Morris Knolls High School
Encyclopedia
Morris Knolls High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in grades 9 to 12 in Morris County
, New Jersey
as part of the Morris Hills Regional High School District
. The school is located in Denville but has a Rockaway
mailing address. The other high school in the district is Morris Hills High School
.
The high school serves students from Denville and most of Rockaway Township
.
As of the 2008-09 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,631 students and 139.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7.
As a part of the Morris Hills Regional School District's (MHRD) magnet program, Morris Knolls was approved as an International Baccalaureate (IB) world school. The IB Diploma Program at Morris Knolls (MKIB) currently serves over 80 students. Scott Gambale is the district's IB Coordinator.
magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 88th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was also ranked 71st in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
For the 1996-97 school year, Morris Knolls High School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education
, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.
The Morris Knolls High School Golden Eagles participate in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference
.
The varsity football team is known as a strong local program and was undefeated in 2005, winning every game including the New Jersey State football championships in the NJSIAA
North I, Group IV. The football team also won state championships in 1994, 1995, and 1996. The team has been coached for over 30 years by Bill Regan Jr. Morris Knolls has run the Veer
Triple Option offense since Regan became the head coach in 1975. In October 2007 Regan joined his father, Bill Regan Sr., who was a coach at the nearby Delbarton School
, as one of four coaches in Morris County
history to attain 200 career wins.
In 1999, the football program suffered from a sophomore hazing
scandal that was exposed in a several article series in the Daily Record
and The Star-Ledger
.
In 2005, the Morris Knolls ice hockey
team won the Mennen Cup and the Public School NJ State tournament. The team also reached the state semifinals in 1996 losing to Brick, and again in 2007, losing to rival Randolph
.
The wrestling and bowling
teams have both had recent success.
Morris Knolls' boys and girls lacrosse teams were established in 2006. Both teams played as JV level teams in 2006, and varsity for 2007. In its first established varsity year, the boys team finished with a 8-9 record (including post season games). The boys team made it into the second round of the County Playoff Tournament before losing to local powerhouse, Delbarton School
and the state tournament losing to Vernon Township High School
in the first round.
In 2003, the Morris Knolls Marching Band
won the United States Scholastic Band Association
(USSBA) Group 3 Open State Championships.
Three years later, at the 2006 USSBA National Championships at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
in Annapolis, Maryland
, Morris Knolls High School placed fourth in their group and the cologuard was recognized as Best Color Guard National Championship title in Class III.
Most recently, during the 2007 season, the Morris Knolls Marching Band won the title of state champions in their group of 3 Open at the USSBA NJ State Championships. The band also received the caption awards of Best Percussion, Best Colorguard, Best Effect, and Best Visual at this state competition. The same year, at the USSBA National Championships, Morris Knolls placed second in their group, also winning Best Colorguard and Best Percussion. The MKMB percussion was titled Grand National Champions, receiving the highest score out of all percussion ensembles at the competition, which included over 70 bands.
In the 2010 season, the Morris Knolls Marching Band won second place at the USSBA National Championships with a score of 95.838 in Group 2 Open, winning the caption for Best Color Guard.
The Student Government Association (SGA) of Morris Knolls is composed of five elected Senior officers, and six elected representatives from each class. Members of the SGA organize school wide events to promote school spirit
, and interact regularly with the Administration regarding school activities and improvements.
Each class has four elected officers; President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. These four officers organize individual class events such as fundraiser
s, and prom
for the Juniors and Seniors.
Cleffi is a graduate of Morris Knolls' sister high school, Morris Hills
.
, some of which that have made local news. In 2002 a few students put three chickens in the school marked one, two, and four. This was done to keep the administration busy looking for the third chicken, but in reality it never existed. In 2007 the senior and junior class started a huge food fight which caused approximately 2,780 dollars in damage to ceiling tiles, tables, and televisions. The class of 2009's prank was so controversial, that it actually made the news on News 12 New Jersey
and various local News Papers. A few unknown students placed a dead Deer
in the senior Bathroom
. On the dead carcass was a sign which said “The class of 2009, the last class to make you say Oh!”. The administration was infuriated by the prank, and actually had the Police
investigate and possibly press charges. The prank of 2009 would go down in Morris Knolls History. Most recently in 2010, several students attempted to place Rabbits, Mice
, and Chickens inside the ceiling tiles in the school. Unfortunately, for the seniors of 2010 the prank was not a success, and resulted in several arrests.
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
as part of the Morris Hills Regional High School District
Morris Hills Regional High School District
The Morris Hills Regional District is a comprehensive regional public school district that consists of two four-year public high schools serving four suburban communities in Morris County, New Jersey, United States....
. The school is located in Denville but has a Rockaway
Rockaway, New Jersey
Rockaway is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,438.Rockaway was formed as a borough on June 19, 1894, from portions of Rockaway Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous...
mailing address. The other high school in the district is Morris Hills High School
Morris Hills High School
Morris Hills High School is a comprehensive regional four-year public high school located in the borough of Rockaway, serving students in grades 9 - 12 in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Morris Hills Regional High School District. The other high school in the...
