [42]}

The district is funded based on the equalized valuation of real property in all of the constituent municipalities. Representatives from Alexandria Township, Kingwood Township and Milford had argued that the each municipality should pay taxes commensurate with the district's cost per pupil multiplied by the number of students sent from each community. ^{[43] [44]}

Notable alumni

• Mary DeChambres, film and television editor ^[45]
• Billy Pauch Jr. (born 1987), professional stock car racing driver ^[46]

References

1. District Administration, Delaware Valley Regional High School. Accessed January 19, 2023.
2. School data for Delaware Valley Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
3. Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
4. School Administration, Delaware Valley Regional High School. Accessed January 19, 2023.
5. Delaware Valley Regional High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
6. 2023-2024 Public School Directory, Hunterdon County Department of Education. Accessed March 1, 2024.
7. School Performance Reports for the Delaware Valley Regional High School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
8. New Jersey School Directory for the Delaware Valley Regional High School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
9. Delaware Valley Regional Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Delaware Valley Regional High School. Accessed May 2, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades nine through twelve in the Delaware Valley Regional High School District. Composition: The Delaware Valley Regional High School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Alexandria Township, Frenchtown Borough, Holland Township, Kingwood Township, and Milford Borough."
10. Delaware Valley Regional School District 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 6, 2016. "The Delaware Valley Regional High School District can be found in the heart of pastoral and beautiful Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The District serves students in grades nine through twelve who reside in the five municipalities that comprise our region: Alexandria Township, Frenchtown Borough, Holland Township, Kingwood Township, and Milford Borough."
11. About Us, Delaware Valley Regional High School District. Accessed June 6, 2016. "The Delaware Valley Regional High School District can be found in the heart of pastoral and beautiful Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The District serves students in grades nine through twelve who reside in the five municipalities that comprise our region: Alexandria Township, Frenchtown Borough, Holland Township, Kingwood Township, and Milford Borough."
12. NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed November 19, 2014.
13. "High School Holds Final Graduation", Courier News , June 13, 1959. Accessed March 19, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "The school ball field was the setting for the 32nd and final graduation exercises of the Frenchtown High School Thursday evening. George Kinney Sr., president of the Frenchtown Board of Education, awarded diplomas to 62 pupils. Next September, Frenchtown High School pupils will attend Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township."
14. Our Story, Delaware Valley Regional High School. Accessed March 19, 2022. "The 25-room school, built for $1,600,000, replaced Frenchtown High School. Newspaper articles reported, 'The rambling, "ultra-modern" new school was on a 67-acre tract of land' that 'last year was a farm'. Ground was broken on March 18, 1958 and the cornerstone laid on August 20, 1959 that held 'a copper box of memorabilia'. September 9, 1959, the first day of school, began with 24 faculty members.... Approximately 434 students rode on 10 bus routes, but the school was expected to grow."
15. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly , September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
16. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2012. Accessed August 25, 2012.
17. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2010. Accessed March 21, 2011.
18. "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly , September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
19. School Overview; Click on "Rankings" for 2003-11 HSPA results, Schooldigger.com. Accessed March 7, 2012.
20. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021 Accessed October 20, 2020.
21. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
22. Kinney, Mike. "Big Central revises 2020 football schedule for its shortened inaugural season", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 12, 2020. Accessed April 18, 2021. "The newly formed Big Central Football Conference has released a revised 2020 schedule for its inaugural season.... the BCFC is comprised of schools from Middlesex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren counties."
23. NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
24. Delaware Valley Wrestling
25. NJSIAA Wrestling Team Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
26. Lanni, Patrick. "Delaware Valley downs Kittatinny to win Group 1 state wrestling championship", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, February 13, 2022. Accessed February 14, 2022. "In a rematch from a regular season loss to Kittatinny, Delaware Valley reversed two results, picked up critical bonus points and did just about everything right on its way to a 36-23 win in the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics Group 1 final on Sunday at Franklin High School. The win clinched Delaware Valley’s ninth state championship in school history and second under head coach Andy Fitz."
27. Mendlowitz, Andy. "Little, big guys help Delaware Valley end its 18-season group title drought", Courier News , February 13, 2017. Accessed March 8, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "In between, the Delaware Valley wrestlers piled up bonus points, gutted out close wins and kept losses close. It all added up to the Terriers’ first NJSIAA Group II championship since 1999 and eighth overall. Sunday, Del Val beat Collingswood 34-24 in the semifinal and then defeated Hanover Park 30-28 to claim the hardware at the Pine Belt Arena. The Terriers clinched in the next-to-last match and forfeited the final bout. Delaware Valley (23-3) has a storied wrestling tradition with 17 Central Group II sectional titles, but it’s been 18 years since a state group title."
28. Softball Championship History 1972–2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated July 2023. Accessed April 1, 2024.
29. "Saddle Brook beaten in final, 13-12", The Record , June 10, 1985. Accessed November 17, 2020. "Group 2 Nancy LaFevre's two-run single in the fifth inning broke a 1-1 tie and lifted Delaware Valley (25-2) to a 3-1 win over Jefferson Township (22-4)."
