West Orange High School (New Jersey)

West Orange High School
Address
51 Conforti Avenue West Orange , Essex County , New Jersey 07052 United States
Coordinates	40°48′24″N74°15′36″W / 40.806666°N 74.259999°W / 40.806666; -74.259999
Information
Type	Public high school
Established	1898
School district	West Orange Public Schools
NCES School ID	341761002468 [1]
Principal	Oscar Guerrero
Faculty	189.2 FTEs [1]
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	2,151 (as of 2022–23) [1]
Student to teacher ratio	11.4:1 [1]
Color(s)	Cobalt   Navy Blue   Light Grey [2]
Athletics conference	Super Essex Conference (general) North Jersey Super Football Conference (football)
Team name	Mountaineers [2]
Website	www.woboe.org/Domain/18

West Orange High School (WOHS) is a comprehensive four-year community public high school, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from West Orange in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Since the closure of West Orange Mountain High School, WOHS is the only secondary school serving the West Orange Public Schools. West Orange High School has been accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education and by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1928. ^[3]

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,151 students and 189.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.4:1. There were 808 students (37.6% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 184 (8.6% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch. ^[1]

Faculty and academics

A faculty of 200 includes administration and supervisory personnel, as well as Guidance Staff, two full-time Library Media Specialists, two nurses, a Student Assistance Counselor, and a full-time Child Study Team. The majority of the professional staff members have earned master's degrees, and seven have earned doctorates.

West Orange High School has a comprehensive program with a wide variety of course offerings. Graduation requirements are based on study in grades nine through twelve. Students must satisfy the state and local requirements for graduation and take additional courses to total a minimum of 135 credits. In addition to the basic academic courses offered at multiple ability levels, there are Honors and Advanced Placement courses in most disciplines. Programs in business education, technical and industrial education, computer education, performing and fine arts, and English as a Second Language are also offered. Now, West Orange High School offers block scheduling, which uses a rotation that switches out two courses per day.

The Cooperative Education Program provides students with the opportunity to study academics as well as receive on-the-job training. Students can also choose from a wide variety of electives.

History

The high school was built in 1898 on Gaston Street in West Orange but was burned down in 1913. It was rebuilt, and was relocated to a new building on Northfield Avenue in 1922. The old building became Gaston Street Junior High School (Fairmount Elementary School was built behind it) and was torn down in 1972. The current facility was built in 1960 as Mountain High School. In 1984, the 1922 building was sold to become Seton Hall Preparatory School, a private Catholic school. Mountain High School and the adjoined Abraham Lincoln Junior High School were converted into the existing facility. In 2004, a new building was added, doubling the size of the school. As of February 19, 2021, the athletic complex includes a football field, one soccer field, one softball field, an outdoor basketball court, one 80-yard field, five tennis courts, and a baseball field.

Awards, recognition and rankings

In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post , the school was ranked 44th in New Jersey and 1,379th nationwide. ^[4]

The school was the 170th-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. ^[5] The school had been ranked 136th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 128th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. ^[6] The magazine ranked the school 114th in 2008 out of 316 schools. ^[7] The school was ranked 98th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state. ^[8]

For the 1998–99 school year, West Orange High School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve. ^[9]

West Orange High School applied for, and was awarded, a Dodge Grant for the 2004–05 academic year through Montclair State University. The focus of the grant is to explore how to develop a Conflict Resolution program responsive to the needs of West Orange High School. The Dodge Grant Team spent a year researching and developing a potential Conflict Resolution Model for West Orange High School.

Athletics

The West Orange High School Mountaineers ^[2] compete in the Super Essex Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Essex County and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). ^[10] Before the NJSIAA's 2010 realignment, the school had competed in the Northern Hills Conference an athletic conference comprised of public and private high schools located in Essex, Morris and Passaic counties. ^[11] With 1,574 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group IV for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 1,060 to 5,049 students in that grade range. ^[12] The football team competes in the Liberty White division of the North Jersey Super Football Conference, which includes 112 schools competing in 20 divisions, making it the nation's biggest football-only high school sports league. ^{[13] [14]} The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group V North for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 1,317 to 5,409 students. ^[15]

