Immaculata High School (New Jersey) Explained

Immaculata High School
Streetaddress:240 Mountain Avenue
County:(Somerset County)
Zipcode:08876
Country:United States
District:Diocese of Metuchen
Superintendent:Barbara Stevens
Founder:Msgr. Eugene Kelly[1]
Chairperson:Susan Odenthal
Principal:Edward Webber
Administrator:Rev. Msgr. Joseph Celano
Rector:Rev. Joseph Illes
Chaplain:Rev. Tom Lanka
Avg Class Size:23
Sat:1150
Act:24.1 (2020)[2]
Fees:$300 new / $150 returning (registration)
Tuition:$16,275 (grades 9-11 for 2022-23)[3]
Conference:Skyland Conference (general)
North Jersey Super Football Conference (football)
Slogan:Unitas Caritas: “Unity through Charity”
Motto:Faith. Scholarship. Service. Friendship.
Mascot:Joe Spartan
Nickname:Spartans
Colors: Blue
white
Yearbook:Magnificat
Newspaper:The Spartan Spirit[4]
Established:1962
Enrollment:487 (as of 2021–22)
Ratio:6.3:1
Us Nces School Id:01603041
Feeders:Immaculate Conception School
Free Label1:Vice Principal for Academics
Free Text1:Kristin Boczany
Free Label2:Vice Principal for Campus Affairs
Free Text2:Sonia Gasko
Free Label3:Athletic Director
Free Text3:Tom Gambino

Immaculata High School (also known as Immaculata, Lata, or IHS) is a private, coeducational, Roman Catholic high school in Somerville, in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Founded in 1962, Immaculata High School operates within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen.[5] The school was also served by a group of Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (from opening through the end of the 2018–19 school year), who lived in a convent attached to the main building of the school. Many of the Sisters taught different subjects in the school's curriculum. Immaculata High School has been accredited by Cognia since 2012.[6]

As of the 2021–22 school year, the school had an enrollment of 487 students and 76.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 6.3:1. The school's student body was 78.4% (382) White, 7.6% (37) Black, 5.7% (28) two or more races, 5.1% (25) Asian, 2.7% (13) Hispanic and 0.4% (2) American Indian / Alaska Native.[7]

History

The Immaculate Conception parish in Somerville had opened an elementary school, which would have its first class graduate from the school in June 1962. Plans were undertaken to have a high school open in time for the graduates of the grammar school. When the school opened in September 1962, there was a 90-student freshman class and a building under construction estimated to cost $1.15 million (equivalent to $ million in).[8]

From the school's founding in 1962 until the end of the 2018–19 school year, when they were assigned to other duties, the school had been staffed by nuns from the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.[9]

Awards, recognition and rankings

During the 1997–98 school year, Immaculata High School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education,[10] the highest award an American school can receive.[11] [12]

Academics

Beginning with the 2019–2020 school year, Immaculata students have the option of enrolling in the school's Chesterton Classical Studies program.[13] This program, named for G. K. Chesterton, provides a traditional foundation of studies in the humanities, namely philosophy, theology, language and the other liberal arts. Students in the program take Latin, and study the works of Homer, Socrates, Chaucer, Plato, Aristotle, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Teresa of Avila and others, while engaging in Socratic dialogue and discussion. The goal of the program is to form students intellectually and morally, so that they are capable of navigate the whole of life with prudence and wisdom.[14]

Immaculata's Unitas Prosperitas (U.P.) program supports students who are classified with learning disabilities and other academic challenges.[15]

Athletics

The Immaculata Spartans[16] compete in the Skyland Conference, which comprises public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren counties in west Central Jersey and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[17] With 354 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).[18] The football team competes in the United Blue division of the North Jersey Super Football Conference, which includes 112 schools competing in 20 divisions, making it the nation's biggest football-only high school sports league.[19] [20] 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.[21] Immaculata's school colors are blue and white.[16]

Interscholastic sports offered at Immaculata include:[16]

Fall sports
Winter sports
Spring sports

The 1981 softball team finished the season with a 23-5-1 record after winning the Group I state title with a 2-0 one-hitter against Becton Regional High School in the championship game.[22] [23]

