Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) is a co-educational private school for students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade located in Montclair in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. One of New Jersey's largest independent day schools, Montclair Kimberley Academy celebrated the 125th anniversary of the establishment of its earliest component school in 2012. The current school, established in 1974, is the result of the merger of three separate schools: Montclair Academy, a boys' school founded in 1887; The Kimberley School, a girls' school founded in 1906; and Brookside, a coed school founded in 1925.[7][8]
As of the 2021–22 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,025 students (plus 26 in PreK) and 168.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 6.1:1. The school's student body was 57.4% (588) White, 13.9% (142) Asian, 12.8% (131) Black, 11.6% (119) two or more races and 4.4% (142) Hispanic.[2] The school offers a faculty professional development program, with 79% of the 175 faculty members holding advanced degrees and 11 holding doctorates.
MKA offers a college prep curriculum featuring Signature Programs in Ethics, Writing, and the MKA Core – works of western and non-western literary, artistic, musical, historical or mathematical significance. Each graduating senior is required to complete May Term. Choices for May Term include internships and travel opportunities in Europe and Asia. French and Spanish are offered from Pre-K onwards; Latin and Chinese in 6th grade. The school has advanced technology, science labs supporting research-based learning, four gymnasiums, a swimming pool, auditoriums, a black box theatre, and the Upper School both a $3 million arts wing and a multimillion-dollar academic and technology wing. There is an interscholastic athletic program, and fields competitive teams in over 25 sports that have won over 100 championships in the past 10 years.[9] Students have access to fine and performing arts opportunities ranging from a tri-campus Strings Program, to mounting a full Shakespeare production in 7th grade, to making movies in the Upper School. Numerous community service opportunities exist at each campus, as well as extensive extracurricular offerings. 100% of students go on to college, with an 87% acceptance rate to one of their first three colleges of choice.
In 2013, MKA was recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for its use of technology in education.
In 2009, Montclair Kimberley Academy was voted Best NJ Private School by parents in Bloomberg Businessweek.[11] In 2010, the school was designated a Johns Hopkins School of Excellence.[citation needed]
In 2003, Montclair Kimberley Academy was recognized as a National School of Character by the Character Education Partnership, one of ten schools selected nationwide.[12]
Montclair Kimberley Academy was recognized by the US Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School for 1999–2000, and the Upper School was also recognized as a Blue Ribbon School for 1994–1996.[13]
Arts
Montclair Kimberley Academy has an extensive program for both performing and visual arts. The Fine and Performing Arts department is run by Nicole Hoppe. The school puts on four productions each academic year, including one large-scale musical. On average, up to a quarter of the student body participates in the musical in some capacity. The school additionally puts on an arts showcase in September, and one to two plays each year, in the fall and in the spring. Every other year in the spring, the play is replaced by a film made by students with the help of a professional film crew.
The department oversees the production of an arts newsletter, The Informer, published several times each semester. The Informer covers topics from current productions, to artist spotlights, and artistic opportunities and events in the community.
The Montclair Kimberley Academy Cougars[5] compete in the Super Essex Conference, which includes public and private high schools in Essex County and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[15] Prior to the NJSIAA's 2010 realignment, the school had previously participated in the Colonial Hills Conference which included public and private high schools covering Essex County, Morris County and Somerset County in west Central Jersey.[16] With 335 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public B for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 37 to 366 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group I for public schools).[17] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Non-Public Group B (equivalent to Group I for public schools) for football for 2022–2024, which included schools with 64 to 223 students.[18]
MKA's longtime rival is Newark Academy; there is also a rivalry with Montclair High School, Montclair's public high school. Some of the school's more successful athletic teams include girls' tennis, boys' tennis, boys' soccer, softball, ice hockey, golf, varsity and junior varsity baseball, boys' lacrosse, girls' volleyball, field hockey and boys cross country.
