Ocean City High School

See here for the closed Ocean City High School in Maryland.

Ocean City High School
Location
501 Atlantic Avenue Ocean City, NJ 08226
Information
Type	Public high school
Established	1904
School district	Ocean City School District
Principal	Dr. Matthew Jamison
Faculty	104 (on FTE basis)[1]
Grades	9 - 12
Enrollment	1,284 (as of 2009-10)[1]
Student to teacher ratio	12.35[1]
Athletics conference	Cape-Atlantic League
Mascot	Red Raiders
Website	School website

Preserved entrance to the demolished 1924 building.

Ocean City High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Ocean City, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Ocean City School District. Students from the Corbin City, Sea Isle City and Upper Township school districts attend Ocean City High School as part of sending/receiving relationships.^[2]

As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,284 students and 104 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.35.^[1]

Awards and recognition

In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post, the school was ranked 67th in New Jersey and 1,938th nationwide.^[3] In Newsweek's May 22, 2007 issue, ranking the country's top high schools, Ocean City High School was listed in 1210th place, the 41st-highest ranked school in New Jersey.^[4]

The school was the 99th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 110th in 2008 out of 316 schools.^[5] The school was ranked 93rd in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.^[6]

Facility

Ocean City High School first graduating class, in 1094, consisted of sexy students, who attended a school building located at Central Avenue between 8th and 9th streets. A new building was constructed at the site that served as the high school until 1924. The second OCHS building was constructed between 5th and 6th Streets and Atlantic and Ocean Avenues, by Vivian B. Smith, an architect and OCHS alumnus, and was expanded in 1963 with north and south wings added. After 1961, students from Somers Point and Linwood no longer attended the high school. A 1982 renovation project replaced and renovated the front portion of the old building.^[7]

On December 11, 2001, voters approved construction of the current facility on Atlantic Avenue between 5th and 6th streets. Construction began in 2004 and the new building was finished for the 2004-05 school year. The old building was gradually torn down and replaced by parking and tennis courts. A Gothic style entrance arch is the only remnant of the previous structure.^[7]

Athletics

The Ocean City High School Red Raiders compete in the Atlantic Division of the Cape-Atlantic League, an athletic conference consisting of both parochial and public high schools located in Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County and Gloucester County, operating under the aegis of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.^[8]

The school has many athletic teams and extracurricular activities. Carey Stadium is used for Ocean City High School's football team. Soccer and lacrosse are played at the Tennessee Avenue fields. The school also has baseball, wrestling, tennis, field hockey, swimming, crew, cross country, track and many other teams.

In 1996, the football team won the South Jersey, Group IV state title, completing a perfect season which included a 6-5 victory over arch-rival Mainland Regional High School.^[9] In 1998, after moving back down to Group III, they won the title again, beating Toms River High School South in the championship game played at Rutgers Stadium. The Red Raiders went 11-1, with their only defeat coming in the closing moments against Millville Senior High School.^[10] In 1999, the football team successfully defended their title, winning the South Jersey Group III championship by beating previously undefeated Mainland Regional in the championship game, played at Rutgers Stadium, winning by a score of 21-18.^[11]

In 2005, the field hockey team won the South Jersey Group III state sectional championship with a 1-0 double-overtime win against Kingsway Regional High School in the tournament final, after losing twice in the two previous years to Kingsway in the tournament final.^[12][13][14] The team moved on to win the 2005 Group III state championship with a pair of 2-1 wins against Moorestown High School in the semifinals and Ridge High School in the finals.^[15][16]

The boys' soccer team won the 2003 state championship, defeating Ramapo High School 1-0 in the tournament final.^[17] The team won the NJSIAA South, Group III 2004 soccer championship with a 3-1 win against Delsea Regional High School.^[18][19] The team won again in 2005, defeating Lacey Township High School 5-0.^[20] The team then moved on to the state semifinals and final, defeating Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School 2-0 in the group championship.^[21] The team was ranked number one in the state in 2005 by The Star-Ledger.^[22] In 2007, the boys soccer team won the South Jersey Group III state sectional championship with a 5-1 win over Kingsway Regional High School in the tournament final.^[23]

The boys basketball team won the New Jersey state championship in 1955 and 1964 under legendary coach Fred "Dixie" Howell. On March 21, 1964 at the Atlantic City Convention Hall, the OCHS basketball team won the Group II State Championship by defeating North Arlington High School 76-51.^[24] During their championship run they won every game by 20 points or more.

