As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 849 students and 81.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.4:1. There were 2 students (0.2% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 1 (0.1% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[2]
The district had been classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "J", the 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
Completed in Rumson in 1935 with a mix of loans and grants from the Public Works Administration covering more than 80% of the cost, Rumson High School had a total price of $230,000 (equivalent to $5.1million in 2023).[13] Students from Fair Haven began attending as soon as the new school opened and the regional district was established in 1956.[14] Since its original construction, the school facility has had three significant additions.
In fall 2004, information about Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School and several other U.S. schools was recovered from a CD found on the body of a dead Iraqi insurgent killed in Baghdad. It was discovered from the body of an Iraqi physicist, the son of a member of the Iraqi Ba'ath Party. The man's father had a strong connection to the al-Qaeda terrorist network. The information pertaining to RFH did not include floor plans, but did contain information about the school's vandalism and bullying policies. The CD also contained information about radon and depleted uranium. The recent Beslan school hostage crisis in which 385 people were killed, half of them students, was compared to the school because RFH, like the Russian school, had construction underway. Police patrols around the school were increased in response to the potential threat.[15][16][17]
The school was the 10th-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.[19] The school had also been ranked 10th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 31st in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[20] The magazine ranked the school 30th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[21] The school was ranked 33rd in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.[22] Schooldigger.com ranked the school tied for 49th out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (a decrease of 19 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (91.9%) and language arts literacy (97.9%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).[23]
In its listing of "America's Best High Schools 2016", the school was ranked 144th out of 500 best high schools in the country; it was ranked 26th among all high schools in New Jersey and 13th among the state's non-magnet schools.[24]
In its 2013 report on "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast ranked the school 269th in the nation among participating public high schools and 21st among schools in New Jersey.[25]
In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post, the school was ranked 51st in New Jersey and 1,606th nationwide.[26] The school was ranked in 1,181st place, the 40th-highest in New Jersey, in Newsweek magazine's 2010 rankings of America's Best High Schools.[27] In Newsweek's May 22, 2007 issue, ranking the country's top high schools, Rumson-Fair Haven High School was listed in 1108th place, the 35th-highest ranked school in New Jersey.[28]
The school was the winner of the National Fed Challenge in 2004, and had done well in subsequent years, making it to the District Finals in 2005 and 2008. In 2008, Rumson-Fair Haven was defeated by Marlboro High School, although, the team put up a stellar performance.[29]
In 2008, the school was the national winner of the Euro Challenge, an economics competition sponsored by the European Delegation to the United States and the Moody's Foundation.[30]
Athletics
The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Bulldogs[4] compete in Division A Central of the Shore Conference, an athletic conference comprised of public and private high schools in Monmouth and Ocean counties along the Jersey Shore.[5][31] The league operates under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[32] With 724 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.[33] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group II South for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 514 to 685 students.[34]
The girls gymnastics team was overall state champion in 1982.[40]
The girls swimming team won the Division B state title in 1990, and the Public B title in 2000 and 2001.[41] The girls' swimming team won the 2002 Public Central B Sectionals, topping Red Bank Regional High School by 111–59.[42]
The girls' basketball team won the Group I title in 1996 (defeating Bloomfield Tech High School in the tournament's final game), and won the Group II state championship in 2002 (vs. Newton High School), 2006 and 2007 (vs. River Dell High School both years) and 2009 (vs. Chatham High School); the five state titles are tied for the tenth-most in the state.[43] The 2001 team took the sectional title, defeating Voorhees High School, 46–29.[44] The 2002 team won the Central Jersey Group II championship, edging Raritan High School 46–44,[45] and then edged Newton High School by a score of 44–42 in the championship game to win the Group II state title.[46] The 2006 team won the sectional championship over Abraham Clark High School, 41–32,[47] then defeated River Dell by a score of 49–42 to earn the Group II state championship.[48] The 2007 team won the Central Jersey Group II sectional championship, defeating Somerville High School, 38–30 in the final game.[49] The team then moved on the Group II championship, facing River Dell for the second consecutive year and winning by a score of 44–23,[50] before falling to Trenton Central High School, 48–37 in the first round of the Tournament of Champions.[51]
The girls' cross country team won the Group I state championship in 1999 and won the Group II title in 2011, 2013 and 2015.[52] The boys' cross country team also won the Group I title in 1999.[53]
