Verona High School (New Jersey)

Verona High School is a four-year comprehensive community public high school, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade in Verona, in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as the lone secondary school of the Verona Public Schools. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1947.^[4][5]

Verona High School
Verona High School, February 2018
Address
151 Fairview Avenue Verona , Essex County , New Jersey 07044 United States
Coordinates	40°50′33″N 74°14′52″W / 40.842635°N 74.247717°W / 40.842635; -74.247717
Information
Type	Public high school
Motto	Your Future Starts Here
School district	Verona Public Schools
NCES School ID	341674002448^[2]
Principal	Joshua Cogdill
Faculty	54.6 FTEs^[2]
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	642 (as of 2021–22)^[2]
Student to teacher ratio	11.8:1^[2]
Color(s)	Maroon and   white^[3]
Athletics conference	Super Essex Conference (general) North Jersey Super Football Conference (football)
Team name	Hillbillies^[3]
Publication	Avant Garde (literary magazine)^[1]
Newspaper	The Fairviewer^[1]
Yearbook	Shadows^[1]
Website	www.veronaschools.org/Domain/49

As of the 2021–22 school year, the school had an enrollment of 642 students and 54.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1. There were 6 students (0.9% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and none eligible for reduced-cost lunch.^[2]

The school mascot is the Verona Hillbilly, which reflected the remote, rural nature of the community. It was originally created in the 1950s and pictured with a bottle of moonshine and a shotgun. The mascot later was redesigned with a dog and a fishing pole due to concerns of school violence and under-age drinking.^[6][7]

Awards, recognition and rankings

Verona High School won the New Jersey Star School Award for the 1995–96 school year.^[8] The school won the New Jersey Best Practice Award in the 1995–96 school year for Citizenship / Tolerance in recognition of its program in Prejudice Reduction. In the 1997–98 school year, it received the Best Practice Award for Citizenship & Character Education in recognition of Teaching Responsibility Through Involvement.^[9]

The school was the 56th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology.^[10] The school had been ranked 70th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 53rd in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.^[11] The magazine ranked the school 53rd in 2008 out of 316 schools.^[12] The school was ranked 47th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which included 316 schools across the state.^[13] Schooldigger.com ranked the school tied for 133rd out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (an increase of 33 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (83.7%) and language arts literacy (95.4%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).^[14]

In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post, the school was ranked 59th in New Jersey and 1,718th nationwide.^[15]

In its 2013 report on "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast ranked the school 718th in the nation among participating public high schools and 56th among schools in New Jersey.^[16]

Athletics

The Verona High School Hillbillies^[3] compete in the Super Essex Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Essex County and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).^[17] Prior to the realignment in 2010, the school had participated in the Colonial Hills Conference, which included public and private high schools covering Essex County, Morris County and Somerset County in Northern New Jersey.^[18] With 529 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group II for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 486 to 758 students in that grade range.^[19] The football team competes in the National White 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.^[20][21] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group I North for football for 2022–2024, which included schools with 184 to 471 students.^[22]

The school participates as the host school / lead agency in a joint ice hockey team with Glen Ridge High School. The co-op program operates under agreements scheduled to expire at the end of the 2023–24 school year.^[23]

The boys spring / outdoor track team won the Group I state championship in 1943-1945, 1948-1950 and 1952-1954.^[24]

The boys' basketball team won the Group II state championship in 1957 (defeating Ocean City High School in the tournament's final game) and 2017 (vs. Woodbury High School).^[25] The 1957 team won the Group II title with a 43-40 win against an Ocean City team that came into the championship game undefeated.^[26] The 2017 team won the program's second state title with a 69-54 win against Woodbury in the Group II tournament championship game^[27] and went into the Tournament of Champions as the sixth seed, falling in the quarterfinals to Don Bosco Preparatory High School by a score of 61-51 after leading in the middle of the fourth quarter.^[28][29]

