Westfield High School (New Jersey)

Infobox School
name = Westfield High School
native_name =
logo =
motto =
established = 1953
location = 550 Dorian Road
city = Westfield
state = NJ
zipcode = 07090
country = USA
campus = Suburban
type = Public high school
affiliation =
principal = Peter Renwick
viceprincipal = Joan Carrion
Doug Sanford
Lynn Muir
enrollment = 1,789 (as of 2005-06)
faculty = 141.6 (on FTE basis)
ratio = 12.6
grades = 9-12
address =
district = Westfield Public Schools
oversight =
accreditation = Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the New Jersey Department of Education
teamname = Blue Devils
colors = Blue and White
conference = Watchung Conference
newspaper = "Hi's Eye"
"Folio" Literary Magazine
yearbook = "the Weather Vane"
website = [http://www.westfieldnjk12.org School website]
footnotes =
picture =
information = 908-789-4500

Westfield Senior High School, or simply, Westfield High School (abbreviated as WHS) is the only public high school located in Westfield, in Union County, New Jersey and is part of the Westfield Public Schools. It was established in the early 1900s at its original location on Elm Street until 1953 when it was moved to its current location on Dorian Road. The new wing designated for Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and other sciences was completed in 2003. Westfield High School is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the New Jersey Department of Education. This high school publishes New Jersey's only weekly uncensored student newspaper, one of the few uncensored school publications in the entire country. [http://www.nj.com/education/recordpress/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1173390573175290.xml&coll=17 News 12 crew puts focus on the Hi's Eye] , "Record-Press", March 8, 2007. "Hi's Eye is one of the few high school newspapers in the country and the only one in New Jersey that produces a weekly uncensored issue".]

Awards and recognition

The school was the 27th-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 22nd 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.]

Westfield was listed in 691st place nationwide in "Newsweek's" May 8, 2006, issue, listing the Top 1,200 High Schools in The United States. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12532678?s=700&np=12&sort=raa The Complete List: 1,200 Top U.S. Schools] , "Newsweek" May 8, 2006, accessed April 14, 2007.]

Courses

Westfield High School offers a comprehensive program of some 165 different courses and 17 Advanced Placement Programs (AP) classes. Some of these classes include business, fine arts, music, and practical arts. Advanced Placement classes are available in AP English Literature and Composition, AP English Language and Composition, AP Spanish Literature, AP French Language, AP Latin Literature, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Computer Science AB, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP United States History, AP United States Government and Politics, AP European History, and AP Psychology. 86% of the AP Exams taken in 2004 yielded a grade of "3" or higher. More than 75% of the students study one or more of the five languages available. In 2005, eight students were National Merit Scholarship Program Semi-Finalists and 18 students received Letters of Commendation.

Student body

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,789 students and 141.6 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis, for a student-teacher ratio of 12.6. [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3417760&ID=341776005764 Westfield High School] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 7, 2007.]

The ethnic breakdown of the school is 86.3% Caucasian, 4.9% Black, 3.3% Hispanic, and 5.4% Asian or Pacific Islanders. 80% of the students participate in co-curricular activities, including 60 different co-curricular activities and 27 varsity athletic teams. The average SAT scores are a 560 on the Verbal/Critical Reading section and a 577 on the Math section. 11 students received a perfect score. 93.7% of the graduating class of 2004 went on to receive a more advanced education, with 83.7% at four-year colleges and 8.3% at two-year colleges.

Teachers and classes

Classes can be small, with class sizes averaging at 15-20 students, but as one moves to honors and Advanced Placement courses, class size increases, sometimes with up to 30 students. Teachers offer online help such as activities, notes and PowerPoint presentations, all organized by the Technology Department. Some teachers' websites have received more than 800,000 pageviews. [ [http://www.westfieldnjk12.org/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=869 Ms. Molly Phelan's website] , which has more than 800,000 hits.]

Student publications

The Westfield High School students produce a number of different publications, including the weekly "Hi's Eye" student newspaper (and monthly "Iris Entertainment" section), which has gained national recognition for more than thirty years. It is the only non-censored, self-funded high school newspaper in New Jersey. "Hi's Eye" is run by three tri-editors and an editor for the "Iris Entertainment" section. The newspaper maintains its independence through subscriptions, community sponsors, independent fundraising and advertising. The "Iris" Section is a monthly insert. Since 1983, Westfield High School students have operated a local access cable television station producing award-winning live and single-camera productions. In addition, the literary magazine "Folio", the "Weather Vane" yearbook, and original theatre scripts are also produced by the students.

Varsity sports

Westfield High School has 27 varsity athletic teams, including baseball, boys and girls' basketball, boys and girls' cross-country, field hockey, football, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, boys and girls' lacrosse, boy's and girls' soccer, boys and girls' swimming, boys and girls' tennis, softball, spring track & field, volleyball, wrestling, and winter track, among others.

