North Bergen High School
Address
7417 Kennedy Boulevard

North Bergen
,
Hudson County
,
New Jersey
07047

United States
Coordinates40°47′40″N 73°59′59″W / 40.79435°N 73.999734°W / 40.79435; -73.999734
Information
TypePublic high school
EstablishedSeptember 1961
School districtNorth Bergen School District
NCES School ID341146002882[1]
PrincipalRichard Locricchio[2]
Vice principalsDenise Arenas
Thomas Liggio
Edward Narucki
Susan Ramadan
Faculty164.6 FTEs[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment2,316 (as of 2021–22)[1]
Student to teacher ratio14.1:1[1]
Color(s)  Scarlet and
  Gold[3][4]
Athletics conferenceHudson County Interscholastic League (general)
North Jersey Super Football Conference (football)
Team nameBruins[3]
RivalUnion City High School
Websitenbhs.northbergen.k12.nj.us

North Bergen High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade from North Bergen, in Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as part of the North Bergen School District. The school is the district's only high school,[5] and its student body includes residents of both North Bergen and Guttenberg.[6] The school offers various clubs and activities, academic programs, and sports. In 2019, the school play attracted national attention, while the athletics department holds several state titles in multiple sports.

History

Before the school opened, students from North Bergen has been sent to attend Cliffside Park High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship.[7]

The high school opened in September 1961 with Joe Coviello as its first principal and football coach.[8] In the program's first football game, the team defeated St. Cecilia High School by a score of 14-0.[9]

In terms of state aid, North Bergen High School was the most underfunded school in New Jersey, according to a 2014 report from the Education Law Center, receiving $24 million less than the school would be entitled to if it were fully funded under the formula specified by the School Funding Reform Act.[10]

In 2019, the school's production of Alien went viral due to its realistic set and costumes made from recycled materials under a low, self-funded budget.[11] The screenplay was adapted by an English teacher, who also served as director, while an art teacher directed the set and costuming and a music teacher added knowledge of stage lighting.[12][13] Images and videos from the performances attracted celebrity attention including that of Sigourney Weaver, who played the protagonist of the original film. Ridley Scott's production company, Scott Free, donated $5000 to allow the school to perform an encore. Weaver visited the cast and crew for their encore performance on April 26, 2019.[14] The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts gave scholarships to all students involved.[15]

Curriculum

The school provides Advanced Placement course work and exams. The AP participation rate is 9%.[5]

Student body

As of the 2021–22 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,316 students and 164.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.1:1. There were 1,031 students (44.5% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 135 (5.8% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]

Students from Guttenberg attend the school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Guttenberg Public School District.[16]

Awards, recognition and rankings

North Bergen High School was recognized as a "Benchmark Public High School for Academic Achievement" by the Business Coalition for Education Excellence, for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007.[17][18][19]

The school was the 286th-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.[20] The school had been ranked 322nd in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 296th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[21] The magazine ranked the school 294th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[22] The school was ranked 285th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[23]

Schooldigger.com ranked the school 198th out of 376 public high schools statewide in its 2010 rankings (a decrease of 39 positions from the 2009 rank) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the language arts literacy and mathematics components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).[24]

In 2014 U.S. News & World Report magazine awarded a bronze medal to North Bergen High School, recognizing it as one of New Jersey's best public high schools, based on criteria such as test scores, student demographics, college readiness and faculty-student ratio. Superintendent Dr. George Solter stated that the school was awarded the medal specifically for it emphasis on reading skills, the dedication of its faculty, and the talent of its students.[10]

Athletics

The school uses Bruins Stadium in nearby Braddock Park as its home field.
The soccer field at Bruins Stadium

The North Bergen Bruins[3] compete in the Hudson County Interscholastic League, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Hudson County and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[25] With 1,852 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group IV for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 1,060 to 5,049 students in that grade range.[26] The football team competes in the Liberty Red division of the North Jersey Super Football Conference, which includes 112 schools competing in 20 divisions, making it the nation's biggest football-only high school sports league.[27][28] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group V North for football for 2022–2024, which included schools with 1,313 to 5,304 students.[29] The North Bergen High School track, tennis, football and soccer teams use Bruins Stadium, which is located in James J. Braddock Park. The school's gymnasium serves as the home field for other sports.

