- 'Roxbury High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in the Succasunna section of Roxbury Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Roxbury School District.
- Roxbury High School's students come from Roxbury Township, as well as Mount Arlington, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Mount Arlington School District.
- As of the 2006–07 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,539 students and 124 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 12.4.
- The school was the 98th-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 113th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
- Campus
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Roxbury High School consists of one rectangular building with various wings. The school only has windows on the front of the building, which faces northwest. This was done in order to save on energy costs, as the school was built during the prelude to the 1973 energy crisis. In 2003 a referendum was passed to add a music suite and an athletic training area/weight room to the original facility. The school shares Bryant Drive with nearby Eisenhower Middle School. Behind the school are athletic fields, including a track and a football field. A wooded area is also used for the "Project Adventure" program (which includes various types of climbing and trust-building activities for freshman).
- Languages spoken at home
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The most common language spoken at home other than English (96%) is Spanish at 6% of homes. Russian (0.5%), Gujarati (0.5%), and Polish (0.1%) follow
- Faculty
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There are very roughly 200 faculty members. Some in teaching positions have bachelor's or master's degrees, with a small number of doctoral degree holders. Core members of the school's administration are:
- Jeffrey Swanson, Principal
- Dr. Linda Bowles, Assistant Principal
- Alexis Korsak, Assistant Principal
- Eric Renfors, Assistant Principal
- Andrea Saladino, Assistant Principal
- Performing Arts
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Roxbury High School offers a comprehensive, fully curricular performing arts curriculum. Its offerings include:
- Band
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The Roxbury Band program is a very distinguished program. The Roxbury Marching Gaels have won State Championships, and have shaped themselves into one of the best marching bands on the East Coast. In 2005, Roxbury performed "The Music of Scheherazade", and placed 2nd at the United States Scholastic Band Association (USSBA) New Jersey State Championships with a score of 96.70, and 4th overall at the USSBA East Coast Championships at Giants Stadium with a score of 96.48. Also in 2006, the music from Stravinsky's "The Firebird" won them second place at USSBA Regionals with a score of 97.375, a new record in the school at the time. In 2007, Records were broken with the Gaels performing their show "Deja View" winning them USSBA Group 6 Open NJ State Championships, and then winning 1st place overall at the USSBA Regionals with a score of 98.00.
- Additionally the Roxbury concert bands have proven to be a very notable group. In particular, the Roxbury Honors Wind Symphony has distinguished itself as a prominent band in the Eastern United States, and has received many "superior" ratings. The Roxbury Bands are conducted by Todd Nichols, Rich Hartsuiker, and Sarah Koval.
- Concert Band Gold
- Marching Band
- Ninth Symphony (freshman band)
- Orchestra
- Honors Wind Symphony
- Jazz Ensemble
- Jazz Lab Gold
- Composer Robert Farnon composed The Gaels: An American Wind Symphony, as a commission to the Roxbury High School band in honor of the school's mascot, the gael. The piece made its world debut in May, 2006. It was performed by the Roxbury High School Honors Wind Symphony under the direction of Dr. Stanley Saunders, a close friend of Farnon.
- The band has also performed in New York City's world renowned Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center.
- Unfortunately because the band is such a big part of the school students not involved in it are neglected.
- Choir
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The Roxbury Choir program is a notable performing group. The select ensembles tour every year to regional and national contests and festivals; on these tours they have taken home many awards including "Best Overall Choir" from these contests. Roxbury's Director of Choral Activities, Lorraine Lynch, initiated the Roxbury Invitational Choral Festival, which has been held annually for 16 years. At the Invitational, about two dozen choirs participate (some from as far as Maine and Virginia). On March 11, 2006, the New Hanover (VA) Chamber Singers won first place in the Concert Choir division, followed closely by the Hopewell Valley Central High School (NJ) Chamber Singers in Second Place and the Central Dauphin High School (PA) CD Singers in third. On March 31, 2007, Hopewell Valley (NJ) Chamber Singers took First Place, followed closely by the A Cappella Choir from J. P. Stevens High School in Edison, New Jersey. Last year's local Roxbury Choir tour was on May 13, 2006, where the choirs travelled to the Music in the Parks Festival. The choir received six 1st place trophies, six overall ratings of Superior, and the overall best choir of the day. In March 2007, Classic Sounds Honors traveled to Carnegie Hall.
- Roxbury Concert Choir
- Roxbury Classic Sounds Honors
- Roxbury Freshman Women's Ensemble
- Roxbury Revelation
- Roxbury Vocal Jazz
- Roxbury Chorale
- Roxbury Madrigals
- Roxbury Melodies
- Roxbury Select Men's Choir
- Dance
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There are five levels of sequential curricular dance classes offered.However recent budget defeats caused the dance program to be cut by half.
- Extracurricular activities
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Extra- and co-curricular activities include:
- Sports
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The Roxbury High School Gaels participate in the twenty-member Iron Hills Conference.
