West Morris Central High School (WMCHS) is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Washington Township, Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is one of two high schools in the West Morris Regional High School District.[5]
| West Morris Central High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
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259 Bartley Road , , 07930 | |
| Coordinates | 40°48′36″N 74°43′40″W / 40.81000°N 74.72778°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public high school |
| Established | 1958 |
| School district | West Morris Regional High School District |
| NCES School ID | 341755004550[1] |
| Principal | Timothy Rymer |
| Faculty | 84.2 FTEs[1] |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 1,023 (as of 2023–24)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 12.2:1[1] |
| Color(s) | Columbia Blue Navy Blue Gray[2] |
| Athletics conference | Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference (general) North Jersey Super Football Conference (football) |
| Team name | Highlanders[2] and Wolfpack[3] |
| Rival | West Morris Mendham High School |
| Newspaper | The Paw[4] |
| Website | www |
History
editThe constituent municipalities—the Chester School District (Chester Borough / Township), Mendham Borough / Township, Mount Olive and Washington Township—approved a referendum in 1956 by a better than 7–1 margin for the construction of a high school to cost $1,961,000 (equivalent to $22 million in 2023).[6]
The school opened in September 1958, with 531 students in grades 9–11 in a building with 39 classrooms designed to accommodate 1200 people.[7][8] The school's first hire was a biology teacher named Maria Young.[9]
Academics
editPrograms
editThe school is accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education.[10] The school has offered the IB Diploma Programme, as part of the International Baccalaureate Organization, since January 1998[11] The school was one of 17 high schools in New Jersey to offer the IB diploma program in 2021; along with its sister school West Morris Mendham, it is one of the two high schools in New Jersey to offer both the IB Diploma and Career Programs.[12]
Awards
editHistory Teacher Rosanne Lichatin, was named the 2005 Preserve America History Teacher of the Year, and was recognized with the honor by First Lady Laura Bush.[13]
Extracurricular activities
editAthletics
edit
The school offers programs in baseball, basketball, cheerleading, fencing, women's field hockey, football, men's ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, unified sports, volleyball, wrestling, and track and field.[14][2]
The school's mascots are either the Highlanders or the Wolfpack depending on the team. School colors are Columbia blue, navy blue and gray.[2][3][15]
Teams compete in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference, an athletic conference comprised of high schools located in Morris, Sussex and Warren counties, which was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[16][17] Prior to the NJSIAA's 2009 realignment, the school had been a member of the Iron Hills Conference.[18] With 919 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group III for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 761 to 1,058 students in that grade range.[19] The football team competes in the Freedom Blue division of the North Jersey Super Football Conference, which includes 112 schools competing in 20 divisions, making it the nation's biggest football-only high school sports league.[20][21] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group III North for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 700 to 884 students.[22]
- Football
The football team has won ten sectional championships. The team won the North II Group III state sectional championship in 1982, 1991, 1995, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2021, 2022 and 2023,[23] and won a North II Group IV title in 2012.[24][25]
- Ice hockey
The ice hockey team won the Halvorsen Cup in 2009, 2013 and 2014, and won the Haas Cup in 2010, 2022[26] and 2023.[27]
Girls Softball
Clubs
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2018) |
The clubs at West Morris Central have included: three a capella singing groups, Academy of Science, Archery Club, Art/Photography Club, Astronomy Club, Band Front[clarification needed], Book Club, Bowling Club, Volleyball Club, Chess Club, Chinese Club, Choral Club, Debate Club, Diversity Club, Fall Cheerleader, Fashion Design Club, FBLA, Film Club, Future Educators, Fishing Club, Gardening Club, Highlanders for Humanity, International/Cultural Arts Club[citation needed], Intramurals, Investment Club, Jam Club, Kick Boxing, Literary Magazine, Marching Band, Math League, National History Club, National Honor Society, Newspaper, Project Peace Anti-Bullying Club,[28] Reach (Peer Leadership), Red Cross, Relay for Life, School Store,[29] Science League, Self-Defense Club, Service Learning Club, Ski Club, Sound/Lighting, Spikeball, Stage Craft, STARS[citation needed], STEM (Technology Club), Student Council, Technology Club, Unified Sports Club, World Language Honor Society and Yearbook.[30]
West Morris participates in the National Honor Society, as well as the French National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society and Chinese National Honor Society.[30]
WMCHS is home to Central Theatre, West Morris' theatre troupe.[31] Since 2016, many productions have been nominated or won theater awards presented by the Paper Mill Playhouse[32][33] and Montclair State University.[34][35]
Notable alumni
edit- Tashy Bohm (born 1978/79), former backstroke, freestyle and butterfly competition swimmer[36]
- Michael Burton (born 1992), American football fullback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League[37][38]
- Kyleigh D'Alessio (1990–2006), student at the school when her death by auto accident inspired Kyleigh's Law[39]
- Larry W. Maysey (1946–1967), United States Air Force pararescueman who was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross, the Air Force's second-highest decoration (after the Medal of Honor)[40]
- Andrew Politi (born 1996), professional baseball pitcher[41]
- Carley Shimkus (born 1986, class of 2005), news anchor and reporter who serves as a co-host on Fox Nation, headlines reporter for Fox & Friends and co-anchor for Fox & Friends First[42][43]
- Jamie Smith (1972–1993), US Army corporal killed during the Battle of Mogadishu, subject of Black Hawk Down[44][45][46]
- Bill Stepien (born 1978), former Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Chris Christie, former political director for President Donald Trump and former campaign manager for the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign[47]
Sister school
edit- West Morris Mendham High School, which serves students from Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough and Mendham Township.[48]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Search for Public Schools - West Morris Central High School (341755004550)". nces.ed.gov. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
- ^ a b c d West Morris Central High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
- ^ a b About, West Morris Central High School. Accessed August 14, 2019. "Originally known as the Highlanders, many West Morris Central teams have taken on the name Wolf Pack."