Interscholastic sports programs offered include football, boys'/girls' basketball, baseball, softball, boys'/girls' tennis, boys'/girls' cross country, boys'/girls' indoor track and field, boys'/girls' outdoor track and field, boys'/girls' soccer, boys'/girls' volleyball, boys'/girls' bowling and wrestling.[3]

The boys' varsity bowling team won the 1974 overall state championship.[30]

The football team won the North I Group IV state championship in 1977, 1978, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1997 and 2011.[31] The team won their first North I Group IV state sectional title in 1977 with a 6-0 win against Henry Snyder High School in the championship game played at Giants Stadium.[32] In 1978, the team finished 11-0 by winning the North I Group IV championship with a 28-14 win against Passaic Valley High School in the finals at Giant Stadium.[33] The team's 37-3 win in the 1984 North I Group IV title against Ridgewood High School led the team to an 11-0 season.[34] The 1988 team finished the season with a 9-2 record after winning the North I Group IV state sectional title with a 14-13 victory against John F. Kennedy High School after scoring a touchdown and extra point to win in the final minute of the championship game.[35][36] The 1990 team finished the season with a 9-2 record after winning the North I Group IV sectional title with a 3-0 overtime win against Hoboken High School in the championship game.[37] A 33-10 win against Wayne Valley High School gave the team an 11-0 record for the season and the North I Group IV sectional championship.[38] After Union City High School opened in 2008, the schools started a rivalry, with Union City leading 6-4 through 2017. NJ.com listed the rivalry at number 30 on its 2017 list "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football".[39]

The 1977 boys' basketball team, led by Dan Callandrillo, finished the season with a record of 27-1 after winning the Group IV state title by defeating Camden High School by a score of 69-55 in the tournament final.[40][41] In 2007, the boys' basketball team played in the North I, Group IV sectional championship, falling to Passaic County Technical Institute by 86–85 in overtime, in a game played at Wayne Valley High School; Students and fans from both schools rioted after the game, with a North Bergen student arrested in the melee for assaulting a police officer.[42][43][44]

The wrestling team won the North I, Group IV state sectional championship in 1983, 1991 and 1993, and the North I Group V title in 2015[45]

In 2001, the baseball team won the North I, Group IV state sectional championship with a 7-6 win in extra innings against Memorial of West New York.[46]

Other extra-curricular activities

North Bergen High School features various interest groups and clubs that include the Art Club, Academic Decathlon Team, Bible Club, Chess Club, Color Guard, Debate Team, Distributive Education Clubs of America, Environmental Club, FBLA-PBL and the Gay-Straight Alliance Club.[47]

The high school also offers various culture groups and honor societies, including the French Club, Indian Cultural Club, Muslim Cultural Awareness Club (MCAC), German Club, Italian Club, Spanish Club, Russian Club, German Club, National Honor Society, French National Honor Society, German National Honor Society, Italian National Honor Society, Russian National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society.[47]

North Bergen High School students can participate in community service and student government groups, including Rebel, Key Club and Student Council.[47]

North Bergen High School is home to various performance groups, such as the Stage Crew, Modeling club, Drama club, Dance club, Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble, The Advanced Sciences Club, Music Creation (M.C) and Advanced Music Creation (A.M.C).[47]

