Newark High School (Delaware)
Encyclopedia
Newark High School is a public high school in Newark, Delaware
and is one of three high schools within the Christina School District
. It is also one of the oldest educational institutions in the state, graduating its first class of students in 1893. In 2009 it saw its 20,000th student graduate. Newark is the only remaining "downtown" non-charter public High School in New Castle County.
Newark has been named by Newsweek
magazine as one of their "Top Schools in America." In 2006 Newark was #521, in 2007 it was ranked #271, and in 2008 it was ranked #1041. This list represents the top 5% of the schools in the nation based on AP, IB, and Cambridge exams taken divided by students graduating. The school was also named a GRAMMY Signature School in 2010 by the GRAMMY Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. In addition, Newark has also won the DIAA Sportsmanship Award in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.
or attend private schools, like the nearby Newark Academy.
Originally intended to instruct students through eighth grade, the building began "college preparation" (High School level) classes on the second floor of the building in the early 1890s. The first graduating class consisted of nine students in 1893, nearly matching the amount of faculty members at the time (five).
Slowly, as the town began to grow, the conditions began to get cramped at 83 East Main Street. When the school (and its 185 students from first through twelfth grade) moved to a larger facility in 1898, 83 East Main Street remained the school district's primary school until the 1920s, served as part of the high school's vocational program until the 1950s, and became the headquarters for the Newark Special School District through 1981. When the Christina School District was created in 1981, the location was absorbed by the new district and continued to be used as the district headquarters until 2004.
The building is currently owned by the University of Delaware
and it is being renovated to serve as its primary bookstore starting in 2011. This building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
since 1982 and as such the exterior of the building will remain intact.
.
While at the Academy Building, the only prolonged educational interruption in Newark's history occurred. During October 1918, classes were suspended for three weeks due to the Spanish Flu
, which was particularly bad in the Philadelphia metro area. No students or faculty members are believed to have died from the Influenza Pandemic in 1918. A total of 109 students attended Newark that year (28 of the students were seniors) under the direction of seven faculty members.
The daily routine at the Newark Public School (as it was called then) started at 8 am and ended at 4 pm. All sports games and practices were held behind Wolf Hall on the University of Delaware campus since they had the only available sports fields in the area at the time. Various traditions, most notably the first (documented) Prom at Wolf Hall in 1923, began during this period in Newark's history.
As the school continued to grow, a report on Delaware schools conducted by Columbia University
ended up spurring the local community to build a more modern facility. The report listed various problems, calling the building an "inadequate fire trap" with "narrow halls", "inaccessible" outhouses and a basement "deep in mud and water."
Currently, The Newark Academy Building belongs to the University of Delaware and is home to the Office of Public Relations. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
since 1976.
was one of the main benefactors of the district when they sought construction money for the building, donating $125,000.
A few blocks away on New London Road, the Newark Colored School was built for the African-American population of Newark for $36,250. Over 50% of the cost, about $19,000, was donated once again by DuPont, making the Newark Colored School one of the most expensive one room school houses in the country (although it still paled in comparison in terms of facilities and faculty, as the links above attest).
While at the High Street address, Newark saw the birth of the school newspaper, The Yellowjacket Buzz, in 1936. The Yellowjacket Buzz originally was produced monthly (by the 1940s it was published twice a month) and was sold for 10 cents a copy. Originally starting as a supplement in the Buzz, the first yearbook (called the Krawen) was published in 1941. The paper covered book was 60 pages long and contained advertisements to help keep the cost to students down. Both the Buzz and Krawen are among the oldest continuously running student-run publications in Delaware.
The first (documented) senior class trip, which stayed in the Lafayette Hotel in Washington, D.C. after traveling by train, took place in 1938. The following year, the Class of 1939 traveled to New York City and visited the 1939 World's Fair. As a sign of the growing nature of NHS, 1939 was also the first year with split lunches.
When World War II
arrived, many faculty members (and eventually several students) were either drafted or enlisted to fight the Axis Powers. In fact, several members of the Class of 1944 were called upon to actually teach classes due to a shortage of available teachers. Arthur Gribble, William Lehman, Anthony Gaskiewicz, Ollie Salminen, Oliver Suddard, and Eugene Campbell (Class of 1944); Frank Sanborn, Walter "Cueball" Martin, Howard Dean, "Ebbie" Lewis, "Alex" Zabenko, Robert Davis, Gerald Gilston, Lewis McCormick, Henry Hammond, Hugh McKinney, Herbert Murphy, Oscar Pickett and Thomas Runk (Class of 1945) all enlisted in the service prior to their graduations. Interestingly enough, along with the war effort another long term impact on student life at Newark began as Drivers Education became a class in 1944.
