Bernards High School

Infobox_School
name = Bernards High School


imagesize =
motto =
established =
grades = 9 - 12
district = Somerset Hills Regional School District
type = Public high school
principal = Dr. Scot Beckerman
asst principal = Michael Hoppe
Pat Lott
enrollment = 759 (as of 2005-06)
faculty = 59.5 (on FTE basis)
ratio = 12.8
nickname =
conference = Skyland Conference
colors =
publication =
location = 25 Olcott Avenue
Bernardsville, NJ 07924
information = 908-630-3000
website = [http://www.shsd.org/NewSite/highSchool/9-12index.htm School website]

Bernards High School is a comprehensive four-year regional public high school in Somerset County, New Jersey. The school is part of the Somerset Hills Regional School District, a regional K - 12 school district that consists of the participating municipalities of Bernardsville (1,161 students), Far Hills (81 students) and Peapack-Gladstone (421 students). For grades 9 through 12, students from Bedminster (230 students in grades 9-12) are sent to the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship. [ [http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc07/narrative/35/0240/35-0240-020.html Bedminster Township Public School District 2007 Report Card Narrative] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed August 2, 2008. "After graduation from the Bedminster School, the majority of our students attend the Bernardsville High School in Bernardsville, NJ."] The school is located in Bernardsville, within walking distance from the main section of Bernardsville.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 759 students and 59.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 12.8. [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3400009&ID=340000900176 Bernards High School] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 5, 2008.]

The school is a fully accredited member of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the New Jersey Department of Education.

The school offers students the opportunity to participate in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB), a most academically demanding, comprehensive two-year curriculum pursued by students during junior and senior years. Students take a rigorous course of studies in six academic areas. Successful completion of an IB Diploma may lead to college credit. Enrollment is highly selective and honors credit is earned. Students must take a variety of internal and external assessments. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are also offered, which may also lead to college credit. Bernards High School was certified to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma in February 2002. [ [http://www.ibo.org/school/001364/ Bernards High School] , International Baccalaureate Organization. Accessed May 24, 2007.] The school is one of only 16 schools in New Jersey to offer the IB program. [ [http://www.ibo.org/school/search/index.cfm?programmes=&country=US&region=NJ&find_schools=Find Find an IB World School—results] , International Baccalaureate Organization. Accessed May 24, 2007.]

Awards and recognition

In "Newsweek's" May 22, 2007 issue, ranking the country's top high schools, Bernards High School was listed in 207th place, the sixth-highest ranked school in New Jersey. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18757087/?sort=State&count=1257&search=&start=700&limit=100&year=2007& "The Top of the Class: The complete list of the 1,200 top U.S. schools"] , "Newsweek", May 22, 2007. Accessed May 24, 2007.] The school was listed in 141st place, the fourth highest ranked school in New Jersey, 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/site/newsweek/ Top 1,200 High Schools in The United States] , "Newsweek" May 8, 2006.]

The school was the 36th-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 50th 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.]

Administration

*Principal - Dr. Scot Beckerman
*Assistant Principals - Michael Hoppe, Pat Lott
*Director of Guidance - Richard Charwin, Ed.D.

Athletics

The school itself takes much pride in its sports, as well as its academics. The Football team won conference champs and the boys cross country team won a sectional title during the 2005-2006 school year. More recently, the school's Fencing team finished 1st in 2006 (Boys), 1st in 2007 (Girls), and 1st in 2008 (Boys again). All 3 State Fencing Team Championships achieved by a program created 7 years ago. Also during the 2006-2007 one girls basketball star, Cathrine Carr scored her 2,000th point. Junior Shane Painter scored his 1,000th point

In the 2006-07 school year, Bernards joined the Skyland Conference, after having been in the Colonial Hills Conference for many years. The Bernards boys soccer team took advantage of this conference adjustment that year, winning the conference championship. The team won the Group II State Championship with a 2-1 win over Ramsey High School in the semifinals and a 3-2 win against Haddonfield Memorial High School in the finals. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=186283&tclass=Public%20Semis%2FFinals 2006 Boys Soccer Tournament - Public Semis/Finals] , NJSIAA. Accessed September 25, 2007.]

Extracurricular activities

In the second semester of 2006-07, the Bernards Mountaineers Marching Band was invited to travel to New Orleans to perform in a Mardi Gras parade for a town that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

History

The following historical synopsis derives from "Among the Blue Hills...Bernardsville...a History", published by the Bernardsville History Book Committee, 1991. "On January 26, 1926, a Citizen's Committee was chosen to work with the Board of Education.....The Committee reported that the two existing buildings contained sixteen classrooms, for two classes of each of the eight grades. It was believed that this would be adequate for some time. In order to provide for the special equipment and facilities needed for a high school program, the building of a new high school would be the logical solution....The building was completed and occupied in 1927."

Notable alumni

*Roger Bart (born 1962), Tony award-winning actor, class of 1980.Fact|date=September 2007
*John W. Geils Jr. (born 1946), musician, J. Geils of The J. Geils Band - class of 1964.Fact|date=July 2008
*Meryl Streep (born 1949), actress, attended BHS in the late 1960s. [ [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB29697FA2C7F62&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM
*Deanna Russo (born 1979), actress of the New Knight Rider, attened BHS"N.J. TEACHERS HONOR 6 GRADUATES"] , "The Philadelphia Inquirer", November 12, 1983. Accessed July 20, 2007. "Streep is a graduate of Bernards High School in Bernardsville..."]

References

External links

* [http://www.shsd.org/NewSite/highSchool/9-12index.htm Bernards High School website]
*NJReportCard|35|4815|0|Bernards High School
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3400009&ID=340000900176 Data for Bernards High School] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.2-sir.com/BernardsHigh/ Bernards High Alumni website]