The boys' basketball team won the Group III state championship in 1936 (defeating Millville Memorial High School in the tournament final) and won the Group IV title in 1949 (vs. Emerson High School). ^[16] The 1935 team defeated Millville by a score of 35-24 to win the Group III state finals in the title game played at Rutgers University. ^[17]

The ice hockey team won the Gordon Cup in 1961 (as co-champion) and won the Monsignor Kelly Cup in 2004. ^[18]

The boys' swimming team won the Division B state championship in 1963. ^[19]

The boys' baseball team won the North II Group III state championship in 1967 and won the Group III state title in 1971 (against runner-up Bridgewater-Raritan High School East in the final of the playoffs). ^[20]

The girls' tennis team won the Group IV state championship in 1984 (defeating Cherry Hill High School East in the final match of the tournament), 1985 (vs. Ridgewood High School) and 1986 (vs. Cherry Hill High School East); the team lost to Red Bank Catholic High School in the finals of the Tournament of Champions in both 1984 and 1985, before defeating Red Bank Catholic in 1986 to win the overall state championship. ^[21]

The school's marching band, the Marching Mountaineers, were three-year United States Scholastic Band Association (USSBA) Group V Open State Champs (2005, 2006, 2009), USSBA Group V Open Northern State Champs (2009), and ninth in the northeastern region as of 2007 BOA (Bands of America). In addition, their Color Guard is nationally known for their "globe-tossing" performance.^{[ citation needed ]}

The boys' soccer team won the Group IV state championship in 2006 (defeating Manalapan High School in the tournament final) and 2013 (vs. Clearview Regional High School). ^[22] The 2006 boys' soccer team finished the season with a 24–1 record; the team was ranked 4th in the nation at the beginning of the 2006 season and finished 17th in the NSCAA/Adidas National Rankings. ^[23] The 2006 team won the Group IV state championship with a 4–1 win over Bridgewater-Raritan High School in the semifinals and a 3–0 win against Manalapan High School in the finals. ^[24] The team finished the 2013 season with a 13-7-2 record, after winning the Group IV title with a 1-0 win against Clearview Regional High School in the championship game. ^[25]

The school hosted a match in 2007 between a team representing the New York Athletic Club and teams from Russia and Romania. The NYAC team beat Russia 14–11 in free style and Romania 14–12 in Greco-Roman matches. ^[26]

The boys' wrestling team won the North I Group IV state sectional championship in 2012 and the North I Group V title in 2018. ^[27]

Administration

The school's principal is Oscar Guerrero. His administration team includes four assistant principals. ^[28]

Notable alumni

See also: Category:West Orange High School (New Jersey) alumni

Notable alumni of West Orange High School and West Orange Mountain High School include:

• Anna Easter Brown (1879-1957, class of 1897), founder of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority ^[29]
• Brendan Byrne (1924–2018, class of 1942), former governor of New Jersey ^[30]
• Chris Christian (born 1989), professional soccer player who currently plays as a defender for Oakland Roots SC in the National Independent Soccer Association ^[31]
• Charles Cullen (born 1960, class of 1978), nurse and convicted serial killer, who murdered multiple hospital patients, at least 29 of which have been confirmed ^[32]
• Ginny Duenkel (born 1947), gold medalist in the 400 meter freestyle at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo ^[33]
• Chris Gethard (born 1980), actor and comedian ^[34]
• Martin Glenn (born 1946, class of 1964), jurist who serves as the chief judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York ^[35]
• Robert Hebble (1934–2020), composer, arranger and organist ^[36]
• Mark Kelly (born 1964), astronaut and identical twin of Scott Kelly. Elected as United States Senator from Arizona, November 2020 ^[37]
• Scott Kelly (born 1964), astronaut and identical twin of Mark Kelly ^[38]
• General Paul J. Kern (born 1945), commanding general of the United States Army Materiel Command from 2001–2004 ^[39]
• Joshua D. Maurer (born 1964), film producer, writer and actor whose credits include Georgia O'Keeffe, The Hoax, The Last Tycoon, Rosemary's Baby, Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret and Introducing Dorothy Dandridge ^[40]
• John F. McKeon (born 1958), politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 27th Legislative District ^[41]
• Gordon Allen Newkirk Jr. (1928–1985), astrophysicist ^[42]
• Rebecca Odes (born 1969), media entrepreneur, author and musician, who was the bassist and vocalist for the band Love Child and co-founded the website Gurl.com ^[43]
• Okieriete Onaodowan (born 1987, class of 2005), actor who originated the roles of Hercules Mulligan and James Madison in the 2015 Broadway musical Hamilton ^[44]
• Michael Oren (born 1955), served as Israeli Ambassador to the United States ^[45]
• Vinnie Politan (born 1965, class of 1983), anchor, talk show host for Court TV and radio host for Sirius Satellite Radio ^[46]
• Marge Roukema (1929–2014, class of 1947), politician who represented New Jersey in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 to 2003 ^[47]
• Johnny Sansone (born 1957), electric blues singer, songwriter, harmonicist, accordionist, guitarist and piano player ^[48]
• Elizabeth Shin (1980–2000), MIT student who died from burns inflicted by a fire in her dormitory room. Her death resulted in the upgrading of MIT's counseling services ^[49]
• Andy Stern (born 1950, class of 1968), former President of the Service Employees International Union ^{[50] [51]}
• Stephen Vittoria (born 1957), filmmaker and author, who ran for the district's board of education while a student in 1973 ^[52]
• Kenneth T. Wilson (born 1936), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1968 to 1972 ^[53]
• Scott Wolf (born 1968, class of 1986), actor best known for playing the role of Bailey Salinger on Party of Five ^[54]
• Ian Ziering (born 1964, class of 1982), actor best known for appearing as Steve Sanders on Beverly Hills, 90210 ^[55]

