Riverside High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Riverside Township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as the lone secondary school of the Riverside School District.
| Riverside High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
112 East Washington Street , , 08075 United States | |
| Coordinates | 40°02′05″N 74°57′20″W / 40.034705°N 74.955641°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public high school |
| School district | Riverside School District |
| NCES School ID | 341401001234[1] |
| Principal | Todd Pae |
| Faculty | 40.8 FTEs[1] |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 479 (as of 2022–23)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 11.7:1[1] |
| Color(s) | Maroon and white[2] |
| Athletics conference | Burlington County Scholastic League (general) West Jersey Football League (football) |
| Mascot | Rocky the Ram |
| Team name | Rams[2] |
| Rival | Palmyra High School |
| Website | riversidehs |
As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 479 students and 40.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7:1. There were 184 students (38.4% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 67 (14.0% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]
Students from Delanco Township attend Riverside High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Delanco Township School District.[3][4][5]
Awards, recognition and rankings
editThe school was the 295th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology.[6] The school had been ranked 301st in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 281st in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[7] The magazine ranked the school 298th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[8] The school was the 266th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2006 cover story on the state's Top Public High Schools.[9]
Athletics
editThe Riverside High School Rams[2] compete in the Burlington County Scholastic League (BCSL), which consists of nineteen public and non-public high schools covering Burlington County, Mercer County and Ocean County in Central Jersey, operating under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[10][11] With 349 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2022–24 school years as Group I South for most athletic competition purposes.[12] The football team competes in the Horizon Division of the 94-team West Jersey Football League superconference[13][14] and was classified by the NJSIAA as Group I South for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 185 to 482 students.[15] The school mascot is Rocky the Ram and the colors are maroon and white.[2]
Students from Delran Township, which partly encircles Riverside, had attended the school until 1976. Because of its large high school student population at that time, the school competed in Group III sports programs and was competitive with other large schools. Outside of its annual Thanksgiving Day game against Florence Township Memorial High School, the Rams also had ongoing rivalries with nearby Holy Cross High School, Cinnaminson High School and Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly. Since Delran Township established its own high school and the high school grade population dropped at Riverside, the school mostly competes in Group I and some of those rivalries have ended.
The Palmyra High School / Riverside football rivalry for the Fred Wilbert Memorial Trophy dates from 1928, and Palmyra leads that series 62-23-3, after a 39-22 victory in 2019; Palmyra has won 19 consecutive games in the series.[16]
The boys' basketball team won the Group I title in 1954 (against runner-up Park Ridge High School in the finals of the tournament) and won the Group II state championship in 1959 (vs. North Arlington High School).[17] The 1954 team won the Group I title with a 57-54 win against Park Ridge in the championship game played at the Elizabeth Armory, finishing the season at 25-0 and becoming the first team in seven years to win a playoff title and complete the season undefeated.[18] The team won the 1959 Group title with a 65-48 victory in the playoff finals against a North Arlington team that had come into the game undefeated.[19]
The boys' soccer team won the Group I state championship in 1961 (vs. Blairstown High School), 1976 (as co-champions with Harrison High School), 1979 (as co-champion with Chatham Borough High School), 1980 (defeating North Warren Regional High School in the final game of the tournament), 1982 (vs. Midland Park High School) and 1985 (vs. Chatham Borough).[20]
The boys' baseball team won the Group I state championships in 1996 (defeating Whippany Park High School in the playoff finals) and 1997 (vs. Glen Rock High School).[21] The 1996 team ended the season with an 18-5 record after defeating Whippany Park by a score of 4-2 in the finals to win the Group I state title.[22]
The girls' soccer team defeated Butler High School in the championship game to win the 2005 Group I state title.[23]
The Marching Rams
editThe Marching Rams compete within USBands, Cavalcade of Bands, and Tournament of Bands.
Past shows
edit| Year | Theme | Placement | Division | Circuit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | COLOR MY WORLD | 1st Place | Class 1 | Eastern Marching Band Association |
| 2004 | DISCO FEVER | 3rd Place | Group 1A | USBands |
| 2005 | LATIN EXPLOSION! | 2nd Place | Group 1A | USBands |
| 2006 | SIMON SAYS... | 11th Place | Independence Open | Cavalcade of Bands |
| 2007 | THE BEST OF QUEEN | 8th Place | Independence A | Cavalcade of Bands |
| 2008 | The Beatles | 5th Place | Group 1A | USBands |
| 2009 | The Jackson 5 | 6th Place | Independence A | Cavalcade of Bands |
| 2010 | Carmen in Seville | 3rd Place | Independence A | Cavalcade of Bands |
| 2011 | FLIGHT | 6th Place | Group 1A | USBands |
| 2012 | SIMON SAID… | 12th Place | Independence Open | Cavalcade of Bands |
| 2013 | I Believe! | 2nd Place | Group 1A | USBands |
| 2014 | United We Stand! | 3rd Place | Group 1A | USBands |
| 2015 | Chuck Mangione | 5th Place | Group 1A | USBands |
| 2016 | Afterburner! | 6th Place | Independence Open | Cavalcade of Bands |
| 2017 | Aerodynamics | 5th Place | Group 1A | Tournament of Bands |
| 2018 | Encounter | 9th Place | Group 1A | Tournament of Bands |
| 2019 | Silver | Group 1F | Tournament of Bands |
Administration
editThe school's principal is Todd Pae. His core administration team includes two assistant principals.[24]
Notable alumni
edit- Jim Bailey (1938-2015), singer, film, television / stage actor and female impersonator.[25]
- Kenneth William Faulkner (born 1947, class of 1966), former teacher, school administrator and basketball coach at Burlington Township High School.[26]
- David Laury (born 1993), former professional basketball player[27]
- Hal Wagner (1915-1979), MLB catcher from 1937-1949.[28][29]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e School data for Riverside High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Riverside High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
- ^ Riverside Township School District 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 30, 2017. "The School District educates approximately 1,400 students. The district has a very positive and cooperative send/receive relationship with the Delanco Public Schools. Students from Delanco are educated in their local K-8 District, and then subsequently attend grades 9-12 at Riverside High School."
