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Harrison High School (New Jersey)

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Coordinates: 40°44′57″N 74°08′54″W / 40.74913°N 74.148349°W / 40.74913; -74.148349
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Harrison High School
Address
Map
800 Hamilton Street

Harrison
,
Hudson County
,
New Jersey
07029

United States
Coordinates40°44′57″N 74°08′54″W / 40.74913°N 74.148349°W / 40.74913; -74.148349
Information
TypePublic high school
School districtHarrison Public Schools
NCES School ID340687002738[1]
PrincipalMatthew D. Weber
Faculty51.0 FTEs[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment716 (as of 2022–23)[1]
Student to teacher ratio14.0:1[1]
Color(s)  Columbia Blue
  Navy Blue and
  white[2]
Athletics conferenceNorth Jersey Interscholastic Conference
Team nameBlue Tide[2]
YearbookHarrisonian
WebsiteOfficial website

Harrison High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades, located in Harrison, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as the lone secondary school of the Harrison Public Schools. Students from East Newark attend Harrison High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the East Newark School District,[3] though the East Newark district has sought to switch to sending students to Kearny High School, citing potential cost savings.[4]

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 716 students and 51.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.0:1. There were 445 students (62.2% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 140 (19.6% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]

History

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In 2000, the then Harrison High School building (now Washington Middle School) was used as the location of an open casting call by HBO for the series The Sopranos, which brought 15,000-plus TV star hopefuls to the town, doubling the town's population and bringing traffic to a standstill.[5]

In September 2013, Harrison High School was recognized with the National Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, one of 286 in the country to receive the award that year.[6][7]

Awards, recognition and rankings

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In September 2013, Harrison High School was recognized by the United States Department of Education as an Exemplary Improving School, as part of the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.[8][9]

The school was the 289th-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.[10] The school had been ranked 205th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 213th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[11] The magazine ranked the school 216th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[12] The school was ranked 227th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[13]

Schooldigger.com ranked the school 285th out of 367 public high schools statewide in its 2009-10 rankings 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).[14]

Athletics

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The Harrison High School Blue Tide[2] participate in the Meadowlands 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).[15][16][17] Prior to the NJSIAA's 2010 realignment, the school had participated in the Bergen County Scholastic League (BCSL).[18] With 525 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group II for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 486 to 758 students in that grade range.[19] Withput enough players to justify fielding a team, the school elected to sit out the 2024-25 football season.[20]

Interscholastic sports played at Harrison High School include:[2]

  • Boys' Sports - Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Swimming, Cross Country, and Baseball,
  • Girls' Sports - Volleyball, Tennis, Soccer, Basketball, Swimming, Cross Country, and Softball
  • Co-Ed - Football, Cheerleading, and Bowling

The boys soccer team holds the United States high school record with 25 state championships.[21] The boys soccer team won the Group II championship in 1946-1950, 1991 (co-champion with Cinnaminson High School), 2001 (vs. Northern Burlington County Regional High School), 2002 (vs. Hopewell Valley Central High School) and 2003 (co-champion with Delran High School); Group I in 1953-1955, 1958-1960, 1966 (co-champion with Jamesburg High School), 1968 (co-champion with Chatham High School), 1970 (co-champion with Chatham), 1972 (co-champion with Jamesburg), 1975 (vs. Riverside High School), 1976 (co-champion with Riverside), 2006 (vs. Metuchen High School), 2007 (vs. Arthur P. Schalick High School), 2008 (vs. South River High School) and 2014 (vs. Haddon Township High School). The team has won a total of 25 state championships, tied for the most in the state; this total includes titles awarded to the team in 1946-1950, 1954, 1955, 1958 and 1959, prior to the playoff era.[22] The 15 state titles won via playoffs are the second most of any school in the state,[23] The 1966 team finished the season at 12-1-4 after the Group I championship game with Jamesburg ended in a 1–1 tie.[24] The 1972 team finished the season with 13-2-4 record after being declared as the Group I co-champion with Jamesburg following a 1–1 tie after double overtime in the tournament final played at Fairleigh Dickinson University.[25] The 1991 team finished the season with an 18-4-2 after the Group II championship game with Cinnaminson ended in a 0-0 time, marking the program's sixth state championship, five of them as co-champions.[26] The team won the 2006 North II, Group I state sectional championship with a 2-1 win against Glen Ridge High School,[27] then won the Group I state championship with a 2-0 win over Waldwick High School in the semifinals and a 6-0 win against Metuchen in the finals.[28] The 2007 team repeated as North II, Group I state sectional championship with a 3-1 win over Jonathan Dayton High School in the tournament final.[29] The 2007 team won the Group I state championship with a 2-1 win over Arthur P. Schalick High School, the team's 23rd state championship, finishing the season with an 18–5–2 record.[30][31][32] The 2008 team won the Group I state championship with a 2-1 win over South River High School. The team finished the season 22-1-1 record and won the 2013 North II, Group II state sectional championship with a 4-0 victory against Leonia High School also winning the Hudson County Tournament against Memorial High School by a score of 2-0. The team finished the season with a 24–3 record and won the program's 25th state title in 2014 with a 4-0 victory against Haddon Township in the Group I final at Kean University.[33] The team finished the season 20-4 record and won the 2016 North II, Group II state sectional championship with a 2-2 penalty shootout victory against Dover High School. The Blue tides won their league division in 2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2019,2021,2022 

