Park Ridge High School

Park Ridge High School
Address
Map
2 Park Avenue

Park Ridge
,
Bergen County
,
New Jersey
07656

United States
Coordinates41°02′04″N 74°02′32″W / 41.034469°N 74.042096°W / 41.034469; -74.042096
Information
TypePublic high school / middle school
Established1900
School districtPark Ridge Public Schools
NCES School ID341245000710[1]
PrincipalTroy Lederman
Faculty59.2 FTEs[1]
Grades7-12
Enrollment520 (as of 2023–24)[1]
Student to teacher ratio8.8:1[1]
Color(s)  Maroon and
  white[2]
Fight song"Ridgers"
Athletics conferenceNorth Jersey Interscholastic Conference
Team nameOwls[2]
PublicationImprints (literary magazine)[3]
NewspaperNight Watch[3]
Websiteprhs.parkridgeschools.org

Park Ridge High School is a six-year comprehensive community public high school with an integrated two-year middle school located in the borough of Park Ridge in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in seventh through twelfth grades as the lone secondary school of the Park Ridge Public Schools. The school is accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education. The school is located on the corner of Park Avenue and Pascack Road in the center of Park Ridge. The school is one of the three public schools in , along with East Brook Elementary School and West Ridge Elementary School, which both serve grades K-6.

Park Ridge High School's building has two sections: the "main" building of three floors and the "A-wing" of two. The main building contains a multipurpose venue known as the "little theater," which hosts arts events such as the annual Middle School Variety Show, including seasonal theatrical productions. The A-wing branches off into two gymnasiums through its lower floor.

As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 520 students and 59.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.8:1. There were 17 students (3.3% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 9 (1.7% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]

Park Ridge offers several Advanced Placement (AP) classes, run by the College Board. Average SAT scores for the class of 2013-14 were 528 in Critical reading, 559 in Mathematics and 546 on the Writing component for a composite score of 1633, compared to statewide averages of 496 / 521 / 497 respectively, and a composite score of 1514. There were 59.0% of students who met the standard of a 1550 composite score on the SAT, which College Board research shows to be indicative of college success, vs. 44.6% statewide.[4]

History

A previous high school building completed in 1900 burnt to the ground in June 1920.[5] The current school building was completed in September 1922, having been designed to be resistant to fire and offering four times the capacity of the earlier structure. Until the opening of Pascack Valley High School in 1955, students from Hillsdale, Montvale and Woodcliff Lake had attended Park Ridge High School as part of sending/receiving relationships.[6]

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 37th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology.[7] The school had been ranked 14th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 18th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[8] The magazine ranked the school 31st in 2008 out of 316 schools.[9] The school was ranked 40th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.[10] Schooldigger.com ranked the school tied for 167th out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (a decrease of 77 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (79.0%) and language arts literacy (95.8%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).[11]

Athletics

Park Ridge High School Owls[2] participate in the Patriot Division of the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference, which is comprised of small-enrollment schools in Bergen, Hudson, Morris and Passaic counties, and was created following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[12][13][14] Prior to the realignment that took effect at the start of the 2010-11 school year, Park Ridge was a member of the Bergen County Scholastic League (BCSL).[15] With 262 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group I for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 75 to 476 students in that grade range.[16] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group I North for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 254 to 474 students.[17]

Park Ridge High School hosts several sports in statewide competition, including football, soccer, track and field, basketball, baseball, and many others.[2] Park Ridge has done very well athletically in past years, especially with girls' sports, wrestling, and the track & field program. The school's athletic complex consists of several acres of open fields and a full sized high school football infield, surrounded by a recently constructed running track. The official fight song of the Owls is "Ridgers".

