Ridge High School

Infobox School
name = Ridge High School
established = 1961
district = Bernards Township School District
type = Public high school
principal = Francis T. Howlett, Jr.
asst principal = Gina Tenga
Scott Thompson
George Villar
enrollment = 1,526 (as of 2005-06)
faculty = 108.8 (on FTE basis)
ratio = 14.0
nickname = Red Devils
conference = Skyland Conference
colors = Green/White
location = 268 South Finley Avenue
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
information = 908-204-2585
website = [http://www.bernardsboe.com/ridge-high/ School website]

Ridge High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students from Bernards Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. The school is part of the Bernards Township School District.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,526 students and 108.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 14.0. [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3401650&ID=340165005124 Ridge High School] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 8, 2007.]

Awards and recognition

During the 1986-87 school year, Ridge High School was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education [ [http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-1982.pdf Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF)] , accessed May 11, 2006] , the highest award an American school can receive. [ [http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17475750&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=161556&rfi=6 CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department] , "Journal Inquirer", November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."] [Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; "The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."]

Most recently, the school was listed in 98th place, the second-highest ranked school in New Jersey in "Newsweek""s May 22, 2007, issue, listing the Top 1,200 Public High Schools in the United States. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18757087/site/newsweek/ The Complete List: 1,200 Top U.S. Schools] , "Newsweek" May 22, 2007] The school was listed in 116th place, the second-highest ranked school in New Jersey, in the 2006 issue. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12532678?s=100&np=12&sort=raa The Complete List: 1,200 Top U.S. Schools] , "Newsweek" May 8, 2006] Ridge High School was ranked as Number 91 in Newsweek's 2005 survey, third-highest in the state for that year. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8759025/site/newsweek/ "America's Best High Schools"] , "Newsweek", August 5, 2005.]

The school was the 24th-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 11th 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.]

Athletics

Ridge High School competes in the Skyland Conference, which includes public and parochial high schools covering Hunterdon County, Somerset County and Warren County in Central Jersey. The conference operates under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).

The girls' soccer team is also a front runner on both state and national levels. An undefeated 2003 season led the team to take the #3 national ranking. Tobin Heath (class of 2006) plays for the U.S. Women's National Team, as well as for the renowned University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels program.

Ridge Ice Hockey has been a dominant force in New Jersey, led by coach Tim Mullin. The varsity team participated in the Public division A state championship in 2008, winning 5-0 over Watchung Hills Regional High School.

Other sports offered at Ridge include; volleyball, baseball, hockey, football, fencing, basketball, cross country, gymnastics, cheerleading, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, ski racing, softball, swimming, tennis, track, and wrestling.

Extracurricular activities

Ridge has a very strong speech and debate team which has had members place in high spots in national competitions. They have won the New Jersey state tournament seven years in a row. [ [http://www.nflonline.org/NationalTournament/NationalTournamentHistory 2005 National Results] , National Forensic League, 2005] The school's Marching Band program has won many competitions, including as high as 2nd Place at the USSBA Northern States Championships in 2005, as well as 4th place most recently. [ [http://www.ridgemarchingband.org/CURRENT_php/sched_comp.php] , , 2005] Fact|date=May 2008

Administration

The members of the school's administration are: [ [http://www2.bernardsboe.com/RidgeHighSchool/Administration.aspx Administration] , Ridge High School. Accessed May 25, 2008.]
*Francis Howlett - Principal
*Gina Tenga - Assistant Principal
*Scott Thompson - Assistant Principal
*Thomas Thorpe - Assistant Principal
*Kathleen Dusebout - Assistant Principal

References

External links

* [http://www1.bernardsboe.com/RidgeHighSchool Ridge High School]
*NJReportCard|35|0350|050|Ridge High School
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3401650 Data for the Bernards Township School District] , National Center for Education Statistics