Following the war, an influx of families to the city of Newark (which only increased with the building of I-95
nearby) caused the student population to swell at a rate of nearly 15% a year between 1945 and 1960 (enrollment jumped at NHS from 586 in 1956 to 1096 in 1960). This growth eventually led to calls for a newer facility, which was completed in 1956.
The High Street building was transformed into a middle school (called Central Middle School) following the move and continued to serve the Newark community until 1981. In 1983, it was sold to the University of Delaware, who rededicated the building in 1994 as Pearson Hall. It currently houses the Geography Department, the Communications Department, and SLTV (UD's student-run television network).
The site of the "Newark Colored School" was bought by the City of Newark following the integration of both populations in 1956. The building, now known as the George Wilson Center, is still used by the City of Newark for various meetings and events.
ruling, the current incarnation of Newark High School opened as an integrated school able to serve a student population of around 1,000 students. At a cost of $3,532,312.24, the facility at 750 East Delaware Avenue was completed in 1956. It was not quite ready for first day of school and split sessions were used to begin the year. In October 1956, the 10-12 graders came to the Academy Street address, collected their books and walked a half mile to the new school.
The school itself was later expanded in 1970 (in order to accommodate additional growth), adding the three story E and D wings, a second cafeteria, a new library, and a second gym (which was among the largest in the area at the time). The only difference in the classrooms between the old wing and the new wing was the lack of a teacher office in the classroom. Christiana High School
was also opened in 1963 to alleviate overcrowding concerns at Newark. With the expansion, ninth grade was added to the building.
Today, Newark features four "classroom" wings on three floors (103 classrooms in all), five administrative centers, two cafeterias, two gyms, a telecommunications studio (which started cable-casting in 1970), a distance learning lab, a Wellness Center (since 1994), nearly 800 computers available for student use, a library (w/ 20,000 books), and a 700-seat auditorium.
Despite its location within the city limits of Newark, by the 1970s Newark was known, at least in ag circles, as “the farm school” in the state of Delaware. At its height, NHS had five ag teachers at that time, owned and harvested crop fields, and had a working farm shop. The centerpiece of this program was (and still is) the greenhouse behind the school, which is the largest in the state.
The campus' athletic facilities include a 400 meter track and field with shotput and discus throwing areas and long, triple, and high jump facilities and a pole-vaulting area, a soccer field that doubles as the baseball field's outfield, a football field that doubles as a soccer and lacrosse field, two softball fields and six tennis courts. The building was last renovated in 1998, although several capital improvements, such as central air for the entire building, were approved in a 2002 referendum and completed in 2006.
Newark hosted a Millennium Reunion in June 2000. The event was the brainchild of NHS 1978 grad, (the late) Kay Cole Buglass and welcomed alumni from all graduating years up till 2000. The event was hosted by many volunteer organizations including the then active Army JROTC unit, the Key club and many volunteer alumni. The event was a big success that was complemented by the book "Buzzing through the Years" authored by Kay, who had written the book to complement the reunion and to provide a detailed history of Newark High School for the Alumni. Two copies of this book were provided to the high school's library for students, facility and visiting alumni and guest. The Millennium Reunion was instrumental in the reunion committee receiving an award from the Delaware House of Representatives for building better school spirit. It also revitalised the dorment NHS Alumni Association.
In 1963 and led by their Trio of great Stars, Jake Correll (The Engine), Sami Bandak (The Spark Plug) and Jonathan Owens (The Big O)the Yellow Jackets made history by capturing their first Cross Country Blue Hen Conference Title and followed it up by winning the State Championship.
Parking is also extremely limited due to space limitations. Attempts to rectify the parking situation in particular have placed Newark in the news during periods of high enrollment, most notably disagreements between the school's student population and local businesses in the College Square Shopping Center in 2004 and the failed 2006 referendum that included a proposal for building a 12 million dollar parking garage on the site of the current parking lot. Due to redistricting and demographic changes (fewer students in the attendance area) in the late 2000s, this problem has largely disappeared as an issue amongst the student body.