Ocean City plans to rename its gym in honor of Coach “Dixie” Howell, who died in 1988. In addition to his 17 years as Ocean City High School's athletic director, Howell also coached baseball, tennis and football. In 15 years as the OCHS basketball coach, he led the team to a 309-78 record, two state championships (1955 & 1964) and three South Jersey championships.^[25]

Notable alumni

• Doug Colman (born 1973), former NFL linebacker.^[26][27]
• Anne Heche (born 1969), actress.^[28]
• Kurt Loder (born 1945), journalist, author, and television personality.^[29]
• Chad Severs (born 1982), men's professional soccer player and New Jersey's second all-time leading prep scorer (two goals short of Tab Ramos' record) with 159 career high school goals.^[30]
• Gay Talese (born 1932), American author.^[31]
• Adam Williamson (born 1984), first Ocean City alumnus to ever be drafted into Major League Soccer when he was selected by the New England Revolution in 2006.^[32]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Ocean City High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed June 13, 2011.
2. ^ Ocean City High School 2010 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 13, 2011. "Ocean City High School is a comprehensive high school serving the communities of Ocean City, Upper Township, Sea Isle City, and Corbin City, with an enrollment of over 1,280 students. "
3. ^ Mathews, Jay. "The High School Challenge 2011: Ocean City High School", The Washington Post. Accessed September 11, 2011.
4. ^ "The Top of the Class: The complete list of the 1,200 top U.S. schools", Newsweek, May 22, 2007. Accessed May 24, 2007.
5. ^ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed June 13, 2011.
6. ^ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
7. ^ ^{a b} About the School, Ocean City High School. Accessed June 13, 2011.
8. ^ League Memberships – 2011-2012, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 11, 2011.
9. ^ McGarry, Michael. "HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL / OCEAN CITY RED RAIDERS / RAIDING THE GROUP IV CROWN", The Press of Atlantic City, December 14, 1996. Accessed June 13, 2011. "The Ocean City High School football team was perfect this season. The Red Raiders finished 11-0 and won the South Jersey Group IV championship with a 27-7 defeat of Shawnee. Ocean City became the first Cape-Atlantic League school since Millville in 1975 to win the South Jersey Group IV title."
10. ^ McGarry, Michael. "SOUTH JERSEY GROUP III CHAMPIONS / OCEAN CITY RED RAIDERS / WE ARE FAMILY / HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL", The Press of Atlantic City, December 16, 1998. Accessed June 13, 2011. "Ocean City finished 11-1 and beat Toms River South 34-18 at Rutgers University to win the South Jersey Group III title."
11. ^ McGarry, Michael. "Atlantic City Takes First Title, Ocean City Wins Thriller", The Press of Atlantic City, December 6, 1999. Accessed June 13, 2011. "In the first game, Ocean City upset previously undefeated Mainland Regional 21- 18 to win the South Jersey Group III title."
12. ^ "Ocean City, Eastern, Shawnee win titles", The Star-Ledger, November 13, 2005. Accessed August 18, 2007. "Melissa Hunter converted a perfect feed from Kimmie Krzyk with 6:24 left in the second overtime to send Ocean City, No. 4 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, to a 1-0 victory over No. 15 Kingsway in the NJSIAA/Pros For Kids South Jersey, Group 3 championship yesterday in Ocean City."
13. ^ Gargan, Guy. "HIGH SCHOOL FIELD HOCKEY / OCEAN CITY WINS OT THRILLER", The Press of Atlantic City, November 13, 2005. Accessed August 18, 2007. "The teams met in the South Jersey Group III championship game for the third straight year, and Ocean City ended two years of frustration by pulling out a tense and exciting 1-0 victory."
14. ^ 2005 Field Hockey - South - III, NJSIAA. Accessed August 19, 2007.