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 School data for North Bergen High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.
  2. ↑ About Us, North Bergen High School. Accessed January 26, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 North Bergen High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  4. ↑ "North Bergen High School Football Schedule", MaxPreps. Accessed February 8, 2014.
  5. 1 2 "North Bergen High School Overview". U.S. News & World Report. Accessed May 3, 2014.
  6. ↑ Central Registration Archived March 14, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, North Bergen School District. Accessed March 13, 2018. "Guttenberg Residents: All students residing in Guttenberg must obtain a Permission Slip from the office of the Guttenberg Superintendent of School located at Anna L. Klein School in Guttenberg."
  7. ↑ "Cliffside to Ask Ouster of No. Bergen Students", The Jersey Journal, March 30, 1957. Accessed November 29, 2023, via Newspapers.com, "But in order to accommodate Palisades Park, North Bergen must go the local board decided last night. So Cliffside's school board will officially ask the state board's permission to terminate the North Bergen agreement. Current 10th and 11th graders from North Bergen would be permitted to complete their secondary schooling here."
  8. ↑ Teachers Under Attack: How NJ Governor Chris Christie’s Personal Vendetta Against Teachers Will Destroy Public Education, p. 195. ISBN 9781456864620.Accessed January 3, 2023. "Coviello was North Bergen High School's first principal when the school opened in 1961."
  9. ↑ De La Ree, Gerry. "Coviello Is Still Master After Defeating Cecilia", The Record, October 3, 1961. Accessed January 3, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "The North Bergen partisans in the crowd and there were many went home happy. The first-year team, bolstered by some experienced boys from several Hudson County schools, rolled over St. Cecilia of Englewood, 14-0."
  10. 1 2 "North Bergen High School recognized as one of NJ's best public high schools", The Hudson Reporter, May 2, 2014. Accessed May 17, 2022. "North Bergen's school district is the most underfunded by state aid in New Jersey, according to the Education Law Center. Last year the district received $24 million less than what it is entitled to receive under the School Funding Reform Act formula."
  11. ↑ Fallon, Scott (March 24, 2019). "This New Jersey high school staged 'Alien' and now it's viral". USA TODAY. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  12. ↑ Jung, E. Ale (May 1, 2019). "Alien, Resurrection: A high-school drama club goes intergalactic". Vulture. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  13. ↑ Romano, Nick (March 23, 2019). "Inside 'Alien: The Play,' the high school production going viral for its homemade Xenomorph". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  14. ↑ Yandoli, Krystie Lee (April 27, 2019). "Sigourney Weaver Surprised The Cast From The Internet-Famous High School Production Of "Alien"". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  15. ↑ Osborne, Mark (April 27, 2019). "Sigourney Weaver surprises students after performance of 'Alien' play". ABC News. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  16. ↑ Shortell, Tom. "3 candidates on ballot to be Guttenberg's mayor", The Jersey Journal, November 2, 2008. Accessed March 23, 2011. "Scoullos, who has worked as a budget analyst, said he also plans to audit the town's contracts in order to find ways to cut taxes. Scoullos said in the late 1990s, North Bergen overcharged the town for services at North Bergen High School, which takes Guttenberg students as part of a sending/receiving network."
  17. ↑ Just for the Kids – New Jersey Benchmark List 2005, Business Coalition for Education Excellence. Accessed October 23, 2008.
  18. ↑ Just for the Kids – New Jersey Benchmark List 2006, Business Coalition for Education Excellence. Accessed October 23, 2008.
  19. ↑ Just for the Kids – New Jersey Benchmark List 2007, Business Coalition for Education Excellence. Accessed October 23, 2008.
  20. ↑ Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  21. ↑ Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed December 2, 2012.
  22. ↑ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed February 7, 2011.
  23. ↑ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  24. ↑ New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2009-2010, Schooldigger.com. Accessed December 31, 2011.
  25. ↑ League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  26. ↑ NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  27. ↑ Cooper, Darren. "Here's what we know about the new Super Football Conference 2020 schedule", The Record, July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference (SFC) is a 112-team group, the largest high school football-only conference in America, and is comprised of teams from five different counties."
  28. ↑ Cooper, Darren. "NJ football: Super Football Conference revised schedules for 2020 regular season", The Record, July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference has 112 teams that will play across 20 divisions."