The boys' soccer team won the Group II championship in 1957 and 1960 (vs. Irvington Tech High School both years), 1966 (vs. Morris Knolls High School) and 1976 (vs. Lawrence High School), and won the Group I title in 1981 (vs. Montgomery High School) and 2016 (as co-champion with Haddon Township High School) and won the Group III state title in 1958 (as co-champion with Chatham Borough High School) and 1959 (vs. Jonathan Dayton High School), won .^[30]

The boys' tennis team won the Group I state championship in 1981, against Pitman High School in the final match of the tournament.^[31]

The football team has won the North II Group I state sectional championship in 2001 and 2008, the North I Group I title in 2014 and 2015, and the North II Group II title in 2019.^[32] A successful pass for a two-point conversion by future NFL player Anthony Fasano on a flubbed point after touchdown provided the margin of victory, as the 2001 team defeated Cedar Grove High School by a score of 15-14 in the North II Group I sectional championship game and finished the season with an 8-4 record.^[33] In 2008, the football team finished the season with an 11–1 record and were North II Group I state champions with a 13–12 victory over Hoboken High School in the final, earning the program's first sectional title since 2001.^[32][34] The 2014 football team won the North I Group I state championship defeating Cresskill High School by a score of 20–0 in MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.^[32] The Hillbillies finished the season 11–0, clinching the first undefeated season in program history.^[35] The football team won the North I Group I state championship in 2015, defeating rival Cedar Grove by a score of 21–14 at Kean University, finishing the season 12-0 and clinching the second undefeated season in program history.^[32][36] The team won the North II Group II sectional championship in 2019 with a 43-2 win against Lenape Valley Regional High School in the tournament final^[37] and went on to win the Group II North regional bowl with a 47-0 win against Lyndhurst High School, finishing the season undefeated.^[38] In October 2017, Lou Racioppe, the head coach of Verona's football team, was suspended as part of an administrative investigation into conduct towards his players following complaints from parents.^[39] In 2017, many members of the community voiced concern over the investigation and publicly expressed their anger towards the administration during a hearing before the Board of Education. Former players showed up in support of the former coach.^[40] In early November, Racioppe was informed that he would not be reinstated as coach of the team to much dismay of the community.^[41]

The girls spring track team was Group I champion in 2005.^[42]

The girls volleyball team won the Group I title in 2017, the program's first, defeating Bogota High School in a rematch of the 2016 final.^[43][44]

2006–07

The girls' track team won the North II, Group I sectional title and the Group I state championship. The girls softball team won the North II, Group I title for the first time ever, and along with the baseball team, won the conference title. The girls tennis team won the North II Group I title and finished 2nd in the state for Group I.

2007–08

The boys' and girls' spring track and field teams both won the Colonial Hills Conference Relay Championship, ending the boys' 53-year title drought. Both the boys' and girls' teams also went on to win the Colonial Hills Conference Championships, sweeping the Conference. The boys' baseball team tied the school record for most wins in a season with 21, and made it to the North I Group I, sectional championship game, falling to Hasbrouck Heights High School 7–4 in the tournament final.^[45]

In the 2007–08 school year, the men's cross country team defeated Pingry School for the conference victory. It was the first in school history.^[46] The following week, the team followed up with a state sectional championship, the first since 1980 when they tied with Kinnelon High School for the title.

Rick Porcello of Seton Hall pitched a perfect game at the Verona High School baseball field.

2008–09

The boys indoor track and field team won their first conference championship, as well as winning the North II Group I state sectional championship.^[47] The boys and girls both won the North I, Group I state sectional championship for indoor and outdoor track, a first for the boys' squad, and for the second consecutive year for the girls' squad.^[48]

2009–10

The boys' indoor track and field team won their second consecutive Colonial Hills Conference championship, and North I Group I state sectional championship.^[47]

The girls' basketball team won the Super Essex Conference (SEC) championship, the program's first conference title since 1976.^[49]

2015–16

The Verona / Glen Ridge ice hockey team defeated Montclair Kimberley Academy by a score of 4–2 to win the McInnis Cup.^[50]

Music

The Verona Marching Band was one of three bands to win the newly awarded Cadets Award at both the USSBA state competition and the USSBA nationals competition.^[51] The concert band was the first non-professional band to be performing at Newark's Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart.^[52] In April 2016 the Verona High School Concert Band performed at the Cathedral again.

