Matawan Regional High School

Matawan Regional High School is a four-year regional public high school located in Aberdeen Township, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as the lone secondary school of the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District. Serving students from Aberdeen Township and Matawan, it is one of Monmouth County's largest schools. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools since 1951.[5] The school mascot is a husky.[3]

Matawan Regional High School
Address
450 Atlantic Avenue

Aberdeen Township
,
Monmouth County
,
New Jersey
07747

United States
Coordinates40.409064°N 74.224036°W / 40.409064; -74.224036
Information
TypeRegional public high school
MottoExcellence in education
Established1924
School districtMatawan-Aberdeen Regional School District
SuperintendentJoseph G. Majka
NCES School ID3409750[1]
PrincipalAlexander Rosenberg[2]
Faculty93.0 FTEs[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment1,112 (as of 2018–19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio12.0:1[1]
Hours in school day6 hours, 49 minutes
Color(s)  Maroon and
  steel gray[3]
Athletics conferenceShore Conference[4]
MascotHusky
Team nameHuskies[3]
AccreditationMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools[5]
NewspaperHuskeyview
YearbookThe Pillar
Websitewww.marsd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=800

As of the 2018–19 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,112 students and 93.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1. There were 229 students (20.6% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 64 (5.8% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 139th-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.[6] The school had been ranked 92nd in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 126th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[7] The magazine ranked the school 111th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[8] The school was ranked 115th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[9]

Schooldigger.com ranked the school 253rd out of 376 public high schools statewide in its 2010 rankings (a decrease of 38 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).[10]

History

When the State of New Jersey mandated graded school systems replace district schools in 1894, Matawan Township and Matawan Borough constructed an eight-room brick school building at the corner of Broad Street and South Street, which was completed and occupied in 1895.[11]

A 1913 graduate described the school as having four rooms on the first floor, and four rooms and a long, wide hall on the second floor. There was no indoor plumbing until a major addition was made to the building about 1910, so outdoor toilets were used for about fifteen years. Sanitary facilities were added in the basement. The Class of 1913 consisted of 34 eighth graders, most of whom were expected to go to work after they finished school.[12]

By 1923, the school was so overcrowded that it was running double sessions to teach its students in 12 rooms, so the township voted to build a new high school next door.[11]

The first Matawan High School was completed and occupied in 1924 on 8 acres (32,000 m2) at the corner of Broad Street and South Street. The ​2 1⁄2-story brick building of Georgian design was constructed at a cost of $175,000. It contained 13 classrooms, a study hall, a cafeteria, an auditorium seating 527, and a gymnasium with capacity for 300. The school had 388 students and 14 teachers in 1936; 76 seniors graduated with the Class of 1936. The school had recently taken in students from Laurence Harbor, New Jersey, effectively doubling the graduating class between 1933 and 1936.[11] The school, which included some middle school students in 1957, had 540 high school students and their 28 teachers.[13] After it was replaced in 1962, consideration was given to making the old high school an elementary school [14] but it was eventually demolished.

A hallway at Matawan Regional High School

Matawan Regional High School was built in 1962 to deal with sharp population growth due to the construction of 2,300 new housing units in the area. Population nearly doubled between the 1960 census figure of 12,456 and the 1965 estimate of 21,177. The school had 1,780 students and 102 teachers in the 1964/1965 school year. The 62 rooms included 33 classrooms, 2 gymnasiums, an auditorium, a cafeteria, 2 music rooms, 2 industrial arts shops, 8 science rooms, and 2 fine arts rooms.[14]

The school underwent a $13.3 million renovation project completed in September 2004 which included a new facade, new chemistry and oceanography laboratory classrooms, a new art wing, including a kiln, computer labs, as well as a new greenhouse.[15] The sports department received a renovated artificial turf football field and stadium lighting. Streetside saw a new electronic sign.