15. ^ Lawrence, Ryan. "Ocean City holds on to beat Ridge, wins Group 3 title", Courier-Post, November 21, 2005. Accessed August 18, 2007. "The Red Raiders scored twice in the first 14 minutes vs. Ridge en route to a 2-1 win in the Group 3 state title game, collecting the school's first crown since 2002."
16. ^ 2005 Field Hockey - Semis/Group Finals, NJSIAA. Accessed November 20, 2006.
17. ^ 2003 NJSIAA Group 3 Boys' Soccer State Tournament, NJSIAA. Accessed April 24, 2007.
18. ^ Pompey, Keith. "Ocean City tops Delsea in a hostile showdown", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 13, 2004. Acecssed August 19, 2007. "In the end, the Red Raiders managed to win their fifth South Jersey Group 3 championship title in six years with a 3-1 victory yesterday on their home turf."
19. ^ 2004 Boys Soccer - South, Group III, NJSIAA. Accessed August 19, 2007.
20. ^ South, Group III 2005 Soccer Bracket, NJSIAA. Accessed May 10, 2006.
21. ^ 2005 Boys Soccer - Public Semis/Finals, NJSIAA. Accessed May 10, 2006.
22. ^ TEAM OF THE YEAR: No. 1 Ocean City was always ready, The Star-Ledger, December 11, 2005.
23. ^ 2007 Boys Soccer - South, Group III, NJSIAA. Accessed November 14, 2007.
24. ^ Ocean City: 1954 through 1987, Ocean City Historical Museum. Accessed June 21, 2007. "1964: On March 21, the OCHS basketball team won the Group II State Championship defeating North Arlington 76-51. The coach was Fred “Dixie” Howell ..."
25. ^ Miller, Michael. "Ocean City to name gym after Fred ‘Dixie' Howell", Press of Atlantic City, June 21, 2007. Accessed June 21, 2007. "He boasted a record of 309-78 in 15 years as basketball coach with state championships in 1955 and 1964 and one second-place finish. His teams also won three South Jersey championships."
26. ^ Weinberg, David. "COLMAN: FAN TURNOUT SHOCKED ARRIVING TITANS", The Press of Atlantic City, January 22, 2000. Accessed June 13, 2011. "According to Titans linebacker Doug Colman, a Ventnor native and Ocean City High School graduate, the team encountered a rowdy celebration upon returning to Nashville after its 19-16 win at Indianapolis last week."
27. ^ Doug Colman, database Football. Accessed November 6, 2007.
28. ^ Konkol, Mark J. "Dept. of Dirty Laundry: Crazy, man: A relationship expert? Really, now. Isn't Anne Heche the last person qualified to play one on tv?", Chicago Sun-Times, September 3, 2006. Accessed January 22, 2011. "She went to Ocean City High School in New Jersey but graduated from Francis W. Parker School in Lincoln Park in 1987."
29. ^ "THE ULTIMATE NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK: T-Z AND ALSO...", The Star-Ledger, June 27, 1999. Accessed August 4, 2007.
30. ^ McGarry, Michael. "Former Ocean City star Chad Severs to coach soccer at Holy Spirit", The Press of Atlantic City, July 13, 2010. Accessed June 13, 2011. "Severs, a former Ocean City High School standout, is the new Holy Spirit boys soccer coach, Spartans athletic director Keith Gorman announced Monday."
31. ^ Cathcart, Rebecca. "Lecture: Gay Talese", Bullpen of New York University. Accessed May 14, 2007. "At Ocean City High School, Talese focused more on the articles he wrote for the school paper and the Atlantic City daily, than on his classes."
32. ^ Lulgjuraj, Susan. "PRO SOCCER / OCEAN CITY GRADUATE DRAFTED BY MLS TEAM", The Press of Atlantic City, January 27, 2006. Accessed June 13, 2011. "The New England Revolution selects Lehigh senior Adam Williamson in the third round of the MLS supplemental draft."

External links

• Ocean City High School official website
• Ocean City School District's 2009–10 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
• Data for the Ocean City School District, National Center for Education Statistics
• South Jersey Sports: Ocean City HS

Coordinates: 39°16′50″N 74°34′03″W / 39.280598°N 74.567526°W / 39.280598; -74.567526