North Rockland High School

North Rockland High School (NRHS) is public, co-educational high school located in Thiells, New York, serving 9th to 12th grade students from the northern section of Rockland County, in southern New York. The building was formerly used as an education center for the nearby Letchworth Village mental institution. In the 1970s it transitioned to a high school for the public following an expansion of the Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, New York. Today, it is the only high school in the North Rockland Central School District.

North Rockland High School
Address
Map
106 Hammond Road

,
10984

United States
Coordinates41°12′52″N 74°0′57″W / 41.21444°N 74.01583°W / 41.21444; -74.01583
Information
Other nameNRHS
School typePublic, High school
School districtNorth Rockland Central School District
CEEB code332310
PrincipalLauren DaPonte
Teaching staff150.54 (FTE) (2018–19)[1]
Grades912[1]
GenderCo-educational
Enrollment2,586 (2018–19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio17.18 (2018–19)[1]
Color(s)  Red
  white
MascotBlack Panther
NicknameRed Raiders
Websitenrhs.northrockland.org
Map

In 2018, U.S. News & World Report recognized North Rockland High School in its annual national rankings and earned a bronze medal based on their performance on state-required tests and how well they prepare students for college.[2]

During the COVID-19 global pandemic, NRHS was one of the first school districts in the Hudson Valley area to launch an experimental hybrid learning program.[3]

Administration

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The principal of NRHS is Mrs. Lauren DaPonte,[4] who was promoted from Vice Principal after the departure of previous principal, Dr. Michael Gill, in 2022..[citation needed] DaPonte became the 5th principal of NRHS in the 2022–23 school year.[citation needed] Past principals were Dr. Michael Gill, Dr. George Jochum, Mr. Israel Bordanick and Mr. Dennis Hand.[citation needed]

Service area

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In Rockland County the school district, of which North Rockland High is the sole comprehensive high school, includes all of Stony Point town and a part of Haverstraw town. The district includes the villages Haverstraw and West Haverstraw, and the hamlets of Stony Point and Thiells. The district also includes most of Mount Ivy hamlet and a portion of Pomona village.[5] In Orange County the district includes parts of the towns of Highlands, Tuxedo, and Woodbury.[6]

Previous schools

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Students within the school district begin primary school in Stony Point Elementary School, Thiells Elementary School, or West Haverstraw Elementary School, all of which serve grades K–3. Intermediate schoolers attend Haverstraw Elementary School, James A. Farley Elementary School (sometimes shortened as Farley Elementary School), or Willow Grove Elementary School, which serve grades 4-6. These schools combine into Fieldstone Middle School, which serves grades 7 and 8. Students who attended Thiells Elementary school would later attend Willow Grove Elementary School, West Haverstraw elementary school students would later attend Haverstraw Elementary school, And Stony Point Elementary School Students would later attend James A. Farley Elementary school, All of whom would attend Fieldstone Middle school.

In 2012, All of the intermediate schools in the district had their titles changed from having "middle" in them to "upper elementary", and elementary schools to "lower elementary". This change was made to change the title of the school "Fieldstone Secondary School" to "Fieldstone Middle School".

Campus

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North Rockland High School is composed of two buildings.

The main building is a one-story building built during the late 1960s, and was designed by Valley Stream, New York-based Frederic P. Wiedersum Associates.[7] The main building consists of the main office, the guidance office, the health office, the main coordinator's office, special education classrooms, a library, the main cafeteria, the main gym, English classrooms, Technology classrooms, Math classrooms, Science classrooms, Foreign Language classrooms, Social Studies classrooms, and Music classrooms.

The Annex was built during the 1970s[citation needed] after the building transitioned to a public high school and served as an expansion to North Rockland High School. Composed of three floors, the first floor consists of the athletic office, the Annex office, the Annex coordinator's office, the Annex cafeteria, the Annex gym, and Art classrooms. The second floor comprises the Annex computer lab, Social Studies classrooms, and English classrooms. The third floor consists of Science classrooms and a few Math classrooms. The Annex and main building are connected and students do not have to walk outside to switch buildings. The Annex is primarily utilized by Freshman students, and the Annex cafeteria is freshman-exclusive.

NRHS is one of two fully climate-controlled buildings in the North Rockland Central School District, the other near Fieldstone Middle School.

Courses

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North Rockland High School offers courses on a quarter basis for grades 9, 10, 11 and 12.

In order to graduate, a student must fulfill New York State Graduation Requirements for a New York State Advanced Regents Diploma.[8]
Exams are given as Midterms, after the first two quarters, and as finals, after all four quarters.