In the spring of 2007 the lighting system for Hoffman Stadium was deemed unsafe by the school district. Due to financial restraints, the district was unwilling to pay for the repairs at the time, instead turning to the school community to raise the funds. The football booster club http://www.nhsjackets.com/ raised $67,000 through donations to repair the system, notably receiving checks from notable football alumni Kwame Harris and the National Football League
. Newark was one of the first high schools in the state to install stadium lighting in 1987 and Friday evening football has become a tradition at the school. Similar renovations, largely made through donations from boosters and notable alumni, improved the baseball field in 2007 and installed a new basketball court floor in the West Gym in 2010.
ruling, the Newark School District was placed into the jurisdiction of the State of Delaware.
However, the Delaware public school system was redistricted in 1981 following the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court ruling of Evans v. Buchanan (1978 US, 439 U.S. 1360)
which found that inequalities still existed and that Delaware schools were not adequately desegregated. Newark High School at that time became part of the Christina School District
, which it remains part of today.
Although Newark was desegregated prior to the ruling, with the creation of the Christina School District in 1981, students from the City of Wilmington were bussed to the school - increasing the minority representation in the school.
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Newark Teams that have not won a State Championship
Club Sports
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
and is one of three high schools within the Christina School District
Christina School District
The Christina School District is a public school district located in Newark, Delaware. It is the largest public school system in Delaware.- Schools :High Schools: Christiana High School, , and Newark High School.Middle Schools: , , and...
. It is also one of the oldest educational institutions in the state, graduating its first class of students in 1893. In 2009 it saw its 20,000th student graduate. Newark is the only remaining "downtown" non-charter public High School in New Castle County.
Newark has been named by Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine as one of their "Top Schools in America." In 2006 Newark was #521, in 2007 it was ranked #271, and in 2008 it was ranked #1041. This list represents the top 5% of the schools in the nation based on AP, IB, and Cambridge exams taken divided by students graduating. The school was also named a GRAMMY Signature School in 2010 by the GRAMMY Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. In addition, Newark has also won the DIAA Sportsmanship Award in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.
1893-1897
The first incarnation of what became Newark High School was located on 83 East Main Street in downtown Newark. The building itself belonged to the Unified School District and was erected by the town in 1884 at the cost of $10,000. When it was built, students wishing to pursue an education past the eighth grade would have had to move to nearby Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
or attend private schools, like the nearby Newark Academy.
Originally intended to instruct students through eighth grade, the building began "college preparation" (High School level) classes on the second floor of the building in the early 1890s. The first graduating class consisted of nine students in 1893, nearly matching the amount of faculty members at the time (five).
Slowly, as the town began to grow, the conditions began to get cramped at 83 East Main Street. When the school (and its 185 students from first through twelfth grade) moved to a larger facility in 1898, 83 East Main Street remained the school district's primary school until the 1920s, served as part of the high school's vocational program until the 1950s, and became the headquarters for the Newark Special School District through 1981. When the Christina School District was created in 1981, the location was absorbed by the new district and continued to be used as the district headquarters until 2004.
The building is currently owned by the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
and it is being renovated to serve as its primary bookstore starting in 2011. This building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since 1982 and as such the exterior of the building will remain intact.
1898-1924
In 1898, the school population moved to the recently vacated Academy of Newark Building at the corner of Main and Academy Streets in Newark. The Newark Academy, which had previously occupied the building had closed the previous year. The building itself was constructed in 1843 and was originally home to the Academy of Newark, a predecessor to the University of DelawareUniversity of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
.
While at the Academy Building, the only prolonged educational interruption in Newark's history occurred. During October 1918, classes were suspended for three weeks due to the Spanish Flu
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
, which was particularly bad in the Philadelphia metro area. No students or faculty members are believed to have died from the Influenza Pandemic in 1918. A total of 109 students attended Newark that year (28 of the students were seniors) under the direction of seven faculty members.
The daily routine at the Newark Public School (as it was called then) started at 8 am and ended at 4 pm. All sports games and practices were held behind Wolf Hall on the University of Delaware campus since they had the only available sports fields in the area at the time. Various traditions, most notably the first (documented) Prom at Wolf Hall in 1923, began during this period in Newark's history.
As the school continued to grow, a report on Delaware schools conducted by Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
ended up spurring the local community to build a more modern facility. The report listed various problems, calling the building an "inadequate fire trap" with "narrow halls", "inaccessible" outhouses and a basement "deep in mud and water."
Currently, The Newark Academy Building belongs to the University of Delaware and is home to the Office of Public Relations. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since 1976.
1924-1956
The third incarnation of what became known as Newark High School (housing grades one through twelve) was built in 1924 at a cost of $417,225 off of High Street (later renamed Academy Street). Local philanthropist Pierre S. DuPontDuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
was one of the main benefactors of the district when they sought construction money for the building, donating $125,000.