  29. ↑ NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2022–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  30. ↑ History of NJSIAA Boys Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 1, 2022.
  31. ↑ NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  32. ↑ Noble, Marty. "North Bergen wins title; Tops Snyder in Group 4", The Record, December 4, 1977. Accessed December 13, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "So yesterday, before his team was to face Snyder in the playoff final at Giants Stadium, North Bergen coach Vince Ascolese reminded his team of the snub as a means of motivation. And when the Bruins' 6-0 victory was complete, Ascolese was certain the motivation had played a meaningful role in the victory and was almost certain of one other thing."
  33. ↑ "North Bergen pulls a state title out of the air", New York Daily News, December 4, 1978. Accessed December 19, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "And yet it was the pass which pulled North Bergen to its victory over Passaic Valley. 28-14, Saturday in Giants Stadium.... Still, it was a play from one of the back pages of the Bruin playbook which preserved the perfect season and earned the second straight North Section 1 Croup 4 championship.... North Bergen (11-0) is regarded by many (with Ascolese being the most ardent supporter) as the best high school team in the state this year."
  34. ↑ Alfano, George. "North Bergen shows its power", The Record, December 2, 1984. Accessed January 10, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "If that were the case, judges would probably give North Bergen's 37-3 victory over Ridgewood yesterday a score close to a perfect 10, as the Bruins won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 4, North Section 1 championship. The only question in watching the Bruins seems to be how well they will perform the game plan, because opponents do not appear to make any difference. Yesterday's playoff performance was routine for North Bergen, which finished the 1984 season with an 11-0 record."
  35. ↑ Fox, Ron. "North Bergen picks up where Kennedy leaves off", The Record, December 4, 1988. Accessed December 17, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "They'll show the Bruins winning the Group 4, Section 1 title Saturday with a passing game and a series of incongruous occurrences in the final 85 seconds. Defending champion Kennedy seemed in charge until two kicking plays and a pair of fumbles made possible North Bergen's 14-13 victory in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs."
  36. ↑ "School Sports: New Jersey; Wayne Valley Routs Ramapo", The New York Times, December 4, 1988. Accessed December 17, 2020. "Wayne Giordano scored on a 1-yard run with 41 seconds to play and Pedro Borda kicked his second extra point of the game to lift North Bergen (9-2) over the defending champion, Paterson Kennedy (8-3), 14-13, in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 final in Paterson."
  37. ↑ Schutta, Gregory. "Field goal gives North Bergen championship", The Record, December 2, 1990. Accessed December 1, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "North Bergen's Richard Pierre dreamed about that situation. The dream came true Saturday as his 29-yard field goal bounced off the crossbar and through to give the Bruins a 3-0 overtime victory over Hoboken for the Group 4 Section 1 football title.... Pierre, a senior, has won three games with his foot this year for the Bruins (9-2), the first being against St. Peter's, when his kick with 48 seconds left gave North Bergen a 6-3 victory."
  38. ↑ Kurland, Bob. "Wayne Hills can't cope with swift North Bergen", The Record, December 7, 1997. Accessed January 26, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Speed kills on the highway, but it leads to victory on the football field. North Bergen illustrated that Saturday as it raced past Wayne Hills, 33-10, to win the Group 4, Section 1 championship."
  39. ↑ Stypulkoski, Matt. "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 27, 2017, updated May 15, 2019. Accessed December 28, 2022. "30-North Bergen vs. Union City - Union City High opened in 2008 and immediately opened its series against North Bergen with five straight old-school slugfests that culminated in 2011., All-time series: Union City leads, 6-4"
  40. ↑ NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  41. ↑ Kerber, Fred. "Callandrillo Steals Spotlight As No. Bergen Wins, 69-55", New York Daily News, March 20, 1977. Accessed January 3, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The final buzzer had sounded on North Bergen's stirring 69-55 Group 4 championship victory against a much-taller Camden club.... The Bruins (27-1) won it in the final quarter."
