Absegami High School

Infobox School
name = Absegami High School


imagesize =
motto =
established = 1972
type = Public high school
affiliation =
district = Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District
grades = 9-12
president =
principal = Jeri Lynn Gatto
viceprincipal = Meg Gawalis
Lynda Leahey
Michael Wilbraham
enrollment = 2,199 (as of 2005-06)
faculty = 148.0 (on FTE basis)
ratio = 14.9
athletics =
conference =
colors = Brown and Gold
nickname = Braves
conference = Cape-Atlantic League
free_label = GEHRHSD
free_text = Absegami High School
Oakcrest High School
free_label2 = Communities served
free_text2 = Galloway Township, Egg Harbor City
location = 201 South Wrangleboro Road
Galloway, NJ 08205
information = 609-652-1372
country = USA
coordinates =
website = [http://www.absegami.net School website]

Absegami High School is a public high school in Galloway Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The school is part of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. The student body comes from Galloway Township and Egg Harbor City. [ [http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc07/narrative/01/1790/01-1790-040.html Absegami High School 2007 Report Card Narrative] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 2, 2008. "Absegami High School opened in 1982 and is located in Galloway Township as part of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Sending districts to Absegami include students coming from Galloway Township and Egg Harbor City."]

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,199 students and 148.0 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis, for a student-teacher ratio of 14.9. [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3406060&ID=340606000122 Absegami High School] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed October 29, 2007.]

The school was the 230th-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 231st in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state. [ [http://njmonthly.com/articles/towns_and_schools/highschoolrankings/top-new-jersey-high-schools-by-rank.html "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank"] , "New Jersey Monthly", September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.]

Oakcrest High School is its sister school and perpetual rival.Fact|date=April 2008 They shared the same buildings between the creation of Absegami High School in 1972 and the construction of a separate campus for Absegami in 1982. In a referendum held on September 25, 2007, by a 3,176 - 1,719 margin, voters approved a plan to construct a third high school in the district, to be located in Egg Harbor City. The new school would alleviate overcrowding in the two existing schools and serve students from Egg Harbor City and Mullica Township. Construction is expected to start in Fall 2008 for completion by Summer 2010. [ [http://www.gehrhsd.net/referendum/referendum.htm Referendum] , Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Accessed May 4, 2008.]

The school has a variety of programs designed for a diverse student body, including 'special needs', a "High School-to-Work" program, college preparatory, Advanced Placement Program (AP), and performing arts. The AP program offers thirteen courses through which students earn college credits by taking AP examinations.cite web|url=http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc05/narrative/01/1790/01-1790-040.html|title=Report Card Narratives|publisher=New Jersey Department of Education|last=Dolton|first=Raymond|accessdate=2006-09-15]

In 2005, 81% of graduates went on to college. Its estimated that currently over one million dollars in scholarships has been granted to post-secondary students who graduated from this school.

Programs

The school's mission statement objective is to "provide each student the educational opportunity and support that will enable him or her to develop the skills necessary to function politically, economically, and socially as a responsible and contributing citizen in a democratic society." [cite web|url=http://www.absegami.net/|title=Absegami Website|publisher=Absegami High School|accessdate=2007-01-06] To accomplish this goal, Absegami provides a diverse range of classes designed to help students reach their full potential during their future careers in mathematics, art, wood technology, humanities, and science. There are also a large number of extracurricular activities and sports.

Athletics

The Absegami High School Braves compete in the Atlantic Division of the Cape-Atlantic League, an athletic conference consisting of both parochial and public high schools located in Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County, and Gloucester County, New Jersey. The Cape-Atlantic League operates under the aegis of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Teams that have won notable championships include:
*Football: 1982, 1993, 2004, 2005, 2006. Absegami beat Cherokee High School 27-26 to win the 2006 South Jersey Group IV championship. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=188015&tclass=South%2C%20Group%20IV 2006 Football Tournament - South, Group IV] , NJSIAA. Accessed December 5, 2006.]
*Boys Cross-Country: 1985, 86, 87, 90, 94, 96, 97, 98, 99, 00, and 2005
*Girls Cross-Country: 1994 and 1999
*Boys Soccer: 1977, 2001, 2002 and 2003
*Girls Basketball: 2005, 2006
*Marching Band: Tournament Of Bands: Chapter 1 Champions 1991 (Group 2), 1998-2005 (Group 3). [ [http://www.tob1.org/history.html Tournament of Bands - Chapter One History] , Tournament of Bands. Accessed July 5, 2007.] NJ State Champions 1991, 98, 99, 2000, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06. Atlantic Coast Group III Champions 1998, 2002. USSBA Central Jersey Regional Champions 2006, 2007. USSBA New Jersey State Champions 2007. Absegami was recognized as the USSBA Group IV National Champions for 2006, for its program titled "Through the Eyes of Children". [ [http://www.marchingbandplanet.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71&Itemid=32 USSBA National Championship Titles] , United States Scholastic Band Association (USSBA) press release dated November 14, 2006.]
*Boys Wrestling: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003

Administration

Core members of the school's administration are: [ [http://absegami.net/Staff/Administration.aspx Administration] , Absegami High School. Accessed May 28, 2008.]
*Principal: Jeri Lynn Gatto
*Vice Principal: Lynda Leahey
*Vice Principal: Michael Wilbraham
*Vice Principal: Meg Gawalis

Controversy

Absegami employs a school resource officer, who is a member of the area's police force permanently assigned to a particular school. In March-April 2005, it was revealed that Absegami's then resource officer, Eric Allen, had sex with a 17 year old female student in his patrol car six times over the course of a month. [ [http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=3089761 6abc.com: Cop Admits Affair with School Girl] , WPVI-TV, May 20, 2005.] [ [http://www.nbc10.com/news/4357923/detail.html Cop Working In High School Arrested On Sex Charges] , WCAU, April 7, 2005.] Allen was dismissed from his position and found guilty of official misconduct.

Notable alumni

*Tabitha D'umo, Hip Hop Choreographer, SYTYCD
*Meaghan Jarensky, Miss New York USA 2005
*Rodney Jerkins, Producer, Hip-Hop Mogul

References

External links

* [http://absegami.net/ Absegami High School website]
* [http://www.gehrhsd.net/ Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District]
*NJReportCard|01|1790|040|Absegami High School
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3406060 Data for the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=201+South+Wrangleboro+Road,+Galloway,+NJ+08205&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=39.473239,-74.513526&spn=0.023885,0.054245&t=k&om=1&iwloc=addr Satellite view of Absegami High School] from Google Maps
* [http://www.sjsports.com/highschool/absegami/ South Jersey Sports: Absegami HS]
* [http://www.classreport.org/usa/nj/galloway/ahs/1973/ Absegami Class of 1973] / [http://www.classreport.org/usa/nj/galloway/ahs/1974/ 1974] / [http://www.classreport.org/usa/nj/galloway/ahs/1975/ 1975] / [http://www.classreport.org/usa/nj/galloway/ahs/1976/ 1976] / [http://www.classreport.org/usa/nj/galloway/ahs/1977/ 1977] / [http://www.classreport.org/usa/nj/galloway/ahs/1978/ 1978] / [http://www.classreport.org/usa/nj/galloway/ahs/1979/ 1979]
* [http://www.absegamibandparents.com/ Absegami Band Parents Assoc.]