In popular culture

A fifth-season episode of the HBO series The Sopranos titled "The Test Dream" shows Tony Soprano in a dream scene with his high school football coach, Mr. Molinero. The school letters "W.O.H.S." are shown on a jacket in the coach's office.^{[ citation needed ]}

Gallery

• 
  WOHS, 1922–1983
• 
  WOHS, 1984–present day

References

1. School data for West Orange High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
2. West Orange High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
3. West Orange High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools, backed up by the Internet Archive as of March 15, 2012. Accessed March 30, 2015.
4. Mathews, Jay. "The High School Challenge 2011: West Orange High School", The Washington Post . Accessed September 9, 2011.
5. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly , September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
6. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2012. Accessed September 24, 2012.
7. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2010. Accessed April 5, 2011.
8. "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly , September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
9. Star School Award recipient detail 1998-99 school year, West Orange High School Archived January 12, 2004, at the Wayback Machine , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 4, 2024.
10. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
11. Home Page, Northern Hills Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of January 28, 2011. Accessed November 25, 2014.
12. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
13. Cooper, Darren. "Here's what we know about the new Super Football Conference 2020 schedule", The Record , July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference (SFC) is a 112-team group, the largest high school football-only conference in America, and is comprised of teams from five different counties."
14. Cooper, Darren. "NJ football: Super Football Conference revised schedules for 2020 regular season", The Record , July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference has 112 teams that will play across 20 divisions."
15. NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
16. NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
17. "Millville, Merchants Lose In Tourney Finals; West Orange Has Big Second Period to Conquer 'Millers' 35 to 24", Courier-Post , March 23, 1936. Accessed February 28, 2021. "Long distance sharpshooting and big second period enabled West Orange High to tuck away the New Jersey Group 3 basketball championship at the expense of Watts Chance's Millville High quintet. After brushing past the opposition in impressive fashion in the preliminary eliminations of the N. J. S. I. A. A. tournament, the Millville five lost out in the state title round last Saturday night, at Rutgers University. The score was 35 to 24."
18. NJSIAA Ice Hockey State Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
19. History of NJSIAA Team Swimming, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
20. Baseball Championship History: 1959–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
21. Girls Tennis Championship History: 1971–2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed September 1, 2024.
22. NJSIAA History of Boys Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
23. NSCAA/Adidas National Rankings: National Final Regular Season Poll Poll, November 21, 2006. Accessed July 27, 2007.
24. 2006 Boys Soccer Tournament - Public Semis/Finals, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 25, 2007.
25. "Boys soccer: Faloye, West Orange complete turnaround, beat Clearview in Group 4 final", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 24, 2013, updated August 25, 2019. Accessed November 5, 2020. "Nine victories and 39 days later, West Orange capped off one of the most improbable state championship runs in history when Faloye's goal in the fifth minute was the game winner when West Orange defeated Clearview, 1-0, in the NJSIAA/Sports Authority Group 4 final last night at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. Faloye, scored a goal in four state playoff contests, all one-goal games, for West Orange (13-7-2), which captured its first state title since 2006."
