New Jersey District of Character National District of Character

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1 New Jersey District of Character National District of Character Hanover Park Regional High School District is the first New Jersey School District of Character to be awarded the Character Education Partnership National School District of Character It is the nature of a person to rise to greatness if greatness is expected. John Steinbeck District Highlights The Hanover Park Regional High School District is comprised of two high schools. Hanover Park High School is located in East Hanover, receives students from East Hanover and Florham Park, and has an enrollment of 835 students. Whippany Park High School is located in Hanover Township, receives students from Hanover Township and has an enrollment of 641 students. The district enjoys a tradition of excellence with an ongoing commitment to academics, the arts, athletics, service learning, character education and community service. Both schools continue to be ranked as one of New Jersey s Monthly Top 100 High Schools; recognized in the Washington Post as one of America s Most Challenging High Schools; recognized as a Best High School District and Best High School by Niche.com and, ranked as one of New Jersey s Top Performing Public High Schools for Academics and the Arts by Inside Jersey magazine. Combined, the schools administered 948 Advanced Placement exams in the school year with an average of 80% scoring a 3 or higher in twenty-two subject areas. Many district students achieved honors status from the College Board Advanced Placement Scholar Awards recognition program: twelve Advanced Placement National Scholars; fifty-seven Advanced Placement Scholars with Distinction, thirty-one Advanced Placement Scholars with Honor; and, seventy Advanced Placement Scholars. Besides the availability of twenty-two Advanced Placement courses, the district s enrollment in dual credit courses in which students receive college and high school credit from Fairleigh Dickinson, Seton Hall and/or Rutgers was approximately 300 students. The schools scored above the State and National average in the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Testing (ACT). Combined, the schools recognized three students as National Merit Finalists; two National Merit Semi-Finalists; two National Merit Scholarship

2 winners; nineteen students declared National Merit Commended Scholars; four students nominated to New Jersey Governor s School; four nominated as New Jersey Scholars; seventyone students received US Presidential Academic Awards of Excellence; one student nominee for the US Presidential Scholars Program; two students were candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program; three students selected to the Baden Aniline and Soda Factory Science Academy; and, 174 students inducted into the National Honor Society. Eleven students achieved a perfect score of 800 on the SAT. Two students scored a perfect score on the ACT. Twenty-two students were selected for Boys/Girls State. Districtwide, ninety-four percent of graduates are continuing formal higher education while 6% are attending career vocational schools, entering the workforce or joining the military. Students continue to compete in the Academic Team Competition achieving amazing results- Hanover Park High School placed fifth in the North Jersey Division 2 Regional Competition and qualified for the State Finals. Whippany Park s Chemistry Team placed fourth at the Chemistry Olympics. Both high schools excelled this year in the visual arts: Hanover Park High School-Nineteen students had their art accepted into the 30 th Annual Blackwell Student Art Exhibit in Morristown. Two students received a second place award in the Painting category. In the Sculpture category, one student received a first place award, one student received a second place award, and one student received an honorable mention in the sculpture category. In the Photography category one student received a second place award and one student received a third place award. Two students had their artwork accepted into the 2018 Congressional Art Competition at the Morris Museum. Whippany Park High School-Nine students had their art accepted into the 30 th Annual Blackwell Student Art Exhibit in Morristown; one student received an honorable mention in digital art; two students received third place in digital Art; two students received a second place in Photography; one student received first place in Sculpture/Mixed Media. Two students received honorable mention in the Congressional Art Competition and two students received Honorable Mention at the County College of Morris Photography Contest. Six students work was displayed at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum. One student won the Morris County Manual Competition and five students earned Scholastic Art Awards.