Westfield High School participates in the Watchung Conference, a high school sports association under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). The conference consists of eleven public high schools covering Essex County, Hudson County and Union County. The boys tennis team won the North II, Group IV state sectional championship with three successive 5-0 wins over Phillipsburg High School, J. P. Stevens High School and ultimately Bridgewater-Raritan High School in the tournament final. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=216953&tclass=North%20II%2C%20Group%20IV 2007 Boys Tennis - North II, Group IV] , NJSIAA. Accessed June 7, 2007.] The team won the 2007 NJSIAA Group IV State Championship, defeating West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South 3-2 in the final match. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=216953&tclass=Public%20Group%20Finals 2007 Boys Tennis - Public Group Finals] , NJSIAA. Accessed May 27, 2007.] The team moved on to win the Tournament of Champions, defeating Tenafly High School and Newark Academy 4-1 each in the semifinals and finals, respectively. The win gave the team its fifth Tournament of Champions (or equivalent) victory, with previous wins in 1957, 1978, 1986 and 1987. [Karn, Jeff. [http://www.nj.com/starledger/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1180671943320030.xml&coll=1 "No. 1 Westfield captures T of C championship, 4-1"] , "The Star-Ledger", June 1, 2007. Accessed June 1, 2007. "Chu's 6-1, 7-5 victory at third singles against Greg Holtzman helped Westfield (30-0), No. 1 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, finish a perfect season with a 4-1 victory over No. 8 Newark Academy yesterday at Mercer County Park in West Windsor.... Westfield, which became just the fifth program to win the T of C since its inception in 1992, won All-Groups titles, the equivalent of the T of C, in 1978, 1986 and 1987 and an overall state title in 1957."]

The Girls Swimming Team won the 2007 NJSIAA Group IV State Championship, conquering West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South.The boys swimming team won the 2007 North II - A state sectional championship, topping Bridgewater-Raritan High School 93-77 in the tournament final. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=201886&tclass=North%20II%20-%20A 2007 Boys Team Swimming - North II - A] , NJSIAA. Accessed June 4, 2007.] The girls swim team duplicated the feat with a 113-57 win over Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=201923&tclass=North%20II%20-%20A 2007 Girls Team Swimming - North II - A] , NJSIAA. June 4, 2007.] In 2008, for the first time in school history, both teams won the NJSIAA Public A State Championships in the same year, with the boys defeating Cherry Hill West High School 91-79 [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=259623&tclass=Public%20North%20II%20%2D%20A 2008 Boys Team Swimming - Public North II - A] , NJSIAA. Accessed May 22, 2008.] and the girls defeating West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South for the second year in a row, 106-64. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=259624&tclass=Public%20Semis%2FFinals 2008 Girls Team Swimming - Public Semis/Finals] , NJSIAA. Accessed May 22, 2008.] Westfield is a traditional power house in boys and girls swimming. The girls have won 10 state championships and 16 Union County Titles, and the boys have won 21 State Championships and 51 Union County Titles.

The 2004 softball team won the North II, Group IV state sectional championship with a 1-0 victory over J. P. Stevens High School in the tournament final. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=67062&tclass=North%20II%2C%20Group%20IV 2004 Softball - North II, Group IV] , NJSIAA. Accessed July 16, 2007.]

Clubs and organizations

The school has numerous clubs and organizations, including: Project 79, Academic Challenge Team, Anime Club, Art Club, Asian Awareness Club, Astronomy Club, Awareness Club, Chess Club, Christian Awareness Club, Cooking Club, Community Service Club, Crafty Creations, Creative Writing Group, Debate Club, Drama Club, Euterpe, Fed Challenge Team, French Club, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA), German Club, Girl's Learn International Club, Habitat for Humanity, Health and Fitness Club, Historical Miniature Gaming Club, Homeless Pet Advocacy Club, Iraq Survey Group, Italian Club, Junior Optimist Club, Key Club, Knitting Club, Knowledge Master Team, Latin Club, Latino Heat Dance Team, Living Poets Society, Math League, Mock Trial Team, Model UN, Music Service Club, Objectivist Club, Photography Club, Physics Club, Psychology Club, RadioWHS, Roller Hockey Club, Rotary Interact Club, Science Olympiad Team, Spanish Club, Stage Design Club, Student Council, Video Club, Tolkien Order, Transition Project, Triathlon Club, Ultimate Club, Variety Show Club, Weather Club, Young Democrats, Young Independents, Young Republicans, Troupe, Marching Band, Jazz Band and Youth and Government Club.