The school participates as the host school / lead agency for joint cooperative boys / girls bowling, cross country running. boys / girls golf and boys lacrosse teams with Emerson Junior-Senior High School, while Emerson is the host school for girls lacrosse and wrestling teams. These co-op programs operate under agreements scheduled to expire at the end of the 2023–24 school year.[18][19][20]

The 1966 boys' basketball team finished the season with a 23–2 record after winning the Group I state championship by defeating Williamstown High School by a score of 64–62 on a late basket score in the final minute of the tournament final.[21][22]

The boys cross country running team won the Group I state championship in 1973.[23]

The baseball team won the Group I state title in 1977 (vs. Florence Township Memorial High School) and 2009 (vs. David Brearley High School).[24] The 1977 team finished the season with a 24–3 record after winning the Group I title with a 1–0 victory in 13 innings against Florence Township in the championship game.[25] The team won the 2009 Group I state championships, defeating County Prep High School 10–0 in the semi-final round, and taking the title with a 4–2 win over David Brearley in the championship game.[26]

The girls volleyball team won the Group I state championship in 1983 (vs. Bogota High School) and 1985 (vs. Wallington High School).[27] The 1983 team finished the season with a record of 21–2 after winning the Group I title by defeating Bogota in two games (15-10 and 15-13) in the final match of the tournament.[28] The 1985 team win won the Group IV title against Wallington 15-10 and 15-4 in the tournament final.[29]

The football team won the NJSIAA North I Group I state sectional championship in 1995 and in North II Group I in 2019.[30] In 2019, the Owls finished the season with a 10–1 record after defeating Hasbrouck Heights High School in the tournament final to win the NJSIAA North II Group I state sectional championship by a score of 21–14, marking their first championship in 24 years.[31] The team won the 2019 Group I North regional title with a 28–21 win against Boonton High School.[32]

In 2006, Park Ridge boys' spring track went undefeated on their way to a BCSL Olympic championship, their first in 30 years. The girls' team lost only once, and also proceeded to win a championship.

In 2007, the girls' soccer team won the North I, Group I state sectional championship with a 2–0 win over Pompton Lakes High School in the tournament final, marking the first sectional title in team history.[33][34]

In 2008, the boys' winter track team won their first state sectional meet.[35]

Wrestling coach Stan Woods set a New Jersey record with his 602nd win in 2011 in a meet against Nutley High School.[36][37]

Administration

The school's principal is Troy Lederman. His core administration team includes the assistant principal.[38]

