- John P. Stevens High School (abbr. JP or JPS) is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves the northern end of Edison, in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It is one of two public high schools in the Edison Township Public Schools, the other being Edison High School.
- As of the 2006-07 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,130 students and 158 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 13.5.
- JPS has had an SAT average that has surpassed the state's mean since it opened. Moreover, about 79% of its graduates advance to four-year colleges, with many attending Ivy League schools.
- The school was the 52nd-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2008 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools. The school was ranked 82nd in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.
- History
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The school is named after J.P. Stevens, an alumnus of the nearby Wardlaw-Hartridge School and CEO of the J.P. Stevens Textile Corporation, who served as a member of the Edison Board of Education.
- J.P. Stevens was founded in 1964, and rapidly expanded with North Edison. Originally, JPS was a senior high school, serving grades 10 through 12. In 1984, the Edison School District changed the junior high schools into middle schools, moving 9th grade into JPS.
- Students
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The population of J.P. Stevens High School enters primarily from two of Edison's middle schools: John Adams Middle School and Woodrow Wilson Middle School.
- The history of the demographics of J.P. Stevens is somewhat unusual. From the time it opened through the 1980s, the school's students were mostly Caucasian, with an African American minority. Beginning in the 1980s, J. P. Stevens saw increasing numbers of Asian Americans. By the school year, the largest group of students at J.P. Stevens was of the Asian Americans (particularly Indian Americans), following the same trend as Edison as a whole. As of the school year, Asian-Americans constitute 56% of students. In addition, 34% of the school is Caucasian, 7% African American, and 3% Hispanic.
- The average class size of the school is about 27 students. The school's ratio of students to computers is 12 to 1 while the state average is 4 to 1.
- On the Language Arts section of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA), 54% of students scored proficient and 37% scored advanced. On the Math section of the test, 38% scored proficient and 52% scored advanced. The average SAT score is 1160 out of 1600. The Advanced Placement Program (AP) participation is 22%. The average attendance rate is 96%. As of the school year, JPS had a suspension rate of 11%. 97% of JPS seniors graduated and only 7% of the school graduated via the SRA process. 77% of the graduating seniors go on to four-year colleges and another 17% of the graduating seniors go on to two year colleges.
- Faculty
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The faculty population of J.P. Stevens High School is around 200 teachers. The student to faculty ratio is 13 to 1. The faculty gets paid $55,035 a year while the state average is $52,563
- Curriculum
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J.P. Stevens students are required to take four years of English, four years of math, three years of science, three years of history (one of world and two of U.S.) and at least two years of a foreign language (including Latin, French, Spanish, and starting the 2008-2009 school year, Hindi). In addition, health and physical education classes are required for every year in which a student attends J.P. Stevens. Starting with the Class of 2008, one year of "Career Education and Consumer, Family and Life Skills" such as Foods or Technology Fundamentals is required as well as another year of the "Visual Performing Arts" such Chorus, Band, Visual Arts, Clothing for Fashion, and Architectural Drawing. J.P. Stevens has an Honors as well as a college preparatory track that features several Advanced Placement courses.
- 2008-2009 Curriculum Reform
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Responding to numerous voices within the community for community reform, the Edison Board of Education formed the High School Reform Committee. This committee recommended that for the 2009-2010 school year, Foods I and Foods II be converted to Foundations of Food and Nutrition. International Foods will be converted to Culinary Arts. The committee also recommended the "addition" of 2 AP classes as well: The conversion of Visual Arts 3 in title to AP Studio Art and the addition of AP World History as a Junior year elective.
- School funding
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The school receives 88% of the money from local taxes. The total cost per pupil in the school district is $11,964.
- Extracurricular activities
- Athletics
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The J.P. Stevens High School Hawks compete in the Red Division of the Greater Middlesex Conference, against nearby rivals such as Edison High School, East Brunswick High School, and Woodbridge High School.