26. Abbott, Gary. "NYAC beats Russia, 14-11 in freestyle and Romania 14-12 in Greco-Roman in dual meet in New Jersey", United States Olympic Committee, November 16, 2007. Accessed December 1, 2007.
27. NJSIAA Wrestling Team Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
28. About Us, West Orange High School. Accessed December 14, 2022.
29. Ricci, Joe. "Anna Easter Brown Historic Marker Unveiled at West Orange Library", West Orange Patch, February 7, 2016. Accessed November 21, 2017. "The marker highlights the accomplishments of Anna Easter Brown, an African-American woman born and raised in West Orange, who graduated from West Orange High School in 1897."
30. Brendan T. Byrne Archive - Biography, Rutgers Program on the Governor / Eagleton Institute of Politics. Accessed January 16, 2011.
31. Chris Christian, Vanderbilt Commodores men's soccer. Accessed September 24, 2019. "Hometown: West Orange, N.J. High School: West Orange"
32. McDermott, Joe. "Murder Charge for Nurse; He Admits Killing 30-40", The Morning Call , December 16, 2003. Accessed January 30, 2023. "Cullen, a divorced father of two, graduated from West Orange High School in 1978 and served in the Navy for six years before attending Mountainside Hospital School of Nursing in Montclair, N.J."
33. via Associated Press. "World Mark Set By Rose In Swim; Australian Does 400-Meter Free-Style in 4:13.4", The New York Times , August 18, 1962, pg. 16. Accessed June 13, 2016. "The unheralded 15-year-old Miss Duenkel cracked the listed world record in the 200-meter back-stroke in 2:32.1. The 125-pound sophomore from West Orange High School beat Miss de Varona in a tense duel in the last fifty meters."
34. Staff. "One On 1 Profile: Comedian Chris Gethard Offers a Unique Approach to the Entertainment Industry With His Public Access Following", NY1, May 12, 2014. Accessed August 22, 2016. "It's not every comedian who can say they played Giants Stadium. Chris Gethard did with the 1996 West Orange, N.J. High School Marching Mountaineers."
35. Clary, William Webb. History of the Law Firm of O'Melveny & Myers: History of the law firm of O'Melveny & Myers LLP, 1965-1990 and beyond, p. 1265. O'Melveny & Myers, 2001. Accessed February 14, 2024. "Marty was born in 1946 in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in Rockaway Park, New York, and West Orange, New Jersey, graduating from West Orange High School in June 1964."
36. "Hebble at West Side", The Ridgewood News, February 16, 1978. Accessed August 25, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "A West Orange resident, Robert Hebble's career also includes reviewing choral music for Music magazine, arranging for the Uniroyal, glee club, coaching actors preparing for Broadway roles and teaching at Stevens.... Hebble graduated from West Orange High School and entered Yale, where he earned his bachelor of music degree. While still holding down the job as Fox's assistant, be got a master's degree at Juilliard."
37. Mark E. Kelly Biographical Data, NASA. Accessed March 25, 2007.
38. Scott J. Kelly Biographical Data, NASA. Accessed March 25, 2007.
39. "Major Army Command Says Farewell to Four-Star Commander", United States Army Materiel Command press release. Accessed November 19, 2007. "Kern was raised in West Orange, NJ and graduated from West Orange High School."
40. Joshua Maurer, Tour of Duty Pages. Accessed November 30, 2016. "Born in New Jersey , he attended West Orange High School and Sarah Lawrence College, where he obtained a B.A. degree in political science and appeared in many student stage productions."
41. Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey: 2004 Edition, p. 280. Lawyers Diary and Manual, LLC., 2004. ISBN   9781577411871. Accessed September 24, 2019. "John F. Mckeon, Dem., West Orange... He was raised in Orange and West Orange and graduated from West Orange Mountain High School."
42. "Jersey Students Essay Finalists", Courier News , January 24, 1946. Accessed June 28, 2018. "They were: Robert C. West Jr., Caldwell, 17-year-old student af State Teachers College high school, Upper Montclair; Walter George Gall, Garfield, 16-year-old student at Garfield High School, and Gordon Allen Newkirk Jr., West Orange, 17-year-old student at West Orange High School."