Noted alumni

See also: Category:Park Ridge High School alumni

References

  1. ^ a b c d e School data for Park Ridge High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Park Ridge High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Extra-Curricular Clubs/Activities Offered to Grades 9-12, Park Ridge High School. Accessed May 30, 2022.
  4. ^ 2013-14 School Performance Reports for Park Ridge High School, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 28, 2015.
  5. ^ 3. Park Ridge High School (2 Park Ave), Pascack Historical Society. Accessed August 19, 2020. "The Park Ridge High School you see today is very different than the one seen in the 1800s, having gone through a number of modifications and reconstructions. In 1900 the town celebrated as its gorgeous, large brick high school opened its doors and welcomed its excited students. The town was dealt a cruel blow when its beloved high school burned to the ground on June 20th 1920."
  6. ^ Beuscher, Kristin. "This Week In Local History: A New School at Park Ridge", Pascack Press, October 22, 2019. Accessed August 19, 2020. "Opened in September 1922, the school housed students of Park Ridge, Montvale, Woodcliff Lake and Hillsdale until Pascack Valley Regional High School opened in 1955."
  7. ^ Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  8. ^ Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed December 2, 2012.
  9. ^ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed April 11, 2011.
  10. ^ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  11. ^ New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2010-2011, Schooldigger.com. Accessed March 6, 2012.
  12. ^ Mattura, Greg. "Small-school NJIC may debut its own league championship", The Record, January 9, 2017. Accessed August 30, 2020. "The small-school North Jersey Interscholastic Conference may debut its own boys basketball tournament this season, one season after introducing its girls hoops championship. The NJIC is comprised of schools from Bergen, Passaic and Hudson counties and the event offered to the 36 boys teams would serve as an alternative to likely competing against larger programs in a county tournament."
  13. ^ Member Schools, North Jersey Interscholastic Conference. Accessed August 30, 2020.
  14. ^ League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  15. ^ League Memberships – 2009-2010, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, backed up by the Internet Archive as of July 24, 2011. Accessed November 23, 2014.
  16. ^ NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  17. ^ NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
  18. ^ NJSIAA Fall Cooperative Sports Programs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  19. ^ NJSIAA Winter Cooperative Sports Programs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  20. ^ NJSIAA Spring Cooperative Sports Programs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  21. ^ NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  22. ^ Ruskie, Mark. "Don Bosco, Park Ridge Capture State Titles; Group 1 Crown Taken By Owls Schmidt's Goal With 16 Seconds Left Sinks Williamstown, 64 To 62", The Record, March 19, 1978. Accessed January 31, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Park Ridge ran the gamut of emotions in the final minute of Saturday night's Group 1 State championship game, but when it was all over the Owls had their first State title. What made the Owls' 64-62 final-round victory over Williamstown even sweeter was that they did it by coming from behind in the final min ute after playing the final 4 minutes without the services of leading scorer Matt Mandic.... The Owls closed out the season with a 23-2 mark, bowing in only the opening and closing games of the regular-season campaign."
  23. ^ NJSIAA Boys Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  24. ^ Baseball Championship History: 1959–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
  25. ^ Schwartz, Paul. "Lacey fans 19 in 1-0 victory; Park Ridge wins in 13th", The Record, June 12, 1977. Accessed January 8, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Bob Kolb didn't talk to Jerry Lacey, but he had something to say to Ted Geer in the 13th inning yesterday. As a result, Park Ridge is the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 1 champion with a 1-0 win over Florence Township."
  26. ^ 2009 Baseball Tournament - Public Semis/Finals, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 25, 2009.
  27. ^ NJSIAA Girls Volleyball Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  28. ^ "Park Ridge, Secaucus, OT, Paladins win titles", The Record, November 20, 1983. Accessed December 31, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "Bergen County Scholastic League National Division powerhouses Park Ridge and Secaucus each won their first New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association volleyball championships last night. Park Ridge won the Group 1 title by edging Bogota, 15-10, 15-13, and Secaucus defeated Tenafly, 15-8, 15-12 for the Group 2 crown.... Substitute sophomores Nancy Wallace and Louisa O'Hara had eight serves apiece to key the victory for Park Ridge (21-2)."
  29. ^ Michnowski, Brian. "Fair Lawn, Park Ridge, OT follow Secaucus lead", The Record, November 25, 1985. Accessed January 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Park Ridge had only one starter over 5-foot-5, but 5-10 spiker Patti Connors was enough. The 1984 All-Bergen County Scholastic League first-teamer was virtually unstoppable on the closing points of the Owls' 15-10, 15-4 Group 1 win over Wallington and found the floor with spikes 10 times during the match."
