Spring Valley High School (New York)
Encyclopedia
Spring Valley High School (SVHS), formerly known as Spring Valley Senior High School, is a high school
located in Spring Valley, New York
within Rockland County, New York
, educating students in grades 9 through 12. Spring Valley is one of two high schools in the East Ramapo Central School District
(ERCSD). The school is accredited by the New York State Board of Regents.
is the largest school district in Rockland County, New York
. Spring Valley is one of two high schools within East Ramapo. Located 30 miles northwest of New York, in the center of Rockland County, East Ramapo is a middle-class suburban, predominantly residential community within commuting distance of the New York City, Westchester County, and northern New Jersey. The district's total area is 33 square miles, with an estimated 80,000 residents within its borders.
Spring Valley High School was first located on Main Street (Route 45) in Spring Valley, New York
. Around 1958, it became Spring Valley Junior High, and the new high school on Route 59 was opened. Honor students were enlisted to make the transition as smoothly as possible. As the population in the area rose, Spring Valley Junior High School and Spring Valley Senior High School were built (Spring Valley Junior High School being located in present-day Chestnut Ridge, New York
and renamed "Chestnut Ridge Middle School", and Spring Valley Senior High School being located at its present-day address).
The first underground newspaper, The Bohemia, was created, published, and distributed throughout the student body in 1959. It contained news, politics, social information, and mostly humor. This effort was unsanctioned, but it was supported by parents and heroic teachers including Larry Hopp (science) and Robert Kreps (art). Students credits included Jay Frogel (Salutatorian
1962), and Michael Potash (Valedictorian 1962).
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 Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
within Rockland County, New York
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
, educating students in grades 9 through 12. Spring Valley is one of two high schools in the East Ramapo Central School District
East Ramapo Central School District
East Ramapo Central School District is a school district headquartered in the Senator Eugene Levy Dr. Jack R. Anderson Education Center in the Town of Ramapo, New York, United States. The district serves areas of eastern Town of Ramapo, including Chestnut Ridge, New Hempstead, New Square, Spring...
(ERCSD). The school is accredited by the New York State Board of Regents.
The School District
The East Ramapo Central School DistrictEast Ramapo Central School District
East Ramapo Central School District is a school district headquartered in the Senator Eugene Levy Dr. Jack R. Anderson Education Center in the Town of Ramapo, New York, United States. The district serves areas of eastern Town of Ramapo, including Chestnut Ridge, New Hempstead, New Square, Spring...
is the largest school district in Rockland County, New York
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
. Spring Valley is one of two high schools within East Ramapo. Located 30 miles northwest of New York, in the center of Rockland County, East Ramapo is a middle-class suburban, predominantly residential community within commuting distance of the New York City, Westchester County, and northern New Jersey. The district's total area is 33 square miles, with an estimated 80,000 residents within its borders.
History
Records indicate that Albert Henry Goodhardt was the first clerk of the Spring Valley Board of Education after its incorporation in 1902. Following that, he was trustee of the Spring Valley High School for six years, and president of the Board of Education for the Village of Spring Valley for five years.Spring Valley High School was first located on Main Street (Route 45) in Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
. Around 1958, it became Spring Valley Junior High, and the new high school on Route 59 was opened. Honor students were enlisted to make the transition as smoothly as possible. As the population in the area rose, Spring Valley Junior High School and Spring Valley Senior High School were built (Spring Valley Junior High School being located in present-day Chestnut Ridge, New York
Chestnut Ridge, New York
Chestnut Ridge is a village in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Monsey; south of Spring Valley and west of Nanuet. The population was 7,829 at the 2000 census....
and renamed "Chestnut Ridge Middle School", and Spring Valley Senior High School being located at its present-day address).
The first underground newspaper, The Bohemia, was created, published, and distributed throughout the student body in 1959. It contained news, politics, social information, and mostly humor. This effort was unsanctioned, but it was supported by parents and heroic teachers including Larry Hopp (science) and Robert Kreps (art). Students credits included Jay Frogel (Salutatorian
Salutatorian
Salutatorian is an academic title given, in the United States and Canada, to the second highest graduate of the entire graduating class of a specific discipline. Only the valedictorian is ranked higher. This honor is traditionally based on grade point average and number of credits taken, but...
1962), and Michael Potash (Valedictorian 1962).
Curriculum
Spring Valley High School offers a 200 course curriculum. Presently, this includes 16 Advanced Placement courses in the five major departments, as well as college credit courses offered through two universities. 45% or more of students taking AP exams score a "3" or better on average at SVHS. In the 1950s and 1960s, the curriculum was one to two years behind that of New York City schools. For example, the mathematics department did not offer calculus.Educational Tools
- PCPersonal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
and MacintoshMacintoshThe Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
computer classrooms for use with courses in math, businessBusinessA business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
, architectureArchitectureArchitecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, graphic artsGraphic artsA type of fine art, graphic art covers a broad range of art forms. Graphic art is typically two-dimensional and includes calligraphy, photography, drawing, painting, printmaking, lithography, typography, serigraphy , and bindery. Graphic art also consists of drawn plans and layouts for interior...