The 1987 girls' basketball team finished the season with a 24–4 record after winning the Non-Public Group B state title with a 54–40 victory against runner-up Bishop Eustace in the championship game played at Brookdale Community College.[24] [25]

The baseball team won the Non-Public B state championship in 1995 (defeating Gloucester Catholic High School in the tournament final) and won the Non-Public A title in 2010 (vs. St. Joseph High School).[26] The 2010 team finished the season 22–5 after coming back from a 5–1 seventh-inning deficit to tie the game and then win the Non-Public A title with a 7–5 walk-off win in extra innings against St. Joseph in the championship game.[27] The team has won the Somerset County Tournament in 1991, 1994, 1997–2002, 2004, 2006-2008 and 2018; the 13 titles (through 2018) are the most in the tournament's history since it was established in 1973.[28]

The boys' lacrosse team won the Non-Public B state championship in 2007 (vs. Pingry School), 2009 and 2010 (vs. Pingry both years), 2011 (vs. Montclair Kimberley Academy) and 2014 (vs. Morristown-Beard School). The program's five state titles are tied for eighth in the state.[29]

The boys basketball team won the Non-Public Group A title in 2008 vs. Camden Catholic High School and in 2009 vs. Christian Brothers Academy.[30] The 2009 team won the program's second consecutive Non-Public A title with a 61–50 win against Christian Brothers at the Ritacco Center in Toms River.[31]

The bowling team won the Group I state championship in 2014.[32]

Cross country / track

The boys indoor track team won the Non-Public B state championship in 2020.[33]

The boys outdoor track team won the Non-Public B state championship in 2021.[34]

Football

The football team won the Non-Public B North state sectional championships in 1984 and 1985, and won in Non-Public Group II in 1994 and in Non-Public Group III in 2006; the team appeared in the state finals on six other occasions (1998, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012).[35] The 1984 team finished the season with a record of 11-0 after winning the Parochial B North sectional title after defeating Pope John XXIII Regional High School by a score of 12–0 in the championship game.[36] The 1994 team finished the season with a 10–1 record after winning the Non-Public II title with a 27–7 win in the group finals against Delbarton School.[37] [38] In 2006, Immaculata's football team faced Delbarton in the Non-Public Group III final at Rutgers University, winning 22–14, and finishing the season with a record of 12–0, the first team in school history to finish their season with 12 wins, and were ranked in the top 5 in the state by various Top 20 polls.[39] [40] [41]

Pierce G. Frauenheim coached the Spartans since the high school formed a team in 1966 through the 2012 season. Frauenheim coached his 400th career game on November 17, 2006, when the Spartans defeated Holy Spirit High School in the NJSIAA semifinals by a score of 35–6.[42] In January 2013, John Hack, assistant coach and 2000 graduate of the school, was named Immaculata's head football coach after Frauenheim's retirement. Frauenheim had served as head football coach for 47 years, starting when the school opened in 1962, finishing with four state titles and an overall record of 332–137–2.[43]

The Spartans won 23 consecutive games in the 2006–2007 seasons (12 in 2006, 11 in 2007), the longest streak in team history, before losing in the NJSIAA Non-Public Group III state final by a score of 26–13 to Holy Spirit High School on December 1, 2007, at Rutgers University.[44]

Performing and Visual Arts

Marching Band

The Immaculata High School Spartan Marching Band is one of the cornerstones of the school, consisting of over 90 wind, percussion and color guard members. The band performs at all school football games and competes in United States Scholastic Band Association (USSBA) competitions in the New Jersey area. Among the many accolades the band has achieved are: marching in the 1989 Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington DC, and traveling to Canada, Virginia, and Florida, and all over the Northeastern United States. In 2008, the band placed first in USSBA National Competition at the Annapolis Naval Academy winning Best Music, Percussion, Colorguard, and Overall Effect with their show called "Heroes".[45]

In the 2011 competition season, the band won the USSBA (now USBands) Group 6 Open New Jersey state championships with a score of 96.925 with their show "The Planetarium", taking the captions for Best Visual, Best Effect, Best Color Guard, Best Percussion, and The Cadets Award for Excellence. They also placed second in National Competition at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis with a score of 97.988, winning awards for Best Music, Best Effect, Best Color Guard & Best Percussion.[46]

