North Plainfield High School

North Plainfield High School
Address
34 Wilson Avenue North Plainfield , (Somerset County) , New Jersey 07060 United States
Coordinates	40°37′22″N74°26′26″W / 40.622797°N 74.440423°W / 40.622797; -74.440423
Information
Type	Public high school
School district	North Plainfield School District
NCES School ID	341164005258 [1]
Principal	Joseph Krouse
Faculty	99.0 FTEs [1]
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	1,214 (as of 2022–23) [1]
Student to teacher ratio	12.3:1 [1]
Color(s)	Maroon   Black   White [2]
Athletics conference	Skyland Conference (general) Big Central Football Conference (football)
Accreditation	Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools [3]
Newspaper	Tunlaw [4]
Website	nphs.nplainfield.org
Last updated: May 17, 2021;2 years ago (2021-05-17)

North Plainfield High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grade from North Plainfield, in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as part of the North Plainfield School District. The school is fully certified by the New Jersey Department of Education and has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1929, ^[3] with the school's accreditation extended for seven years in Spring 2012. ^[5]

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,214 students and 99.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.3:1. There were 584 students (48.1% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 165 (13.6% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch. ^[1]

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 266th-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 207th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 256th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. ^[7] The magazine ranked the school 226th in 2008 out of 316 schools. ^[8] The school was ranked 189th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state. ^[9]

Academic programs

North Plainfield High School offers a comprehensive program of studies. 81% of the class of 2005 entered college or other post-secondary education, 13% sought employment, and 6% pursued other options. The array of classes at Advanced Placement (AP), high ability, college preparatory, and general levels includes opportunities for independent study, a shared-time vocational program with Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School, courses in conjunction with Satellite Education Resource Consortium, and courses offered through a Tech-Prep partnership developed with Raritan Valley Community College. Courses in AP Calculus and AP Physics, Probability and Statistics, and Latin have also been offered either through other school districts in the Interactive Television (ITV) classroom or through the Florida Virtual Academy, an internet-based resource. A state-of-the-art Computer Assisted Drafting Lab, networked computer lab, and a comprehensive physical education facility opened in 1990-1991.

Athletics

The North Plainfield High School Canucks ^[2] have competed since 2005 in the Raritan Division of 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). ^[10] Prior to the NJSIAA's 2009 reorganization, the school had competed in the Mountain Valley Conference, which included high schools in Essex and Union counties. ^[11] With 733 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. ^[12] 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. ^[13] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group III North for football for 2022–2024, which included schools with 680 to 884 students. ^[14]

The Canuck nickname comes from the borough being called "Little Canada" for its location north of Plainfield and across the Green Brook, just as Canada lies north of the United States across the St. Lawrence River. ^[15]

The boys track team won the Group III spring / outdoor track state championship in 1964 (as co-champion). ^[16]

North Plainfield's football team won the 2008 Skyland Conference Raritan Division championship. ^[17] In 2011 North Plainfield's Canucks went undefeated during the regular season achieving the record of 9-0. They won the Skyland Conference and entered the conference playoffs as the number 1 seed and secured home field advantage for the remainder of the playoffs. The North Plainfield Canucks played the #8 seed Carteret High School Ramblers, losing by a score of 27-21. The 2011 Canucks were the 3rd football team in Canuck history to ever achieve the record of 9-0 during the regular season.

North Plainfield's soccer team won three Group II Conference Championships, in 1986, 1987 and 1988. The team finished those seasons ranked as one of the top teams in the state outscoring opponents (127 goals for 8 against).

The 1996 North Plainfield baseball team won the Central Jersey Group II state title with a 9-6 win over Ridge High School, earning the first title in school history. ^[18]

The girls spring track team was the Group II state champion in 1996. ^[19]

In 2010, the boys' soccer team won the Central Jersey Group II title after defeating Delaware Valley Regional High School 2-1. ^[20]

Administration

The school's principal is Joseph Krouse. His core administration includes two assistant principals. ^[21]