  42. ↑ Hague, Jim. "Riot after state playoff loss One arrest, one youth injured in melee after game" Archived January 5, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, The Hudson Reporter, March 20, 2007. Accessed February 8, 2016. "A riot broke out on Monday after North Bergen High School's boys' basketball team suffered a heartbreaking loss in a state championship game at Wayne Valley High School, leading to the arrest of one North Bergen High School student for allegedly assaulting a police officer. After North Bergen lost to Passaic County Tech, 86-85, in overtime at the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group IV game, some of the fans from both teams made their way onto the floor."
  43. ↑ Zagoria, Adam. "Passaic Tech wins in OT". Herald News, March 6, 2007. Accessed February 8, 2016.
  44. ↑ 2007 Boys Basketball – North I, Group IV, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed March 7, 2007.
  45. ↑ NJSIAA Wrestling Team Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2021.
  46. ↑ Hague, Jim. "Shooting for state glory North Bergen's baseball team wins state semifinals, heads to Group IV final to face No. 1 Toms River East" Archived January 4, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, The Hudson Reporter, June 8, 2001. Accessed February 8, 2016. "The Bruins first defeated local rival Memorial (of West New York) by a score of 7-6 in nine innings last Friday to capture the North Jersey Section 1, Group IV championship, a feat in its own right, considering Memorial was ranked No. 2 in the state at the time of the game."
  47. 1 2 3 4 2021-2022 Student Handbook, North Bergen High School. Accessed October 13, 2022.
  48. ↑ Kuperinsky, Amy. "070 Shake, breakout star from Kanye West album, comes home to N.J. for victory lap", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 20, 2018, updated January 30, 2019. Accessed January 15, 2020. "Shake attended North Bergen High School not long before she was signed to Kanye West's record label, G.O.O.D. (Getting Out Our Dreams) Music, in 2016. In 2015, she was still a shooting guard on the Bruins girls basketball team."
  49. ↑ Henry, Samantha via Associated Press. "2 NJ terror suspects had brushes with authority", The Boston Globe, June 8, 2010. Accessed September 12, 2014. "Alessa transferred to North Bergen High School in December 2004, and Al-Huda officials said they had no further contact with him."
  50. ↑ "School: NJ terror suspect was dangerous as student" Associated Press/Forbes. June 8, 2010.
  51. ↑ Monaco, Lou. "Bob Hurley Sr. & Rick Apodaca to be honored at Dan Finn Classic Saturday", The Star-Ledger, January 8, 2012. Accessed June 6, 2016. "Apodaca, the youngest inductee to date, was an AAU teammate of Dan Finn at St. Michael's in Union City and is currently playing pro ball in Greece. He will be honored at halftime of the 2:15 p.m. tipoff between North Bergen, his alma mater, and Linden."
  52. ↑ "Rick Apodaca" Archived October 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. NBA Development League. Accessed September 1, 2013.
  53. ↑ Roberts, Jeff. "Where are they now? Seton Hall's Dan Calandrillo", The Record, March 30, 2010. Accessed August 12, 2016. "Like the story of how he made it out of North Bergen, the youngest of 13 kids born to deaf parents, all crammed into a three-bedroom, fourth-floor walk-up.... He would become an All-State player at North Bergen, winning a State title in 1977 and beating Kelly Tripucka-led Bloomfield in a nail-biter semifinal."
  54. ↑ Hague, Jim. "NB comedian lands role on 'My Name is Earl'" Archived December 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, The Hudson Reporter, September 23, 2007. Accessed June 7, 2012. "So how did Joey 'Coco' Diaz begin his life in comedy? 'It all comes down to being from North Bergen,' said Diaz, the comic actor who was born and raised in North Bergen before heading for Hollywood a few years ago to pursue his career. 'I got my comedy start in North Bergen High School. If you don't have a good sense of humor coming from North Bergen, then you better just shoot yourself.'"
  55. ↑ Villanova, Patrick. "Former North Bergen High football star Evan Rodriguez claimed by Miami Dolphins", The Jersey Journal, June 13, 2013. Accessed June 2, 2015.
  56. ↑ "Rena Sofer" Archived August 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Oh, Grow Up. WCHS. Accessed September 22, 2011. "Born in Arcadia, California, Rena moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, following her parents' divorce, and later to North Bergen, New Jersey, where she finished high school."
  57. ↑ Lipton, Michael A. "Heart Condition: For Rena Sofer, Checking into General Hospital Meant Finding a Healing Love with Costar Wally Kurth". People. October 31, 1994. Accessed September 22, 2011. "Neither parent remarried, and today Sofer maintains close relations with both her father, who presides at Temple Beth El in North Bergen, N.J., and her mother, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of North Carolina in Fayetteville.... She took a drama class during her senior year at North Bergen High School and then, after less than a semester at Montclair State College, took acting lessons in New York."
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