  30. ^ NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  31. ^ Tartaglia, Greg. "Breaking down Park Ridge football's first sectional championship win in 24 years", The Record, November 22, 2019. Accessed November 24, 2019. "That is where the Park Ridge football team captured its first sectional title since 1995, knocking off three-time champ Hasbrouck Heights, 21-14, in the North 2, Group 1 final.... Yet it was his classmate, right tackle Ryan Misciagna, who provided some inspiration to help No. 2 seed Park Ridge (10-1) overcome a 14-7 halftime deficit."
  32. ^ Koob, Andrew. "Football: Park Ridge hangs on for wild win over Boonton", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 30, 2019. Accessed September 15, 2020. "The season finale was no different as a late touchdown was enough to push Park Ridge to a 28-21 win over Boonton in the North, Group 1 regional championship at MetLife Stadium Saturday afternoon."
  33. ^ 2007 Girls' Soccer - North I, Group I, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 15, 2007.
  34. ^ Bondy, Stefan. "Park Ridge tough on Cards" The Record, November 9, 2007. "The victory represented Park Ridge's first-ever sectional title, according to Schneider, and highlighted a playoff run that included impressive victories over Midland Park and Belvidere."
  35. ^ 2008 NJSIAA/Star-Ledger/M-F Athlete Sectional Boys' & Girls' Track & Field Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed February 19, 2013.
  36. ^ Fenwick, Alexandra. "Faces In The Crowd",Sports Illustrated, April 18, 2011. Accessed July 25, 2011. "Stan Woods Emerson, N.J. - Wrestling: Woods, 71, broke the alltime New Jersey high school wrestling wins record with his 602nd career team victory in February, when his Emerson--Park Ridge High team defeated Nutley High 52--25. Woods began his career at Randolph High in 1964 and joined the Emerson program in '67. His teams have won 31 league titles, 10 county titles and eight sectional titles."
  37. ^ Cooper, Darren. "Cooper: Emerson/Park Ridge wrestling coach Stan Woods closes in on state wins record", The Record, February 1, 2011. Accessed July 25, 2011. "At age 71, the head wrestling coach at Emerson – now Emerson/Park Ridge – since 1967, Woods is about to become the winningest wrestling coach in New Jersey history. He has 599 wins; Ralph Ross, formerly of Highland Regional, holds the record with 601."
  38. ^ Principal, Park Ridge High School. Accessed February 6, 2024.
  39. ^ Dawkins, Walter. "Park Ridge service keeps a hero's memory alive", The Record, September 27, 2007. "He was also an outstanding athlete -- captain of the high school football and baseball teams and a member of the basketball and track teams."
  40. ^ Staff. "TSU to honor alumni veterans", KTVO, November 9, 2011. Accessed March 6, 2012. "Jedh Barker enrolled at Truman State University in the mid-1960s following a standout athletic career at Park Ridge High School in Park Ridge, N.J."
  41. ^ a b Lauro, Patricia Winters. "Communities; A Mob Town, And Proud of It", The New York Times, November 24, 2002. Accessed March 6, 2012. "For a tiny town, Park Ridge has its share of famous people. Karen Duffy, a model, MTV vee-jay and author of 'Model Patient: My Life as an Incurable Wiseass' (HarperCollins, $24), was raised in the borough and graduated in 1979 with Mr. Gandolfini."
  42. ^ Eisenbraun, Mildred. "Edith M. Faulstich, 65, stamp expert and author", The Record, September 6, 1972. Accessed August 19, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "Edith M. Faulstich of 37 Inwood St., formerly of Montvale, N.J., and founder in 1945 of the Pascack Stamp Club, died Monday in United Hospital, Port Chester. She was 65. She was born in Brooklyn and lived in Montvale until 1951. After graduating from Park Ridge High School and attending New York University, Mrs. Faulstich's interests in stamp collecting made her an international figure in philatelic circles."
  43. ^ Kevin Herget, Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed August 21, 2022. "Born: April 3, 1991 (Age: 31-140d) in Teaneck, NJ... High School: Park Ridge HS (Park Ridge, NJ)"
  44. ^ Karas, Matty. "'Uncool' Roches finally fitting into the music scene", Asbury Park Press, June 20, 1991. Accessed December 9, 2017. "Terre Roche wasn't one of the cool kids at Park Ridge High School in the late 1960s.... She and Maggie sang together from a young age, with Maggie teaching Terre the harmony parts to songs. When they were in high school, their father, who lived in Greenwich Village before they were born and entertained them with stories about those days, drove them into the Village to sing in hootenannies at clubs such as the Gaslight and Kettle of Fish."
  45. ^ "Transcript: The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle, 6/15/22", MSNBC, June 15, 2022. Accessed February 17, 2024. "Ruhle:... And we welcome to the program for the first time ever Leigh McGowan, aka the internet`s very popular politics girl who I would like to point out, has taught me more about physics than all four years of Park Ridge High School."
  46. ^ "Owls' marked men welcome challenge", The Record, September 19, 1996. Accessed December 31, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "Mioli is searching for a nucleus among the following: seniors Tom Driscoll (5-11, 180), Travis Stever (5-10, 185), and Jim Babcock (5-10, 180); juniors David Hughes (5-7, 165), Ben Wingate (6-1, 205), John Halperin (5-9, 180); and sophomore Brett Rogers (5-8, 170)."
  47. ^ Downing, Beatrice. "Learning Journalism; Pupils At Park Ridge Find Final Exam Is In The Finished Product", The Record, March 28, 1953. Accessed March 9, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "The present staff also includes Donald Jud, sports columnist; Bryna Skolnick, Lynn Swensen, and Dorothy Seib, feature writers, and Zelda Maver, head typist. Dominica De Pasquale is business manager, and freshman William Duffe is photographer."