A few blocks away on New London Road, the Newark Colored School was built for the African-American population of Newark for $36,250. Over 50% of the cost, about $19,000, was donated once again by DuPont, making the Newark Colored School one of the most expensive one room school houses in the country (although it still paled in comparison in terms of facilities and faculty, as the links above attest).
While at the High Street address, Newark saw the birth of the school newspaper, The Yellowjacket Buzz, in 1936. The Yellowjacket Buzz originally was produced monthly (by the 1940s it was published twice a month) and was sold for 10 cents a copy. Originally starting as a supplement in the Buzz, the first yearbook (called the Krawen) was published in 1941. The paper covered book was 60 pages long and contained advertisements to help keep the cost to students down. Both the Buzz and Krawen are among the oldest continuously running student-run publications in Delaware.
The first (documented) senior class trip, which stayed in the Lafayette Hotel in Washington, D.C. after traveling by train, took place in 1938. The following year, the Class of 1939 traveled to New York City and visited the 1939 World's Fair. As a sign of the growing nature of NHS, 1939 was also the first year with split lunches.
When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
arrived, many faculty members (and eventually several students) were either drafted or enlisted to fight the Axis Powers. In fact, several members of the Class of 1944 were called upon to actually teach classes due to a shortage of available teachers. Arthur Gribble, William Lehman, Anthony Gaskiewicz, Ollie Salminen, Oliver Suddard, and Eugene Campbell (Class of 1944); Frank Sanborn, Walter "Cueball" Martin, Howard Dean, "Ebbie" Lewis, "Alex" Zabenko, Robert Davis, Gerald Gilston, Lewis McCormick, Henry Hammond, Hugh McKinney, Herbert Murphy, Oscar Pickett and Thomas Runk (Class of 1945) all enlisted in the service prior to their graduations. Interestingly enough, along with the war effort another long term impact on student life at Newark began as Drivers Education became a class in 1944.
Following the war, an influx of families to the city of Newark (which only increased with the building of I-95
Interstate 95 in Delaware
In Delaware, Interstate 95 runs diagonally from the border with Maryland northeast to the border with Pennsylvania. Between the Maryland state line and exit 5, I-95 is also designated as the Delaware Turnpike and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. Along with its auxiliaries, I-95 is the only...
nearby) caused the student population to swell at a rate of nearly 15% a year between 1945 and 1960 (enrollment jumped at NHS from 586 in 1956 to 1096 in 1960). This growth eventually led to calls for a newer facility, which was completed in 1956.
The High Street building was transformed into a middle school (called Central Middle School) following the move and continued to serve the Newark community until 1981. In 1983, it was sold to the University of Delaware, who rededicated the building in 1994 as Pearson Hall. It currently houses the Geography Department, the Communications Department, and SLTV (UD's student-run television network).
The site of the "Newark Colored School" was bought by the City of Newark following the integration of both populations in 1956. The building, now known as the George Wilson Center, is still used by the City of Newark for various meetings and events.
1956-present
With an increasing population in the city and the 1954 Brown v. Board of EducationBrown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
ruling, the current incarnation of Newark High School opened as an integrated school able to serve a student population of around 1,000 students. At a cost of $3,532,312.24, the facility at 750 East Delaware Avenue was completed in 1956. It was not quite ready for first day of school and split sessions were used to begin the year. In October 1956, the 10-12 graders came to the Academy Street address, collected their books and walked a half mile to the new school.
The school itself was later expanded in 1970 (in order to accommodate additional growth), adding the three story E and D wings, a second cafeteria, a new library, and a second gym (which was among the largest in the area at the time). The only difference in the classrooms between the old wing and the new wing was the lack of a teacher office in the classroom. Christiana High School
Christiana High School
Christiana High School is a public high school in Newark, Delaware. The school has been awarded Blue Ribbon School status.-History :Founded in 1963, Christiana High School is one of three high schools in the Christina School District . It is located on the outskirts of Newark, Delaware...
was also opened in 1963 to alleviate overcrowding concerns at Newark. With the expansion, ninth grade was added to the building.
Today, Newark features four "classroom" wings on three floors (103 classrooms in all), five administrative centers, two cafeterias, two gyms, a telecommunications studio (which started cable-casting in 1970), a distance learning lab, a Wellness Center (since 1994), nearly 800 computers available for student use, a library (w/ 20,000 books), and a 700-seat auditorium.
