Since 1869, Morristown High School maintains a proud history as a comprehensive secondary school serving the intellectual, social, athletic and career needs of its students. A microcosm of the new millennium, Morristown High School is rich in economic, racial and cultural diversity. Some families have been in the district for generations, while others have only recently immigrated to the United States. Comprised of 1,478 ethnically diverse students speaking more than 20 different languages, the educational program serves the students entrusted to the school by its communities: Morristown, Morris Township and Morris Plains.
Morristown High School offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, including 21 Advanced Placement Courses and 25 Honors level courses. Our students maximize opportunities to sample and explore emerging career fields in areas such as technology, music, visual and performing arts, and the medical and science fields. Morristown High School provides an extensive program of interscholastic sports, co-curricular activities and performing arts.
One of our unique and innovative programs is the Science Academy funded by Pfizer, Inc. as an initiative to link education and industry. The Science Academy is a school within a school that enables students to experience an in-depth study of continuous programming in math and science. Academy students are introduced to the wide variety of careers in the health, medical, science and pharmaceutical fields through mentoring opportunities, job shadowing, field trips and speaker presentations.
Another program offered at Morristown High School is the Classics Academy which offers a unique cross-curricular experience for AP and Honors level seniors who are interested in pursuing the study of classical literature, history, mathematics, art, religion, world language and philosophy. Students conclude the program by composing a final project that is presented and exhibited to the public at the end of the year.
Many campus chapters of national organizations complement, enhance and enrich our students’ educational experience. Recognizing leadership, academic achievement, service and integrity Morristown High School offers Honor Societies in four world languages, the Art Honor Society, the Tri-M Music Honor Society, and the Saul Swanger chapter of the National Honor Society. Service programs include chapters of Habitat for Humanity, Key Club (Kiwanis Club), and Interact (Rotary Club). Leadership development is fostered through the Peer Group Connection program in which 48 seniors participate in team building and acclimation activities with our freshmen. Competitive academic teams include Academic Decathlon, Forensics and the Math team.
Morristown High School fosters student involvement in co-curricular clubs and interest groups; offering 32 academic/cultural activities that enhance our students’ educational experience. Eighty percent of the student body participates in one or more of our 27 varsity and 57 interscholastic athletic teams. Out of the total student body, 948 report participation in one or more of our co-curricular offerings.
Scholastically, the classes of 2011 and 2012 boast 16 Commended Students, three National Hispanic Scholars, three National Achievement Scholars and three National Merit Finalists. Twenty-nine Morristown High School students achieved recognition as AP Scholars, 13 were recognized as AP Scholars with Honor, 21 as AP Scholars with Distinction, and one
AP National Scholar. Seventeen students scored 800 in either the verbal, mathematics or writing sections of the SAT. Many members of these classes attend colleges rated “most” and “highly” competitive.
Morristown High School is actively involved in a collaborative systemic school reform process. This process uses strategic planning to establish a shared vision of the future in the areas of teaching and learning, to determine specific objectives for reaching the vision and to manage the change through regular assessment, planning, implementation and reassessment. As a part of this process, a Mission Statement and Belief Statement were developed to guide the process:
Mission:
The core value and primary purpose of Morristown High School, with its large and diverse population, is to foster a community in which learning is meaningful, challenging and lifelong, and where the expectations of growth, individual understanding, excellence and creativity exist for all students and staff in a dynamic and academic environment. This mission will be achieved through a research-based process of continuous and collaborative planning, implementation and evaluation.
We believe that:
- Family and community partnerships are essential for learning
- Active participation by students is critical to the learning process
- A successful school culture fosters lifelong learning
- Expectations of excellence apply to all students and staff
- Each learner is unique
- In a community of learners, no student is anonymous and no teacher is isolated
- Professional growth is essential for quality teaching
- A safe and positive school environment is non-negotiable
- Respect for others is fundamental
As a result of input from all stakeholders, the objectives of the high school focus on three major categories: academics, character and personalization.
Morristown High School continually strives to achieve excellence for all students and to prepare all students for our rapidly changing world.