Schools

Hillsborough High Ranked Among Best in State

InsideJersey Magazine gives school top marks.

A desire to well in everything they do is among the factors that make Hillsborough High School—and it’s garnered them recognition as one of the best public high schools from InsideJersey magazine.

 “Hillsborough High School has a truly dedicated and talented staff and students who want to do well in all that they do,” Principal Karen Bingert said. “Being ranked highly by a state-wide publication only serves to tell others what we in Hillsborough already know about our schools. ... They are top-notch.”

“I think that Hillsborough High School does what some other schools no longer manage to do,” she added. “We stress that it is as important to be a successful and happy teenager as it is to be a successful and happy student.”

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According to InsideJersey, a monthly magazine produced by the Star Ledger, its best public high school rankings incorporate a district’s standardized test results, economic and tax status, and census data on median housing values. The test scores portion adds a district’s proficient and advanced proficient test scores, with a 50 percent bonus for advanced scores, according to the InsideJersey article. The article cites the State Department of Education’s 2010 School Report Cards for the data used in its calculations.

In addition, InsideJersey grouped high schools by the State Department of Education’s District Factor Group (DFG) designations, which classify districts by tax and economic data, the article read.

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InsideJersey’s scorecard gave Hillsborough High School a score of 228.8, placing it at 18th of the 46 schools in DFG I. It is one place behind Bridgewater-Raritan High School, which, with a score of 229.05, is the highest-ranked Somerset County School in DFG I. Bergen County’s Tenafly High School took the top slot in DFG I, with a score of 248.6, while West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, in DFG J, had the highest score overall, 256.3.

“If you re-rank it based upon the average home value, there’s only one district in the state that has a lower home value than we do on that particular value,” Superintendent Jorden Schiff said. “It is just one other indicator that our district ranks very very well compared to other districts in the State of New Jersey.”

Hillsborough High School’s extracurricular and other enrichment opportunities, as well as its unique courses add to its appeal, according to Bingert. About three-quarters of students are involved in the school’s extra curricular activities, and the school’s “Raider Pride” runs deep, she added.

“”We try to make HHS feel like a home away from home, and our students are successful because they feel proud of who they are and what they do,” Bingert said. “I am honored to be the principal of such a great high school and I could not ask for a better staff or student body. They have earned every bit of recognition they get.”


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