Despite its location within the city limits of Newark, by the 1970s Newark was known, at least in ag circles, as “the farm school” in the state of Delaware. At its height, NHS had five ag teachers at that time, owned and harvested crop fields, and had a working farm shop. The centerpiece of this program was (and still is) the greenhouse behind the school, which is the largest in the state.
The campus' athletic facilities include a 400 meter track and field with shotput and discus throwing areas and long, triple, and high jump facilities and a pole-vaulting area, a soccer field that doubles as the baseball field's outfield, a football field that doubles as a soccer and lacrosse field, two softball fields and six tennis courts. The building was last renovated in 1998, although several capital improvements, such as central air for the entire building, were approved in a 2002 referendum and completed in 2006.
Newark hosted a Millennium Reunion in June 2000. The event was the brainchild of NHS 1978 grad, (the late) Kay Cole Buglass and welcomed alumni from all graduating years up till 2000. The event was hosted by many volunteer organizations including the then active Army JROTC unit, the Key club and many volunteer alumni. The event was a big success that was complemented by the book "Buzzing through the Years" authored by Kay, who had written the book to complement the reunion and to provide a detailed history of Newark High School for the Alumni. Two copies of this book were provided to the high school's library for students, facility and visiting alumni and guest. The Millennium Reunion was instrumental in the reunion committee receiving an award from the Delaware House of Representatives for building better school spirit. It also revitalised the dorment NHS Alumni Association.
In 1963 and led by their Trio of great Stars, Jake Correll (The Engine), Sami Bandak (The Spark Plug) and Jonathan Owens (The Big O)the Yellow Jackets made history by capturing their first Cross Country Blue Hen Conference Title and followed it up by winning the State Championship.
Current Issues
Despite the school's large student population (the third largest in the state), the school currently occupies the smallest area of any high school in the state - a site which would be prohibited if the construction had taken place today (due to various land sales, expansions of the building, and the Christina Transportation lot "eating" away at the original area). In fact, many of the school's sports teams practice at nearby middle schools due to space limitations.Parking is also extremely limited due to space limitations. Attempts to rectify the parking situation in particular have placed Newark in the news during periods of high enrollment, most notably disagreements between the school's student population and local businesses in the College Square Shopping Center in 2004 and the failed 2006 referendum that included a proposal for building a 12 million dollar parking garage on the site of the current parking lot. Due to redistricting and demographic changes (fewer students in the attendance area) in the late 2000s, this problem has largely disappeared as an issue amongst the student body.
In the spring of 2007 the lighting system for Hoffman Stadium was deemed unsafe by the school district. Due to financial restraints, the district was unwilling to pay for the repairs at the time, instead turning to the school community to raise the funds. The football booster club http://www.nhsjackets.com/ raised $67,000 through donations to repair the system, notably receiving checks from notable football alumni Kwame Harris and the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Newark was one of the first high schools in the state to install stadium lighting in 1987 and Friday evening football has become a tradition at the school. Similar renovations, largely made through donations from boosters and notable alumni, improved the baseball field in 2007 and installed a new basketball court floor in the West Gym in 2010.
District information
The Newark School District came into existence under the direction of the City of Newark in 1919. Following the 1954 Brown v. Board of EducationBrown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
ruling, the Newark School District was placed into the jurisdiction of the State of Delaware.
However, the Delaware public school system was redistricted in 1981 following the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court ruling of Evans v. Buchanan (1978 US, 439 U.S. 1360)
which found that inequalities still existed and that Delaware schools were not adequately desegregated. Newark High School at that time became part of the Christina School District
Christina School District
The Christina School District is a public school district located in Newark, Delaware. It is the largest public school system in Delaware.- Schools :High Schools: Christiana High School, , and Newark High School.Middle Schools: , , and...
, which it remains part of today.
Although Newark was desegregated prior to the ruling, with the creation of the Christina School District in 1981, students from the City of Wilmington were bussed to the school - increasing the minority representation in the school.
Demographic information
- All information for this section can be found at the Delaware School Profile Page.
Students
| Ethnicity | 2010-2011 | 2009-2010 | 2008-2009 | 2007-2008 | 2006-2007 | 2005-2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White, not Hispanic | 47.2% | 49.4% | 49.3% | 52.7% | 53.6% | 56.2% |
| Black, not Hispanic | 35.8% | 35.8% | 35.7% | 33.0% | 33.2% | 31.8% |
| Hispanic | 10.6% | 9.7% | 9.8% | 9.0% | 8.0% | 7.6% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 5.8% | 5.0% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 4.8% | 4.0% |
| Native American/Alaskan Native/Hawaiian Native | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
- As of the 2010-2011 school year the student to teacher ratio was 19 to 1.