The girls fencing team was the overall state champion in 1980-1983 and 1985-1990. The program's 10 state titles and nine individual titles are both ranked second in the state.[19]
The ice hockey team won the Gordon Cup in 1982, won the Handchen Cup in 1992, won the McInnis Cup in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015, and the Kelly Cup in 2023.[20] The MKA ice hockey team finished the 2006–07 season ranked in the top 20 in New Jersey but lost 2–1 to Paramus Catholic High School in the first round of the state playoffs. The season was highlighted with a win over Montclair High School in the Montclair Cup game. MKA would then win the Montclair Cup again in 2008. The two teams met again in 2009, Montclair High shutout MKA 4–0 to regain the Cup. The Cougars would finish the 2009 campaign at 5–19, leading to Head Coach Gary Kramer's resignation. In the spring of 2009, MKA named former MHS alumni and coach, Brack Healy, their new bench boss. In Healy's first game against his former team, MKA beat Montclair High 2–1. MKA's 9–2–3 start was rewarded with a Star Ledger Top 20 ranking. MKA qualified for the state playoffs and recorded their first postseason win since 1995 with a 3–2 win vs. Bishop Eustace. Citing professional advancement, Healy resigned from MKA after only one season behind the bench and took over as the head man at Fair Lawn High School. In the 2010–11 season the Cougars picked up John LaGorce as head coach. On January 3 they beat cross-town rival, MHS in the annual Montclair Cup 3–0, only the second shutout in Montclair Cup history. The team capped off the season with a 4–2 victory over West Essex High School in the McInnis Cup championship. The Cougars were later declared the Essex County team of the year.
The boys tennis team was Non-Public B/C state champion in 1983 (defeating Mater Dei High School in the final match of the tournament), 1984 (vs. Gloucester Catholic High School), 1989 (vs. Moorestown Friends School) and 1990 (vs. Morrestown Friends). The 1984 team won the parochial state championship against Christian Brothers Academy and went on to win the overall state championship, defeating runner-up Princeton High School 4-1.[21][22] The boys tennis team was the 2009 Prep B state co-champion. The team also made it to the finals of the 2007 North Non-Public B state championship where they lost to Newark Academy 3–2. The 2008 team would repeat their 2007 success by making it back to the finals of the North Non-Public B state championship in which they lost 3–2. The 2008 team also won the Colonial Hills Conference and Essex County Championships. The county tournament win was the first in the school's history.[23]
The girls tennis team won the Non-Public B state championship in 1986 (defeating runner-up Wildwood Catholic Academy in the tournament's final round), 1990 (vs. Moorestown Friends School), 1994 (vs. Moorestown Friends), 2003 (vs. Holy Spirit High School), 2004 (vs. Holy Spirit), 2005 (vs. Moorestown Friends), 2006 (vs. Sacred Heart High School) and 2012 (vs. Gill St. Bernard's School); the program's eight state titles are tied for seventh-most in the state. The 2004 team won the Tournament of Champions against runner-up West Morris Mendham High School.[24] The team won their fourth consecutive Parochial B state championship in 2006 and won the 2007 Colonial Hills Conference championship.[25] The 2004 team finished the season with a 24-0 record after defeating West Morris Mendham 4-1 to win the ToC.[26]
The baseball team has won four Prep B state titles since 1991, most recently in 2009, and six Colonial Hills Conference Championships, the most recent was in 2009 when the Cougars were named the Colonial Hills Conference Co-Champions. The MKA baseball has also won three Non Public B North crowns, in 1997, 2002 and 2009. In 2002 the Cougars were led by Frank Herrmann who pitched in MLB for the Cleveland Indians. The Cougars' head baseball coach since 1991, Ralph Pacifico, won his 300th game in 2007. In 2009 MKA Baseball captured both the conference title and the Prep B championship. Pacifico was named Coach of the Year in the Colonial Hills Conference. On June 2, 2009, MKA defeated St. Mary of Rutherford by a score of 7–3 to win the North Non-Public B crown and clinch a spot in the overall state title game.[27]