Demographics
Enrollment Trends by Grade[16]
Grade 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
9 277 274 279
10 239 251 262
11 249 227 252
12 248 257 245
Enrollment Trends by Student Group[16]
Student Group 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Female 51.3% 49.6% 48.6%
Male 48.7% 50.4% 51.4%
Economically Disadvantaged Students 25.7% 24.5% 24.1%
Students with Disabilities 13.7% 14.4% 15.1%
English Learners 0.8% 1.0% 0.7%
Homeless Students X 0.0% 0.1%
Students in Foster Care X 0.2% 0.0%
Military-Connected Students X 0.1% 0.7%
Migrant Students X 0.7% 0.1%
Enrollment by Racial and Ethnic Group[16]
Racial and Ethnic Group 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
White 64.0% 62.6% 62.0%
Hispanic 13.3% 13.7% 14.6%
Black or African American 16.1% 16.5% 16.1%
Asian 6.1% 6.3% 6.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0% 0.1% 0.1%
American Indian or Alaskan Native 0.2% 0.2% 0.1%
Two or More Races 0.3% 0.6% 0.9%
Enrollment Trends by Full and Shared Time Status[16]
Enrollment Status 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Full Time Students 981 983 1,005
Shared Time Students 62 60 64
Full Time Equivalent 1,012 1,013 1,037
Enrollment by Home Language[16]
Home Language % of Students
English 94.5%
Spanish 2.9%
Other Languages 2.7%

Sports

The Matawan High School Huskies[3] compete in Division B North of the Shore Conference, an athletic conference comprised of private and public high schools in Monmouth and Ocean counties along the Jersey Shore.[4][17] The league operates under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[18] With 797 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group III for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 761 to 1,058 students in that grade range.[19] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group III South for football for 2018–2020.[20]

The school participates in a joint ice hockey team with Howell High School as the host school / lead agency. The co-op program operates under agreements scheduled to expire at the end of the 2023–24 school year.[21]

The Matawan High School baseball team (63-2) won the Central Jersey championship three consecutive years from 1922 to 1924 under Coach Benjamin W. Davis. Matawan's African-American pitcher Henry Schanck was edged out by Keyport High School in a 16-inning match in 1924. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) added a sports field at the high school in 1936.[11] The 1959 Huskies baseball team, coached by George Deitz, won the Shore Conference championship and competed in the Group I state championships, losing in the first round. Their star pitcher, Carl Stephens, threw three no-hitters that season and was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers, playing in their minor league system until an arm injury ended his career. The team won the Central Jersey Group II state sectional championship in 1960.[22]

The Matawan Catfish swim team competed against the Laurence Harbor Eels at nearby Lake Lefferts in spring 1936.[11]

The boys track team won the spring track title in Group I in 1955-1958 and won the Group II championship in 2013.[23]

The boys' bowling team won the overall state championship in 1969.[24] The boy's team won their division back-to-back in 2017 (tied with Keansburg as co-champion) and 2018. The 2018 season saw the boys team achieve an undefeated season in divisional matches going 45–0.

In 1958, the Matawan High School Huskies football squad, led by Coach Barry Rizzo, won the Shore Conference Championship, losing only to Neptune High School. They defeated their rivals, the Keyport High School Red Raiders in a hard-fought Thanksgiving Day game, by a score of 6–2. Notable players on that Huskies team were the "Touchdown Twins", David Jones and Purvis Peeler. The 1973 football team finished the season with a record of 7-2 and was awarded the Central Jersey Group III title by the NJSIAA based on strength of schedule, despite Manasquan High School finishing with a 9-0 record.[25] In the playoff era, the football team won the Central Jersey state sectional championships in Group IV in 1975; in Group III in 1988, 1991, 1992 and 2014; and in both 2009 and 2011 in Group II.[26] In 1975 the team won the Central Jersey Group III title with a 7-0 win against previously unbeaten Colonia High School in the championship game to finish the season with a record of 11-0 and extend their winning streak to 19 games.[27][28] The 1988 team finished the season with an 11-0 record after winning the Central Jersey Group III title with a 14-6 victory against Franklin High School, which had entered the championship game with a 21-game winning streak.[29] The 1991 team won the Central Jersey Group II title with a 28-14 victory against Ocean Township High School to finish the season 9-2.[30] In 1992, the team finished the season 10-1 and won its second Central Jersey Group II sectional title with a 29-28 win against Neptune High School on a Two-point conversion scored in overtime.[31] In 2009, the football team won the Central Jersey Group II sectional title by a score of 28–12 against Manasquan High School in a game played at The College of New Jersey, marking the program's first sectional title in more than 25 years.[32] The team won the program's seventh sectional title in 2014 with a 27–7 win against Carteret High School in the Central Jersey Group III state sectional championship.[33]