While celebrating the 50th anniversary of the school during the 2012 season with their "We Are Spartans" show, the band captured the USBands NJ State and National titles. At States, the band took all special awards (Music, Visual, Effect, Color Guard and Percussion) and had a score of 97.375. At National, IHS came out first over 15 band, taking home the Best Music special award and scored a 96.587, narrowly winning the title by .049 points over their nearest competitor.[47]

Clubs

Robotics

Cold Fusion 1279 is Immaculata's robotics team. Cold Fusion participates in FIRST robotics competitions. In 2019, Cold Fusion appeared in the finals of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship.[48]

Legal controversy

In November 2013, former Immaculata volunteer coach Patrick Lott was sentenced to six years in prison after he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of child endangerment and invasion of privacy. Between 2007 and 2011, Lott had videotaped male students in the showers at Immaculata High.[49]

Notable alumni

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.immaculatahighschool.org/about_us/mission__philosophy___history Mission, Philosophy and History
  2. https://www.immaculatahighschool.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=95415&pageId=28920312 Academic Profile
  3. https://www.immaculatahighschool.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=95415&pageId=1726155 Tuition Information and Assistance
  4. https://www.immaculatahighschool.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=95415&pageId=40073895 The Spartan Spirit Newspaper
  5. https://www.diometuchen.org/schoolfinder School Directory
  6. http://www.advanc-ed.org/oasis2/u/par/accreditation/summary?institutionId=54200 Immaculata High School
  7. https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&ID=01603041 School data for Immaculata High School
  8. https://immaculateconception.org/history-of-the-parish History of the Parish
  9. https://www.tapinto.net/towns/hillsborough/sections/education/articles/nuns-assigned-to-immaculata-community-to-leave-somerville-after-61-years "Nuns Assigned to Immaculata Community to Leave Somerville after 61 Years"
  10. https://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-1982.pdf Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF)
  11. http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17475750&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=161556&rfi=6 CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department
  12. Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post, September 29, 2005. "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
  13. https://www.tapinto.net/towns/somerville/sections/education/articles/somerville-immaculata-hs-adds-classics-studies-to-curriculum Somerville: Immaculata HS Adds Classics Studies to Curriculum
  14. http://www.immaculatahighschool.org/chesterton Chesterton Classical Studies Program at Immaculata High School
  15. https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/education/in-our-schools/2018/11/15/immaculata-special-needs-students-program/1904896002/ Immaculata High School focuses on welcoming students with learning needs in Unitas Prosperitas program
  16. https://www.njsiaa.org/schools/immaculata-high-school Immaculata High School
  17. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2020-10/2020-2021-lc-officers-schools.pdf League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021
  18. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2020-11/general-classifications-2018-2020.pdf NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020
  19. Cooper, Darren. "Here's what we know about the new Super Football Conference 2020 schedule", The Record, July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference (SFC) is a 112-team group, the largest high school football-only conference in America, and is comprised of teams from five different counties."
  20. Cooper, Darren. "NJ football: Super Football Conference revised schedules for 2020 regular season", The Record, July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference has 112 teams that will play across 20 divisions."
  21. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2022-08/Football%20%2722%20%26%20%2723.pdf NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2022–2024
  22. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2024-02/Softball%2023.pdf Softball Championship History 1972–2023
  23. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/528510437/ "Becton beaten, 2-0"
  24. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2020-11/2020-girls-basketball-history.pdf NJSIAA Group Basketball Past Champions
