public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
serving students in
ninth
In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second.
Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...
through
twelfth grade
Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...
Atlantic County
Atlantic County is a county located along the southern coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county had a population of 274,534.New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education (NJ DOE) administers state and federal aid programs affecting more than 1.4 million public and non-public elementary and secondary school children in the state of New Jersey. The department is headquartered ...
. Accessed September 26, 2017. "A most positive and strong relationship exists with the Galloway Township School District which sends students to Absegami High School thus providing a seamless transition into ninth grade." The school is one of three secondary schools operating as part of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District, which also serves students from the constituent municipalities of
Burlington County
Burlington County is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county is the largest by area in New Jersey. Its county seat is Mount Holly.
) who attend as part of
sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts hav ...
s.
As of the 2021–22 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,169 students and 102.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio
Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...
of 11.4:1. There were 416 students (35.6% of enrollment) eligible for
free lunch
A free lunch is the providing of a meal at no cost, usually as a sales enticement to attract customers and increase revenues from other business. It was once a common tradition in saloons and taverns in many places in the United States, with the ...
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...
. Accessed December 1, 2022.
Oakcrest High School
Oakcrest High School is a comprehensive four-year public high school located in Hamilton Township, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The school is part of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District, which includes three ...
and Cedar Creek High School are Absegami's sister schools. Absegami and Oakcrest shared the same buildings during the period from the creation of Absegami High School in 1972 to the construction of a separate campus for Absegami in 1982. In a referendum held on September 25, 2007, voters approved by a 3,176 – 1,719 margin a plan to construct a third high school in the district, to be located in Egg Harbor City, which would help alleviate overcrowding in the two existing schools and serve students from Egg Harbor City and Mullica Township. Construction started in Fall 2008 and was completed in Summer 2010 at a total project cost of $80 million (of which $59.9 million was related to construction costs), with the new facility opening that September.
The school has a variety of programs designed for a diverse student body, including '
special needs
In clinical diagnostic and functional development, special needs (or additional needs) refers to individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be medical, mental, or psychological. Guidelines for clinical diagnosis are given in ...
', a "High School-to-Work" program, college preparatory,
Advanced Placement
Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board which offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. American colleges and universities may grant placement and course ...
(AP), and performing arts. The school offers 13 courses through which students earn college credits by taking AP examinations, and 89% of students planned to go on to college.
Awards, recognition and rankings
The school was the 164th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in ''
New Jersey Monthly
''New Jersey Monthly'' is an American monthly magazine featuring issues of possible interest to residents of New Jersey. The magazine was started in 1976. It is based in Morristown. In addition to articles of general interest, the publication fe ...
'' magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology. The school had been ranked 260th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 238th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. The magazine ranked the school 230th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 231st in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
Programs
The school's mission statement objective is to "provide each student the educational opportunity and support that will enable him or her to develop the skills necessary to function politically, economically, and socially as a responsible and contributing citizen in a democratic society." To accomplish this goal, Absegami provides a diverse range of classes designed to help students reach their full potential during their future careers in mathematics, art, wood technology, humanities, and science.
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports.
State championsh ...
. Accessed October 20, 2020. compete in the Atlantic Division of the
Cape-Atlantic League The Cape-Atlantic League (CAL) is an athletic conference consisting of both public high schools and non-public high schools located in Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County, and Gloucester County, New Jersey. The Cape-Atlantic League ...
, an athletic conference comprised of public and private high schools in Atlantic,
Cape May
Cape May consists of a peninsula and barrier island system in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is roughly coterminous with Cape May County, New Jersey, Cape May County and runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay fro ...
,
Cumberland
Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...
and
Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...
counties that operates under the supervision of the
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports.
State championsh ...
(NJSIAA). With 893 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2022–24 school year as Group III South for most athletic competition purposes. The football team competes in the United Division of the 94-team
West Jersey Football League The West Jersey Football League is a 94-school superconference that stretches from Princeton, New Jersey to Wildwood, New Jersey encompassing schools from the Colonial Valley Conference, the Burlington County Scholastic League, the Olympic Conferenc ...
superconference and was classified by the NJSIAA as Group III South for football for 2022–2024.
School colors are brown and Vegas gold. Sports offered at the school include tennis (women), lacrosse (men), lacrosse (women), baseball, track and field winter (men), tennis (men), track and field winter (women), swimming (women), golf (men), swimming (men), field hockey, soccer (women), football, soccer (men), cross country (women), softball, volleyball (women), basketball (men), wrestling (men), track and field spring (women), basketball (women), track and field spring (men), cross country (men), crew (women), crew (men).
The wrestling team won the South Jersey Group III sectional title in 1997 and the South Jersey Group IV championship in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. The team was Group IV state champion in 2001 to 2004.
The girls basketball team won the Group IV state title in 2005 (defeating Montclair High School in the tournament finals) and 2006 (vs.
Bayonne High School
Bayonne High School (BHS) is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades in Bayonne, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, operated by the Bayonne Board of Education. The school has been ...
). Behind by as many as 13 points late in the first half of the finals, the 2005 team came back to defeat Montclair 62-57 and win the Group IV championship. The team won the Group IV title in 2006 with a 58-48 win against Bayonne at the Ritacco Center.
The football team beat Cherokee High School 27–26 to win the 2006 South Jersey Group IV championship.
The boys spring track team won the state championship in Group IV in 2008.
The boys indoor track team won the Group IV state championship in 2010.