3 The schools met with success with the Performing Arts: Hanover Park High School had one student perform with the 2017 New Jersey All State chorus and one student was accepted into the 2018 New Jersey All State Chorus. One student performed in the New Jersey All State Symphonic Band. At the Hershey Park Music in the Parks Festival, the Symphonic Band was crowned Best Overall Band; the Jazz Ensemble received a second place Superior rating; the Chamber Singers received first place Superior ratings; the Concert Choir received first place Superior ratings; and, the String Ensemble received a Good rating. The Hanover Park High School Marching Band was selected to perform at Walt Disney World in Florida in April Whippany Park High School s Marching Band received a Silver Rating in the NJMEA State Festival while one student was selected for the Junior Region Band; seven students were selected to the All Area Band, three to the All Region Band, and one student to All State Band. Additionally, one student was selected to the All Region Orchestra, and one student was selected to the All Region and All State Jazz Bands. The Choir performed at Carnegie Hall for the fourteenth time. The Hanover Park Regional High School District s Dance Team is in its fourth season as a co-op team. They competed in a variety of competitions and performed at numerous social events, including the New Jersey School Boards Conference in Atlantic City. The schools fared well in the Future Business Leaders of America Competition: Hanover Park High School-Twenty-five students competed in the Northern New Jersey Regional Competition where five students placed in the Top Ten; eleven students qualified to compete at the State level with one placing fifth and two State champions. Whippany Park High School-Twenty-three students competed in the Northern New Jersey Regional Competition where five students placed in the Top Eight; fourteen qualified to compete at the State level where four students qualified for Nationals. Both schools earned honors for their publications. The Hornet Sting, the Hanover Park literary magazine, earned a First Place Award from the American Scholastic Press Association. Whippany Park High School s literary magazine, Etcetera, earned a First Place from the American Scholastic Press Association. Athletically, both schools excelled: Hanover Park High School-The Girls Soccer Team, Wrestling Team Softball Team and the Girls Spring Track Team were crowned North II Group II State Sectional

4 Champions. Conference championships were won in Girls Soccer, Wrestling, Girls Spring Track and Boys Lacrosse. The Girls Volleyball Team, Girls Basketball Team, Girls Spring Track Team and Boys Tennis Team received the NJAC Conference Sportsmanship Award. The Softball Team was awarded the Umpire s Association State Award for Achievement and Sportsmanship. The Wrestling Team was crowned District 11 Champions and the Softball Team was crowned Morris County Champions. With Wrestling there was one State Champion, two County Champions and four wrestlers who achieved 100 career wins; one County Champion in Girls Winter Track; one Meet of Champion Qualifier and County Champion in Boys Spring Track; one Boys Basketball player scored his 1000 career point; one Softball player achieved 150 career hits. The Softball Team was voted NJAC Team of the Year; one Softball player received second team All-State; one Girls Soccer Player received All-American status. The Girls Soccer Coach received the Coach of the Year Award. Whippany Park High School-Whippany Park won five Conference Championships in Boys Cross Country, Volleyball, Boys Basketball, Boys Spring Track and Baseball; three State Sectional Championships in Boys Cross Country, Boys Winter Track and Girls Spring Track. The Boys and Girls Spring Track Teams won the Morris County Relays Small School Championship and the Boys Spring Track Team won the Morris County Small School Championship. One student was named the Morris County Football Associations Defensive Player of the Year. Additionally, three students competed nationally at Javelin New Balance Outdoor National Championships with one student winning the National Championship in the Javelin. Three Sportsmanship Awards were won this year by the Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer and Girls Basketball Teams. Community service, service learning and character development complement each other at the schools. The Character Counts program supports the district s six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship by giving student awards for Kindness and Justice, Student of the Month, and a student selected quarterly who exemplifies the elements for Character Counts. Students who exemplify these values are selected and recognized throughout the year. Many clubs and activities encourage and support student volunteerism such as: cleaning parks, partnering with senior citizens, partaking in hunger walks, sponsoring food drives, collecting educational supplies and clothing for the needy, organizing blood drives, and tutoring students. The district takes pride in being recognized as a New Jersey School District of Character and a National School District of Character-the first New Jersey District to receive both awards. The staff and students maintain the school climate of a caring environment by initiating new community and service-learning projects each year while keeping with those that have become tradition. Visit the schools websites to see the many service

5 learning/character education projects and lessons that have been implemented: whippanypark.org hanoverpark.org. Click on About Us, Character Education. Hanover Park Regional High School District was awarded twelve Promising Practice Awards from the Character Education Partnership for its promotion of service learning. For the fourth consecutive year, both schools received the recognition as a No Place for Hate by the Antidefamation League with Gold Star status. The professional staff of the Hanover Park Regional High School District continues to inspire students to be the best they can be. The district continues to support teachers with meaningful professional development that encourages them to learn strategies that foster the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills as they prepare the students with the 21st Century skills needed to succeed in a global society. Carol Grossi Superintendent of Schools