  25. Whitmer, Kevin L. "Lessons learned in 4 defeats help Immaculata to state title", Courier News, March 16, 1987. Accessed February 24, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The banner will hang proudly in their Somerville gymnasium, reading 'Immaculata High School. Girls' Parochial B Champions. 1986-1987. 24-4.'... The Immaculata High girls' basketball team won a state championship yesterday at Brookdale Community College over a young and inexperienced Bishop Eustace team from Pennsauken."
  26. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2020-11/20-baseball-history.pdf NJSIAA Baseball Championship History
  27. Frezza, Harry. "Baseball: Courier News All-Decade teams, 2010-2019", Courier News, September 14, 2020. Accessed December 10, 2020. "2. Immaculata, 2010... Record: 22-5 (Non-Public A champions, Skyland Conference Delaware East champions)... The Spartans trailed St. Joseph 5-1 in the seventh in the state final, but a four-run bottom of the seventh tied it and Joe Sforza’s two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth gave Immaculata a 7-5 win and first state title since 1995. This one was its first in Non-Public A."
  28. https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/article/the-history-of-the-somerset-county-baseball-tournament/ "The history of the Somerset County Baseball Tournament (Throwback Photos)"
  29. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2021-06/21-boys-lacrosse-history.pdf NJSIAA Boys Lacrosse Championship History
  30. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2020-11/2020-basketball-history_0.pdf NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History
  31. Murray, Noah K. "Immaculata and St. Patrick win boys basketball titles; St. John Vianney, Paterson Catholic win girls titles", The Star-Ledger, March 15, 2009, updated April 2, 2019. Accessed December 10, 2020. "Immaculata rallied for the second straight year to win the Non-Public A state final and claimed its second title overall Saturday when it defeated Christian Brothers Academy of Lincroft, 61-50, in the leadoff game of the non-public championship quadrupleheader held at the Ritacco Center in Toms River."
  32. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2022-07/22%20Bowling.pdf History of NJSIAA Boys Bowling Championships
  33. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2024-01/Boys%20Indoor%20Track%20%26%20Field_0.pdf Boys Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1922-2023
  34. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2021-08/21-history.pdf NJSIAA Spring Track Summary of Group Titles Boys
  35. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2021-12/21-football.pdf NJSIAA Football History
  36. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73628847/immaculate-defeats-pope-john-xxiii-for/ "Unbeatn Immacuata wins its first state championship"
  37. Davidoff, Ken. "Delbarton Suffers a Painful Finish", The Record, December 4, 1994. Accessed December 10, 2020, via Newspapers.com."Painful as its 27-7 loss to Immaculata in the Parochial Group 2 championship game was, the Green Wave tried to view Saturday's contest as a disappointing finish to a terrific year."
  38. Lewis, Brian. "Heavenly! 'Lata wins state title over Delbarton, 27-7", Courier News, December 4, 1994. Accessed January 24, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Immaculata used third-quarter guile to break a tie and fourth-quarter grit to break Delbarton. The Spartans (10-1) beat the defending Parochial Group 3 champion Green Wave, 27-7, at Sugarloaf Field, and won their first state title since 1985."
  39. Frezza, Harry Jr. "Playoff Football: Exhilarated Immaculata squad goes back to class", Daily Record, December 5, 2006. Accessed June 20, 2012. "About 5,000 of the announced crowd of 8,000 were estimated to be Spartan fans, and what they saw was their team earn a thrilling 22-14 victory over Delbarton in the Non-Public Group III title game."
  40. http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=188015&tclass=Non-Public%2C%20Group%20III 2006 Football Tournament - Non-Public, Group III
  41. http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/immaculata-spartans-(somerville,nj)/football-fall-06/stats_by_game.htm Immaculata 2006 Football Stats by Game
  42. Staff. "Immaculata had full control in Frauenheim's 400th game", Courier News, November 20, 2006. Accessed October 2, 2011.
  43. https://usatodayhss.com/2013/hack-to-succeed-frauenheim-as-coach-at-immaculata Hack to succeed Frauenheim as coach at Immaculata
  44. Merrill, Everett. "Holy Spirit stifles Immaculata, wins Non-Public, Group 3 championship", The Star-Ledger, December 1, 2007. Accessed June 20, 2012. "During its 23-game winning streak, Immaculata forced turnovers, took advantage of penalties by its opponents and ran the ball with abandon. Yesterday at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway, the Somerville school was defeated at its own game. Holy Spirit, No. 4 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, intercepted two passes, was penalized just once and rushed for 239 yards en route to a 26-13 triumph in the NJSIAA/Gatorade Non-Public, Group 3 championship."