.
The high school serves students from Denville and most of Rockaway Township
Rockaway Township, New Jersey
Rockaway Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 24,156....
.
As of the 2008-09 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,631 students and 139.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7.
As a part of the Morris Hills Regional School District's (MHRD) magnet program, Morris Knolls was approved as an International Baccalaureate (IB) world school. The IB Diploma Program at Morris Knolls (MKIB) currently serves over 80 students. Scott Gambale is the district's IB Coordinator.
Awards and recognition
The school was the 79th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey MonthlyNew Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly is a monthly glossy publication featuring issues of possible interest to residents of the United States state of New Jersey...
magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 88th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was also ranked 71st in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
For the 1996-97 school year, Morris Knolls High School was named a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education
New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education administers state and federal aid programs affecting more than 1.4 million public and non-public elementary and secondary school children in the state of New Jersey. The department is headquartered in Trenton.The Department is responsible for ensuring that...
, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.
Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference
The Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference is a sports league that includes public and private high schools from Morris County, Sussex County and Warren County, New Jersey, that operates under the auspices of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association...
.
The varsity football team is known as a strong local program and was undefeated in 2005, winning every game including the New Jersey State football championships in the NJSIAA
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports.-State championships:...
North I, Group IV. The football team also won state championships in 1994, 1995, and 1996. The team has been coached for over 30 years by Bill Regan Jr. Morris Knolls has run the Veer
Veer
The Veer is an option running play often associated with option offenses in American football, made famous at the collegiate level by the Houston Cougars. It is currently run primarily on the high school level, with some usage at the collegiate and the professional level with varying degrees of...
Triple Option offense since Regan became the head coach in 1975. In October 2007 Regan joined his father, Bill Regan Sr., who was a coach at the nearby Delbarton School
Delbarton School
Delbarton School is a private all-male Roman Catholic college preparatory school in Morristown, New Jersey, educating young men from 7th to 12th grade. Delbarton is a Catholic independent school directed by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary's Abbey....
, as one of four coaches in Morris County
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
history to attain 200 career wins.
In 1999, the football program suffered from a sophomore hazing
Hazing
Hazing is a term used to describe various ritual and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group....
scandal that was exposed in a several article series in the Daily Record
Daily Record (Morristown)
The Daily Record is a seven-day morning daily newspaper located in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey. Sometimes called the Morristown Daily Record because of its historical ties to nearby Morristown, New Jersey, the paper serves the greater Morris County area of northern New Jersey. It is owned by...
and The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
.
In 2005, the Morris Knolls ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team won the Mennen Cup and the Public School NJ State tournament. The team also reached the state semifinals in 1996 losing to Brick, and again in 2007, losing to rival Randolph
Randolph High School (New Jersey)
Randolph High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in grades nine through twelve from Randolph, in Morris County, New Jersey, operating as part of the Randolph Township Schools. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and...
.
The wrestling and bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
teams have both had recent success.
Morris Knolls' boys and girls lacrosse teams were established in 2006. Both teams played as JV level teams in 2006, and varsity for 2007. In its first established varsity year, the boys team finished with a 8-9 record (including post season games). The boys team made it into the second round of the County Playoff Tournament before losing to local powerhouse, Delbarton School
Delbarton School
Delbarton School is a private all-male Roman Catholic college preparatory school in Morristown, New Jersey, educating young men from 7th to 12th grade. Delbarton is a Catholic independent school directed by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary's Abbey....
and the state tournament losing to Vernon Township High School
Vernon Township High School
Vernon Township High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Vernon Township, in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. The school opened in 1975 and is part of the Vernon Township School District. The school has gone through expansions over the year including a new...
in the first round.
Marching band
The Morris Knolls Marching Band is a competition ensemble that has seen much success in the USSBA circuit in past and current years, earning it a reputation as a band of high caliber.In 2003, the Morris Knolls Marching Band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
won the United States Scholastic Band Association
United States Scholastic Band Association
The United States Scholastic Band Association was formed in the Fall of 1988 to provide high school band programs with a competitive circuit featuring top judges from across the continent and a venue for the US Scholastic Band Championship....
(USSBA) Group 3 Open State Championships.
Three years later, at the 2006 USSBA National Championships at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Navy – Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium near the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It is the home field of the Navy Midshipmen football team, the men's lacrosse team, and the Chesapeake Bayhawks lacrosse team....
in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, Morris Knolls High School placed fourth in their group and the cologuard was recognized as Best Color Guard National Championship title in Class III.