- ^ Clubs and Activities, West Morris Central High School. Accessed March 6, 2022.
- ^ About West Morris, West Morris Central High School. Accessed February 12, 2020. "The West Morris Regional High School District consists of two high schools: West Morris Central High School, serving residents of Washington Township West Morris Mendham High School, serving residents of Mendham Borough, Mendham Towhship, Chester Borough, and Chester Township."
- ^ "Voters Approve $2 Million School", Courier News, December 13, 1956. Accessed March 6, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "The five municipal school districts in the West Morris Regional High School District last night approved spending $1,961,000 for a school. The total vote was 1,332 to 189."
- ^ "531 to Enter New School", Courier News, September 9, 1958. Accessed March 6, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "An estimated 531 ninth, tenth and eleventh grade students will begin classes tomorrow at the partially completed $2,000,000 West Morris Regional High School, Morris County's third regional school. James H. M. Darvie, principal, said construction would not be completed until Dec. 1, but that most of the new building's 39 classrooms were ready. The school serves Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mount Olive Township and Washington Township..... The brick and glass building has a capacity of 1,200."
- ^ WMRHSD Now and Then, West Morris Regional High School District. Accessed November 17, 2021. "West Morris Central (WMC), built in 1958, is located in, and serves, Washington Township."
- ^ "West Morris Central's First Teacher, Lifelong Chester Resident Dies at 93". Long Valley, NJ Patch. May 25, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
- ^ 2018-2019 School Profile, West Morris Central High School. Accessed April 8, 2021.
- ^ West Morris Central High School, International Baccalaureate. Accessed April 8, 2021.
- ^ Find an IB World School, International Baccalaureate Organization. Accessed April 8, 2021.
- ^ Mrs. Bush's Remarks at the Preserve America History Teacher of the Year Award Ceremony, Office of the First Lady press release dated October 14, 2005.
- ^ Team Pages, West Morris Central High School. Accessed June 1, 2024.
- ^ "Athletics Home". West Morris Central High School. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
HOME OF THE WOLFPACK!
- ^ Home Page, Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference. Accessed August 27, 2020. "The Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference prides itself on being one of New Jersey's premier high school conferences and is comprised of 39 high schools located in Northwest New Jersey."
- ^ League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
- ^ Home Page, Iron Hills Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 2, 2011. Accessed November 26, 2014.
- ^ NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
- ^ Cooper, Darren. "Here's what we know about the new Super Football Conference 2020 schedule", The Record, July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference (SFC) is a 112-team group, the largest high school football-only conference in America, and is comprised of teams from five different counties."
- ^ Cooper, Darren. "NJ football: Super Football Conference revised schedules for 2020 regular season", The Record, July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference has 112 teams that will play across 20 divisions."
- ^ NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
- ^ Mattura, Greg. "West Morris football shocks Old Tappan with comeback win in sectional final", Daily Record, November 10, 2023. Accessed November 21, 2023. "West Morris knocked off defending state champion Old Tappan, 21-17, in Friday's North 1, Group 3 sectional final after erasing a 10-point halftime deficit."
- ^ NJSIAA Football Championship History 1974-2022, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 1, 2023. Note that titles in 1982, 1991 and 1995 are listed as "West Morris" (not "West Morris Central", as is shown for 2001, 2004, 2009 and 2012).