The girls spring track team was the Group IV state champion in 1973 and 1974.[34]

The girls bowling team was overall state champion in 1974 and won the Group I title in 2018.[35]

In 2009, the boys indoor and outdoor track and field teams took the Central Jersey Group II titles, marking the first time since 1996 since the boys team took the outdoor title, and the first time the indoor team had ever taken a state title.[36] The indoor team won a second consecutive title in 2010, defeating second place Summit Senior High School by 56–42.[37] In 2011, the outdoor track and field team won its third consecutive Central Jersey, Group II sectional title, edging Long Branch High School 80-77 for the victory.[38]

The boys track team won the indoor relay state championship in Group II in 2013, 2015 and 2017. The girls team won the Group II title in 2013.[39]

The boys track team won the indoor track state championship in Group II in 2013. The girls team won the Group II title in 2015.[40]

The boys' basketball team won the 2013-14 Central Jersey Group II state sectional championship with a 67–54 win in the tournament final against Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, going 24-5 throughout the season.[41]

In 2014, the boys' track and field team won the B-North division championships and the Central Jersey Group II sectional champs, earning the team's seventh sectional title, having most recently won in 2011.[42]

Academics
PSAT, SAT, & ACT - Participation[43]
Participation Type School Participation Rate State Participation Rate
10th and 11th graders taking PSAT 10/NMSQT in 2017-18 95.0% 85.0%
12th graders taking SAT in 2017-18 or prior years 77.7% 72.2%
12th graders taking ACT in 2017-18 or prior years 15.5% 24.6%
PSAT, SAT, & ACT - Performance[43]
Participation Type School Average Score State Average Score College Readiness Benchmarks School - Students Scores at or above Benchmark State - Students Scores at or above Benchmark
PSAT 10/NMSQT - Reading and Writing 476 478 Grade 10: 430

Grade 11: 460

 62% 62%
PSAT 10/NMSQT - Math 487 478 Grade 10: 480

Grade 11: 510

 46% 42%
SAT - Reading and Writing 541 542 480 75% 72%
SAT - Math 566 543 530 66% 54%
ACT - Reading 25 24 22 74% 62%
ACT - English 24 24 18 89% 78%
ACT - Math 24 24 22 76% 62%
ACT - Science 23 23 23 63% 53%

Music

Music has deep roots at Matawan. In 1895, the New York Press ran a statewide competition to determine the most popular new school in the budding New Jersey school system. Matawan returned the most coupons, defeating its nearest competitor by 40,000 votes, thereby winning a Chickering and Sons piano.[11]

Marching band

The Matawan Marching Huskies band won the national championships in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1977. They are led by band director Kevin Cotter.

In the 2011 season, the Marching Huskies finished first in the Tournament of Bands (TOB) Group II Chapter X (Greater NYC Metro) Championships with a score of 93.0. The chapter title was the first for the band since 2006. They ended the season with a 3rd-place finish at the TOB Atlantic Coast Championships in Hershey, Pennsylvania with a score of 95.5, earning the Marching Huskies not only their highest-ever placement at the ACCs, but their highest score in school history.[44]

Staff

The school's principal is Alexander Rosenberg, who is assisted by four assistant principals.[2]

