Sparta High School (New Jersey)

Infobox_School
name = Sparta High School


imagesize =
motto =
established = 1959
grades = 9 - 12
district = Sparta Township Public School District
type = Public high school
principal = Dennis Tobin
viceprincipal = Chris Carrubba and James Bevere
enrollment = 1,174 (as of 2005-06)
faculty = 87.0 (on FTE basis)
ratio = 13.5
nickname = Sparta Spartans
conference = Sussex County Interscholastic League
colors = Navy, Columbia Blue, White
publication =
location = 70 West Mountain Road
Sparta, NJ 07871
information = 973-729-6191
website = [http://www.sparta.org/spartahs/site/default.asp School website]

Sparta High School is a four-year public high school serving grades nine through twelve in Sparta Township, in Sussex County, New Jersey, as part of the Sparta Township Public School District. The school is currently under a $71.5M major reconstruction phase.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,174 students and 87.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 13.5. [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3415510&ID=341551005396 Sparta High School] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 8, 2007.]

History

The school opened in September 1959 when Newton High School in neighboring Newton, which had also served Sparta students, could no longer take on Sparta's rapidly growing high school-aged population.

In its first year of operation, Sparta High enrolled over 400 students enrolled in just three grades, including students from not only Sparta, but also from nearby Hopatcong and Byram Township, which shared the school. When it opened in 1959, the school employed only 28 teachers and participated in only four sports: football, basketball, wrestling, and baseball. There were, however, shop classes and home economics rooms, and the school gave behind-the-wheel driving lessons. In 1963, Sparta graduated its first class -- of 160 students -- that had attended the school for all four years.

During the 1970s, Sparta High School instituted split sessions to help alleviate problems brought on by increased enrollment. This was only a temporary fix, however, and the town later approved a referendum to build an "annex" onto the back of the school, more than doubling its area. The section added a new cafeteria, a library, and open classroom spaces.

In the early 1990s, the open spaces provided by the built-on annex were renovated and became closed classrooms. By this time, over one thousand students -- all from Sparta -- were enrolled in the school. Later in the 1990s, the high school was expanded yet again, adding a new science wing and a number of technological upgrades.

In September 2006, Sparta residents approved a referendum to perform major renovations on the school that aim to bring the school up to date. The construction began in the spring of 2008 and is currently on-going. School officials hope that this reconstruction will alleviate the increasingly imminent issue of overcrowding that the school currently faces. While the construction is happening, many classrooms have been displaced to a cluster of modular trailer rooms.

Today, Sparta High School is home to over 1,200 students, approximately 87 faculty members, and a myriad of sports and co-curricular activities. [ [http://www.sparta.org/62041151117115713/site/default.asp History of Sparta High School] , accessed January 4, 2007.]

Awards and recognition

The school was the 63rd-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 314 schools statewide, in "New Jersey Monthly" magazine's September 2008 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools". The school was ranked 73rd in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 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.]

ports

Sparta High School is a member of the Sussex County Interscholastic League. All sports teams compete in one of three seasons:

*Fall: Football, Boys' Soccer, Girls' Soccer, Cross-Country (Boys' & Girls'), Field Hockey, Girls' Volleyball, Cheerleading, and Girls' Tennis
*Winter: Boys' Basketball, Girls' Basketball, Skiing (Boys' & Girls'), Bowling (Boys' & Girls'), Winter Track (Boys' & Girls'), Wrestling, Swimming, and Ice Hockey
*Spring: Boys' Track and Field, Girls' Track and Field, Boys' Lacrosse, Girls Lacrosse', Baseball, Softball, Golf (Boys' & Girls') and Boys' Tennis

The wrestling team won the North I, Group III state sectional championship in 2000 with a 36-29 win against Indian Hills High School. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=373&tclass=North%20I%2C%20Group%20III Team Wrestling - North I, Group III] , NJSIAA. Accessed July 12, 2007.]

The 2001 girls basketball team won the North I, Group III state sectional championship with a 36-32 win versus Northern Highlands Regional High School. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/scripts-bracketmaker/tmenu.cfm?tid=3353&tclass=North%20I,%20Group%20III 2001 - North I, Group III] , NJSIAA. Accessed July 12, 2007.] The team moved on to win the 2001 Group II State Championship, defeating West Morris Mendham High School in the semifinals and Toms River High School South in the finals to take the title. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/scripts-bracketmaker/tmenu.cfm?tid=3353&tclass=Group%20III,%20Semis/Finals 2001 - Group III, Semis/Finals] , NJSIAA. Accessed July 12, 2007.]

The girls basketball team won the 2003 North I, Group III title with a 34-28 win against Pascack Valley High School in the tournament final. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=30419&tclass=North%20I%2C%20Group%20III 2003 Girls Basketball - North I, Group III] , NJSIAA. Accessed July 12, 2007.] The 2006 team won the title in a low-scoring match, topping Northern Highlands Regional high School by a final score of 27-18. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=142066&tclass=North%20I%2C%20Group%20III 2006 Girls Basketball - North I, Group III] , NJSIAA. Accessed July 12, 2007.]

In 2005, the softball team won the North I, Group III state title with a 2-1 win against Nutley High School. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=107416&tclass=North%20I%2C%20Group%20III 2005 Softball - North I, Group III] , NJSIAA. Accessed July 12, 2007.]

Graduation Rate

According to The New Jersey Herald, the graduation rate for Sparta High School is 94.7%. This rate exceeds the national high school graduation rate of approximately 70%. Sparta High School currently has the highest graduation rate in Sussex County.

Administration

Core members of the school's administration are: [ [http://www.sparta.org/spartahs/site/default.asp Welcome to Sparta High School] , Sparta High School. Accessed August 24, 2008.]
*Dennis Tobin - Principal
*Chris Carrubba - Vice Principal
*Catherine Goodwin - Dean of Students/Director of Student Activities
*Stan Abromavage - Director of Guidance
*Patrick Shea - Athletic Director

Noted alumni & year graduated from Sparta High School

*Greg Baty (born 1964), former NFL player. [ [http://www.nfl.com/players/search?category=name&filter=baty&playerType=historical NFL Historical Player Results] , "NFL.com", September 20, 2007.]
*Tom Caltibiano (1979), Writer/Producer of sitcom Everybody Loves RaymondFact|date=July 2008
*Pat Fitzsimmons (1980), From Good Homes.Fact|date=July 2008
*Chris Jent (born 1970), former NBA player. [ [http://www.njherald.com/285667644617894.php Community: Chris Jent's career began in Sparta] , "New Jersey Herald", March 20, 2006.]
*Dan Miller (born 1981), mixed martial arts fighter and Cage Fury Fighting Championships Middleweight Champion.Fact|date=July 2008
*Jim Miller (born 1983), mixed martial arts fighter and Cage Fury Fighting Championships Lightweight Champion.Fact|date=July 2008
*Brady Rymer (1982), From Good Homes.Fact|date=July 2008
*Todd Shaeffer (1980), From Good Homes, Railroad Earth.Fact|date=July 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.sparta.org/spartahs/site/default.asp Sparta High School web pages]
* [http://www.sparta.org/spartatps/site/default.asp Sparta Township Public School District]
*NJReportCard|37|4960|0|Sparta Township Public School District
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3415510 Data for the Sparta Township Public School District] , National Center for Education Statistics