Marching band
The band was Tournament Of Bands Chapter 1 Champions 1991 (Group 2), 1998-2005 (Group 3). NJ State Champions 1991, 98, 99, 2000, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 13. Atlantic Coast Group III Champions 1998, 2002. USSBA Central Jersey Regional Champions 2006, 2007, 2010. USSBA New Jersey State Champions 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011,2013 and 2014. Absegami was recognized as the USSBA Group IV National Champions for 2006, for its program titled "Through the Eyes of Children". Absegami Marching Braves won the title of group lV AA national champions 2013 with their show, "New World Symphony" as well as Group IVA New Jersey State Champions and had the first undefeated season in history.
Administration
The school's principal is Daniel Kern. His administration team includes two assistant principals and the athletic director.
2005 incident
Absegami employs a school resource officer, who is a member of the area's police force permanently assigned to a particular school. In March–April 2005, it was revealed that Absegami's then resource officer, Eric Allen, had sex with a 17-year-old female student in his patrol car three times over the course of a month. Allen was dismissed from his position and found guilty of official misconduct.
Notable alumni
*
Abdullah Anderson
Abdullah Malik Anderson Jr. (born January 24, 1996) is an American football nose tackle for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Bucknell. Anderson signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted ...
(born 1996),
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
defensive tackle
A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
for the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
.
*
Tabitha D'umo
Tabitha A. D'umo (Married and maiden names, née Cortopassi) and Napoleon Buddy D'umo, known together as Nappytabs, are Primetime Emmy Award, Emmy Award-winning married choreographers. They are best known for their choreography on the television ...
(born 1973), hip hop choreographer.
* Anne Grunow (born , class of 1977), senior research scientist at
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
in the
Byrd Polar Research Center
The Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center (BPCRC) is a polar, alpine, and climate research center at Ohio State University, The Ohio State University founded in 1960.
History and research
The Byrd Polar Research Center (BPRC) at Ohio State Un ...
.
*
Meaghan Jarensky
Meaghan Jarensky Barakett is an advocate of young women, a humanist, a yogi, and a model. Jarensky is a former Miss New York USA and represented the state in the 2005 Miss USA Pageant, the last time New York placed in the top 10 finalists. She i ...
(born 1978),
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. It is directed by D&D Productions.
The current titleholder is Heather Nunez of New York City was crowned on Jun ...
2005.
*
Rodney Jerkins
Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists.
Jerkins has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among hi ...
(born 1977), producer, hip hop mogul.
*
Cierra Kaler-Jones
Cierra Kaler-Jones (born May 29, 1993) is an American beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss New Jersey 2014. She is the second African American to win the title of Miss New Jersey after Suzette Charles in 1983. Her heritage also includ ...
(born 1993),
beauty pageant
A beauty pageant is a competition that has traditionally focused on judging and ranking the physical attributes of the contestants. Pageants have now evolved to include inner beauty, with criteria covering judging of personality, intelligence, ...
titleholder who was crowned
Miss New Jersey
The Miss New Jersey competition is an annual pageant held to select the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss America pageant.
Two Miss New Jersey winners have gone on to hold the title of Miss America: Bette Cooper who won in ...
2014.
*
Mushond Lee
Mushond Lee (born December 16, 1970) is an American actor recognized from his recurring role as Jo-Jo Muhammad in NBC's soap opera '' Sunset Beach''. He appeared regularly in season 7 of ''The Cosby Show''. He has also starred in the film ''200 ...
(born 1967), actor who appeared on ''
The Cosby Show
''The Cosby Show'' is an American television sitcom co-created by and starring Bill Cosby, which aired Thursday nights for eight seasons on NBC between September 20, 1984, until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on an upper middle-class African- ...
'' and in the film '' Lean on Me''.
* Ford Palmer (born 1990, class of 2009), professional
middle-distance runner
Middle-distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle-distance event. The 1 ...
who specializes in the
1500 meters
The 1500 metres or 1,500-metre run (typically pronounced 'fifteen-hundred metres') is the foremost middle distance track event in athletics. The distance has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896 and the World Championships in Athletic ...
and the
mile
The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of distance; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 English ...
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for ...
Erica Skroski
Erica Marie Skroski (born February 14, 1994) is an American retired soccer player who played as a defender.
Early life
A native of Galloway Township, New Jersey, Skroski played soccer at Absegami High School. In 2011, she was named to the All-S ...
(born 1994),
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
Sky Blue FC
NJ/NY Gotham FC is a professional women's soccer team based in Harrison, New Jersey. Founded in 2006 as Jersey Sky Blue, the team was known as Sky Blue FC from 2008 until 2020. A founding member of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in 2013 ...
in the
NWSL
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league at the top of the United States league system. It is owned by the teams and, until 2020, was under a management contract with the United States Soccer Federatio ...
.
Notable faculty
* Doug Colman (born 1973), former NFL linebacker who coached Absegami to a 40–15 record, including the program's only South Jersey Group IV championship, won in 2006.Narducci, Marc "Colman rides fast track to NFL" ''
The Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
'', February 2, 2014. Accessed September 27, 2017. "Doug Colman has kept moving in the coaching profession, and the pace is quicker at each level.... After going a combined 14-7 his first two years, Colman had the Braves in the South Jersey Group 4 final in 2005, when they lost, 32-25, in overtime to Cherokee, before beating Cherokee, 27-26, in the final the next year."
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...