The boys fencing team won the overall state championship in 1993.[28]
The softball team won the Non-Public B state championship in 1999 (defeating Sacred Heart High School in the tournament final), 2000 (vs. St. Joseph High School of Hammonton), 2002 (vs. Gloucester Catholic High School), 2004 (vs. Sacred Heart), 2005 (vs. Holy Spirit High School), 2006 (vs. Gloucester Catholic), 2007 and 2009 (vs. St. Joseph - Hammonton both years). The eight state championships is tied for second-most among schools in the state and the 10 finals appearances are the fourth most, while the streak of four consecutive titles from 2004 to 2007 is tied for second longest.[29] The 1999 team finished the season with a 24-6 record after winning the Parochial B title with a 5-0 win in the championship game against Sacred Heart.[30] The 2007 team finished the season with a record of 21-6 after winning the Non-Public B state title with a 2-0 win against St. Joseph of Hammonton by a score of 2-0 in the championship game.[31] The team won ten straight Colonial Hills Conference championships from 1999 to 2008.[32]
The girls swimming team won the Non-Public Group B state championship in 2000 and 2001.[33]
The field hockey team won the North I Group I state sectional championship in 2001 and 2012.[34] In 2009, the team was NJSIAA Prep B state champions with a 2–1 win over Stuart Country Day School.[35]
In the 2005–06 season the MKA Wrestling team won their first Prep B state championship in the history of the school.[36]
The boys soccer team won the Non-Public Group B state championship in 2006 (against Wildwood Catholic High School in the finals of the tournament), 2011 (vs. Gill St. Bernard's School) and 2012 (vs. Gill St. Bernard's)[37] The boys' soccer team were Prep B State Champions and NJSIAA sectional finalists, and won North Parochial B and overall Non-Public B championship in 2006, the school's first-ever wins in the tournament.[38][37] The 2007 and 2009 teams also won the Prep B state championship. The 2011 team finished the season with a 21–2–2 record, winning the Prep B state championship and earning the NJSIAA Non-Public B state championship with a 1–0 overtime win against Gill St. Bernard's School.[39]
The Cougars' boys' lacrosse team won the 2007 Prep B state title, ending Morristown-Beard School's five-year win streak.
The girls' volleyball team won the 2006 and 2007 Colonial Hills Conference Championship. The Cougar volleyball coach Mike Tully was also recently named the 2008 New Jersey State Coach of the year.
In 2007, the team had a 19–1 record, winning the 2007 Colonial Hills Conference Championship, came in 2nd in the 2007 Essex County Tournament and won the 2007 Prep B state championship. The MKA golf team finished the 2010 season as Parochial Non Public B State Champions and NJISAA Prep B state champions.
In 2008, Coach Tony Jones led the boys' basketball team to the school's first Prep B championship for the sport, defeating Collegiate School 82–59.[40]Kyrie Irving, who was a Sophomore at the time, became the school's second 1,000 point scorer two days earlier in the semi-final game against top seeded and defending champion Solomon Schechter. In 2010, they were named SEC Independence Division Champions.
The boys lacrosse team won the Non-Public Group B state championship, defeating Pingry School in the tournament final.[41]
MKA boys cross country through 2014–2017 won four consecutive Prep B state championships, including a Non-Public B championship in 2014 and top 3 finishes in 2015 and 2017. This dominance not matched nearly by any other MKA sports program was led by coach Thomas Fleming until his death in the spring of 2017 where he suffered from a heart attack during a track meet. He later died at the hospital.