Notable alumni

See also: Category:North Plainfield High School alumni

• Paul Auerbach (1951–2021, class of 1969), physician and author about wilderness medicine. ^[22]
• Hank Beenders (1916-2003), early professional basketball player. ^[23]
• Jack Bicknell (born 1938, class of 1955), retired American football coach at the college level and in the various incarnations of NFL Europe. ^[24]
• Pete Carmichael (born 1941), former football coach. ^[25]
• Anne Casale (1930-2002, class of 1948), cookbook author and cooking teacher. ^[26]
• John DiMaggio (born 1968, class of 1986), voice actor and former stand-up comedian. ^[27]
• Bill Evans (1929–1980, class of 1946), jazz musician. ^{[28] [29]}
• Bill Feaster (1904–1950), professional football player who spent two seasons in the National Football League with the Orange/Newark Tornadoes ^[30]
• Harry Leahey (1935–1990, class of 1953), jazz guitarist and teacher. ^[31]
• John T. "Jack" Melick Jr. (born 1929), band leader, pianist, and arranger. ^{[32] [33]}
• Molly Price (born 1966), actress who has appeared on Third Watch . ^[34]
• Gerry Rosenthal (born 1980, class of 1998), actor, voice actor, singer-songwriter and musician. ^[35]
• Myke Scavone (class of 1966), harmonica player and vocalist best known for his work with the bands The Doughboys, Ram Jam and The Yardbirds. ^[36]
• Steve Schmidt (born 1970, class of 1988), senior campaign strategist and advisor to the 2008 presidential campaign of Senator John McCain. ^[37]