, and EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. - Computer networking through the school including video conferencing.
- Internet access and five to one student computer ratio.
- One TV, and two sound studios.
- A library media center with more than 20,000 volumes.
Student Placement
Grouping in Spring Valley is by ability, achievement, and teacher evaluation. Those in advanced placement courses constitute the upper 10% of the student body. Those in honors courses comprise the upper 20% of the student body. Regents courses contain students in the average academic group.Graduation Requirements
| GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS | |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Social Studies | 4 |
| Science | 3 |
| Math | 3 |
| LOTE | 1 |
| Physical Education | 2 |
| Art and / or Muisc | 1 |
| Health Education | .5 |
| Electives | 3.5 |
| Total Credits | 22 |
Recognition/Achievements
- Spring Valley High School has been cited by The College BoardCollege BoardThe College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
for the excellence of its Advanced Placement program. - In the last five years (what years?) an average of 93% of students continue of to post-secondary education, with an average of 52% going to four-year institutions. The five year average for scholarship monies received is $2.75 million.
- Spring Valley High School was ranked by Newsweek among the top 500 high schools in the nation for four consecutive years.
- Spring Valley High School was ranked one of America's best high schools in 2010 by NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
. - Spring Valley's Key ClubKey ClubKey Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
is one of the most respected high school service organizations anywhere. It was ranked "Best in the World" six times during the 1990s and continues to win countless awards. - The Spring Valley DebateDebateDebate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
Team is consistently ranked among the top 5 in The Rockland County Championships. - Spring Valley's co-educational athletic program consists of 22 separate teams.
- The Microbiotics program received newspaper and television coverage.
- Intel Science Talent ResearchIntel Science Talent SearchThe Intel Science Talent Search , known for its first 57 years as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search is a research-based science competition in the United States for high school seniors. It has been referred to as "the nation's oldest and most prestigious" science competition. In his speech...
Semi-Finalist and Ron BrownRon Brown (U.S. politician)Ronald Harmon "Ron" Brown was the United States Secretary of Commerce, serving during the first term of President Bill Clinton. He was the first African American to hold this position...
Finalist. - Spring Valley ranked in the top 10 Science OlympiadScience OlympiadScience Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...
for the region.
Notable alumni
- Phil BoglePhil BoglePhil Bogle was an American football guard for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2003...
: former American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
GuardGuard (American football)In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
in the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
- David Fried: former Rockland County legislatorLegislatorA legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
.
- Lucy GrealyLucy GrealyLucinda Margaret Grealy was an American poet and memoirist who wrote Autobiography of a Face in 1994. This critically acclaimed book describes her childhood and early adolescence experience with cancer of the jaw, which left her with some facial disfigurement...
: Lucinda Margaret Grealy (b. June 3, 1963, Dublin, Ireland) was an American poet and memoirist. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence CollegeSarah Lawrence CollegeSarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in the United States, and a leader in progressive education since its founding in 1926. Located just 30 minutes north of Midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County, New York, in the city of Yonkers, this coeducational college offers...
and the Iowa Writers' WorkshopIowa Writers' WorkshopThe Program in Creative Writing, more commonly known as the Iowa Writers' Workshop, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, is a highly regarded graduate-level creative writing program in the United States...
, she died December 18, 2002. Grealy is the author of "Autobiography of a Face" which was first published in 1994 and released again in 2003 with an afterward by Ann PatchettAnn PatchettAnn Patchett is an American author. She received the Orange Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award in 2002 for her novel Bel Canto. Patchett's other novels include Run, The Patron Saint of Liars, Taft, and The Magician's Assistant, which was shortlisted for the Orange Prize...
.
- John HarveyJohn Harvey (American football)John Lewis Harvey is a former National Football League running back who played one season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.-Career:Harvey attended Spring Valley High School in Spring Valley, New York...
: former American football Running backRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
.
- Seth JoynerSeth JoynerSeth Joyner is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos. Joyner graduated from Spring Valley High School.-Professional career:Joyner was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the...
: former American football linebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in the National Football League for the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Arizona CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
and Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
- Gerald S. O'Loughlin: Gerald Stuart O'Loughlin, Jr. (b. December 23, 1921, New York City) is an American television, stage, and film actor and director who was primarily known for playing tough-talking and rough-looking characters.
- R-Kal TruluckR-Kal TruluckR-Kal K-Quan Truluck is a retired American professional football player. His full name translates to "ruler of the lake" in Swahili.-Early life:...
: former American football Defensive endDefensive endDefensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
in the National Football League for the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
and Arizona CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
- Mordechai Shields: former athlete and scholar.
- Donald Scales: respected physics professor and researcher at Stanford University.
- Jay Frogel: famed astronomer at Harvard, Cal Tech, Chile, Peru, Washington, D.C.
- Michael Potash: well-renowned technical author, engineer, and president of the oldest MIT a cappella singing group, the MIT Logarhythms.