- Roxbury High School's Mascot is the Gaels, an Irish Warrior, which was a nickname given to the football team in the 1930s by local news writers because of three Irish brothers on the team that were standouts. The Roxbury athletic program is most well known for their Football, Wrestling, Baseball, Boys and girls Cross Country, Boys and Girls Track and Field, and Girls Soccer teams. Sports offered include Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Field Hockey, Swimming, Soccer, Tennis, Lacrosse, Wrestling, Track, Volleyball, Baseball, Ice Hockey and Softball.
- The 2007-2008 Roxbury Gaels Varsity Ice Hockey team had a record-setting 22-1-1 season record, having won the HAAS Cup as the HAAS Division champions. Their only loss came in the second round of the State Playoffs against Morris Knolls High School.
- From 1996-1998 the Roxbury Gaels Baseball team won three consecutive Morris County Championships, beating rival Randolph in both '96 and '97. The team was coached by Bruce Shatel.
- In 1998, the Roxbury Gaels football team won its first state sectional title in a closely fought 7-6 win over Plainfield High School for the North Jersey Section II Group IV championship at Giants Stadium.
- In 2002, the Roxbury Gaels football team won the Iron Hills Conference Iron Division Championship (Co-Champions).
- In the 2003-04 season, the Roxbury Wrestling program won the North Jersey Section I Group III Championship.
- The Gir's Basketball team, during the 2003-04 season, posted a 25-2 record and won the Iron Hills Conference Iron Division Chamionship. Going undefeated in the conference,they also finished ranked number #18 in The Star-Ledger's Top 20,
- In March 2005, Roxbury's Ryan Fikslin won the individual 103 lb. wrestling championship in Atlantic City.
- In both the fall of 2004 and 2005 the Roxbury girl's cross country team won County, Conference, Sectional and State championships and was invited to the Nike National Championships which they placed in the top 10 both years.
- The baseball team won the 2001 NJSIAA North II, Group IV state title with a 4-1 win against West Orange High School.
- The girls soccer team won the North I, Group IV sectional title, topping Randolph High School 3-0 in the tournament final.In 2005, the team repeated the feat, winning the sectional championship against Montclair High School, 2-1.
- The soccer team won the 1999 North II, Group IV title with a 5-2 win over Columbia High School.
- In 1998 the girls soccer team won the overall group III state title at the College of New Jersey.In 1996 the wrestling team won the Section 2 group III state championship.
- The Gaels were co-IHC Iron champions in 2008-09 going 8-1. They lost in the 1st round at the hands of the Rahway Indians.
- The Roxbury Varsity Cheerleaders placed first at the Pocono Regionals 2007. At the 2008 UCA Nationals in Orlando, Florida, Varsity placed 17th in the nation and Junior Varsity placed 14th. Roxbury Varsity also placed first at the 2008 Pocono Regionals. In February, at the 2009 UCA High School Nationals in Orlando Florida, Varsity placed 5th in the nation in Division 1 for Small Varsity and Junior Varsity placed 12th in the Small Junior Varsity Division.
- Languages
- French National Honor Society
- French Club
- German National Honor Society
- German Club
- Spanish National Honor Society
- Spanish Club
- Academic
- Academic Decathlon
- Literary Magazine
- Math League
- Math Team
- National Honor Society
- National Art Honor Society
- Science League
- Computer Science League
- Student government and leadership
- Conflict Resolution Team
- Echo (yearbook)
- Peer Leadership
- Roxbury Review (newspaper) a three time winner of the GSSPA best all around paper.
- Prime Time Roxbury (newspaper)
- Student Council
- Student Empowerment/Advocacy (SEA)
- Guardian Angels
- Other
- Sports Medicine Club
- Ski/Snowboard Club
- Fencing Club
- Drama Club
- Rotary Interact Club
- Key Club
- Lighthouse Bible Club - RIP MS. Bauer
- Varsity "R" Club
- Color guard
- Departments
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Roxbury High School consists of the following departments: Business and Marketing, Family and Consumer Studies, Industrial Arts and Technology, Mathematics, Language Arts, PE and Health, Social Studies, Science, Special Education, Visual Arts, and World Languages.
- Curriculum
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The school follows the New Jersey state curriculum.
- In order to graduate, the school requires 4 years of English classes, 4 years of Physical Education, 3 years of mathematics, 3 years of sciences, 3 years of history, 1 years in foreign language, 1 year of a practical art, and 1 year of a fine/performing art.
- Practical arts include keyboarding, woodworking, and cooking classes. Fine/performing arts include band, orchestra, choir, and dance, as well as any art-related class (for example, Ceramics).
- Students who fulfill the requirements before their normal graduation are not permitted to graduate early. Students must carry at least 35 credits (7 full-year classes) worth of courses per semester.
- SAT scores
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Average SAT scores for the 2004–2005 school year were 532 on the Mathematics section and 529 on the Verbal section. 79% of students took the test.
- Notable alumni
- Brendan Buckley was in the graduating Class of 1992 and is now a drummer in Shakira's band.
- Alex Levine is the current bassist for The Gaslight Anthem
- Dave Moore (born 1969), a football player, played for the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was a member of Roxbury's Class of 1988.
- External links
- Roxbury High School website
- Data for the Roxbury School District, National Center for Education Statistics
- Roxbury High School Yearbook Archive
- 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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