Most recently, during the 2007 season, the Morris Knolls Marching Band won the title of state champions in their group of 3 Open at the USSBA NJ State Championships. The band also received the caption awards of Best Percussion, Best Colorguard, Best Effect, and Best Visual at this state competition. The same year, at the USSBA National Championships, Morris Knolls placed second in their group, also winning Best Colorguard and Best Percussion. The MKMB percussion was titled Grand National Champions, receiving the highest score out of all percussion ensembles at the competition, which included over 70 bands.
In the 2010 season, the Morris Knolls Marching Band won second place at the USSBA National Championships with a score of 95.838 in Group 2 Open, winning the caption for Best Color Guard.
Student government
School spirit
School spirit is emotional support for one's educational institution. This can apply to any type of school, from grade schools to universities...
, and interact regularly with the Administration regarding school activities and improvements.
Each class has four elected officers; President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. These four officers organize individual class events such as fundraiser
Fundraiser
A fundraiser is an event or campaign whose primary purpose is to raise money for a cause. See also: fundraising. A fundraiser can also be an individual or company whose primary job is to raise money for a specific charity or non-profit organization...
s, and prom
Prom
In the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
for the Juniors and Seniors.
Administration
Core members of the school's administration are:- Bill Cleffi - Principal
- Jim Devlin - Assistant Principal
- Erin Morgan - Assistant Principal
- Bill Schilling - Assistant Principal
Cleffi is a graduate of Morris Knolls' sister high school, Morris Hills
Morris Hills High School
Morris Hills High School is a comprehensive regional four-year public high school located in the borough of Rockaway, serving students in grades 9 - 12 in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Morris Hills Regional High School District. The other high school in the...
.
Notable alumni
- Lou BenfattiLou BenfattiLewis Vincent Benfatti is a former professional American football player. The 6' 4", 278 lb., defensive tackle was the third round pick of the New York Jets in the 1994 NFL Draft. He played three seasons with the Jets...
(born 1971), former defensive tackle for the New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1994–1996). - Neal CasalNeal CasalNeal Casal is an American songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist and photographer who has maintained an acclaimed solo career as well as playing guitar for The Cardinals.-1990 - 1999:...
, (born 1968), is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with Ryan Adams and the Cardinals. - Lexie FyfeLexie FyfeMary Beth Bentley , is an American professional wrestler. She has wrestled in various independent wrestling promotions, most notably for Shimmer Women Athletes and has had tryouts for both WWE and WCW.-Early life:...
(born 1969), professional wrestler. - Laura San GiacomoLaura San GiacomoLaura San Giacomo is an American actress known for playing the role of Maya Gallo on the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! and Kit De Luca in the film Pretty Woman, and Cynthia in sex, lies, and videotape as well as other work on television and in films...
(born 1962), actress known for playing the role of Maya Gallo on Just Shoot Me!Just Shoot Me!Just Shoot Me! is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from March 4, 1997 to August 16, 2003, with 148 episodes produced. The show was created by Steven Levitan, the show's executive producer.-Description:...
and Kit De Luca in Pretty WomanPretty WomanPretty Woman is a 1990 romantic comedy film set in Los Angeles, California. Written by J.F. Lawton and directed by Garry Marshall, this motion picture features Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and also Hector Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy, and Jason Alexander in supporting roles. Roberts played the only...
.
Senior Pranks
Throughout the past twenty years there have been many students who have attempted to pull a Senior prankSenior prank
A senior prank is a type of organized prank pulled by the senior class of a school, college, or university to cause chaos throughout the institution. The pranks are usually carried out at the end of the senior school year as a going away mark on the school, and in some cases have become something...
, some of which that have made local news. In 2002 a few students put three chickens in the school marked one, two, and four. This was done to keep the administration busy looking for the third chicken, but in reality it never existed. In 2007 the senior and junior class started a huge food fight which caused approximately 2,780 dollars in damage to ceiling tiles, tables, and televisions. The class of 2009's prank was so controversial, that it actually made the news on News 12 New Jersey
News 12 New Jersey
News 12 New Jersey is a 24-hour cable news television channel reaching more than 1.8 million television homes within the New York City metropolitan area. The channel operates as an independent unit of News 12 Networks, the first, largest and most watched regional news network in United States...
and various local News Papers. A few unknown students placed a dead Deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
in the senior Bathroom
Bathroom
A bathroom is a room for bathing in containing a bathtub and/or a shower and optionally a toilet, a sink/hand basin/wash basin and possibly also a bidet....
. On the dead carcass was a sign which said “The class of 2009, the last class to make you say Oh!”. The administration was infuriated by the prank, and actually had the Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
investigate and possibly press charges. The prank of 2009 would go down in Morris Knolls History. Most recently in 2010, several students attempted to place Rabbits, Mice
MICE
-Fiction:*Mice , alien species in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*The Mice -Acronyms:* "Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions", facilities terminology for events...
, and Chickens inside the ceiling tiles in the school. Unfortunately, for the seniors of 2010 the prank was not a success, and resulted in several arrests.
External links
- Morris Knolls High School
- Morris Hills Regional High School District
- Data for the Morris Hills Regional High School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...