- As of the 2010-2011 school year the percentage of students listed as "limited English proficient" was 3.9% (up 0.5% compared to the previous year)
- As of the 2010-2011 school year 44.6% of the student population was listed as "low income" (down 1.9% compared to the previous year)
- As of the 2010-2011 school year 8.4% of the student population was listed as "special education" (down 0.2% compared to the previous year)
Faculty
| Ethnicity | Percentage of staff | Years of Teaching Experience | Percentage of staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| White, not Hispanic | 82.2% | Less than 4 years | 23.9% |
| Black, not Hispanic | 13.9% | 5 to 9 years | 20.4% |
| Hispanic | 1.0% | 10 to 19 years | 23.7% |
| Asian American | 2.0% | 20 to 29 years | 14.2% |
| Native American/Alaskan Native | 1.0% | 30 or more years | 8.0% |
- As of the 2010-2011 school year 98 teachers/instructional staff were allocated for NHS
- As of the 2010-2011 school year all teachers/instructional staff were deemed "Highly Qualified" by the State of Delaware.
- As of the 2010-2011 school year 46.9% of the Instructional Staff held a Masters Degree or higher.
- As of the 2010-2011 school year 7.7% of the Instructional Staff were NBPTS (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards) Certified.
Newark State Testing Scores (10th grade)
| 2010 Score | 2010 Rank | Change in Rank from 2009 | % Low Income | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math | 533 | 20/38 | no change | 44.6% |
| Reading | 507 | 23/38 | improved by 2 | 44.6% |
| 2011 Score | 2010 Score | 2009 Score | 2008 Score | 2007 Score | 2006 Score | 2005 Score | 2004 Score | 2003 Score | 2002 Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math | 838 (50%) | 533 (54%) | 531 (51%) | 532 (54%) | 523 (56%) | 530 (54%) | 531 (49%) | 538 (55%) | 536 (59%) | 521 (43%) |
| Reading | 819 (51%) | 507 (60%) | 513 (62%) | 514 (64%) | 521 (72%) | 511 (63%) | 518 (67%) | 522 (73%) | 520 (73%) | 511 (62%) |
- Rankings are created by The News Journal and are not used by DOE for classification. They are computed based on the DSTP performances by all Delaware Public High Schools - so while an individual school may score higher or lower from year to year, the ranking indicates how other schools did on the same exam.
- Writing assessment was dropped in 2010 from the DSTP test.
- DSTP transitioned to a new web-based test called DCAS in 2011. A new scoring system was developed since the test was taken three times over the course of the school year.
- For the 2010-2011 school year Newark has been classified as an "Academic Watch" school by the State of Delaware.
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Newark SAT Scores
| Class of '10 | Class of '09 | Class of '08 | Class of '07 | Class of '06 | Christina S.D. | Delaware | National | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math | 504 | 499 | 502 | 516 | 521 | 457 | 482 | 516 |
| Critical Reading | 510 | 496 | 501 | 505 | 507 | 479 | 479 | 501 |
| Writing | 497 | 482 | 482 | 493 | 494 | 452 | 464 | 492 |
| Combined | 1511 | 1477 | 1485 | 1514 | 1522 | 1374 | 1425 | 1509 |
- Class of '11, '12, and '13 scores will include the scores of all students at the school. One of the features of Delaware's successful Race to the TopRace to the TopRace to the Top, abbreviated R2T, RTTT or RTT, is a $4.35 billion United States Department of Education competition designed to spur innovation and reforms in state and local district K-12 education...
application was that all public school students would have a special SAT given during school to 11th graders during the month of April.
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Newark AP Exam Scores
| # of AP Courses Offered | # of students taking exams | # of exams taken | # of exams with a 3 or higher | % of Passing Scores | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 7 | 158 | 164 | 83 | 52% |
| 2003 | 8 | 187 | 203 | 141 | 69% |
| 2004 | 10 | 208 | 304 | 215 | 71% |
| 2005 | 25 | 559 | 605 | 304 | 54% |
| 2006 | 21 | 358 | 738 | 368 | 50% |
| 2007 | 23 | 280 | 448 | 180 | 40% |
| 2008 | 19 | 220 | 323 | 175 | 54% |
| 2009 | 18 | 304 | 487 | 272 | 56% |
| 2010 | 26 | 320 | 626 | 358 | 57% |
- In 2005, 2006, and 2011 the Christina School District paid the registration fees for any student currently enrolled in an AP Class who wished to take the exam.