- ^ Havsy, Jane."State of the Program: West Morris football rebuilding around experience", Daily Record, September 4, 2020. Accessed November 4, 2020. "West Morris has won North 2 Group III seven times: 1982, 1991, 1995, 2001, 2004, 2009 and 2012."
- ^ NJSIAA Ice Hockey State Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
- ^ Bobal, Brian. "The beat goes on for West Morris after 8-0 win over Gill St. Bernard's", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 14, 2024. Accessed February 10, 2024. "The offensive weaponry was on full display on Saturday, as Rhone Armijo notched his first hat trick and nine different players had at least a point in an 8-0 win over Gill St. Bernard's at Mennen Arena in Morristown."
- ^ "National Bullying Prevention Month Comes To West Morris Schools". Long Valley, NJ Patch. October 8, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
- ^ "General Information". www.wmchs.org. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
- ^ a b Clubs and Activities, West Morris Central High School. Accessed April 8, 2021.
- ^ "PowerSchool Learning : Central Theatre : Home Page". November 11, 2020. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "Paper Mill Playhouse Announces 2019 Rising Star Award Nominations", BroadwayWorld, May 6, 2019. Accessed April 8, 2021.
- ^ Keller, Ilana. "Paper Mill Playhouse announces Rising Star Award nominations", Asbury Park Press, May 14, 2018. Accessed April 8, 2021.
- ^ "Central Theatre WINS Big at Montclair Theatre Night Awards (Foxy)". Long Valley, NJ Patch. May 15, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "West Morris Central's 'Hunchback' Honored". Long Valley, NJ Patch. June 4, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Shwalb, Bob. "Back where they belong", Daily Record, February 25, 1996. Accessed July 6, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Tashy Bohm backstrokes the length of the pool, 50 yards, in exactly 13 strokes.... At next month's New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Meet of Champions, the West Morris junior will try to win a third consecutive title in the 100-yard backstroke."
- ^ Duggan, Dan. "Rutgers fullback Michael Burton's path from walk-on to the NFL Draft paved by determination", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 2, 2015. Accessed August 13, 2015. "And that dedication is how Burton has transformed from a walk-on out of West Morris Central High into a potential NFL Draft pick."
- ^ "2021 NFL Transactions: Signings - April". NFL.com. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
- ^ Howell Jr., Tom. "News Teen fights for safer roads after friend's death", New Jersey Herald, November 22, 2008. Accessed August 13, 2018. "Kyleigh, a star athlete at West Morris Central High School, died when an Audi TT driven by a 17-year-old boy careened into a tree on Fairview Avenue in Long Valley."
- ^ Arentowicz, Terry P. That Empty Feeling: The Real Story of One 72-Hour Rescue Mission Into Laos, p. 66. AuthorHouse, 2013. ISBN 9781491836262. Accessed November 6, 2017. "The youngest member of Young's crew was Sergeant Larry W. Maysey. The Pararescue specialist had graduated from West Morris Regional High School in Chester, New Jersey, only two years prior to being sent to Viet Nam."
- ^ Andrew Politi, Seton Hall Pirates baseball. Accessed September 1, 2024. "Hometown: Long Valley, N.J. High School: West Morris"
- ^ "Fox News Yearbook: Carley Shimkus grades her senior year photo, explains hilarious 'hippie phase'", Fox News, October 28, 2019. Accessed April 8, 2021. "Where did you go to school and when did you graduate? I went to West Morris Central High School in Chester, NJ and graduated in 2005."
- ^ Baragona, Justin (April 23, 2020). "'Fox & Friends First' Host Heather Childers Complains About Fox News Benching Her During Coronavirus". The Daily Beast.
- ^ "'60 Minutes' Recalls Long Valley Hero's Final Moments". Long Valley, NJ Patch. October 7, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "Cprl. Jamie Smith To Be Honored At WMC's A 'Call To Courage' Week". Long Valley, NJ Patch. September 23, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "Long Valley man: Ranger son's death won't be in vain". New Jersey Hills. February 1, 2002. Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
- ^ Garber, Phil. "Mendhams, Long Valley heavy into top ranks of Trump campaign ", Observer-Tribune, August 31, 2016. Accessed November 22, 2016. "And last week, Trump's campaign hired Bill Stepien, 38, of Long Valley, a graduate of West Morris Central High School and Rutgers."
- ^ West Morris Regional High School District 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 4, 2016. "Established in 1958, the West Morris Regional High School District operates two schools, West Morris Central High School and West Morris Mendham High School. The regional district serves the students of five Morris County communities: Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township and Washington Township. Students from Washington Township attend West Morris Central High School, and students from the Chesters and the Mendhams attend West Morris Mendham High School."