The girls' soccer team won the Group II title in 2008 (defeating Hasbrouck Heights High School in the final game of the playoffs) in 2013 (defeating Bernards High School).[58] The team won the Central Jersey Group II title in 2002 over Burlington Township High School by a final score of 3–2.[59] The 2007 team, seeded fourth, won the Central, Group II sectional title with a 1–0 overtime win (4–2 on penalty kicks) over second-seed Somerville High School in the tournament final.[60][61] The girls' soccer team beat Delaware Valley to win the 2008 Central Jersey Group II sectional title, the first time RFH has ever won back-to-back girls' soccer titles. They went on to beat Haddonfield Memorial High School and Hasbrouck Heights High School to win the Group II state championship, the first title for the team in school history.[62]
The girls spring track team was Group II in 2008 (as co-champion), 2019 and 2021.[63]
The football team has won the Central Jersey Group II state sectional championships in 2010, 2013 and 2014, and won the Central Jersey Group III sectional title in 2015, 2016 and 2018.[64] It won its first state championship in 2010 when it defeated Matawan High School by a score of 13–7 in the Central Jersey Group II state sectional championship, finishing the season with a 9–3 record.[65] The 2013 football team finished with an 11–1 record and won the Central Jersey Group II state sectional championship over previously undefeated Weequahic High School by a 14–6 score.[66] In 2014, Rumson-Fair Haven defeated Delaware Valley Regional High School by a score of 21–0 to claim their third title in five years.[67] Rumson-Fair Haven won its third straight sectional championship in 2015, when it shut out Red Bank Regional High School 21–0 to win the Central Jersey Group III title.[68] In 2016, the team won its fourth consecutive title, winning the Central Jersey Group III state sectional championship with a 27–22 win against South Plainfield High School in the tournament final.[69] The team won the Central Jersey Group III sectional title with a 42–35 win against Somerville High School in the champion game[70] and won the Central / South Group III bowl game against Woodrow Wilson High School by a score of 26–18.[71] Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the high school won two Group II sectional titles and Group II state semi-final matches in 2022 and 2023,[72][73] but lost in the State Group II final each year.[74]
The ice hockey team won the Dowd Cup in 2012 and the Handchen Cup in 2020.[75]
The field hockey team won the Group II state championship in 2014 (defeating Madison High School in the tournament final) and 2017 (vs. Seneca High School), won the Central Jersey Group II state sectional title in 2006 and 2016, the North II Group II title in both 2012 and 2013, and the North II Group II title in 2017, 2018 and 2019.[76] In 2006, the girls' field hockey team won its first ever state title, beating Delran High School 2–1 to win the Central Jersey Group II state sectional championship.[77] In 2014, the field hockey team won its first-ever Shore Conference Tournament title, beating Shore Regional High School by a score of 2–0, snapping Shore's 15-year reign as Shore Conference champions.[78][79] The 2014 team went on to finish 24–1–2, winning the Central Jersey, Group II championship by 8–0 against Robbinsville High School[80] as well as the Group II state championship, the program's first group title.[81] In 2015, Rumson-Fair Haven won its second straight Shore Conference Tournament title, beating Shore Regional 1–0 in the tournament final.[82]
The girls track team won the Group II indoor relay championship in 2015, 2018 and 2019; the boys team won the Group II title in 2016.[83]
The boys' swim team won its first state sectional title in 2015, winning all 11 events and beating top-seeded Lawrence High School 95–75 in the Central Jersey Public C finals.[85]
The boys' basketball team won the 2015 Shore Conference Tournament championship, defeating Christian Brothers Academy 50–24. Tied 19–19 at halftime against top-seeded CBA, eleventh-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven exploded in the second half to outscore their opponent 31–5 and take home the title. Brendan Barry scored 27 points in the contest, en route to winning Shore Conference Player of the Year. The game has been called the "Greatest upset in Shore Conference Tournament Finals History".[86]
The girls lacrosse team won the Group II state championship in 2016 (defeating Bernards High School in the tournament finals) and 2021 (vs. Summit High School).[87] The 2016 girls lacrosse team won the Group II title against Bernards High School, with a 14–11 victory in the tournament final at Kean University.[88]
The girls track team won the winter / indoor Group II state title in 2018 and 2019.[89]
The boys spring / outdoor track team won the Group II state championship in 2021.[90]
Coronavirus aid fundraising event
On April 26, 2020, two RFH students, teamed up by live streaming and raising money for Jersey Shore University Medical Center while one student was running a marathon on his treadmill, which he completed at 5 hours 21 minutes and 35 seconds, his partner, as described by many media outlets, acted as the "hype man" and "entertainer" throughout the near six-hour live stream. Within three days of the live stream ending, Governor Phil Murphy gave the two RFH students shout outs during his own daily live stream. Later that day, WNBC 4 New York heard the story and the segment was aired on April 29, 2020.[91] The students decided to take the negative experience of the pandemic outbreak and make it into a positive with the live stream and as of April 30, 2020, the duo has raised over $6,000.[92] Additionally, in April 2020 toward the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, ten Rumson Fair Haven students (juniors and seniors) began collecting food donations to help families in the Monmouth County area who had lost their jobs or had been unable to receive food due to the pandemic. After a few weeks of food donations they turned their mission into a non-profit organization called Companeros de Comida which as of June 2020 they have raised over $30,000, served over 20,000 meals, and helped seven families achieve food security.