Newsweek Ranking (based on AP, Cambridge, and IB exam participation)
| National Rank (Top 5% schools) | Rank within Delaware (35 possible) | % Graduating w/ a passing grade on the national exam | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 521/1236 | 4/6 | 22.7% |
| 2007 | 271/1351 | 2/9 | 27.9% |
| 2008 | 1041/1358 | 7/9 | 21.3% |
- Advanced Placement Courses offered: English Language, French Language, Human Geography, Spanish Language, Statistics, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Music Theory, World History, English Literature, US History, European History, AP Biology, Physics B, American Government and Politics, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Psychology, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics.
- In order to make Advanced Placement courses available to all students (and to encourage students to take the exam), the Christina School District paid the Registration fee for all exams in 2005 and 2006. This has resulted in a surge of new courses being offered while also increasing the number of students enrolled in the various AP programs. These changes are reflected in Newark's inclusion on Newsweek's "Top Schools In America" list for the first time in March 2006. Newark's ranking rose nearly 200 places the following year, when Newsweek published the 2007 rankings in May.
- The school remained on the "Newsweek's Top Schools" list in 2008, even after the district discontinued the payment program. Newark's AP program was featured in a December 2006 News Journal article discussing the rise in students from all groups taking the test.
- Starting with the 2007 tests (2006-2007 school year), students had to pay the registration fee(s) on their own unless they have a "special financial situation" that precludes them from affording the test. In such a case, the District will make-up the cost of registration.
- Newark also has a large cadre of students involved in the Cambridge Program. The program began during the 2006-2007 school year in ninth grade and expanded to include tenth grade the following year. Newark is the first (and only) Delaware High School to have such a program. Newark's participation in this program was highlighted in a January 2007 News Journal article.
- Newark has been a PBS (Positive Behavior Support) school since 2005 and an AVID school since 2008.
Athletics
State Championship Victories since 1942 (39 total) - Blue Hen Conference "Flight A" school- Football (1976, 1984, 1985, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2004)
- NHS Football last reached the State Championship Game in 2005 (lost).
- Currently is the all-time leader state championship victories.
- Coach Butch Simpson currently holds the state record for most career coaching victories in football (257) - active streak
- Girls Swimming and Diving (1978, 1980, 1981, 1989, 1990, 1992, 2003, and 2004)
- Baseball (1970, 1971, 1974, 1984, 1990, and 1996)
- NHS Baseball last reached the State Championship Game in 2007 (lost).
- Volleyball (1976, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1990)
- Boys Basketball (1982, 1987, and 1990)
- NHS Basketball last reached the State Championship Game in 2008 (lost).
- Boys Cross Country (1962, 1971)
- Boys Swimming and Diving (2005)
- Boys Indoor Track and Field (2004)
- Boys Tennis (1996)
- Softball (1977)
Newark Teams that have not won a State Championship
- Girls Basketball
- Girls Cross Country
- Field Hockey
- Golf
- Boys Lacrosse
- Girls Lacrosse
- Boys Soccer
- Girls Soccer
- Girls Tennis
- Girls Indoor Track and Field
- Boys Outdoor Track and Field
- Girls Outdoor Track and Field
- Wrestling
Club Sports
- Ice Hockey (Delaware Scholastic Hockey Association)
School organizations
- Anime Club - publishes a yearly publication called Wired
- Best Buddies - Form one-to-one relationships with those who are disabled
- Business Professionals of AmericaBusiness Professionals of AmericaBusiness Professionals of America is a career and technical student organization that is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. BPA aims to develop leadership, academic, and technological skills in the workplace among students and leaders within the community...
(BPA) - Chorus
- DECADECA (organization)DECA, also known as Collegiate DECA on the college level) is an international association of students and teachers of marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service . DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing,...
- Marketing, management, finance, entrepreneurship - FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America)
- FFA (Future Farmers of America)National FFA OrganizationThe National FFA Organization is an American youth organization known as a Career and Technical Student Organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education...
- Junior AchievementJunior AchievementJunior Achievement or JA or JA Worldwide is a non-profit youth organization that was founded in 1919 by Horace A. Moses, Theodore Vail, and senator Winthrop M. Crane. JA focuses on educating kids in K-12 about the free enterprise system...
(JA) - Won the 2007 "JA Banks in Action" North American Tournament) - Jefferson Award committee - Won the 2010 "Most Improved School" for Delaware
- Junior State of AmericaJunior State of AmericaThe Junior State of America is an American non-partisan student-run youth organization. It is also the largest high school student-run organization in the country...
