Paramus High School
Encyclopedia
Paramus High School is an American four-year comprehensive
public high school
, located in Paramus
, New Jersey
, operating as part of the Paramus Public Schools
. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Commission on Secondary Schools since 2006.
Historically Paramus shared many municipal services with the township of Rochelle Park
, including schooling. In 1922, the school situation was the hot topic of discussion. Residents felt that the schools were too far away and wanted to make sure that their children were safe when they went to school. It was because of this that Paramus decided to become a borough of its own, and it built the high school on Spring Valley Road in 1957. The 50th Anniversary was celebrated on September 28 and 29, 2007.
Paramus High School offers a wide range of course offerings to its students. Advanced Placement courses are offered in 21 subjects.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,421 students and 81 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 17.54.
Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education
, the highest award an American school can receive.
The school was the 98th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly
magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 77th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 45th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.
In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post
, the school was ranked 50th in New Jersey and 1,527th nationwide.
, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
. The school had participated in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League
prior to the realignment that took place in 2010.
The girls volleyball team has won seven state championships, winning the Division A title in 1981 against Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan
, taking the Group IV title in 1982 against Hackensack High School
, and earning Group III titles in 1988 (vs. Ramsey High School, 1999 (Old Tappan), 1994 (River Dell Regional High School
), 1995 (Lakeland Regional High School
) and 2005 (Ramapo High School). The team won the Tournament of Champions
in 2005, defeating Secaucus High School
in the tournament finals with a two-game sweep by scores of 25-22 and 25-23.
The 1994 girls volleyball team finished the season with a record of 22-2, winning the league and Group III state title, but lost to Paramus Catholic High School
in the Bergen County tournament. The 1995 team won the Group III title for a second consecutive year, and took the Bergen County title with a win over Paramus Catholic.
Comprehensive high school
Comprehensive high schools are the most common form of public high schools in the United States and are meant to serve the needs of all students, as compared to the common practice in other nations in which examinations are used to sort students into different high schools for different populations...
public high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, located in Paramus
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
, 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...
, operating as part of the Paramus Public Schools
Paramus Public Schools
The Paramus Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade from Paramus, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States....
. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association dedicated to educational excellence and improvement through peer evaluation and accreditation...
Commission on Secondary Schools since 2006.
Historically Paramus shared many municipal services with the township of Rochelle Park
Rochelle Park, New Jersey
Rochelle Park is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 5,530....
, including schooling. In 1922, the school situation was the hot topic of discussion. Residents felt that the schools were too far away and wanted to make sure that their children were safe when they went to school. It was because of this that Paramus decided to become a borough of its own, and it built the high school on Spring Valley Road in 1957. The 50th Anniversary was celebrated on September 28 and 29, 2007.
Paramus High School offers a wide range of course offerings to its students. Advanced Placement courses are offered in 21 subjects.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,421 students and 81 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 17.54.
Awards and recognition
For the 1988-89 school year, Paramus High School was awarded the Blue Ribbon SchoolBlue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, the highest award an American school can receive.
The school was the 98th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly
New 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 77th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 45th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.
In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, the school was ranked 50th in New Jersey and 1,527th nationwide.
Athletics
The Paramus High School Spartans now compete in the Big North ConferenceBig North Conference
The Big North Conference is a high school athletic conference in New Jersey. It is one of six North Jersey "super athletic conferences" created by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association in 2009...
, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
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:...
. The school had participated in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League
Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League
The Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League, abbreviated NNJIL, was a former athletic conference located in Bergen County, Passaic County and Essex County, New Jersey...
prior to the realignment that took place in 2010.
The girls volleyball team has won seven state championships, winning the Division A title in 1981 against Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan
Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan
Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan is a comprehensive four-year regional public high school serving students from several municipalities in Bergen County, New Jersey. The high school serves students from the suburban communities of Harrington Park, Northvale, Norwood, and Old Tappan...
, taking the Group IV title in 1982 against Hackensack High School
Hackensack High School
Hackensack High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Hackensack, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Hackensack Public Schools...