- Janet Smith won the girls' 5,000 meter race at the 1983 Kinney National High School Cross-Country Championships held in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, with a time of 16 minutes 43.7 seconds.Kenny Bland became only the third basketball player in the school's history to have over 1000 career points. Jeremy Zuttah is a starting left guard for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2008 draft. He was a member of the 2001, undefeated football team that won states and played college football at Rutgers University.
- Music
- Chorus
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The J.P. Stevens High School Chorus is directed by Diane Wions. The J.P. Stevens Choir has won numerous awards, including Best Overall Choir at National and State competitions. In the 2006 Music Festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia, all competing groups from J.P. Stevens won first place, including best overall choir with all superior ratings. At the ACDA Festival in May 2006, the A Cappella Ensemble and the Chamber Ensemble both received The Sweepstakes award with a perfect score. In the Roxbury Invitational 2007, J.P. Stevens A Cappella Ensemble was one of two concert choirs selected to be in the showcase (previously in 2005), and went home with a 1st runner up trophy (with a rating of gold), behind Hopewell Valley Chamber Singers. In 2008, J.P. Stevens A Capella once again qualified as one of two showcase choirs at Roxbury Invitational, receiving a rating of gold. In addition, two concert soloists were selected to perform in the showcase. Many students from the choir are accepted into the Regions II Choir, the NJ All-State Choir, All-Eastern High School Honor Choir, and Governor's School of the Arts. At the Heritage Festivals in Boston, Massachusetts in April 2007, the A Cappella Ensemble received second place and the Concert Choir won first place, as well as the Adjudicator's award. In addition, the Chamber Choir was awarded first place in the Madrigal Choir category, and the school won Best Overall Choir and the Sweepstakes award. All performing groups received a gold rating. In the 2008 Festivals of Music in Washington, D.C., all competing groups from J.P. Stevens won the top honors.
- Concert Choir - Open to all students, about 170-190 members; Weekly Thursday rehearsals
- A Cappella Ensemble - Open by audition to all students, about 120-130 members; Weekly Monday rehearsals
- Men's Ensemble - Open to audition, automatic membership with acceptance into A Cappella Ensemble; Weekly morning rehearsals
- Women's Ensemble - Open to audition, automatic membership with acceptance into A Cappella Ensemble; Weekly morning rehearsals
- Chamber Ensemble - Most selective group, open to audition, grades 10-12, 38 members; Weekly Monday rehearsals, following A Capella
- Band
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The J.P. Stevens High School band program is under the direction of Andrew S. DeNicola and assistant director John Zazzali. Around 200 students participate in several ensembles, among which are Freshman Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Lab Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Marching Band. Other ensembles include a pep band, pit band, and various small ensembles.
- The J.P. Stevens High School Wind Ensemble is the program's premiere performing group. The Wind Ensemble has received Superior ratings at all festivals and has enjoyed participation in the New Jersey State Concert Band Gala in the last four years. Its students enjoy placement in the most coveted chairs of the Central Jersey Region Bands, NJ All State Bands, and All-Eastern Bands. its alumni have enjoy membership in some of the highest tier conservatory and university bands and orchestras as well as high profile positions in professional big bands, pit orchestras, and jazz combos.
- The J.P. Stevens High School jazz program membership is through audition only. The Jazz Ensemble, directed by Andrew DeNicola, is the highest level jazz group. It was named the New Jersey State Champions in 1981, 1998, 2004, and 2009.
- Marching Hawks
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The J.P. Stevens Marching Hawks perform at Varsity Football games and competitions around the area. The Marching Hawks are a Class VI Marching Band, composed of around 150 members. Anyone attending J.P. Stevens High School is eligible to participate. The Marching Hawks have won many competitions, and rank as one of the top 10 Marching Bands in the state as of 2005.
- Orchestra
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The John P. Stevens orchestra program is under the direction of Brian Verdi. Each year a number of students audition and are selected to participate in both CJMEA Regions II and All-State Orchestra. The orchestras compete each year in various orchestra festivals and place first in every competition. Presently the orchestra program has over seventy members and continues to grow.