Core courses

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Electives

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Advanced placement courses

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College level courses

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Programs

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The school also hosts a Naval Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NJROTC) program.

North Rockland High School is associated with an excellent Career and Technical Education and New Vision program through BOCES.

NRHS offers Academy of Finance, which is a two-year program focused on selected business courses. NRHS also offers Academy of Engineering and Academy of Health and Science. Adult education courses are also available. As of September 2024 there are 7 academies offered at North Rockland High School.

Extracurriculars

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Music

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Students may become members of the band, orchestra, or chorus. Music Theory is also provided as a course to supplement the skills utilized in these ensembles. Select groups such as the North Rockland Marching Band and Chamber Choir are also offered.

Clubs

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Students may participate in numerous extracurricular activities, including:[9]

Music department

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  • String Quartet
  • Chamber Choir
  • Chamber Orchestra
  • 10 Minute Orchestra

Drama

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  • Production

NJROTC

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  • Drill Team
  • Color Guard
  • Orienteering
  • Drill Meets
  • Marksmanship team
  • Physical Fitness Team

Honor societies

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Honor Societies at North Rockland High School include [9]

  • English Honor Society
  • Math Honor Society
  • Music Honor Society
  • National Honor Society

Other activities

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Students can also work as tutors for other students through the Homework Center and Math Lab, and can volunteer at the school store (Raging Raider).

Student publications

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Students publish works for the school's reading pleasure, including the newspaper, "The Rambling Raider," the magazine, "Reflections," and the yearbook, made by Recensio.[9]

Sports

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[9]

Athletics include:

Rankings

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  • Boys 2003 & 2004 Swimming & Diving Team Won their County-championships - taking First-place both years consecutively. Consequently, what REALLY solidified that team in History was being the First (NR)Boys HS Swim Team to beat every single other team located within New-York States largest & most competitive Regions; winning the 2003 HS Boy's Section I (AA) Conference Championships.
  • Girls Cross Country team won league, county, and section champs in 2010 and was 3rd in the state at the New York State Championships Class AA.
  • Cheerleaders were section 1 champs in 2022. The Varsity Cheerleaders also won the NCA National Cheerleading Championship in 2015, 2018 and 2023 in Dallas, Tx.
  • Boys bowling team won the Section 1 championship in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2010 the team won the New York State Championship.
  • Girls bowling team won the Section 1 championship in eight years (2005-2012) and placed second in state in 2007 and third in state for 2009.
  • Boys Cross Country team won the school's first New York State Federation Championship in 2009.
  • Girls Swimming and Diving team placed number one in Rockland County for two years, 2007 and 2008
  • Boys Baseball team won the New York class A state championship in 1992, 1993 and 1994.[10]
  • Football team won Section 1 in 2011
  • Volleyball team won Section 1, Class A State Championship in 2000 versus Sweet Home HS.
  • Varsity Football team won 1st ever NYS Football State Championship (Class A) in 1993. [11]

Intramurals

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Students can participate in intramurals in Basketball, Fitness, Swimming, and Physical Education Leaders.[9]

Miscellaneous

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NRHS is one of the few schools in the country with a digital Planetarium.

Notable alumni

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Notable faculty

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  • (Formerly) David Bernsley (born 1969), American-Israeli basketball player

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Search for Public Schools - North Rockland High School (361401001145)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  2. ^ Best High School - US NEWS
  3. ^ "North Rockland schools announce 'holiday pause' starting next week until Jan. 19". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  4. ^ "Administration". Nrhs.nrcsd.org. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  5. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Rockland County, NY" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  6. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Orange County, NY" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  7. ^ "Rockland County Times 15 June 1967 — HRVH Historical Newspapers". news.hrvh.org. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  8. ^ "New York State Graduation Requirements". Schools.nyc.gov. 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Activities". Nrhs.nrcsd.org. Archived from the original on 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  10. ^ "NYSPHSAA > Sports > Baseball > Past Champions". New York State Public High School Athletic Association. Retrieved July 16, 2019 – via nysphsaa.org.
  11. ^ "Past Champions - Football".
  12. ^ Pinciaro, Tony (November 10, 2007). "North Rockland's Hepburn is well-rounded success". The Journal News. p. 15. Retrieved June 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Zacchio, Mike (November 20, 2013). "North Rockland alum Danielle McEwan in contention at QubicaAMF World Cup in Russia". The Journal News. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  14. ^ Kissane, John A. (November 16, 2017). "High School Phenom Smashes Records—While Coach Tries to Keep Pressure Off". Runners World. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
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