Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School

infobox School
name = Scotch Plains - Fanwood High School


imagesize = frameless
principal = Dr. David Heisey
erected = 1957
type = Public high school
enrollment = 1,464 (as of 2005-06)
faculty = 101.7 (on FTE basis)
ratio = 14.4
colors = Blue and White
address = 641 Westfield Road
city = Scotch Plains
state = NJ
zipcode = 07076
information = 908-889-8600
country = USA
campus = Suburban, 29 acres
teamname = Raiders
website = [http://www.spfk12.org/spfhs/ School website]

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School is a comprehensive regional four-year public high school in Union County, New Jersey, which serves students in Grades 9 through 12 from the Township of Scotch Plains and the Borough of Fanwood as part of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School District. The school is located in Scotch Plains.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,464 students and 101.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 14.4. [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&SchoolID=341467005676&ID=341467005676 Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 1, 2007.]

For the 2005-06 School year, mean scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) were a combined 1,600, 71st highest among New Jersey's public high schools. [ [http://www.nj.com/news/reportcard/index.ssf?/str/reportcards/rankings/print.asp?frmsql=select+dist%5Fcod%2C+sch%5Fcode%2Cco%5Fname%2C+ldistric%2C+lname%2Ctested+%2C+allpasse++as+target+from+testcube+where+sgroup+%3D+%27aTotal%27+and+year+%3D+%270506%27+and+testprg+%3D+%27SAT%27+and+subject+%3D+%27SAT+Total%27+and+tested+%3E%3D+0+and+level+%3D+%27s%27+Order+by+allpasse+desc%2C+tested+desc&frmcounty=Statewide&frmgroup=aTotal&frmyear=0506&frmtest=SAT&frmsubject=SAT%20Total&frmdfg=All&frmtested=0&frmmeasure=allpasse 2005-06 School Test Score Rankings: SAT] , "The Star-Ledger". Accessed July 3, 2007.]

In order to qualify for graduation, students must complete one hundred and twenty (120) credits of course work. Over 80% of students participated in clubs, athletics, service organizations, and music programs. In the class of 2008, there were ten National Merit Commended Students. In the class of 2003, Twenty-one students were named Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars. There were 289 Advanced Placement Program (AP) Examinations administered in 21 subject areas; 71% of the students received a score of 3 or better giving them exemption from certain required courses at various colleges and universities. 98% of the class of 2003 was enrolled in the college preparatory course of study. A total of $2,407,154 in scholarship money was awarded to graduates for their outstanding academic achievements.

Awards and recognition

The school was the 69th-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 64th 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.]

Music

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School is host to a large music program. They include multiple choruses such as Concert Choir, Show Choir (an audition-only dancing choir), Select Choir (an audition-only mixed voices choir) and two single-sex audition-only choirs, Men's Choir and Las Contadoras. The band program consists of Freshman Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Lab band (new band as of 2004-2005 school year), the SPF marching band, and two Jazz bands, SPF Jazz band and the Moonglowers. The Moonglowers compete annually in the New Jersey State Jazz Finals. In the 2005-2006 school year, the SPF jazz band made school history by making the New Jersey State Jazz Finals for the first time along with the Moonglowers. In the 2006-2007 school year, SPF Jazz and The Moonglowers both made the State Jazz Finals, with The Moonglowers taking home 1st place as champions and SPF Jazz taking 4th place. During the 2007-2008 school year both SPF Jazz and the Moonglowers made the State Jazz Finals again. However this time SPF Jazz came away as the champions with a 1st place finish and the Moonglowers finishing in 2nd which marked not only the first time both bands from Scotch Plains finished in the top three, but also the first time that SPF Jazz - known as a"B" Band - triumphed over the Moonglowers who are considered an "A" Band. Fact|date=May 2008

Scotch Plains-Fanwood is also home to the Repertory Theatre program, which in the past five years has put on such shows as "Footloose", "Les Misérables", "West Side Story", "42nd Street", and "Once Upon a Mattress", garnering a number of Rising Star Award nominations from the Paper Mill Playhouse, including one win for Outstanding Student Orchestra, for "42nd Street" in 2006. [ [http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:nAKZxiuJC3YJ:www.papermill.org/_content/education/a4236540.doc+%22scotch+plains%22+%22Outstanding+Student+Orchestra%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE RISING STAR AWARDS 2006 AWARD RECIPIENTS] , presented June 13, 2006] This year, Repertory Theatre will be putting on a production of the musical, Urinetown.

PF Raider Marching Band

The 2006-2007 Marching band's show was entitled "Mystic Journey" with selections from "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings" movies. They competed in the USSBA NJ State finals, and won with a score of 86.6. They also competed in the USSBA All State finals, and won second place, with a score of 90.1.

The 2007-2008 Marching band's show was entitled "Quest: Visions of a Dream" with selection from Zorro and Man of la Mancha. The SPF Raider Marching Band competed at the USSBA Yamaha Cup in Giant's Stadium and took second place. At the USSBA New Jersey State Finals, the Marching Band took first place for the second year in a row while also receiving the award for best percussion for the third year in a row. Moving on to the All-Eastern Finals in Allentown, P.A., the band received the award for second place as well as caption awards for best percussion.