The girls soccer team finished the 2017 season with a 17-4-5 record, after winning the Non-Public Group B state title as co-champion with Moorestown Friends School after a 3-3 tie in the finals of the tournament.[42][43]
The girls spring / outdoor track team won the Non-Public B state championship in 2021.[44]
Theodore Miller Edison (1898–1992), only child of his inventor father who graduated from college; went on to become an inventor with over 80 patents.[54]
Philip L. Fradkin (1935–2012; class of 1953), author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.[49]
Brandon Uranowitz (born 1986), stage and screen actor best known for his roles as Adam Hochberg in the musical An American in Paris and as Mendel Weisenbachfeld in the 2016 Broadway revival of Falsettos.[78]
^"MKA Netmen Win All-Groups Title", The Montclair Times, June 14, 1984. Accessed January 23, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Unbeaten Mark Pineda (30-0) fought back to defeat a heat-stricken Mark Leschly, 0-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-0, in an exciting second singles battle as Montclair Kimberley Academy won two important 3-set matches en route to a 4-1 team victory over Princeton in the state all-groups championship at Princeton University, Thursday.... MKA (24-1), the top-ranked team in the Star-Ledger Tennis Top 20 all season long had previously won the state parochial title before taking its first all-groups championship."
^Tober, Steve. "Sugiyama leads MKA to first T of C title", The Montclair Times, November 4, 2004. Accessed January 20, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Sugiyama certainly did recuperate nicely, eventually earning a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over the Mendham standout, and help lead top-seeded MKA (24-0) to a 4-1 team victory over the Minutemen for the Essex County school's first T of C title."
^"No. 1 Immaculate Heart beats Bishop Eustace in Parochial A", Asbury Park Press, June 6, 1999. Accessed November 30, 2020. "Montclair Kimberley 5, Sacred Heart 0: Sophomore center fielder Lauren Stefanchik stole three bases, giving her 91 on the season, and scored two runs, as the No. 19 Cougars (24-6) won the Parochial B crown at Toms River North."
^"Catalano leads Governor Livingston to first state title", Asbury Park Press, June 10, 2007. Accessed January 6, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Montclair Kimberley 2, St. Joe's (Hammonton) 0: With senior Alisha Prystowsky on second base after being hit by a pitch and a steal, freshman Jessica Stofik hit a two-run home run to center field to provide the game's only scoring as Montclair Kimberley Academy downed St. Joseph Hammonton in the NJSIAA Non-Public B title game at Toms River High School East. Stofik finished 2-for-2 with a walk, and the win gave the Cougars (21-6) four straight Non-Public B crowns and seven in the last nine seasons."
^Marc Della Volpe, New Jersey City University Gothic Knights. Accessed December 3, 2017. "Della Volpe left Manhattan to become a high school head coach at Montclair Kimberley Academy for two seasons (2006–08) where he led the Cougars to its eighth consecutive Non-Public B state championship and the North B state title in 2007. The program again reached the 2008 Non-Public B championship game before falling. MKA won its ninth and 10th consecutive Colonial Hills Conference championship in 2007 and 2008."
^Karn, Jeff. "Gill St. Bernard's (0) at Montclair Kimberley (1), NJSIAA Tournament, Final Round, North Jersey, Non-Public B - Boys' Soccer", The Star-Ledger, November 14, 2011. Accessed November 15, 2011. "Dixon barely got a foot on a shot by Miles Hackett and redirected it into the net with 1:32 remaining in the first overtime to send Montclair Kimberley Academy, No. 15 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, to a thrilling 1–0 victory over Gill St. Bernard's in the NJSIAA/Sports Authority Non-Public B final yesterday at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. Montclair Kimberley (21-2-2) won its first state title since 2006."
^Staff. "Montclair Kimberley 82, Collegiate 59 — Prep B Tournament", The Star-Ledger, February 19, 2008. Accessed June 14, 2011. "Kyrie Irving scored 11 of his 32 points over the final 3:22 of the third quarter when Montclair Kimberley broke a tie and pulled away to earn its first state Prep B title with an 82-59 victory over Collegiate in the championship game yesterday in Passaic."