Administration
Core members of the school's administration are:[1][93]
The district's board of education, comprised of nine members, sets policy and oversees 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 voters 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.[97][98] Seats on the board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with five seats assigned to Rumson and four to Fair Haven.[99]
↑ Rumson-Fair Haven Regional Board of Education District Policy 0110 – Identification, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. Accessed April 30, 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 Rumson-Fair Haven Regional School District. Composition: The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of the Borough of Rumson and the Borough of Fair Haven."
↑ High School – Rumson NJ, The Living New Deal. Accessed April 8, 2022. "The Public Works Administration (PWA) provided a $150,000 loan and $59,000 grant for construction of what is now Rumson-Fair Haven High School in Rumson, New Jersey. Total cost of the project was $232,925."
↑ Madigan, Nick. "Schools, on Alert, Step Up Security Measures", The New York Times, October 9, 2004. Accessed September 17, 2020. "In Monmouth County, N.J., parents gathered Friday evening at the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School in Rumson for a briefing from John Kaye, the county prosecutor. Mr. Kaye said that after hearing on Sept. 16 about New Jersey's inclusion on the Iraq disk, he ordered the police chief to double patrols."
↑ "New Jersey Economics Team Wins National 'Fed Challenge' Competition", Federal Reserve Bank of New York press release dated May 4, 2004. Accessed September 24, 2015. "A New Jersey team, the Rumson-Fair Haven High School, won the 9th annual Fed Challenge national competition at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, DC on May 3. The Rumson-Fair Haven team proceeded to the national competition as winners on April 23 of the Second District Fed Challenge, which is sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York."
↑ "Burd, Rumson Girls Win Second Straight State Title", Asbury Park Press, October 28, 1978. Accessed February 8, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Rumson Coach Gail Burd and his girls tennis team did it again. Yesterday, at Princeton University's outdoor tennis courts, the Rumson Bulldogs defeated Tenafly, 4–1, to capture their second straight NJSIAA Group II championship. It was their 40th straight victory.... As in the Bulldogs' Group n semifinal victory over Haddonfield earlier in the week, Hosch scored the Bulldogs' winning point with a 6–1, 6–3 victory over Elisa Peters."
↑ Jordan, Bob. "RBC, Rumson capture NJSIAA tennis titles", Asbury Park Press, October 31, 1985. Accessed January 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "There are different ways to win in tennis, as shown by the routes taken yesterday by Red Bank Catholic and Rumson to championships in the NJSIAA girls tennis tournament.... Then there is the approach of the Rumson squad.... The NJSIAA formula schedule said Rumson would have to play winning tennis around-the-clock for Group II laurels. So the team got off its 'Purple Reign' mobile a school bus decorated with two banners and Bulldog 'paw prints' to face Pascack Hills at 11 a.m. The Bulldogs won 3–2, then wailed around to play more tennis. They won the second time, too, in a 4–1 emotion-charged victory over Gateway Regional that ended well after the sun had set."
↑ Chodan, Melissa. "Pioneers' successful season ends on penalty kicks in final", Courier News, November 9, 2007. Accessed November 15, 2007. "The Somerville High School girls' soccer team could do nothing but stand and watch Rumson-Fair Haven celebrate the Central Group II title Thursday in a game that was even until the last few seconds. Without Somerville's team-wide defense hindering shots, Rumson-Fair Haven capitalized when the scoreless game went into penalty kicks and won 1–0 (4–2 in penalty kicks) at White Oak Park."
