Rancocas_Valley_Regional_High_School

Rancocas Valley Regional High School

Rancocas Valley Regional High School is a regional public high school and school district serving students in grades 9 through 12 from five communities in Burlington County, New Jersey. The district encompasses approximately 40 square miles and comprises the communities of Eastampton Township (394 students from a 2000 Census population of 6,202), Hainesport Township (234 students from 4,126 residents), Lumberton Township (639 students from 10,461 residents), Mount Holly Township (567 students from 10,728 residents) and Westampton Township (494 students from 7,217 residents). The school is located in Mount Holly Township.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,273 students and 135.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 16.8.

The school was the 242nd-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2008 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools. The school was ranked 243rd in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.

Awards and recognition

For the 2000-01 school year, Rancocas Valley Regional High School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.

Board of Education

The district's Board of Education consists of nine members: two each from Eastampton, Lumberton, Mount Holly and Westampton, and one member from Hainesport.

The school

The school was built on the ruins of a private school for boys that was abandoned at the time of the Civil War. Mount Holly High School was founded around 1900, and after a vote to establish a regional high school, Rancocas Valley Regional opened its doors in 1937.

Rancocas Valley High School offers a range of college prep, honors, Advanced Placement Program courses, business and industrial arts classes. New to the curriculum this year is the Virtual High School (VHS). VHS allows students access to over 150 courses online, including pre-veterinary medicine, DNA technology and AP Macroeconomics.

Rancocas Valley High School offers over 40 clubs and activities. The drama and music classes offer top-notch musicals and performances.

Athletics

Rancocas Valley Regional High School competes in the Burlington County Scholastic League (BCSL), which consists of nineteen public and parochial high schools covering Burlington County, Mercer County and Ocean County in central New Jersey. The league operates under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). RV competes in the BCSL's Liberty Division.

In 1998, the boys Varsity Spring Track team went undefeated for the first time since 1979.

In 2004-05, the school's girls' softball team and boys' soccer team ended the season as state champions.

The softball team won the 2007 Central, Group IV state sectional championship, edging Manalapan High School 1-0 in the tournament final.

The 2006 field hockey team took the Central, Group IV state sectional title with a 2-1 win against Cherokee High School in the tournament final.

The Cross Country team went 16-0 in 2004 on its way to winning the Liberty Division Title.

Until 2007 the Boys Track and Field Team hadn't lost a dual meet in three years, winning three consecutive Liberty Division Titles.

The 2008 boys basketball team won the Central, Group IV state sectional championship with a 70-51 win over Trenton Central High School in the tournament final.

The school's mascot: Red Devils; colors: red and white.

The RV Boy's swim team won six consecutive division titles.

The school is represented by an ice hockey team in Varsity Tier I of the South Jersey High School Ice Hockey League.

Extracurricular activities

In 2007, the Mock Trial team won the Burlington County Title in the NJ State Bar Foundation's Mock Trial Competition.

Teachers' contracts

The school board at RVRHS and the teachers did not renew their contracts during Summer 2005. At the start of the 2005-06 school year, teachers were working without a contract. The Teachers' Union was trying to get the median of the payment in New Jersey, while the school board wanted to pay RVRHS teachers the average, which is considerably lower due to low teaching salaries in Camden and Trenton.

The Union's President, Rich Morrell, enacted many silent protests to influence the school board. The union prohibited teachers from any volunteer work, such as staying after school to help students or to supervise school dances. The union threatened to strike, although this was unlikely, as New Jersey state law forbids teachers to strike. Some students at RVRHS who sided with the teachers started a School Walkout; students who did not respond to repeated admonishments to return to the building were suspended.

The contract issue was settled in April 2006.

Administration

Core members of the school's administration are:

Dr. Michael D. Moskalski - Superintendent/Principal
Robert Sapp - Assistant Superintendent for Business/Board Secretary
Dana Paykos - Assistant to the Superintendent for Curriculum/Instruction
Letitia Branin - Assistant Principal - Attendance and Discipline
Craig Wigley - Assistant Principal - Scheduling and Guidance Services
William Booth - Assistant Principal - Building Operations

Notable alumni

William S. Donaldson (1944-2001), former United States Navy officer and critic of the TWA Flight 800 investigation.
Irving Fryar (born 1962), professional football player, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Franco Harris (born 1950), NFL Running back who spent most of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he led the team to four Super Bowl victories.
Pete Harris (1956-2006), All-America in football player at Penn State University; younger brother of Franco.
Norbert Basil MacLean III (born 1971), dual American-Australian citizen and U.S. Navy veteran who pioneered equal access to the Supreme Court for members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Barbara (Tidswell) Park (born 1947), best-selling author of the "Junie B. Jones" series of children's books.
Alonzo Spellman (1971-), former National Football League defensive tackle who was a 1st-round draft pick, who also played in Arena Football League.
DeMya Walker (born 1977), professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Sacramento Monarchs in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).