^Tober, Steve. "MKA girls soccer team earns co-state championship", The Record, November 14, 2017. Accessed January 25, 2022. "And that was exactly the case as Montclair Kimberley Academy dominated late in regulation and throughout the two 10-minute overtime periods, yet could not find the back of the net again in what wound up a 3-3 tie with Moorestown Friends. The schools wound up as co-state champions in Non-Public B after 100 minutes of soccer Sunday night at Kean University’s Alumni Field. MKA, which finishes the season at a splendid 17-4-5, earned co-championships in the Essex County tournament, the Prep B tourney and now in Non-Public B after copping top honors in North section with a 4-0 shutout of 2016 state champion Morris Catholic on Nov. 9."
^Bob Cottingham, Ivy@50. Accessed December 3, 2017. "Growing up in Orange, New Jersey, he 'played football and lacrosse, which is my favorite sport,' he says.... Cottingham began fencing at Montclair Kimberley Academy under Columbia grad Carmen Marnell and was named all-state."
^State of New Jersey Executive Order #57 Governor James J. Florio, State of New Jersey. Accessed December 3, 2017. "Whereas, Wayne Dumont, Jr., was born in Paterson on June 25, 1914 and was graduated from Montclair Academy, Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania and the University of Pennsylvania Law School"
^Hal Ebersole Stats, Pro Football Archives. Accessed January 16, 2022. "High School: Montclair Kimberley Academy (Montclair, NJ)"
^"Class Notes", p. 75 in MKA Review; The Magazine of Montclair Kimberley Academy. Accessed November 4, 2019. "Congratulations to Thomas C. Galligan '73, President of Colby-Sawyer College, will step down after 10 years in office on June 30, 2016."
^King, Peter. "Ten Things I Think I Think", Sports Illustrated, June 6, 2010, backed up by the Internet Archive as of June 11, 2010. Accessed December 3, 2017. "Frank Herrmann, welcome to the bigs. Great to see a hard-working righty reliever (he prepped at Montclair Kimberly Academy in New Jersey under Ralph Pacifico, a good friend of mine) finally make the majors."
^Tober, Steve. "MKA's Riddick has unique view as she watches surging Mounties", The Montclair Times, May 20, 2005. Accessed August 27, 2007. "Former MKA goalkeeper Tim Howard recently had his starting keeper's job taken away for Manchester United as the British power decided to insert the more experienced international player Roy Carroll in his place, at least for the moment, as the team approached solidifying its FA Cup final lineup."
^MKA Alumni Return to Campus for Career Day, Montclair Kimberly Academy. Accessed January 16, 2022. "George Hrab ’89 returned to talk about a life in the music industry, Amanda Englander ’04 discussed her work as an editor in book publishing and Christian Langbein ’00 explained how to navigate the world of fashion."
^"Caption", The Montclair Times, February 21, 1974. Accessed June 7, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Grant Hubley, left, a student at Montclair Academy and a son of Mrs. Julie P. Hubley of South Mountain Ave., and Karen Kelley, right, a student at The Kimberley School, and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William J. Kelley, of Warren Pl., discuss their new school, a combination of Brookside School, The Kimberley School and Montclair Academy with Richard W. Day, principal of the school."
^"James Johnson, MKA Class of 1979 addresses MLK Assembly at the Upper School". Montclair Kimberley Academy. Accessed December 3, 2017. "Former Under Secretary of the Treasury for Enforcement in the Clinton administration, member of the Obama transition team, MKA Distinguished Alumni Award recipient and member of the MKA Athletic Hall of Fame, James Johnson ’79 was able to give his young audience a unique insight into what might be going through the mind of President Obama during the Presidential Inauguration."
^Elizabeth Jones; US Chief Coin Designer and Engraver, USA Coin Book. Accessed July 22, 2016. "In 1953, at the age of 18, Elizabeth graduated from the Montclair Kimberley Academy (also known as Kimberley School before 1974)."
