| Number of Schools Managed |
7 |
5 |
| Number of Students Managed |
5,470 students |
2,429 students |
| District Total Revenue |
$78,214,000 |
$39,780,000 |
| District Expenditure |
$71,423,000 |
$39,973,000 |
| District Revenue / Student |
$14,299 |
$16,377 |
| District Expenditure / Student |
$13,057 |
$16,457 |
| District Graduation Rates |
87% |
81% |
|
- Kearny High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Kearny, New Jersey, as part of the Kearny School District.
- Construction began on the present school facility began in 1921. Kearny High School opened for the fall semester in September 1923. The school's stadium was completed in 1925. In 1940, an addition costing $400,000 was added. In 1974, another addition was added that cost $5 million dollars, providing a new Music and Art Department, new gymnasium, locker rooms, classrooms and parking. The school is divided into two different buildings that are connected to each other.
- As of the 2006-07 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,752 students and 135.0 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis, for a student-teacher ratio of 13.0.
- The school was the 235th-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 200th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
- Extracurricular activities
- Athletics
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The Kearny High School Kardinals compete in the Watchung Conference, which is made up of public high schools in Essex County, Hudson County and Union County in North Jersey, operating under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).
- In 2002, the boys soccer team earned the North I, Group IV sectional title, edging Clifton High School 3-2 in the tournament final.
- The baseball team won the North I, Group IV state sectional championship in 2003 with a 5-3 win vs. Ridgewood High School in the tournament final.
- In 2007, the girls soccer team, seeded #2, won the North I, Group III state sectional championship with a 3-0 win over fourth-seeded Montclair High School in the tournament final, the team's second consecutive title.
- In 2009, the boys Indoor Track and Field team won the county championship as the team continues its return to its previous status when many nationally ranked relays and indivudals competed for the school. In cross country the school has produced many county, conference and state champions.
- The girl's cross country team won consecutive county championships in 2007 and 2008. The program continues to build in an effort to return to its lofty position which saw it win 4 consecutive state sectional titles and a Meet of Champions title.
- The Kardinals wrestling team has won three consecutive Conference championships from 2001-2004 again in 2006, and then again in 2008 in the Watchung Conference. Dave Cordoba won the 1999 state championship at 130lbs, and holds the school record for career victories.
- In 2006, the girls crew Lightweight Four boat (130 pounds and under) competed in the New Jersey Scholastic Rowing Championship and placed first. They had won the state championship for the third year in a row.
- Marching Unit
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The Kearny High School Marching Unit has enjoyed several years of great success in the past. Most notably, they were Tournament Of Band Class III Atlantic Coast champions in 1985, and their percussion section won High Percussion honors for three years straight, from '83 to '85. In addition the Kearny High School Marching Unit under the direction of Patrick Ragnoni was group 3A USSBA Champions two years in a row in 1999 and 2000. In 2003, the field was under construction. This was devastating to the marching band, and the winning streak was lost. The Kearny High School Marching Unit under the direction of Edward Gargiulo is currently a Group 3A marching band as of the fall of 2008.
- Incidents and controversy
- Religion in classroom controversy
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In the autumn of 2006, David Paszkiewicz, a history teacher at Kearny High with 14 years of experience at the school, generated heated controversy when it was revealed that the teacher preached Christian religious doctrine to his students during an American history class. When confronted by Kearny High School junior Matthew LaClair in a meeting with Paszkiewicz and the administration, Paszkiewicz denied ever preaching Christianity in class. After this, LaClair produced recorded tapes in which Paszkiewicz was recorded saying that God :
- “...did everything in his power to make sure that you could go to heaven, so much so that he took your sins on his own body, suffered your pains for you, and he’s saying, ‘Please, accept me, believe.’ If you reject that, you belong in hell.”
- The teacher is said to have also taught that there were dinosaurs aboard Noah’s Ark and that there is no scientific basis for evolution or the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe.
- The incident has received considerable coverage, with LaClair being interviewed on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360° and in The New York Times.
- This controversy has raised interesting questions over the legal right of students to record what teachers tell them during class. With some believing it is important in order to keep teacher's accountable, while others argue it infringes on the teacher's personal liberty.
- The student's supporters have further reported that "he has been the target of harassment and a death threat from fellow students and 'retaliation' by school officials who have treated him, not the teacher, as the problem. The retaliation, they say, includes the district’s policy banning students from recording what is said in class without a teacher’s permission and officials’ refusal to punish students who have harassed Matthew."
- Deborah Jacobs, New Jersey executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said Kearny High School had “violated the spirit and the letter of freedom of religion and the First Amendment,” and that the A.C.L.U. would support the LaClairs if they were to file suit. The People for the American Way Foundation has expressed similar support.
- Inappropriate interaction with students
-
During the 2006-07 school year Celeste Adamski, a 27-year-old English teacher who had taught for three years at the school, was suspended with pay on suspicion of sexual activity with one or more of her students. Based on allegations passed on to the principal of Kearny High School, Mrs. Adamski was then suspended with pay for the summer of 2007 until October while the investigation went on. In mid-October she pleaded guilty to an allegation with one male student. She later agreed to never teach again and had to give up her teaching certificate and will not be allowed to hold a public job. Her husband, John Adamski, a history teacher at KHS, will continue to teach.
- Administration
-
Core members of the school's administration are:
- Alfred Somma - Principal
- Michael Barbone - Vice Principal, Curriculum
- John Millar - Vice Principal, Athletics & Student Activities
- Patrick Ragnoni - Vice Principal of Discipline and Attendance
- Notable alumni
- Bob Burton, Jr. (born 1985), Speedcuber
- Sam Dente (1922-2002), major league baseball shortstop from 1947-1955.
- Ed Halicki (born 1950), baseball pitcher for San Francisco Giants.
- John Harkes (born 1967), soccer player (Captain of the US Men's National team for ten years and Olympian).
- Jeff Klepacki, Olympic rower
- Tony Meola (born 1969), soccer goalkeeper for Red Bull New York now playing for New Jersey Ironmen in indoor soccer.
- Brian Regal, PhD. Historian, author of Human Evolution: A Guide to the Debates and others.
- Archie Stark (1897-1985), early American soccer player.
- Bob Stanley (born 1954), Class of 1973, baseball pitcher for Boston Red Sox.
- Ray Toro (born 1977), lead guitarist for My Chemical Romance
- Alex Webster (born 1931), former fullback and head coach for the New York Giants.
- External links
- Kearny High School
- Kearny School District
- Data for the Kearny School District, National Center for Education Statistics
- Kearny High School Alumni
- 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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