The team is coached by Michael Rusek.

The boys' bowling team won the overall state championship in 1959.[34]

The 1960 boys' basketball team won the Group I state title with a 66-54 Dunellen High School in the championship game.[35][36]

The football team won the 1986 North I Group II state sectional title with a 19-0 win against Hawthorne High School in the championship game, to finish the season with an 8–2–1 record.[37][38][39]

The girls' basketball team won the Group III state championship in 1991 with a 61-49 win against runner-up Manasquan High School in the finals.[40][41]

The boys' volleyball team won the West Jersey Volleyball League, Hudson County, and NJSIAA North II state sectional championships in 2015 and repeated the feat again in 2016.

The new Harrison High School

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The new Harrison High School opened its doors in September 2007 for the 2007-08 academic year. The new school, located on the former site of Clayton Container, initiated construction in January 2005 and lasted over two years, with the bulk of its electrical work completed in the summer of 2007. A new athletic complex constructed adjacent to the school building was completed in September 2006, which includes a football/soccer field, baseball diamond, softball diamond, track around the fields, and three tennis courts. Spaces for the high school include thirty general classrooms, four special education classrooms, two classrooms for small group instruction, two gymnasiums (one big, one small), a dance/aerobics studio, instrumental/vocal music room, cafeteria, auditorium, media center, science labs, three computer rooms, a swimming pool, and faculty spaces. The building has three floors. The first floor consists of the main office, the nurse's office, the gymnasiums, and the main places. The classrooms are located on the second and third floors. There is a period scheduling of classes (43 minutes per period, with eight periods per day and lunch straddling the 4th period to 6th period). The building formerly known as Harrison High School opened as the new Washington Middle School in September 2007 for students in grades 6-8.[42]

Administration

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The school's principal is Matthew D. Weber. His core administration team includes the two assistant principals.[43]