, and earning Group III titles in 1988 (vs. Ramsey High School, 1999 (Old Tappan), 1994 (River Dell Regional High School
River Dell Regional High School
River Dell High School is a four-year comprehensive regional public high school, part of the River Dell Regional School District, which is shared with the neighboring communities of Oradell and River Edge in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States...
), 1995 (Lakeland Regional High School
Lakeland Regional High School
Lakeland Regional High School is a comprehensive regional four-year public high school and school district serving students from two communities in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States...
) and 2005 (Ramapo High School). The team won the Tournament of Champions
Tournament of Champions (NJSIAA)
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Tournament of Champions is the sports tournament for New Jersey high schools that determines which high school will be crowned as the #1 overall team in the state for each sport...
in 2005, defeating Secaucus High School
Secaucus High School
Secaucus High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Secaucus, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Secaucus Board of Education....
in the tournament finals with a two-game sweep by scores of 25-22 and 25-23.
The 1994 girls volleyball team finished the season with a record of 22-2, winning the league and Group III state title, but lost to Paramus Catholic High School
Paramus Catholic High School
Paramus Catholic High School is a co-educational Roman Catholic high school located in Paramus in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The school, founded in 1965, is one of several high schools in the Archdiocese of Newark...
in the Bergen County tournament. The 1995 team won the Group III title for a second consecutive year, and took the Bergen County title with a win over Paramus Catholic.
Administration
Core members of the school's administration are:- Kurt Karcich, Principal
- Lina Guidelis, Vice Principal, Grade 10 and Grade 9 (Last Names A-G); Supervisor of English and Social Studies
- Louis Natalo, Vice Principal - Grades 12 and Grade 9 (Last Names H-O); Supervior of Business and World Languages
- Dr. Michael Pilacik, Vice Principal - Grades 9 (Last Names P-Z) & Grade 11; Supervisor of Mathematics and Science
- Donald Roll, Supervisor of Phys Ed and Athletics
- Lisa Vartainian, Supervisor of Fine Arts and Music
Notable alumni
Some notable Paramus High school alumni include:- Joe BenignoJoe BenignoJoseph S. Benigno is an American sports radio personality. He co-hosts the 10am-1pm weekday show on WFAN in New York City.-Early Years:...
(born 1953), talk show host on WFANWFANWFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
who was originally a caller who won the only contest for listeners to get their own show on the station. - Stacey DashStacey DashStacey Lauretta Dash is an American film and television actress.-Career:She made her first TV appearance in Farrell for the People starring Valerie Harper and a virtually unknown Ed O'Neill in 1982, which did not make it past its pilot episode...
(born 1966), actress best known for her role as Dionne Davenport in the movie Clueless, as well as its television spinoffClueless (TV series)Clueless is a television series spun off from the 1995 teen film of the same name . The series originally premiered on ABC on September 20, 1996 as a part of the TGIF lineup during its first season...
. - Spero DedesSpero DedesSpero Dedes is a Greek-American sportscaster born in Paramus, New Jersey. He is a graduate of Paramus High School and a 2001 graduate of Fordham University in New York....
(born 1979), Los Angeles Lakers radio commentator, NFL Network television host, and CBS NCAA tournament basketball announcer. - Mark FieldsMark Fields (businessman)Mark Fields is Executive Vice President, Ford Motor Company; President, The Americas and an executive of the Ford Motor Company. As head of the Americas division, Fields was tapped to develop Ford's "The Way Forward" plan, an effort to repair the ailing automaker. He reports to Alan Mulally, the...
, Executive Vice President, Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
; President, The Americas, Class of 1979. - Dean FriedmanDean FriedmanDean Friedman is an American singer-songwriter who plays piano, keyboard, guitar and other instruments, including the harmonica.-Music:...
(born 1955), musician with the one-hit wonder, a top 20 tune "Ariel" in 1977 that is the only top 40 song to ever include the word "Paramus" in the lyrics. - Peter GennaroPeter GennaroPeter Gennaro was an American dancer and choreographer.-Biography:Gennaro was born in Metairie, Louisiana. He made his Broadway debut in the ensemble of Make Mine Manhattan in 1948. He followed this with Kiss Me, Kate and Guys and Dolls...