The 2008-2009 show is entitled "Destiny: Past, Present, And Future" and is gypsy themed.

Notable alumni

*Carol Bellamy (born 1942), a 1959 graduate of the high school, was appointed Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in 1995 and was re-appointed in 1999. Prior to her UNICEF appointment, Ms. Bellamy served as the Director of the Peace Corps beginning in 1993. She served five years in the New York State Senate. In 1978, she was the first women to be named President of the New York City Council.Fact|date=November 2007
*Jean Burgdorff, a 1940s graduate of SPFHS, was a co-founder of Burgdorff Realtors in 1958. Her company has evolved into a major force in the New Jersey real estate market, providing outstanding service to its customers. Burgdorff Realtors has grown into a 700-agent company with 16 offices throughout Northern and Central New Jersey.Fact|date=November 2007
*Derrick Caracter (born 1988) NBA Draft prospect, former power forward/center for the Louisville Cardinals basketball team. Played at St. Patrick for his freshman, junior and parts of his senior year, and trained with SPFHS coach Frau Keyes for half of his high school career. [Goodman, Jeff. [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/basketball/2005-11-16-caracter-second-chance_x.htm "Heralded recruit struggles with expectations"] , "USA Today", November 16, 2005. Accessed November 30, 2007.]
*Donald DiFrancesco (born 1944), 1962 graduate of SPFHS. He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1976 and moved to the New Jersey Senate in 1979. He served as the Senate President for 10 years and was the Acting Governor of New Jersey for 11 months.Fact|date=November 2007
*Patricia Jean Falkenhain Geiringer was a classical repertory actress who won critical acclaim for her many roles in on and off-Broadway productions over many decades. Ms. Geiringer, who was a mainstay of ensembles at the Public Theater and Long Wharf in Connecticut, was a member of Joseph Papp's first New York Shakespeare Company in Central Park. She was also selected as a permanent member of New York's Phoenix Theatre, winning two Obie Awards in one season.Fact|date=November 2007
*Scott Goldblatt (born 1979), swimmer who won a Gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and a Silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, with both medals earned in the 4 x 200 m Freestyle Relay. ["Swimmer ready for the race of his life", "The Star-Ledger", September 17, 2000. "Name: Scott Goldblatt Age: 21 Hometown: Summit Residence: Scotch Plains, until going away to college in Austin, Texas. Education: He attended Mcginn Elementary School, Coles Elementary School and Terrill Middle School in Scotch Plains and then the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, graduating in 1997."]
*Jeffrey Hammonds (born 1971), baseball Olympian, twelve years in major leagues including one all star appearance. [Olson, Drew. [http://www2.jsonline.com/sports/brew/dec00/brewers23122200.asp "Rich brew: Hammonds breaks bank of Brewers"] , "Milwaukee Journal Sentinel", December 22, 2000. Accessed December 13, 2007.]
*Nathan Jones (born 1982), Dallas Cowboys cornerback, Rutgers academic All-American. [ [http://www.goleader.com/05feb10/ Professional Donation] , "The Westfield Leader", February 10, 2005. Accessed July 3, 2007. "Former Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School football star Nathan Jones, now playing for the Dallas Cowboys, donated his jersey to the school."]
*Renaldo Nehemiah (born 1959), held 110 meter hurdles record for years, twice Superstars Champion, San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver. [Konecky, Chad. [http://www.risemag.com/main.cfm?actionId=globalShowStaticContent&screenKey=NationalNews&&categoryKey=PlayerProfiles&articleId=5343 "Player Profile: Cordera Jenkins (Dickinson, Texas)"] , "Rise Magazine", March 29, 2006. Accessed July 3, 2007. "In 1977, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High (N.J.) senior Renaldo Nehemiah, who later won a Super Bowl ring as a San Francisco 49ers wideout, ran a computer-timed 12.98 in the convert|120|yd|sing=on high hurdles, which remains the fastest finish over an equivalent distance in scholastic history."]
*Joe Scarpati (born 1943), holder for Tom Dempsey's record convert|63|yd|sing=on field goal in 1970. [ [http://www.goleader.com/97nov13/sp.pdf "Honoring Former High School Greats"] , "The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood", November 13, 1997. "Mayor Connelly presented a plaque to Mr. Scarpati, who lettered in football, basketball and track for the Raiders and served as the captain of the football team in 1959. Mr. Scarpati went on to play as a defensive back for the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints professional football teams, and was the holder of the record-setting convert|63|yd|sing=on field goal kicked by Tom Dempsey in 1970 during the game between the Saints and the Detroit Lions."]
*Marc Shaiman (born 1959), Tony and Grammy winning composer, five time Academy Award-nominee. [ [http://www.broadwayworld.com/read.cfm?prid=24000 "Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman perform benefit for Brook Arts Center"] , BroadwayWorld.com, March 8, 2004. Acecssed July 3, 2007. "Mr. Shaiman was only 13 years old and a 9th grader at Scotch Plains High School at the time."]

References

External links

* [http://www.spfk12.org/spfhs/ Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School]
*NJReportCard|39|4670|050|Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional High School
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&SchoolID=341467005676&ID=341467005676 Data for Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional High School] , National Center for Education Statistics