^Staff."Garrett Kramer named new MKA hockey coach", The Star-Ledger, July 24, 2008. Accessed December 3, 2017. "Former Montclair Kimberley star Garrett Kramer has been named the new head ice hockey coach at his alma mater, replacing Michael Good, who held the position for three seasons. Kramer was an outstanding player for Montclair Kimberley from 1976 through 1980, leading the state in scoring in 1980 and earning first-team All-State status that season."
^ abPries, Allison. "Two N.J. women who invented the sports bra are being inducted into the Hall of Fame", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 19, 2020. Accessed January 4, 2023. "Lindahl’s childhood friend, Polly Smith, with whom she had attended Montclair Kimberley Academy, happened to be staying with Lindahl that summer while, Smith, who was a costume designer, worked at the Champlain Shakespeare Festival."
^Charles Martin Simon, BeeSource.com, backed up by the Internet Archive as of October 5, 2008. Accessed December 3, 2017. "Charles Martin Simon was born on July 8, 1941, at 6 A.M., in Newark, N.J., the first major U.S. city to go bankrupt due to racial strife. He graduated from Montclair Academy, a private, pseudo-military high school famous for its state-of-the-art dress code and discipline, in 1959, and went on to Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, where he majored in Agriculture and English Literature."
^ abAlumni Awards, Montclair Kimberley Academy. Accessed March 6, 2011.
^"Campus Corner", Herald News, June 17, 1949. Accessed January 16, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Peter N. Perretti, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter N. Perretti, 79 The Circle, Passaic, was graduated Friday from Montclair Academy. In his junior year, he was secretary-treasurer of his class, a member of one of the debating societies, the Rostrum, on the staff of the yearbook, and a member of the Science Club. He also played on the basketball and baseball teams."
^"West Orange Jazz Musician to Release New CD This Week", TAPinto West Orange, September 15, 2020. Accessed May 20, 2023. "Thompson attended Montclair-Kimberley Academy High School, but each summer he served as a teaching assistant for the Summer Enrichment program at West Orange High, working with K-2 students on music."
^Oguss, Elizabeth; and Moss, Linda. "Michael Wolff, author of Trump book, graduated from private Montclair HS", Montclair Local, January 8, 2018. Accessed January 24, 2018. "Author Michael Wolff, whose controversial book stirred President Donald Trump to angrily tweet to defend his 'stable genius,' was president of his high school student council — and his high school was in Montclair. Wolff, who continues to defend the veracity of Fire and Fury: Inside The Trump White House, graduated from Montclair Academy in 1971."
^"Class Notes", MKA Review, Fall 2019. Accessed November 10, 2020. "Michael Yamashita MA '67, Laurel (Pekar) Tahija KS '67, and Alan Yamashita MA '68 had a mini-reunion at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Hong Kong, held March 23, 2019."
^Staff. "Richard Ward Day, 61; Principal of Prep School", The New York Times, July 4, 1978. Accessed December 3, 2017. "Richard Ward Day, the principal of the Montclair Kimberley Academy in Montclair, N.J., and for 10 years the principal of the Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, N.H., died yesterday after a short illness. He was 61 years old."
^Tober, Steve. "Cougars benefit from depth in distance events", The Montclair Times, April 14, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2011. "The fact that Montclair Kimberley Academy's boys and girls track and field teams are particularly strong in the distance running events (800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters) should not be a surprise, since veteran head coach Tom Fleming – a pretty good distance runner himself in his day – has always produced an arsenal of hard-working mileage grinders willing to put in the necessary work in all three seasons (cross country, indoor and outdoor track) in order to keep improving. The Cougars' current squad certainly boasts numbers (32 boys and 17 girls on the respective rosters), meaning the interest in the sport is at a high point under the enthusiastic 12th-year head coach, who twice won the New York City Marathon during the early 1970s."