↑ "Rumson- Fair Haven wins soccer title", Central Jersey Archives, December 4, 2008. Accessed September 17, 2020. "Rumson-Fair Haven’s Colleen Rigby (l) celebrates with teammates after the Bulldogs defeated Hasbrouck Heights 1–0 to win their first group title in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II final on Nov. 22 at The College of New Jersey in Ewing on Nov. 22."
↑ Rocco, Matthew. "RFH turns tables on Matawan and wins CJ II football crown", Atlanticville, December 9, 2010. Accessed January 22, 2014. "Rumson-Fair Haven pulled off an upset victory in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II sectional final at Kean University, defeating the defending champion, Matawan Huskies, 13–7.... Rumson (9–3) certainly mustered enough motivation to upset Matawan, despite losing to the same team in October, 48–21. This time around, Matawan (11–1) was handed its first loss since last year."
↑ Liederfarb, Dave. "Weequahic 14–6", Atlanticville, December 12, 2013. Accessed January 22, 2014. "When Donald Bedell flung Weequahic High School quarterback Kedar Clarke to the turf, fans of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School's football team could breathe a sigh of relief and begin celebrating the Bulldogs' NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II championship. Led by a ferocious defense, Rumson- Fair Haven (11–1) defeated previously unbeaten Weequahic, 14–6, on Dec. 7 at Kean University in Union, avenging a loss to the Newark school that knocked Rumson-Fair Haven out of last year's NJSIAA playoffs."
↑ Jordan, Bob. "Rumson-Fair Haven football captures title", Asbury Park Press, December 7, 2014. Accessed December 20, 2014. "Charlie Volker rushed for 161 yards and scored the first touchdown for the Bulldogs, who went on to beat Delaware Valley 21–0 in the NJSIAA Central II championship game at Kean University.... The Bulldogs (9–3) won their second consecutive sectional and third overall. This was Rumson's fourth appearance in the Central II final in the last five seasons and fifth in the last eight."
↑ Stypulkoski, Matt. "Rumson-Fair Haven beats Red Bank Regional, 21–0, in the Central Jersey, Group 3 football final", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 5, 2015. Accessed March 21, 2016. "A combination of stout defense and opportunistic offense propelled Rumson-Fair Haven past Red Bank Regional, 21–0, in the NJSIAA/Sports Care Institute Central Jersey, Group 3 final on Saturday night at High Point Solutions Stadium. The Bulldogs' win secured their third straight sectional title and continued their recent dominance in the Ridge Road rivalry."
↑ Deakyne, Brian. "Perfection: Rumson-FH's senior class caps career with 4th straight championship", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 3, 2016. Accessed December 9, 2016. "On Saturday night, Schulte and the rest of his staff saw that run remain alive and well as Rumson-Fair Haven rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to beat South Plainfield, 27–22, in the Central Jersey, Group 3 sectional final and its fourth overall."
↑ Christie, Sherlon. "NJ football playoffs: Maldjian, McCarthy spark Rumson's offense, defense strong in bowl game", Asbury Park Press, December 1, 2018. Accessed October 27, 2020. "The Rumson-Fair Haven football team had the answer for one of the best passing offenses in the state of New Jersey. That solution was to give up the yards to Woodrow Wilson, if necessary, but not necessarily the points. The Bulldogs employed that philosophy for a hard fought 26–18 win at MetLife Stadium in the NJSIAA Group III Central/South Bowl Game on Saturday afternoon."
↑ Rotolo, Chris. "Field Hockey: Rumson-Fair Haven tops Shore Regional in SCT Final", Asbury Park Press, November 2, 2014. Accessed December 2, 2015. "It was a realization that not only could they play with a Blue Devils program that was making its 16th straight trip to the SCT championship game – with 15 consecutive victories prior – but that it could defeat this dominant entity come playoff time. It's a vision that was realized Sunday at Raritan High School where the top-seeded Bulldogs defeated the second-seeded Blue Devils, 2–0, capturing the first SCT title in Rumson-Fair Haven field hockey history."
↑ Rotolo, Chris. "Field Hockey: Croddick lifts Rumson to conference title over Shore", Asbury Park Press, October 29, 2015. Accessed December 2, 2015. "'There wasn't a lot of time left, so we knew we really had to execute,' Croddick said of her club's mindset, which allowed Rumson to repeat as SCT champions and earn its second title of the sort in program history."