Notable alumni

References
  1. School data for Matawan Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
  2. Administration, Matawan Regional High School. Accessed November 23, 2015.
  3. Matawan Regional High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  4. Shore Conference Realignment for 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, Shore Conference. Accessed November 15, 2020.
  5. Matawan Regional High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools, backed up by the Internet Archive as of March 15, 2012. Accessed March 26, 2015.
  6. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  7. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed December 2, 2012.
  8. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed April 5, 2011.
  9. "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  10. New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2009-2010, Schooldigger.com. Accessed January 17, 2012.
  11. Federal Writers' Projects: Matawan, 1686–1936, pp 70-71.
  12. Donnell, Genevieve. "When American Legion Hall Served as School", Bayshore Independent, March 13, 1973, contained in booklet entitled Matawan Memories.
  13. Tiemann, Alice M., Township of Matawan, 1857–1957, pg 35
  14. League of Women Voters, Know Your Town: Matawan Borough and Township, 1965, pp 40-46
  15. Matawan Regional High School Expansion/Retrofit, SchoolDesigns.com. Accessed January 17, 2012.
  16. "NJ School Performance Report". NJ Department of State.
  17. Member Schools, Shore Conference. Accessed November 15, 2020.
  18. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  19. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  20. NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2018–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, finalized August 2019. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  21. NJSIAA Winter Cooperative Sports Programs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  22. NJSIAA Baseball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  23. Summary of Group Titles Boys Spring Track, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  24. History of NJSIAA Boys Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  25. Denman, Elliott. "Sports Angles: NJSIAA Rankings Subject to Debate Again", Asbury Park Press, December 6, 1973. Accessed December 28, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "'It's a complete surprise to me,' said Coach Barry Rizzo at Matawan Regional after he learned his Huskies were the kingpins in Central Jersey Group III. Rizzo's pupils went 7-2 and were runners-up to Brick Township in Shore Conference Class A. Meanwhile, Manasquan was rolling through all Class B foes en route to its 9-0 record but the Big Blue Warriors were deemed inferior, 346-280, on the NJSIAA CJ Group III tables."
  26. NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  27. "Huskies First In Final Poll", Asbury Park Press, December 10, 1975. Accessed December 30, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "The Matawan Regional High School Huskies have captured the top spot in the final poll of Shore football teams by the Asbury Park Press sports staff. The Huskies, 11-0, and Central Jersey Group IV champions, received all 10 first-place votes for a perfect total of 100 points.... While Matawan beat Colonia, 7-0, .Saturday, to win its crown, Brick Township lost to Millville, 22-12 in the South Jersey Group IV finale."
  28. Triblehorn, Chuck. "Matawan stakes claim as state's number one", The Daily Register, December 8, 1975. Accessed February 6, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "'This has got to be the biggest moment of my life,' exclaimed veteran coach Barry Rizzo after his machine-like Huskies had defeated Colonia 7-0, for the Central Jersey Group IV championship. Sectional laurels were official, but enthusiasts throughout the state had regarded the contest as the unofficial determination of a state champion, and the two undefeated powerhouses played it that way.... But they needed much more to secure their 19th consecutive victory and conclude an unprecedented 11-0 season."
  29. "School Sports: New Jersey; Wayne Valley Routs Ramapo", The New York Times, December 4, 1988. Accessed December 17, 2020. "Matawan (11-0) handed Franklin (10-1) a 14-6 upset loss in the Central Jersey, Group 3 championship in Matawan. Franklin, the defending champion, had won 21 games in a row."
  30. Olausen, Tom. "Matawan surprises Ocean", Asbury Park Press, December 8, 1991. Accessed January 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Jamison scored touchdowns the first three times he touched the ball to lead Matawan to a 28-14 win over Ocean in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Central Jersey Group III finals.... Matawan (9-2), who last won the title and last beat Ocean in 1988, avenged the 27-6 loss to the Spartans on Nov. 9."
  31. "Union gets it done against Randolph", The Record, December 6, 1992. Accessed January 22, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Tasheen Rivera ran around right end for a successful two-point conversion to give Matawan a 29-28 overtime win over Neptune in the Central Group 3 final in Aberdeen Township. The win gave Matawan (10-1) its second consecutive title."