30. 2007 Football - Central, Group II, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 20, 2008.
31. NJSIAA History of Girls Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
32. Staff. "Girls' teams share titles", Asbury Park Press , November 24, 2002. Accessed September 21, 2011. "After playing 100 minutes of scoreless soccer, Delaware Valley (20-2-3) and Indian Hills (18-3-1) shared the Group II championship."
33. Conover, Allan. "Delaware Valley High cheerleaders claim national crown", Hunterdon County Democrat , February 21, 2013, updated August 4, 2016. " Delaware Valley High's squad gathers around its first-place trophy after winning in Medium Varsity Division 2 during the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Fla."
34. "Central cheerleaders win state group 4 crown ", New Jersey Hills Media Group, March 19, 2003. Accessed November 6, 2017. "In a strong showing by the Skyland Conference, the Delaware Valley High School Varsity squad captured the State Group 2 title, and the Phillipsburg High School Varsity won the State Group 3 championship."
35. Craig, Kyle. "Party like it's 1959: Del Val baseball ends sectional title drought", The Express-Times , June 3, 2016. Accessed November 6, 2017. "And now, he's got Delaware Valley Regional High School's baseball team partying like it's 1959. The senior pitcher tossed a complete game as the top-seeded Terriers defeated No. 3 Delran 3-1 in the NJSIAA Central Group 2 final on Friday to capture their first sectional title in 57 years. Delaware Valley (18-5) advances to the Group 2 semifinals, where it will meet West Deptford 4 p.m. Tuesday at Rowan College at Gloucester County."
36. Ryan, Joe. "School superintendent admits he stole from Delaware Valley Regional", The Star-Ledger , January 8, 2009. Accessed March 20, 2011.
37. Wojcik, Sarah M. "Delaware Valley Regional High School finishes audits, finds $115,916 missing during former business administrator's tenure", The Express-Times , November 5, 2010. Accessed May 26, 2016. "Nastus said now that the $115,916 of stolen funds is documented, the school district can recover the money at no cost to the taxpayers. This is possible because Walsh took the monies while he was working as a business administrator, and the money was insured with the state, she said."
38. New Jersey School Directory for Hunterdon County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
39. New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
40. Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Delaware Valley Regional High School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed April 10, 2024. "According to the official data from the 2020 U.S. Census, the Delaware Valley Regional was comprised of 16,390 people broken down by municipalities as follows: Alexandria Township - 4,809 Frenchtown Borough - 1,370 Holland Township - 5,177 Kingwood Township - 3,802 Milford Borough - 1,232... The District is a Type II District located in the County of Hunterdon, State of New Jersey. As a Type II District, the school district functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board is comprised of nine members elected to three-year-terms. The purpose of the District is to educate students in Grades 9-12. The District serves the communities of the Township of Alexandria, Borough of Frenchtown, Township of Holland, Township of Kingwood and Borough of Milford."
41. Board of Education Members, Delaware Valley Regional High School. Accessed January 27, 2020.
42. Delaware Valley Regional High School District-Holland Twp Archived October 20, 2020, at the Wayback Machine , Vote411.org. Accessed May 4, 2020. "Delaware Valley Regional High School is serves students from five local school districts: Alexandria Township, Holland Township, Kingwood Township, Borough of Milford, and Borough of Frenchtown. The Delaware Valley Regional School District Board of Education consists of nine members elected by the constituents of the participating municipalities: three representatives from Holland Township, two representatives each from Alexandria Township and Kingwood Township, and one representative each from the Borough of Milford and the Borough of Frenchtown."
43. Kiriluk-Hill, Renée. "Per-pupil versus property wealth: Regional school tax formula debated in Delaware Valley High district", Hunterdon County Democrat , June 5, 2012, updated March 30, 2019. Accessed January 27, 2020. "Holland Township and Frenchtown support the current formula, which relies mostly upon the equalized valuation of property within each municipality to decide its share of the high school tax levy. But local government bodies in Alexandria and Kingwood townships and Milford think that a per-pupil formula would 'fairly distribute the cost' to each municipality.... On the high school board, Holland Township and Frenchtown representatives represent four of nine votes, with three from Holland and one from Frenchtown. The other five seats on the regional school board are held by residents of Alexandria and Kingwood townships and Milford."
44. Kiriluk-Hill, Renée. "Voters in Delaware Valley High District will decide per-pupil versus property wealth tax formula", Hunterdon County Democrat , June 27, 2012, updated March 30, 2019. Accessed January 27, 2020. "Voters in November will get to decide whether taxes to support Delaware Valley High School should be divvied up based upon enrollment or property values. The school's Board of Education voted 5-4 on Monday to send the issue to voters. Dissenting were the three representatives from Holland Township, mirroring a decision by the Township Committee to oppose a switch to a per-pupil tax formula."
45. "Esteemed TV editor visits DVRHS", Hunterdon County Democrat , March 26, 2018. Accessed April 7, 2024. "Students in Delaware Valley High School's Advanced TV-Media class got a peek into a vocational reality on Friday, March 23, when Mary (Taylor) DeChambres returned to her alma mater.... 'I grew up on a farm on Gallmeier Road (in Alexandria Township),' she said."
46. Givler, Chuck."Billy Pauch Jr. vies for spot in Chili Bowl Champion race", The Express-Times , January 12, 2013. Accessed September 4, 2024. "Pauch Jr., a graduate of Delaware Valley Regional High School, Raritan Valley Community College and Rider University, said his racing plans for the upcoming season include big block and URC sprint car competition."

External links

• Delaware Valley Regional High School
• School Performance Report for Delaware Valley Regional High School , New Jersey Department of Education
• Data for Delaware Valley Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics