West Deptford High School
West Deptford High School, July 2009
Address
Map
1600 Old Crown Point Road

West Deptford Township
,
Gloucester County
,
New Jersey
08093

United States
Coordinates39°51′23″N 75°09′42″W / 39.856401°N 75.16177°W / 39.856401; -75.16177
Information
TypePublic high school
Motto"Building Excellence and Success Through Teamwork"
Established1960
School districtWest Deptford Public Schools
NCES School ID341743002662[1]
PrincipalKelly Clark (acting)
Faculty71.0 FTEs[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment781 (as of 2022–23)[1]
Student to teacher ratio11.0:1[1]
Color(s)  Green
  white and
  black[2]
Athletics conferenceColonial Conference (general)
West Jersey Football League (football)
Team nameEagles[2]
RivalHaddonfield Memorial High School
NewspaperThe Talon[3]
YearbookAquila[4]
Websitehs.wdeptford.k12.nj.us

West Deptford High School is a comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from West Deptford Township, in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the sole secondary school of the West Deptford Public Schools.

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 781 students and 71.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1. There were 143 students (18.3% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 33 (4.2% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]

History

In August 1958, the district approved a proposal for the construction of a junior/senior high school on a site covering 50 acres (20 ha) that would cost a projected $2.5 million (equivalent to $26.4 million in 2023).[5] The school opened for ninth-grade students in 1960 and had its first graduating class four years later.[6] Formal dedication ceremonies for the school, which could handle a maximum enrollment of nearly 1,450 students, were held in December 1960.[7]

Awards, recognition and honors

The school was the 152nd-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.[8] The school had been ranked 219th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 182nd in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[9] The magazine ranked the school 185th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[10] The school was ranked 170th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[11]

Athletics

West Deptford High School Eagles[2] compete as a member school in the Colonial Conference, which is comprised of small schools whose enrollments generally do not exceed 800 students for grades 9-12, and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[12][13] With 603 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2022–24 school years as Group II South for most athletic competition purposes.[14] The football team competes in the Constitution Division of the 94-team West Jersey Football League superconference[15][16] and was classified by the NJSIAA as Group II South for football for 2022–2024, which included schools with 480 to 674 students.[17] The school competes in Varsity Tier II of the South Jersey High School Ice Hockey League, a high school ice hockey league with 20 teams participating at the varsity level from South Jersey.

The boys' soccer team was Group II co-champion with Madison High School in 1982 and won the Group III title vs. Scotch Plains High School in 1985.[18] The 1982 team was declared as Group II co-champion after a 1–1 tie in the finals with Madison.[19] In 1999, the soccer team earned the South, Group III sectional title with a 2–0 win against Moorestown High School.[20] In 2012, the soccer team won the South Jersey Group II sectional title with a 4–1 win in penalty kicks after a 2–2 tie in the tournament final against Cinnaminson High School.[21]

The girls swimming team won the Division B state championship in 1984.[22]

The field hockey team won the South Jersey Group II state sectional title in 1994, 1996, 2003, 2009, 2013–2019; the team won the Group II state championship in 1996, defeating Warren Hills Regional High School in the tournament final.[23] The team won the South Jersey, Group II state sectional in 2003 with a 3–2 win over Camden Catholic High School in the final game,[24] avenging a 2–1 loss the previous year against the same team.[25]

The wrestling team won the South Jersey Group II state sectional title in 1996, 2000, 2010, 2019 and 2020; the team won the Group II state championship in 2000.[26] The wrestling team won the 2000 Group III state championship, edging North Hunterdon High School 25–24 in the semifinal match and defeating Sparta High School 34–28 in the finals.[27] The wrestling team took the South Jersey, Group III sectional title in 2000 with a 37–23 win in the tournament final against Oakcrest High School.[28] In the 2009-10 wrestling season, the Eagles won a South Jersey Group II Title. Then beat 10th-ranked David Brearley High School in the state semi-finals before losing to second-ranked Long Branch High School in the finals and finished ranked 12th in the state.[citation needed]

The 1996 softball team finished the season with a 24–6 record after winning the Group II state championship. The team won the semifinals against Carteret High School in 14 innings and went on to win the championship with a 6-5 extra-inning victory against Arthur L. Johnson High School in the tournament final after falling behind in the ninth, tying the game and then going on to win in the bottom of the tenth inning.[29][30]

The football team won the South Jersey Group II state title in 2002–2004, 2007, 2011, 2012 and 2016.[31] The football team won the South, Group II state sectional championship in 2002 edging Buena Regional High School 21–20 in the tournament final.[32] The team repeated in 2003 with a 17–12 win against Overbrook High School in the tournament final.[33] The team won for a third consecutive year in 2004 with a 42–20 victory over Point Pleasant Boro High School.[34][35] The Eagles went on to win the Group II state championship a fourth time in 2007 with a 31–17 victory over Point Pleasant Boro High School.[36] The team won the 2016 South Jersey Group II state sectional championship, finishing the season with a 12–0 record as they defeated Cedar Creek High School by a final score of 19–13 in the tournament final.[37] The school's football rivalry with Haddonfield Memorial High School, which dates back to 1981, was listed at 4th on NJ.com's 2017 list "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football" and was described as the best rivalry in South Jersey, citing the frequent playoff meetups between the two teams. Haddonfield leads the rivalry with a 27–16–1 overall record as of 2017.[38]

The boys track team won the Group II spring / outdoor track state championship in 2014.[39]

The baseball team won the Group II state championship in 2016, defeating Parsippany High School by a score of 2–1 in the tournament final.[40][41]

Marching band

The school's marching band currently competes in the Tournament of Bands Chapter One circuit in size Group 2 (26-50 musicians) [42][43] The band's current director is Thomas Kershaw Jr.[44]

TOB Competitive History (2002–2022)
Year Theme[42] Group ACC Rank ACC Score Chapter Rank Chapter Score
2022 DRAWN IN 2 2 96.20 1 94.70
2021 KALEIDOSCOPE 2 1 96.20 1 95.70
2019 ELYSIUM 2 1 98.70 1 96.25
2018 DISTORTED 2[45] 2[45] 97.50[45] 1[46] 96.75[46]
2017 El Corazón 2[47] 1[47] 97.40[47] 1[48] 97.30[48]
2016 The New World 2[47] 1[47] 97.90[47] 1[49] 95.65[49]
2015 To The Heavens 2[47] 1[47] 98.65[47] 1[50] 96.30[50]
2014 ICE-SOLATION 3[47] 1[47] 96.75[47] 1[51] 96.45[51]
2013 Parisian Portraits 2[47] 1[47] 96.90[47] 2[52] 94.05[52]
2012 Expressions of Elegance 2[47] 1[47] 97.65[47] 2[53] 94.00[53]
2011 From Twilight 'til The Dawn 3[47] 1[47] 96.55[47] 1[54] 94.45[54]
2010 Dynasty: Reflections Of China 3[47] 1[47] 96.95[47] 1[55] 95.25[55]
2009 American Voices 3[56] 4[56] 94.20[56] 1[57] 91.55[57]
2008 Seascapes 3[58] 3[58] 94.65[58] 1[59] 92.95[59]
2007 On The Edge 3[60] 3[60] 96.25[60] 1[61] 94.10[61]
2006 Nocturnal Images 3[62] 2[62] 96.80[62] 1[63] 94.35[63]
2005 Time 3[64] 5[64] 94.65[64] 2[65] 94.55[65]
2004 Masters of Melody 2[66] 6[66] 93.30[66] 2[67] 92.05[67]
2003 Scenes From The Russian Ice Palace 2[68] 18[68] 87.00[68] 4[69] 90.15[69]
2002 Spanish Fire 1[70] 19[70] 83.95[70] 4[71] 86.75[71]

In 2017 WDMB broke the record for the most consecutive ACC wins,[72] previously held by the Middle Township Marching Band with 7 consecutive wins from 1997 to 2003. However WDMB's consecutive winning streak was broken in 2018 by the Huntingtown Marching Band, who won first place by 0.25 points.[45]

WDMB was ToB Chapter 1 Champion in group 2B in 1978[73]

Administration

The school's acting principal is Kelly Clark, whose core administrative team includes three assistant principals.[74]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ a b c d e School data for West Deptford High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c West Deptford Township High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  3. ^ The Talon, West Deptford High School. Accessed March 21, 2022.
  4. ^ Clubs & Activities, West Deptford High School. Accessed March 21, 2022.
  5. ^ "W. Deptford High School Plan Okayed", Courier-Post, August 14, 1958. Accessed March 21, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "West Deptford Township Board of Education and the Citizens Advisory Committee approved plans Wednesday night for a junior-senior high school estimated to cost $2.5 million. The board will meet with the State Department of Education Aug. 26 at 10.30 a. m. for permission for the board to exceed its borrowing capacity. Township voters authorized purchase of a 50-acre site for the proposed structure at a special election in May."
  6. ^ Maska, April; Mikulski, Noreen. West Deptford, p. 72. Arcadia Publishing, 2011. ISBN 9780738576022. Accessed March 21, 2022. "They were the first color guard team of the new West Deptford High School. The high school opened in 1960 with an incoming freshman class. A new incoming class was added each year. In 1964, the first senior class graduated from West Deptford High School."
  7. ^ "W. Deptford High School Is Dedicated", Courier-Post, December 3, 1960. Accessed March 21, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "The new $2.5 million West Deptford Junior-Senior High School which opened recently was dedicated in ceremonies here today..... Functional capacity of the school is 1,156 pupils while maximum capacity is 1,446."
  8. ^ Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  9. ^ Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed September 24, 2012.
  10. ^ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed October 30, 2011.
  11. ^ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  12. ^ Schools, Colonial Conference. Accessed September 1, 2022.
  13. ^ League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  14. ^ NJSIAA General Classifications - Public Schools 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
  15. ^ West Deptford Eagles, West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  16. ^ 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."
  17. ^ NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2022–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  18. ^ NJSIAA History of Boys Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
  19. ^ "Dodgers tie for state soccer crown", The Madison Eagle, November 24, 1982. Accessed February 27, 2021. "With a 1-1 tie against West Deptford on Friday night Madison won the Group II State Championship and completed the 'triple crown' of soccer for 1982 The Dodgers won Morris County and Northern Hills Conference championships to go with their state crown. The game, in which both teams were declared state champions because of the tie. was played at Wall High School near Pt. Pleasant before a crowd estimated at 1,300."
  20. ^ Public Group Semifinals - South, Group III, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 6, 2007.
  21. ^ "West Deptford at Cinnaminson, NJSIAA Tournament, Round, South Jersey, Group 2", NJ.com, November 19, 2012. Accessed December 20, 2017.
  22. ^ NJSIAA Boys and Girls Team Swimming History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
  23. ^ History of NJSIAA Field Hockey Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
  24. ^ 2003 Field Hockey - South, Group II, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 6, 2007.
  25. ^ 2002 Field Hockey Tournament - South, Group II, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 6, 2007.
  26. ^ NJSIAA Wrestling Team Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
  27. ^ Group Finals - Group III, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 6, 2007.
  28. ^ Team Wrestling - South, Group III, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 6, 2007.
  29. ^ Softball Championship History 1972–2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated July 2023. Accessed April 1, 2024.
  30. ^ Culligan, Joey. "W. Deptford captures first state softball title; The team had fallen behind in the 9th inning. But in the 10th, rival A.L. Johnson succumbed.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 9, 1996. Accessed June 6, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The West Deptford Softball team learned the meaning of patience last Tuesday when it defeated Central Jersey champion Carteret in a state semifinal game that went 14 innings. That experience paid off for coach Jill Schectz's team yesterday at Toms River North when it edged A.L. Johnson, 6-5, in 10 innings, to win the school's first state Group 2 title. West Deptford (24-6) lost all of a 4-0 lead and then fell behind, 5-4, in the top of the ninth, but the Colonial Conference team tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, then scored the deciding run in its next at-bat."
  31. ^ NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
  32. ^ 2002 Football - South, Group II, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 6, 2007.
  33. ^ 2003 Football Tournament - South, Group II, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 6, 2007.
  34. ^ Schnatz, Pete. "A scary opening turned to easy win for West Deptford", The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 6, 2004. Accessed August 19, 2007. "Going by the final score, West Deptford's 42-20 win over visiting Point Pleasant Boro on Friday night was the easiest of the Eagles' three consecutive South Jersey Group 2 championships."
  35. ^ 2004 Football Tournament - South, Group II, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 6, 2007.
  36. ^ Christopher, Chris. "Championship dreams dashed: Panthers tamed in SJ II title game by West Deptford", Asbury Park Press, December 1, 2007. Accessed October 30, 2011. "The top-seeded Panthers last night fell to No. 2 West Deptford, 31-17, in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association South Jersey Group II championship game."
  37. ^ Zedalis, Joe. "West Deptford defense comes up big against the Cedar Creek spread offense", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 4, 2016. Accessed December 11, 2016. "West Deptford head coach Clyde Folsom was joking, but it was no joke how his team played defense Sunday in the South Jersey Group 2 championship game at Rowan University. 'We finally figured out how to defend the spread,' Folsom said after West Deptford finished a perfect, 12-0 season with a 19-13 victory over Cedar Creek."
  38. ^ Stypulkoski, Matt. "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 27, 2017, updated May 15, 2019. Accessed December 1, 2020. "4-Haddonfield vs. West Deptford: This has become South Jersey's best rivalry.... The teams met in the playoffs five of six years from 2009 to 2014 with West Deptford or Haddonfield winning every title from 2010 to 2014.... The series started in 1981. All-time series: Haddonfield leads 27-16-1."
  39. ^ NJSIAA Spring Track Summary of Group Titles Boys, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
  40. ^ NJSIAA Baseball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  41. ^ Saffren, Jarrad. "West Deptford wins first state baseball title on reversed call", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 12, 2016. Accessed November 3, 2020. "West Deptford led Parsippany, 2-1, in the bottom of the eighth inning of the NJSIAA Group 2 championship game Saturday at Toms River East. Parsippany had a man on third with one out. Tommy Nowicki chopped the ball to short."
  42. ^ a b Competitive History, West Deptford High School Varsity Marching Band. Accessed September 7, 2022.
  43. ^ "FALL 2015 TOURNAMENT OF BANDS Field Rules" (PDF). NJATOB. March 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  44. ^ "Educational Staff". WEST DEPTFORD HS VARSITY MARCHING BAND. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
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  72. ^ "SJ marching band breaks record, wins 4-state championship title". Courier-Post. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  73. ^ "Chapter One History". www.tob1.org. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  74. ^ Administration, West Deptford High School. Accessed April 28, 2023.
  75. ^ Soccer: The Perfect Sport for Congress, Chad Perkins, Fox News, June 11, 2010. Accessed November 7, 2010.
  76. ^ "Rammel resigns at Saint Mary's to join MLS Galaxy", Soccer Times, December 15, 2005. Accessed January 7, 2008. "After leading West Deptford High School to two straight New Jersey state championships, Rammel was named Parade magazine's "National Player of the Year" for his 1985-86 senior season."
  77. ^ McLane, Jeff. "Last chance is a dream for Scirrotto", The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 18, 2010. Accessed October 30, 2011. "Anthony Scirrotto could not ignore the signs that his dream of playing professional football could go unfulfilled.... He helped coach the football program at his old high school, West Deptford."

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to West Deptford High School.
Education in Gloucester County, New Jersey
Colonial Conference (NJSIAA)
West Jersey Football League (NJSIAA)
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