  32. Rappeleye, Warren. "Huskies savor victory, look to 2010 season", Holmdel Independent, December 10, 2009. Accessed July 7, 2011. "No sooner had the Matawan High School football team completed its victory over Manasquan in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II championship on Friday when talk began about a repeat in 2010.... Coach Joe Martucci's team deserves to savor the school's first sectional title in football since 1992.... Matawan won a 28-12 decision in the game played at The College of New Jersey. The victory capped an outstanding 10-1 season for Martucci's team, which also brought home the Shore Conference's Liberty Division crown."
  33. Kratch, James. "2014 football finals: Matawan defeats Carteret, 27-7, for Central Jersey, Group 3 title", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 5, 2014. Accessed December 28, 2016. "Freshman quarterback George Pearson threw for 198 yards and four touchdowns despite a persistent rainfall throughout the evening as Matawan defeated Carteret, 27-7, on Friday night in the NJSIAA/Sports Care Institute Central Jersey, Group 3 final here at Kean University's Alumni Stadium.The sectional championship is Matawan's seventh in its history and its first since it won Central Jersey, Group 2 in 2011."
  34. NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  35. History of NJSIAA Girls Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  36. Morris, Tim. "Matawan wins CJ II indoor track crown", Independent, February 12, 2009. Accessed July 7, 2011. "Whether it was sprinting, running distance, throwing or soaring vertically, the Huskies scored points in all areas to capture the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II State Sectional Indoor Track and Field Championship. The Huskies beat another Shore Conference team, Monmouth Regional, for the title, 59-43."
  37. Lambert, Jim. "NJ Boys Winter Track: Matawan edges Summit for Central 2 title", The Star-Ledger, February 14, 2010. Accessed July 7, 2011. "Summit, which received a remarkable performance from Mark Jones, left the meet in frustration, while Dylan Spadaccini of Matawan earned redemption at the NJSIAA/Star-Ledger Central Jersey, Group 2 Championships at the Bennett Center yesterday in Toms River.... Summit finished second to Matawan, 56-42, as Matawan won its second straight sectional title."
  38. Staff. "Matawan edges Long Branch to win CJ II track championship", Independent, June 2, 2011. Accessed July 7, 2011. "Matawan High School's boys track and field team captured its third straight NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II sectional title on Saturday. The win didn't come easy as the Huskies had to overcome a Long Branch team that was led by triple winner Miles Shuler-Foster. Matawan beat Long Branch by three points, 80-77."
  39. History of the NJSIAA Indoor Relay Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  40. NJSIAA Indoor Group Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  41. Hintelmann, Jim. "Rumson Comes Up Short In Group II Championship", The Two River Times, March 14, 2014. Accessed October 29, 2019. "Matawan Regional has been a traditional football and boys track power over the years, but boys basketball has been in the shadows with its last NJSIAA sectional title in 1965. Unfortunately for Rumson-Fair Haven Regional, the Huskies (24-4) finally have struck pay dirt with its best team since 1951. That was evident Tuesday, March 11, when they took the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II championship with a 67-54 victory in a steamy gym before a standing-room-only crowd."
  42. Lambert, Jim. "We Are The Champions: A look at every boys sectional track and field team winner", The Star-Ledger, May 24, 2014. Accessed November 23, 2015. "Group 2-Matawan (1st Since 2011-7th Overall)"
  43. "NJ School Performance Report". NJ Department of State.
  44. Atlantic Coast Group 2 Open Championship November 6, 2011 Hershey Stadium, Tournament of Bands. Accessed November 23, 2015.
  45. Monica Aksamit, Penn State Nittany Lions. Accessed August 16, 2016. "Hometown: Matawan, N.J.; High School: Matawan Regional"
  46. Jay Bellamy Stats, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed March 14, 2018.
  47. Staff. "Matawan grad Hurtault serves as Dominica's Olympic flag bearer", Matawan Independent, July 31, 2012. Accessed June 5, 2017. "It's the thrill of a lifetime to compete in the Olympics. Matawan Regional High School graduate Erison Hurtault was already a veteran Olympian prior to the London Games."
  48. Jim Jeffcoat Stats, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed March 14, 2018.
  49. Feuer, Ryan. "Comedian Retta talks Jersey roots, Parks and Rec and Geeks Who Drink", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, July 16, 2015, updated January 17, 2019. Accessed October 29, 2019. "In the podcast Retta read about her years at Matawan Regional High School in Aberdeen Township, when she was 'super into boys,' but at the same time, she says in her blunt Jersey style -- 'a total virgin.'"
  50. Charlie Rogers Stats, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed March 14, 2018.
  51. Plume, Kenneth. "Interview with J. Michael Straczynski (Part 1 of 4)", IGN, September 5, 2000. Accessed June 5, 2017. "No. I attended four different high schools: St. Benedict's High School in Matawan, New Jersey, Matawan Public School, Lennox High School in Lennox, California, and Chula Vista High School in Chula Vista, California."
  52. Van Gelder, Lawrence (April 2, 1997). "Nancy Woodhull, 52, Editor Who Fostered News Diversity". New York Times. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  53. Past Inductees Matawan Regional High School Hall of Fame/Alumni, Matawan High School. Accessed September 14, 2020.
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