References

1. School data for North Plainfield High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
2. North Plainfield High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
3. North Plainfield High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed February 8, 2018.
4. Tunlaw Newspaper Club, North Plainfield High School. Accessed May 17, 2022.
5. "Spring 2012 Accreditation Actions", The Standard of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools, Spring 2012. Accessed April 20, 2021. "Actions Taken by the Commission on Secondary Schools Accreditation... Accreditation - Seven Years... North Plainfield High School, North Plainfield, NJ"
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 December 2, 2012.
8. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2010. Accessed February 26, 2011.
9. "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly , September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
10. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
11. Home Page, Mountain Valley Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 9, 2009. Accessed November 22, 2014.
12. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
13. 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."
14. NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2022–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
15. Genovese, Peter. "What's in a nickname? Often, a school's history", The Home News , January 5, 1986. Accessed October 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com "A wishful bit of history prompted North Plainfield High School's nickname, the Canucks. Around the turn of the century, there was a move to merge Plainfield and North Plainfield. 'With North Plainfield just north across the Green Brook, as Canada was just north across the St. Lawrence River, it soon became popular to refer to North Plainfield as "little Canada,"' according to the high school's student handbook, the Woodsman."
16. NJSIAA Boys Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
17. North Plainfield High School 2006 Football Preview, The Courier-News , accessed December 16, 2006.
18. Narducci, Marc. "Eustace, Gloucester Catholic Squaring Off For Baseball Title", The Philadelphia Inquirer , June 3, 1996. Accessed November 22, 2014. "North Plainfield is a veteran team with seven seniors. The Canucks' 9-6 Central Jersey Group 2 championship win over Ridge was their first sectional baseball title in the 100-year history of the school."
19. NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
20. Chodan, Miller. "Boys Soccer: North Plainfield tops Del Val for 1st sectional title", The Daily Journal (New Jersey) , November 11, 2010. Accessed June 18, 2011. "The win gives third-seeded North Plainfield (13-6-1) its first sectional title. The Canucks will play the South champion Tuesday in the Group II semifinals."
21. Staff, North Plainfield High School. Accessed November 30, 2023.
22. May, Melissa. "North Plainfield High School honors its alumni", Courier News , September 29, 1999. Accessed January 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "This year's banquet will honor six North Plainfield High School graduates and one teacher at its 1999 Alumni Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies. The honorees are Dr. Miriam Alter, 1967, medicine; Dr. Paul Auerbach, 1969, medicine... Dr. Paul Auerbach has served as professor and chief of emergency medicine at both Vanderbilt and Stanford universities. He is the driving force behind the field of wilderness medicine as an author, teacher, researcher and organizational leader."
23. Hank Beenders, Basketball-Reference.com. Accessed September 22, 2007.
24. Lewis, Brian. "Bicknell interested in Rutgers coaching job", Courier News , December 7, 1995. Accessed July 5, 2018. "Now, North Plainfield native Jack Bicknell would love nothing more than to come home as the next Rutgers football coach.... A 1955 North Plainfield grad, and a former Watchung Hills assistant, Bicknell's roots are strictly Central Jersey."
25. Staff. "Veteran NFL Coach Pete Carmichael Joins Panthers Football Staff" Archived January 12, 2016, at the Wayback Machine , Pittsburgh Panthers football, March 1, 2004. Accessed September 21, 2015. "A native of Plainfield, N.J., he attended North Plainfield High, where he lettered three years in both football and baseball."
26. "Anne Lovi Casale, 72, noted gourmet cook and author; former Watchung resident", New Jersey Hills Media Group, December 19, 2002. Accessed January 18, 2020. "Anne Lovi Casale, 72, of Glendale, Ariz., and formerly of Watchung, died Monday, Dec. 2, 2002 at her home. Born in Perth Amboy, Mrs. Casale resided there before moving to North Plainfield in 1945.... She was a 1948 graduate of North Plainfield High School and Berkeley Business School in East Orange."
27. "North Plainfield High School Alumni Association 2018 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Set for April 21", TAP into Warren, March 18, 2018. Accessed July 5, 2018. "John DiMaggio, Class of ’86 – Film/TV Arts"
28. Pettinger, Peter. "Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings", via The New York Times . Accessed July 5, 2018. "The family moved to 490 Greenbrook Road, the brothers now attending North Plainfield High School."
29. "High school bands to jazz things up at festival", Courier News , April 14, 1988. Accessed July 5, 2018. "It is named for jazz pianist Bill Evans, who graduated from North Plainfield High School in 1946."
30. "Bill Feaster Elected To Captain I927 F0rdham Team; Was Former Student at North Plainfield High and Graduate of St. Benedict's; Is Catcher on Bronx Nine", Courier News , December 2, 1926. Accessed June 5, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "It is rumored that several major league offers have been made to the North Plainfield lad."
31. Peters, Philip M. Harry Leahey: Master Guitarist, Musician and Teacher, p. 8, The NOTE, Winter / Spring 2008. Accessed August 6, 2020. "Leahey attended North Plainfield High School from which he was graduated in 1953."
32. "Jack Melick's Song Gave Lift to Freed Jersey GI", Courier News , April 24, 1953. Accessed January 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Corp. Jack T. Melick may have only gotten a dollar for the song he wrote the music to, but it meant hundreds of dollars worth of happiness to a New Jersey friend of his, released from Communist captivity this week. Corporal Melick, 23, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Melick of 188 Belmont Ave....The corporal hasn't written any other songs, although as band leader in high school and college--North Plainfield and Oberlin (Ohio)--he has done a lot of arranging."
33. An oral history of Jack Melick recorded May 6, 2011.
34. Morella, Nicole. "Attacks hit home - and heart - for `Third Watch' actress", Courier News , September 23, 2002. Accessed February 26, 2011. "The television star grew up in North Plainfield where her mother still lives. Price graduated from North Plainfield High School and enrolled at Rutgers."
35. Hines, Janet A. "At 17, he's busy projecting a dramatic future", Courier News , June 30, 1998. Accessed January 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "A typical day in the life of Gerry Rosenthal consists of school work, band practice and a once-in-a-while basketball game with friends. And, oh yes, the television commercials and movie appearances. The recent North Plainfield High School graduate is a thespian, and while some graduates are still debating what college courses to take this fall, Rosenthal attends casting calls."
36. Makin, Bob. "Makin Waves with Myke Scavone of Doughboys, Yardbirds", Courier News , June 19, 2016. Accessed September 30, 2016. "Q: What are you looking forward to most about playing the North Plainfield High School class reunion on Sept. 9? A: That's my 50th high school reunion."
37. Staff. "North Plainfield H.S. Alumni Hall of Fame to induct 5 new members", The Messenger-Gazette, September 26, 2011. Accessed March 13, 2012. "Schmidt was extensively involved with student government at NPHS and has carried this interest to the highest levels of State and National Politics. He is currently the Vice Chairman of Edelman Public Affairs in Sacramento, CA. Schmidt served as a senior advisor to the McCain presidential campaign, and as Campaign Manager for the re-election of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. He also served as deputy assistant to President George W. Bush."

External links

• North Plainfield High School
• North Plainfield Public Schools
• School Performance Report for North Plainfield High School , New Jersey Department of Education