Notable alumni

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Notable faculty

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e School data for Harrison High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Harrison High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  3. ^ Duger, Rose. "East Newark Harrison merging dispatch service" Archived October 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, The Jersey Journal, December 30, 2010. Accessed March 25, 2011. "Kearny handles all health-related functions through its Board of Health, while East Newark high school children attend Harrison High School and the borough contracts with Harrison to provide street cleaning, snow removal, ambulance and library services."
  4. ^ Leir, Ron. "Getting serious about separating", The Observer Online, December 18, 2013. Accessed September 8, 2014. "East Newark school officials, who've been doing a lot of talking about a permanent 'recess' for borough students who attend Harrison High, have taken a big step to try to make that happen.... That action could mean that after completing eighth grade at East Newark Public School, borough kids would go to Kearny High School, instead of Harrison High, where they've gone, essentially, since the neighboring communities have existed."
  5. ^ Mallozzi, Vincent M. "A Big Crowd That Aspires To Be a Mob", The New York Times, July 23, 2000. Accessed September 11, 2013. "I was one of thousands who showed up at Harrison High School today for a much-publicized casting call for those interested in auditioning for parts in the hit HBO series The Sopranos, which happens to be my favorite.... By that time, Lt. Charles Trucillo of the Harrison Police Department estimated, 4,000 or 5,000 people were already in line."
  6. ^ U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Announces 286 National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2013, United States Department of Education, September 24, 2013. Accessed October 16, 2013.
  7. ^ 2013 National Blue Ribbon Schools, All Public and Private, United States Department of Education. Accessed August 2, 2014.
  8. ^ Rundquist, Jeanette. "15 N.J. schools named as national 'Blue Ribbon' winners", The Star-Ledger, September 24, 2013. Accessed September 24, 2013. "Five Catholic schools, six county vocational-technical schools and a Yeshiva are among the list of honored schools in New Jersey. Also named as 2013 Blue Ribbon Schools were Dover, Harrison and Wildwood high schools."
  9. ^ 2013 National Blue Ribbon Schools All Public and Private, pp. 15-17. United States Department of Education, National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. Accessed September 24, 2013.
  10. ^ Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  11. ^ Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed December 1, 2012.
  12. ^ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed March 25, 2011.
  13. ^ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  14. ^ New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2009-2010, Schooldigger.com. Accessed December 29, 2011.
  15. ^ 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."
  16. ^ Member Schools, North Jersey Interscholastic Conference. Accessed August 30, 2020.
  17. ^ League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  18. ^ New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association League Memberships – 2009-2010, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, backed up by the Internet Archive as of July 24, 2011. Accessed October 7, 2014.
  19. ^ NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  20. ^ Rasko-Martinia, Garrett. "Jersey Journal H.S. Football Preview, 2024: Harrison to sit out the season", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 26, 2024. Acecssed September 20, 2024. "It didn’t surprise him that it had come to this, but that didn’t make the announcement any less difficult for Harrison High School athletic director Sean Dolaghan. But with dwindling numbers reaching a new low point, there was no choice but to not field a football team this season."
  21. ^ NSCAA Boys High School Records, National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Accessed July 27, 2007.
  22. ^ "Which N.J. boys soccer programs have the most state titles?", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 24, 2019, updated June 14, 2020. Accessed November 14, 2020. "T1-Harrison; Number of titles: 25; Championships: 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1991, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014; Final appearances: 24 (titles were awarded by NJSIAA in 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1958 and 1959)"
  23. ^ NJSIAA History of Boys Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
  24. ^ "Jamesburg, Harrison Tie; Share State Title", Daily Home News, November 21, 1966. Accessed March 14, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The Jamesburg High School soccer team and Harrison played to a 1-1 tie Saturday on the Rider College Field in Lawrenceville and the two schools were named State Group I soccer co-champions. Harrison scored first with four minutes left in the first quarter on a goal by Ed Ciloscyck from eight yards out on a pass from Bob Thompson. Jamesburg came back in the second quarter and at the 11-minute mark tied the score on a goal by Willie Kendrick on a pass from Rich Matteo.... Harrison wound up its season with a 12-1-4 record and Jamesburg, unbeaten, won 12 and tied four."
  25. ^ "Jamesburg Shares Title; Brick Loses", Asbury Park Press, November 26, 1972. Accessed November 15, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Area high schools made It three of four championships yesterday as Jamesburg tied Harrison, 1-1, after two overtimes in Group I and Brick Township dropped a 2-1 decision to Livingston in Group IV in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association soccer finals at Fairleigh Dickinson University.... The co-championship for Jamesburg was veteran coach Dick Matteo's sixth state title since 1961. Yesterday's title game was a repeat of last year when Jamesburg edged Harrison 1-0.... Harrison ended with a 13-2-4 record."
  26. ^ "Harrison settles for a share of Group 2 championship", The Record, November 22, 1991. Accessed December 30, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "The term 'co-champ' is familiar to Harrison, and the Blue Tide earned that title Thursday night with a scoreless tie against Cinnaminson in the Group 2 State final. Sophomore goalie Pedro Melo made 11 saves at Trenton State College to help Harrison win its sixth New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association title, including five co-championships. It was Harrison's 15th shutout of the season. The Blue Tide (18-4-2) only allowed 14 goals this season."
  27. ^ 2006 Boys Soccer Tournament - North II, Group I, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 1, 2007