Blue Devil Television

Blue Devil Televsion broadcasts 3 1/2 days a week on Channel 36. Blue Devil TV operates out of Room 135 at the high school and provides Westfield school-related programming including: Board of Education meetings and informational programs, high school sports and concerts, original student projects from Westfield High's TV Production classes, as well as other programs from the school district. Blue Devil TV televises more than thirty sporting events each year including every home football game and live home basketball games. Phil Queller and Kevin Russell are the voices of the Blue Devils. The principal of WHS exercises prior review of students' newscasts.fact|date=November 2007

Notable alumni

*Charles Addams (1912-1988), cartoonist for the "The New Yorker" magazine, most famous for his cartoons of "The Addams Family". [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A713891 Charles Addams - Cartoonist] , Bbc.co.uk, May 7, 2002.]
*Dr. Virginia Apgar (1909-1974), physician who created the Apgar score for assessing health of newborns. [ [http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/CP/Views/Exhibit/narrative/biographical.html The Virginia Apgar Papers: Biographical Information] , accessed December 31, 2006.]
*Nancie Li Brandi (born 1954), December 1975 "Playboy" Playmate.Fact|date=May 2008
*Dave Brown (born 1970), NFL Quarterback, 1992-2000 (New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals). [George, Thomas. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE7DA1630F930A2575BC0A964958260 "FOOTBALL; Giants Sign Dave Brown"] , "The New York Times", August 13, 1992. Accessed March 4, 2008. "Brown, who starred at Westfield High School in New Jersey, initially planned to play another season at Duke, but changed his mind after the regular N.F.L. draft in April and decided to enter his name in the supplemental draft."]
*Chris Campbell - Olympic Wrestler.Fact|date=May 2008
*Steve Cheek (born 1977), NFL Punter, 2001-current (San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers). [ [http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2004/10/13/chiefs_sign_p_steve_cheek/ Chiefs Sign P Steve Cheek] , Kansas City Chiefs press release dated October 13, 2004.]
*Robert "Bob" Clotworthy (born 1931), Olympic Springboard Diver Bronze Helsinki 1952; Gold medalist in Melbourne 1956.Fact|date=May 2008
*Robert Kaplow, author of the original book being made as the film "Me and Orson Welles". [Goldblatt, Jennifer. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E4DE1430F932A25752C0A9629C8B63&scp=2&sq=%22Robert+Kaplow%22 "IN PERSON; Trapped In the 30's, On the Radio"] , "The New York Times", January 11, 2004. Accessed January 16, 2008.]
*Kevin Kelly (born 1952), founder of "Wired" magazine. [ [http://www.kk.org/chronology/ Kevin Kelly -- Chronology] , accessed April 14, 2007. "Graduated from Westfield High School, Westfield NJ."]
*Matthew Sklar (born 1973), Tony Award-nominated composer for the Broadway musical "The Wedding Singer". Associate conductor for many productions including "42nd Street", "Miss Saigon", "Les Misérables", "Nine" and "Caroline or Change". [Durbach, Elaine. [http://www.njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/070606/ltFromBarMitzvahBoy.html "From bar mitzva boy to Wedding Singer: A composer gets his big Broadway break"] , "New Jersey Jewish News", July 6, 2006. "In summer workshops, working with a number of extraordinary teachers, including Westfield High School theater director Joe Nierle, he got to explore all facets of musical theater."]
*Malinda Williams (born 1975), actress, "Soul Food" on Showtime.Fact|date=June 2008
*Harold "Butch" Woolfolk (born 1960), NFL Running back, 1982-1988 (New York Giants, Houston Oilers, Detroit Lions). [Litsky, Frank. [http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=FA0F16F6345D0C7B8EDDAD0894DA484D81 "TWO SWIFT RUNNERS SELECTED BY GIANTS"] , "The New York Times", April 28, 1982. Accessed June 4, 2007. "In a matter of seconds, the Giants complied and took the 6-foot- 1/4-inch, 204-pound Woolfolk, a former schoolboy sprint champion at Westfield (N.J.) High."]
*Kevin Feige (born 1973), President of Marvel Studios, produced such films as Iron Man and Hulk.

References

External links

* [http://www.westfieldnjk12.org/ The Westfield Public Schools' official website]
* [http://www.westfieldnjk12.org/education/school/school.php?sectiondetailid=303&sc_id=1130991520 Westfield High School's official website]
* [http://www.westfieldnjk12.org/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=558 The Hi's Eye official website]
*NJReportCard|39|5730|050|Westfield High School
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3417760 Data for the Westfield Public Schools] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.veotag.com/player/Default.aspx?pid=7ba22dc9-6356-41ec-8a43-ad1a6e544c0f Video of Westfield Blue Devil Baseball vs Dayton, May 2006]