↑ Gould, Brandon. "No. 7 Rumson-Fair Haven girls lacrosse makes history, wins program's first Group 2 title", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 4, 2016, updated August 23, 2019. Accessed January 28, 2021. "Rumson-Fair Haven, No. 7 in the NJ.com Top 20, made program history on Saturday at Kean University, winning its first ever group title with a 14–11 victory over No. 19 Bernards in the NJSIAA/Investors Bank Group 2 final."
↑ Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Rumson-Fair Haven School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed September 21, 2024. "The School District is a Type II district located in the County of Monmouth, 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 appointed to three-year terms. These terms are staggered so that three members’ terms expire each year. The District provides a full range of educational services appropriate to grades levels nine (9) through twelfth (12th) grade." See "Roster of Officials" on page 19.
↑ Rumson-Fair Haven Regional Board of Education District Policy 0141 – Board Member Number and Term, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. Accessed April 30, 2020. "The Board of Education shall be comprised of nine members, four of whom are elected from and by the Fair Haven registered voters and five of whom are elected from and by the Rumson registered voters. The term of office of each member shall be three years."
1 2 Van Anda, Roberta H. Legendary Locals of Rumson, p. 109. Arcadia Publishing, 2015. ISBN9781467101769. Accessed October 4, 2019. "Big Band music arranger (class of 1935) learned to read and write music simultaneously from Elizabeth Connelly, and European-trained Austrian Rudolf Winthrop provided him with lessons in harmony each week."
↑ Kampfe, John. "Rumson’s Midori Francis Lost ‘Brad’ But Found Recognition", Jerseywood, June 5, 2015. Accessed November 11, 2020. "Francis moved on to Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School where she was a member of its acclaimed Performing Arts Society, president of its International Thespian Society and recipient of the 'Best Thespian Award' during her senior year."
↑ La Gorce, Tammy. "New Faces NJ: Jacquelyn Jablonski; Fair Haven teen living her dream as a high-fashion model.", New Jersey Monthly, December 16, 2009. Accessed March 18, 2015. "It's likely that few members of the class of 2009 have enjoyed the instant success of Jacqueline Jablonski. The 18-year-old from Fair Haven was just four months out of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School and there she was, strutting the stuff of Herve Leger, Marc Jacobs, and other top fashion designers as a model during New York Fashion Week."
↑ "Editor to discuss U.S.News college rankings", Greater Media, October 24, 2002. Accessed October 4, 2019 "Brian Kelly, managing editor of U.S. News magazine’s 'America’s Best Colleges and Best Grad Schools,' will present 'How U.S. News Picks the Best Colleges in America (and Why You Shouldn’t Take Us Too Seriously)' Nov. 13, 7:30–9:30 p.m., at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft. Kelly is a graduate of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School and earned his bachelor of arts degree from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C."
↑ "Miss Stadler On Hockey Team", Red Bank Register, March 26, 1959. Accessed January 10, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Rumson – Phyllis Stadler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry R. Stadler, 16 Packer Ave., was recently picked by the United States Field Hockey association to represent this country at the International Federation of Womens Hockey association's conference and tournament in Amsterdam, Holland.... Phyllis, a graduate of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional high school, is physical education instructor at Audubon high school.
↑ Burton, John. "Rumson Native's Second Star-Studded Film To Be Shown Locally", The Two River Times, April 27, 2012. Accessed February 19, 2013. "Rob Margolies has been behind the movie camera again. The 29-year-old Rumson native, who is a 2001 graduate of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, is in the process of showing and negotiating distribution for his new feature film."
↑ "Bausch & Lomb Award Goes To Regional High Student", Long Branch Daily Record, January 23, 1958. Accessed January 11, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Bonnard J. Teegarden, son of Dr. and Mrs. Robert W. Teegarden, 78 Princeton Rd., Fair Haven, will be awarded the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award at the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School."
↑ Carino, Jerry. "Winter Olympics: Fair Haven's Charlie Volker eyes medal with U.S. bobsled team", Asbury Park Press, January 20, 2022. Accessed May 16, 2022. "After flying from Europe to California Monday, Charlie Volker turned on his phone and found it deluged with messages.... Volker, a former Rumson-Fair Haven High School football and track standout who later starred on the gridiron at Princeton University, will be the brakeman on Sled 1 — the U.S.’s top entry in the four-man bobsled competition."
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