  28. ^ 2006 Boys Soccer Tournament - Public Semis/Finals, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 25, 2007.
  29. ^ 2007 Boys Soccer - North II, Group I, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 13, 2007.
  30. ^ 2007 Boys Soccer - Public Semis/Finals, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 24, 2007.
  31. ^ Schutta, Gregory. "Harrison flexes its muscles", The Record, November 18, 2007. Accessed May 27, 2016. "Harrison has won a record 23 State boys soccer championships. But Saturday's 2-1 victory over Schalick in the Group 1 final may have been the sweetest of all."
  32. ^ Watanabe, Ben. "Schalick can't match speed of Harrison", Courier-Post, November 18, 2007. Accessed January 26, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "During the Schalick High School boys' soccer team's late-season surge to the Group 1 state final, confidence was its calling card.... Schalick finally met an opponent it couldn't topple Saturday, falling to North Jersey champ Harrison 2-1 in the state championship game at Hillsborough High School. Harrison (18-5-2) claimed its second consecutive state crown, while Schalick (14-6-3) fell short in the title match for the fifth time in seven tries."
  33. ^ Edwards, Rob. "Boys soccer: Harrison wins Group 1 championship, tops Haddon Township, 4-0", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 23, 2014, updated August 24, 2019. Accessed December 2, 2020. "It took a while for the Harrison High School boys soccer team to get going against Haddon Township in the NJSIAA/Sports Authority Group I state championship on Sunday.... Harrison (24-3 overall) didn't wait that long in the second half. It took Harrison just 20 seconds to find the net in the second half and the Blue Tide cruised from there, defeating the Hawks, 4-0, for the state crown.... The win for Harrison gave the Blue Tide it's [sic] 25th overall state championship."
  34. ^ History of NJSIAA Boys Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 1, 2022.
  35. ^ NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  36. ^ "Rude Jolt for Dunellen In State Event", Courier News, March 21, 1960. Accessed December 30, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "Thus spoke Coach Mike Shello after Dunellen High was dethroned here Saturday at Princeton University "s Dillon Memorial Gym by Harrison, 66-54, in the Group 1 finals of the 42nd annual New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association basketball tournament."
  37. ^ NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
  38. ^ "Bergenfield, New Milford top polls", The Record, December 8, 1986. Accessed December 2, 2020. "Harrison, the lone Hudson County team to win a championship, did it with a 19-0 win over favorite Hawthorne."
  39. ^ Fox, Ron. "Hawthorne shocked by Harrison", The Record, December 7, 1986. Accessed January 26, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "It was a fine line yesterday that separated two aggressive teams in their battle for the Group 2, North Section 1 football championship. It was a much finer line than the score Harrison 19, Hawthorne 0 would indicate.... Hawthorne (9-2) outgained the Blue Tide (8-2-1), 178 yards to 119, but momentum shifted quickly throughout the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association game."
  40. ^ Girls Basketball Championship History: 1919–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated March 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
  41. ^ Chessari, Joe. "Harrison earns first State crown", The Record, March 10, 1991. Accessed December 2, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "A New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 2 girls basketball championship was going to Harrison. The Blue Tide defeated Manasquan, 60-49, Saturday afternoon at Monmouth College, to capture their first State title."
  42. ^ Schools Construction Corporation: Harrison District Information Archived March 20, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation. Accessed May 7, 2006.
  43. ^ Administration, Harrison High School. Accessed March 17, 2022.
  44. ^ Dave D'Errico Interview Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, GoalSeattle.com. Accessed October 11, 2007. "My high school, Harrison High, had and still has an amazing tradition. We have won the most state championships in NJ history despite having a total of 700 plus kids."
  45. ^ "Harrison has advantages", Jersey Journal, March 3, 2005. Accessed August 1, 2007. "And, Harrison's melting pot is further evident in the school system, which includes Lincoln No. 3 for kindergarten through grade 5, Washington No. 1 for grades 6 through 8, and Harrison High School, the alma mater of television personality/model Daisy Fuentes."
  46. ^ Durso, Joseph. "WALTON TO CALL PLAYS AS JETS' COACH", The New York Times, February 11, 1983. Accessed October 30, 2017. "Gardi, the new assistant head coach, was born in Newark 43 years ago and started playing football at Harrison High School in New Jersey, where he was an all-state tackle."
  47. ^ Archer, Todd. "Ray Lucas May Have A New Uniform, But The QB Will Always Be New Jersey", The Palm Beach Post, April 30, 2001. "Harrison is where Lucas grew up dreaming of playing in the NFL. He was the starting quarterback at Harrison High School beginning midway through his freshman year."
  48. ^ via Associated Press. "Dreamer fighting for shot with Patriots", Bangor Daily News, August 20, 1996. Accessed May 27, 2016. "Lucas lettered in basketball and football at Harrison, N.J., High School — 14 miles from Parcell's birthplace of Englewood — before setting a school record at Rutgers with 43 career touchdown passes."
  49. ^ Fred J. Shields, National Soccer Hall of Fame, backed up by the Internet Archive as of April 5, 2009. Accessed October 30, 2017. "Starting in 1917 he played for the Harrison High School team and then went on to play four years of varsity soccer at Panzer College in East Orange, N.J."
  50. ^ Staff. "Going out in style with Blue Ribbon", The Observer Online, April 23, 2014. Accessed October 30, 2017. "His dad, Fred Shields, a 1936 soccer Olympian, was a physical education instructor and his mother, Amelia Nowak, was in the business department. Fred taught 40 years at HHS; Amelia, 28 years, after spending a decade at Hillside High. They met while teaching in Harrison."
  51. ^ "NYRB II Sign Harrison, New Jersey's Omar Sowe", New York Red Bulls, August 16, 2019. Accessed August 27, 2019. "New York Red Bulls II have signed midfielder and Harrison, N.J. product Omar Sowe to a USL Championship contract, pending league and federation approval, the club announced today."
  52. ^ George J. Tintle, National Soccer Hall of Fame, backed up by the Internet Archive as of September 18, 2009. Accessed October 30, 2017. "Following his retirement he coached Harrison High School for seven undefeated seasons and was a member of the 1952 New Jersey Olympic Selection Committee."
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