- ^ High School Sending Districts, Burlington County Library System, backed up by the Internet Archive as of September 27, 2006. Accessed October 5, 2014.
- ^ Coppock, Kristen. "Delanco schools look to eliminate staff", Burlington County Times, March 24, 2010. Accessed February 13, 2011. "Students in grades nine to 12 attend Riverside High School under a sending agreement."
- ^ Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
- ^ Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed August 29, 2012.
- ^ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed February 13, 2011.
- ^ Top High Schools 201-316, New Jersey Monthly, September 2006, posted January 28, 2008. Accessed August 11, 2008.
- ^ Member Schools, Burlington County Scholastic League. Accessed September 1, 2022.
- ^ League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
- ^ NJSIAA General Classifications - Public Schools 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
- ^ Riverside Rams, West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023.
- ^ Home Page, West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023. "The WJFL is a 94-school super conference that stretches from Princeton to Wildwood encompassing schools from the Colonial Valley Conference, the Burlington County Scholastic League, the Olympic Conference, the Tri-County Conference, the Colonial Conference, and the Cape Atlantic League. The WJFL is made up of sixteen divisions with divisional alignments based on school size, geography and a strength-of-program component."
- ^ NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
- ^ Lewis, John A. "High school football scouting report", Burlington County Times, November 12, 2020. Accessed November 21, 2020. "Palmyra at Riverside, 6 p.m.... This will be the 89th meeting of these teams, who battle annually for the Fred Wilbert Memorial Trophy. Palmyra has won the last 19 games and holds a 62-23-3 lead in the series."
- ^ NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2021.
- ^ Fein, Jack. "Park Ridge Fails In Bid To Gain Group I State Basketball Crown; Unbeaten Riverside Makes Bergen Team 25th Victim; Poor Shooting Costs Owls Victory Against South Bergen Club", The Record, March 22, 1954. Accessed February 1, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "A poor shooting performance and the inability of its big men to grab rebounds cost Park Ridge High School the Group I championship in the 36th annual New Jersey State Interscholastic A. A. basketball tournament at the Armory here Saturday afternoon. The Owls became the 25th victim of Riverside High, the South Jersey titleholder, by a 57-54 score in the second game of the afternoon program. Riverside is the first team to go through its entire schedule plus the State tournament with an unblemished mark since Englewood High did it in Group III 7 years ago,"
- ^ "Unbeaten Camden Gains State Title; Defeats Weequahic, 94-73, in Group 4 Basketball As Smith Scores 42", The New York Times, March 22, 1959. Accessed February 27, 2021. "Riverside High School downed previously unbeaten North Arlington, 65-48, tonight in the group 2 championship in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association basketball tournament."
- ^ NJSIAA History of Boys Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
- ^ Baseball Championship History: 1959–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
- ^ Goldberg, Chris. "Riverside rallies behind arms, defense to win crown; Known for offense, the Rams had enough to defeat Whippany Park for their first state Group 1 title.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 9, 1996. Accessed June 6, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "But yesterday, two Rams pitchers led Riverside past Whippany Park, 4-2, in the NJSIAA Group 1 state championship game. Joe McGovern and Tim Davidson teamed up for a four-hitter and Riverside scratched out two runs in the fifth inning as the Rams (18-5) won their first state baseball title."
- ^ NJSIAA History of Girls Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
- ^ Administration, Riverside High School. Accessed September 1, 2020.
- ^ Lloyd, Jack. "Barbra, Liza Sing Praises Of Jim Bailey He Specializes In Streisand And Garland, But Don't Call Him A Female Impersonator. He Prefers 'Character Actor.'", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 27, 1995. Accessed November 26, 2013. "The entertainer, a native of West Philadelphia and graduate of Riverside High School in Burlington County, has played many of the world's great concert venues, including London's Palladium, New York's Carnegie Hall and Los Angeles' Dorothy Chandler Pavilion."
- ^ Carchidi, Sam. "Burlington Twp. Coach Resigns New Duties As A Principal Sparked Ken Faulkner's Move. His Teams Won 521 Games In 24 Years."[dead link], The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 25, 1996. Accessed August 15, 2016. "A former star guard at Riverside High (Class of '66) and Campbell (N.C.) College, Faulkner knew that he was going to retire before this season started."
- ^ Stanmyre, Matthew. "Jersey native David Laury's long basketball journey ends in happiness at Iona", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 20, 2013. Accessed December 29, 2023. "As a freshman, Laury attended Collingswood High, but he and his father clashed. He transferred to Riverside High in Burlington County as a sophomore and started living with the family of teammate Corey Williams."
- ^ Hal Wagner, Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed September 19, 2018. "High School: Riverside HS (Riverside, NJ)"
- ^ Nowlin, Bill. Hal Wagner, Society for American Baseball Research. Accessed September 19, 2018. "Hal Wagner seems to have attended both Riverton High School and Palmyra High, graduating from Palmyra High in 1934, with letters in baseball and basketball."