(JSA) - Key ClubKey ClubKey Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
- Marching Band
- Math League
- Metaphysics Conference Club
- Model U.N. (MUN) - Run through the YMCAYMCAThe Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, but many students are active in it - National Honor SocietyNational Honor SocietyThe National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
- Newark Nature Society
- Newark Science and Engineering Club
- Newspaper - Yellowjacket Buzz, established in 1937
- Orchestra
- Rude Mechanicals - Improv troupe, performs throughout the school year
- Science Olympiad
- Spanish Club
- Student Government
- WNHS Television Crew - on the air since 1970 (5,000th show took place in May 2010)
- Yearbook - Krawen, published since 1941
- Youth in Government - Run through the YMCAYMCAThe Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, but many students are active in it
Trivia
- Krawen (the name of the Yearbook) is Newark backwards.
- When the current building opened in 1956, the current Main Office served as the school's library. It remained so until the 1970 renovation, which created the D and E wings. All of the older class rooms (in the B and C wings) have small offices attached to each room.
- Gym classes at Newark used to be divided by gender. When the second gym (West Gym) was built in 1970, it became the "Boys Gym" while the smaller gym (East Gym) became the "Girls Gym".
- The Newark football team played (and won) the highest scoring game in state history against Smyrna in 1929, 114-0.
- Newark has only had eight Principals in its long history: Kutz (1946–1969), Freidly (1969–1974, 1987), Stockebrand (1974–1979), McIntosh (1979–1987), Hagen (1988–2002), Rieman (2002–2004), Caulk (2004–2007), and Bedford (July 2007 – Present). Before 1946, the Principal of Newark High School was also the Superintendent of the Newark Public School District.
- Newark H.S. received national attention in October 2005 when two members of the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
promoted a Christian concert during a school-sanctioned assembly. Although not planned, the resulting fervor led to NHS being the center of a 1st Amendment (public schools and religious expression) debate, as this article attests. - This Wikipedia entry was featured in the October 2006 edition of NEA Today. The article was entitled "Getting Wiki With It."
Notable Yellowjackets
- Robert W. GoreRobert W. GoreRobert W. "Bob" Gore is an American engineer and scientist, inventor and businessman, who along with his father Bill Gore invented Gore-Tex, a waterproof/breathable fabric made from polytetrafluoroethylene ....
(1955), inventor - Katherine CiesinskiKatherine CiesinskiKatherine Ciesinski is a leading American mezzo-soprano, stage director, and voice professor.Ciesinski was born to Delaware Sports Hall of Famer Roman Ciesinski and Katherine Hansen Ciesinski. She is the sister of opera singer Kristine Ciesinski...
(1970s), mezzo-soprano - Chris DunnChris DunnChristopher Michael Dunn is an English football goalkeeper, who plays for Championship club Coventry City.-Career:...
(1972) Olympic high jumper - Jack Markell (1978), current governor of Delaware
- Kwame HarrisKwame HarrisKwame Harris is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers 26th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stanford....
, football player - Billy Toulson, sweat extraordinaire
- Orien HarrisOrien HarrisOrien J. Harris is an American football defensive tackle for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.Harris has also been a member of the...
, football player - Brian LesherBrian LesherBrian Herbert Lesher is a former backup outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for three different teams between and...
(1989), former Major League baseball player - Johnny WeirJohnny WeirJohn Garvin "Johnny" Weir is an American figure skater. He is a three-time U.S. National Champion , the 2008 Worlds bronze medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and the 2001 World Junior Champion....
(2002), Olympian, figure skater - Steve Amick, state representative
Yellowjackets in the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
- Bernie (Bunny) Blaney
- C. Melvin Brooks Sr.
- Shorty ChalmersGeorge V. ChalmersGeorge V. "Shorty" Chalmers was an American college athlete. He served as the quarterback of the University of Maryland football team from 1929 to 1931. Chalmers also played basketball and baseball at Maryland...
- Roman Ciesinski
- Brandy Davis
- Scotty Duncan
- Chris Dunn
- Conway Hayman
- Gary Hayman
- Bob Hoffman
- Vincent "Winnie" Mayer
- Carol Thomson Slowik
- Steve Taylor
- Buck Wharton
- Vic WillisVic WillisVictor Gazaway Willis was a Major League Baseball player nicknamed "The Delaware Peach." He was a starting pitcher...
- Peter Griffin
- Stanley Kubrick