(1919-2000), dancer and choreographer. - Matt GhaffariMatt GhaffariSiamak Ghaffari is an American-Iranian Olympic silver-medal winning wrestler. He was a two-time Olympic team member obtaining a silver medal after losing against Alexander Karelin in the final of 1996. In total holds four World and Olympic MedalsGhaffari attended Paramus High School in Paramus,...
(born 1961), Olympic silver-medal wrestler. Two-time Olympic team member and a 1996 Olympic silver medallist. Only wrestler with 4 World and Olympic Medals. Four-Time World Cup Champion. Seven-Time Pan-American Champion. Class of 1979. - Jamie GoldJamie GoldJamie M. Gold is an American television producer, a talent agent, and poker player, based in Malibu, California. He is known for winning the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event and currently divides his time between his activities as president of production for the entertainment company,...
(born 1969), class of 1987, won the 2006 World Series of Poker2006 World Series of PokerThe 2006 World Series of Poker began on June 25, 2006 with "satellite" events, with regular play commencing on June 26 with the annual Casino Employee event, and the Tournament of Champions held on June 28 and 29...
Main Event. - Rick Holdt (Class of 1969), college basketball player for North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
, drafted by the Portland Trail BlazersPortland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
in the 12th round of the 1973 NBA Draft. Played on the undefeated 1972-1973 team which was barred from entering the tournament due to recruiting violations. - Lloyd LevinLloyd Levin-Early life:Levin is a native of Paramus, New Jersey, where he attended Paramus High School.-Producing career:He won the Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Picture for his work on United 93. He was also nominated for a BAFTA for the same film. He received a nomination for a Golden Satellite...
, class of 1976, film producer and executive. - Lauren PassarelliLauren PassarelliLauren "L. Pass." Passarelli is an American musician and educator.She was the first woman to graduate from Berklee College of Music as a guitar performance major in 1982, and she became Berklee's first female guitar instructor in 1984. She was promoted to professor in 2009...
(born 1960), musician and educator. - Elaine ZayakElaine ZayakElaine Kathryn Zayak is an American figure skater. She is the 1981 U.S. national champion and the 1982 World Champion. She is a 1984 Winter Olympian.-Personal life:...
(born 1965), won the 1979 U.S. Figure Skating Championships with an injured leg. Her foot was severed in a lawn mower accident.
Notable faculty
- Michael GrovemanMichael GrovemanSince 1990 Michael Groveman has served as the CEO of Bill Blass limited, Before coming to Bill Blass Groveman was a manager in the accounting firm of Ferro, Berdon and Company in New York he also has a B.A. in accounting from Long Island University C.W. Post. Groveman sold Bill Blass to NexCen...
, former president and CEO of Bill Blass Ltd. - Bill Pascrell (born 1937), a social-studies and psychology teacher at the school from 1963 to 1973, was elected mayor of PatersonPaterson, New JerseyPaterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
in 1990 and then as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996. - Frank L. RyersonFrank L. RyersonFrank L. Ryerson was an American trumpeter, composer, arranger and educator.Ryerson played trumpet with such big bands as Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, Jimmy Dorsey, Jack Teagarden, Vaughn Monroe and Mal Hallett. He appeared on several recordings with big bands beginning in 1927 into the...
(1905-95), trumpeter who played with such big bands as Glen Gray and the Casa Loma OrchestraCasa Loma OrchestraThe Casa Loma Orchestra was a popular American dance band active from 1927 to 1963. From 1929 until the rapid multiplication in the number of swing bands from 1935 on, the Casa Loma Orchestra was one of the top North American dance bands...
and Jimmy DorseyJimmy DorseyJames "Jimmy" Dorsey was a prominent American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and big band leader. He was known as "JD"...
. He also co-wrote the Dorsey hit "Blue Champagne" written in 1941 and covered by The Manhattan Transfer in 1975. He also wrote the stirring "Lament in D Minor". Ryerson wrote the Paramus High School, New Jersey alma mater lyrics (sung to the tune "Aura Lee" or for the Elvis Presley fans out there, "Love Me Tender") and was instrumental in bringing the big band sound to the Jazz ensemble.
External links
- Paramus High School web page
- Data for the Paramus Public Schools, 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...
- ParamusRunning.com - Paramus High School Cross Country and Track & Field Teams Website