  45. http://www.marchingbandplanet.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71&Itemid=32 USSBA National Championship Titles
  46. https://s3.amazonaws.com/eventdocuments.ussba.trigonroad.com/437AC9E5-1517-8A12-D9A997FD6D3B92DD.pdf USSBA - NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP OPEN CLASS (1, 3 & 6) AT ANNAPOLIS, MD
  47. Staff. "Immaculata remains undefeated with Nationals win", The Messenger-gazette, November 14, 2012. Accessed December 1, 2012. "Immaculata's unique Marching Band, with its tribute to the school's 50th anniversary entitled "We Are Spartans," is undefeated this season. It won all seven competitions, including not only the US Bands State, but also the National Competitions this weekend."
  48. https://www.immaculatahighschool.org/news/robotics_news_and_announcements/cold_fusion_excels_at_robotics_championship Cold Fusion Excels at Robotics Championship
  49. Witchert, Bill. "Former Immaculata High coach sentenced to six years for videotaping boys in showers", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 15, 2013. Accessed August 24, 2015. "In exchange for a six-year prison term, Lott, 56, of Somerville, pleaded guilty in May to multiple counts of child endangerment and invasion of privacy for secretly videotaping boys between 2007 and 2011 in the showers at Immaculata, where he served as a volunteer coach."
  50. Fischer, Jake. "Vanderbilt's Wade Baldwin IV defined by competitiveness, desire to be great", Sports Illustrated, June 22, 2016. Accessed October 25, 2017. "Wade Baldwin IV had starred at Immaculata High School, regularly scoring 30 points on opponents, slicing his way to the rim and draining jumpers well beyond the three-point line.... He hatched a plan to enter the Jersey history books: Joining old friend Karl-Anthony Towns at nearby St. Joseph’s and recruiting fellow local stud Marques Townes to create their own Big Three."
  51. Hirsch, Rod. "Immaculata Football Standout Begins NFL Career with Minnesota Vikings", TAPinto.net, September 3, 2017. Accessed November 5, 2017. "Standout Immaculata High School football player Tashawn Bower has played himself onto the opening day roster of the Minnesota Vikings after a four-year collegiate career at defensive end for perennial powerhouse LSU.... Bower’s family lives in Livingston."
  52. Kuboski, Terry. "Immaculata High School inducts Hall of Fame Class of 2016", Courier News, December 31, 2016. Accessed February 22, 2018. "Rounding out the Class of 2016 was the first inductee to represent the arts: Tom Brislin, Class of 1991, an internationally recognized musician, song writer and producer. Brislin has played with multi-platinum artists, including Meat Loaf, Debbie Harry, and Yes."
  53. http://www.nj.com/sports/hunterdon/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1173391712218510.xml&coll=12&thispage=2 Jack Cust Jr. still on cusp of Major League career
  54. https://www.nmnathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=1600533&DB_OEM_ID=11600&Q_SEASON=2003 AnthonyGargiulo
  55. Stanmyre, Matthew. "Notre Dame's Theo Riddick feels gratitude toward the family of his best friend", The Star-Ledger, January 6, 2013. Accessed January 5, 2014. "A 5-11, 200-pound senior running back at Notre Dame, Riddick leads the Irish in rushing this season and — with his stop-on-a-dime cuts and blazing speed — became one of the most exciting players in the nation. The Manville native and former Immaculata High School standout leads No. 1 Notre Dame into Monday night's BCS national title game against No. 2 Alabama."
  56. Rogers, Justin. "Lions notes: Theo Riddick honored, Matthew Stafford's wife to judge cheerleading tryouts", mlive.com, June 23, 2016. Accessed October 25, 2017. "Before Detroit Lions running back Theo Riddick was one of the NFL's most dangerous receiving options out of the backfield, and before he was a dual-threat running back and receiver for Notre Dame, he was posting eye-popping numbers for Immaculata high school in Somerville, N.J."
  57. http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/R/Jay-Ryan.shtml Jay Ryan
  58. Thomson, Peter. "Ryan, A 9th-round Pick, Moving Up Cubs' Ladder", Orlando Sentinel, September 4, 1994. Accessed July 31, 2015. "'Most of the scouts I spoke with told me that I would probably go (get drafted) somewhere around the second round,' said Ryan, who finished with a 9-1 record this spring for Immaculata High in Somerville, N.J."
  59. Johnson, Greg. "Hopewell native Brandon Wagner hits walk-off single for Thunder", The Trentonian, July 28, 2018, updated August 25, 2021. Accessed November 10, 2021. "Wagner, who was born in Princeton and attended Immaculata High School in Somerville, said his mom, dad, sister and other relatives attended Saturday’s game."

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