SRHS among five most improved N.J. high schools
BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer

SOUTH RIVER — Superintendent of Schools Ronald C. Grygo said he could not be more proud of South River High School's recent achievements.

The school was named one of the top five most improved high schools in the September edition of New Jersey Monthly Magazine.

"For Principal Kevin Kidney [who is in his fourth year at the high school], the staff and the students to make such an improvement to the extent of being recognized in New Jersey Monthly magazine, it is most impressive for this high school community of [613] students," Grygo said.

Kidney told the magazine that the improvements made were the result of a collective effort among the teachers and students.

In 2006, the high school ranked No. 271 among New Jersey high schools, and in a two-year span it climbed 85 spots to rank No. 186 among the 316 schools in the magazine's "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008."

South River High School came in fourth of the five top most improved high schools joining Seneca High School, in Tabernacle, which was first, and Hoboken High School, Keansburg High School, and University High School, in Newark.

According to the article in the magazine, the average class size at South River High School is down from 20.9 in 2006 to 16.9 this year, and the number of students taking advanced placement (AP) tests has soared from less than 1 percent of eligible juniors and seniors to 13 percent, with 29 percent scoring 3 or better.

"One of the things we talked about and was mentioned in the magazine article was about AP courses," said Grygo. "A couple of years ago, we had no AP courses to offer the students and decided to add two additional AP courses to the curriculum every year. We do believe in assisting our students and these AP courses give them a sense of what freshman college courses are like."

Grygo added that the school district has worked on offering all levels of academic curriculum and extra-curricular activities for students.

In the August 2008 Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent's Report, Michael J. Pfister, assistant superintendent, emphasized the South River School District's three standards that provide the foundation on which the district builds superior instructional programs: 1) expect high student outcomes; 2) implement aggressive school enhancement/improvement initiatives; and 3) regard teaching as a dynamic process that requires ongoing professional development.

A comprehensive educational program with a rigorous college preparatory emphasis complements the school district's outstanding faculty, the report said.

"Driven by New Jersey Core Content Curriculum Standards, our curriculum is a stepping stone for lifetime learning," Pfister said in his report. "Balancing innovative, experiential and challenging learning, the curriculum allows students to develop their strengths, uncover unique talents and become responsible, productive citizens of the world."