43. The Last Roundup '84, West Orange High School, 1984. Accessed December 4, 2021.
44. Herzog, Laura. "Broadway baby: 'Hamilton' star returns to N.J. alma mater", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 2, 2016. Accessed June 13, 2016. "Onaodowan grew up in West Orange with his parents and five sisters, and attended Gregory Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, and West Orange High School, graduating in 2005, school officials said."
45. Ginsberg, Johanna. "Former New Jerseyan to be Israel's envoy to U.S.; Author Michael Oren was Mountain High and Princeton grad", New Jersey Jewish News , May 7, 2009. Accessed July 30, 2013. "He graduated from West Orange Mountain High School and earned an undergraduate degree from Columbia University before making aliya in 1979."
46. Q and A with Vinnie Politan, November 20, 2006, accessed April 12, 2007. "It'll be tough to deal with him, even if I was the two-time captain of the West Orange Cowboys' Group 2 Section 2 state championship basketball team."
47. "Roukema, Doby To Receive Honorary Degrees From MSC", The Montclair Times, April 30, 1987. Accessed June 11, 2024, via Newspapers.com. "A former high school teacher of American history and government, she was born Marge Scafati and is a lifelong New Jersey resident, graduating from West Orange High School before attending Montclair State."
48. Hicks, Robert. "Odyssey to New Orleans; Johnny Sansone started in New Jersey but wound up in the Big Easy", Daily Record , August 19, 2001. Accessed December 14, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Sansone, started guitar around the same time and began performing on harp and guitar in local blues bands in West Orange, where he later became a star swimmer at West Orange High School."
49. Sontag, Deborah. "Who Was Responsible For Elizabeth Shin?", The New York Times , April 28, 2002. Accessed September 24, 2012. "It is a reference to Elizabeth's admission to psychiatrists that she cut her wrists very superficially after she was bumped from valedictorian to salutatorian of West Orange High School."
50. Bildner, Allen I. (Part 1), Rutgers University Oral History Archives. Accessed June 7, 2016. "The service employee unions are those that have janitors, hotel employees, hospital employees. Andy Stern was in my son's class at West Orange High School, the son of an affluent family."
51. West-O-Ranger, 1968, West Orange High School. Accessed September 24, 2019.
52. Staff. "New Jersey Briefs", The New York Times , February 8, 1973. Accessed March 27, 2018. "The New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union announced yesterday that it would ask the United States Supreme Court to stay an election of the West Orange Board of Education until the name of a 16‐year‐old high school sophomore was included on the ballot.The A.C.L.U. said it was asking the Court to stay the election, scheduled for next Tuesday, until Stephen Vittoria was allowed to run for a place on the board."
53. 1941, his family moved to West Orange.%22 Fizgerald's Legislative Manual, State of New Jersey, Volume 194, Part 2; Volume 195, Parts 1-2, p. 394. J. A. Fitzegerald, 1971. Accessed November 6, 2017. "Kenneth T. Wilson (Rep., West Orange) Assemblyman Wilson, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth H. Wilson, was born in Newark, on March 20, 1936, the eldest of two sons. He attended the West Orange public schools and graduated in 1954 from West Orange High School."
54. "Engagements-Weddings-Anniversaries", Belleville News-Democrat , August 3, 2003. Accessed April 5, 2011. "Wolf is a 1986 graduate of West Orange High School in West Orange, NJ, and a 1990 graduate of George Washington University in Washington D.C."
55. "Celebrity Proms: Dancing's Ian Ziering", Access Hollywood , May 10, 2007. Accessed April 5, 2011. "We took Ian back twenty-five years to prom 1982 at Mountain High School in West Orange, New Jersey. We found his prom date, Julie Slavitt, happily married with two little girls in Demarest, New Jersey."

External links

• West Orange High School
• School Performance Report for West Orange High School , New Jersey Department of Education
• Data for West Orange High School, National Center for Education Statistics