- The J.P. Stevens High School Orchestra Program consists of three orchestras, including a number of string quartets. Chamber Orchestra includes 21 students who are selected by audition and perform standard string literature. Concert Orchestra has more than ninety students that is combined with winds and percussion to form the Symphonic Orchestra. Students who play in the string quartet are selected by audition and perform at weddings and other fundraisers around the community.
- Theatre Company
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The John P. Stevens award winning theatre company has been an ongoing program in the school for many years now. Since the foundation of the company, several Broadway and off-Broadway shows have been performed; some notable include: Grease, Into the Woods, Pippin, The Wiz, Leader of the Pack and The Musical. The theatre company's production of The Musical garnered several honorable mentions and nominations by the NJ Papermill Playhouse Rising Star Awards as well as a separate award being honored to student Thomas Minucci for the best set design. Other productions by the company from the past include Macbeth, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown and Working among others. The theatre company put on a production of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee's Inherit The Wind in November 2007. Most recently, the company put on perhaps their most successful and lauded show ever: the Stephen Sondheim musical The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in April 2008. Tickets easily sold out for the show, thus, each performance night oversaw members of the theatre company performing to one of the largest turnouts ever. Since then, they have put on such challenging and successful shows as The Odyssey , Tommy , and will be performing The Crucible and Jekyll and Hyde for the 2009-2010 season. Darlene Rich, an English and Theatre Arts teacher at the school, is currently the director and head of the theatre company.
- "More Ways Out" Improv Troupe
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The "More Ways Out" Improv Troupe meets every Thursday after school, to practice along with other students the art of "staying on ones toes". In the past years the "More Ways Out" improv troupe has won best in state numerous times. Most recently, the troupe went to New York City for an improv workshop encountering many professionals, as well as attending the NYC comedy festival.
- Other
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The Choir and Orchestra recently went to the Heritage Festival in Boston and swept the awards, receiving gold first place superior ratings in all categories entered.
- SerenAIDe is an annual, entirely student-run, benefit concert that was organized to raise money and awareness for victims of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's Disease. This event takes place in the first week of May. The concert was inspired by the choral director's husband's struggle against this disease. Over the last three years the students have successfully raised over $24,000 towards the ALS foundation and the Jewish Community Center of Belle Mead, New Jersey.
- Recently, a new robotics club was founded. Team 2554[1], the JPS Warhawks[2], which attended the FIRST Robotics Competition 2008 New York Regionals, is a new robotics club started in the 2007-2008 school year at John P. Stevens High School. The team went on the place 18 out of 64[3], qualifying for finals.
- The trivia team STARS has made Top 16 of 68 in the Bridgewater-Raritan Invitational Tournament of Excellence (BRITE) 3 times in a row and even once was a quarter-finalist.
- In 2009, for the first time, the STARS have been named Champions in BRITE and placed 30th out of 119 at Questions Unlimited's National Academic Championship.
- Notable alumni
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Noted JPS alumni include:
- David Bryan (born 1962), who plays the keyboards in the hard rock band Bon Jovi.
- Al Cheznovitz (born 1961), trumpet player, appears nightly on The Late Show with David Letterman.
- Jun Choi (born 1971), current Mayor of Edison, New Jersey.
- Pam Long, class of '94, singer for the group Total.
- Mark L. Polansky (born 1956), NASA astronaut.
- Joel Stein (born 1971), journalist, media personality, and current columnist for the Los Angeles Times.
- Ken Davidoff, National Baseball Writer Newsday.
- Sabrina Wind, Executive Producer of Desperate Housewives.
- Jeremy Zuttah (born 1986), Tampa Bay Buccaneers player.
- See also
- List of high schools in New Jersey
- Edison Township Public Schools
- External links
- J.P. Stevens High School Band
- J.P. Stevens High School Student Run Website
- J.P. Stevens High School page from Edison Township Public Schools
- Data for J.P. Stevens High School, National Center for Education Statistics
- J.P. Stevens Hawks Athletics
- J.P. Stevens Choir
- Source: Wikipedia; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.
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