Drama

Verona High has a long history of drama clubs and productions.

Productions began in the 1920s with Edmond Rostand's The Romancers (1926) being the final production directed by Winifred Bostwick, a long-time teacher at the school. Other shows helmed by Bostwick had included The Exchange (1922), The Man Who Married a Dumb Wife (1923) and The Knave of Hearts in 1925.

Harold Butterworth was a longtime director for the club (1936–1956). Under his direction, the drama club boasted its largest membership (137 registered members in 1945), became The Troupers in 1951 and continued to present contemporary dramas. Then, after Butterworth's tenure, The Troupers presented their first "classic" play: Thornton Wilder's Our Town, also the last play performed at the then-VHS building that is now H. B. Whitehorne Middle School.

A series of directors took the Troupers into Fairview Avenue's newly constructed Verona High School, where they performed such classics as The Man Who Came to Dinner (1958), You Can't Take It with You (1960), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1962). Sometime in this era, the title Troupers disappeared in favor of the more generic Drama Club.

In the early 1970s, classic productions dominated: Harvey (1972, directed by Ruth Garoni), a new production of Arsenic and Old Lace (1973 and presented again in 1993) and the first production of a true Broadway musical – Oliver!, combining the students of the high school and middle school under the music direction of long-time Verona band teacher, Harry Owens. Director Jim Walsh continued dramatic shows on alternate years with Scapino, Count Dracula, and The Good Doctor.

In the early 80s, Maurice J. Moran began his 27-year tenure as drama advisor and introduced both a non-musical and musical in the same school year. The Importance of Being Earnest, Mame (1982), Grease (1984), The Fantasticks (1985), Godspell (1986), The Odd Couple, "Story Theater" and The Crucible are some examples of shows done in the 80s.

In 1991, the VHS Drama Club became The Spotlight Players. In 1996, VHS joined 100 other New Jersey high schools participating in the Paper Mill Playhouse's Rising Star Awards, winning a "best actress" nomination in its first year with a repeat production of Anything Goes. New plays and classic musicals (and Star nominations) continued as the 90s closed: All in the Timing, The Canterbury Tales, and Senior Square contrasting with Gypsy, The Music Man, and Pippin.

The 21st century began with what was apparently only the second VHS Shakespeare presentation thus far: A Midsummer Night's Dream. In that same year, parent volunteers organized themselves to help the performing arts as The Spotlight Players Parents Association. To raise funds for the theater program, the parents' group began the annual Verona Talent Night, which continues to give an opportunity for Verona students, adults, and friends to sing, dance, play musical instruments, or tell jokes without the need for competition.

In 2002, for the first time, a completely student-produced musical was presented, Bat Boy: The Musical. The show was presented by the then-recently established local chapter of the International Thespian Society, and featured a student cast, with a student director, music director, band, and choreographer. Other productions have included Godspell, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and the 2006 presentation of Musical of Musicals, being featured in The Star-Ledger's "Young and Talented" column.

Another major change was the hiring of an outside director. After 30 years directing school musicals around North Jersey, Moran decided to give up that role and serve instead as a producer of the musicals. He continued to direct the non-musicals (Moon Over Buffalo in 2005, for example) but recent musicals have been directed by non-VHS faculty, with 2008's On the Town being the third production directed by Danielle Aldrich.

Verona's drama program expanded in 2008, with the revamping of the theater including new seats, better acoustics, and a new lighting and sound booth. A One-Act Play Festival began in May of that year, bringing the number of theater offerings to four per year.

In Fall 2016, the program relaunched with the hiring of Laurence Fry and Steven Munoz to head the program after the retirement of Fran Young. The first production put on under the new team was You Can't Take It With You by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart in November 2016. Next was the classic Cole Porter musical Anything Goes in March 2017. The next year, Fry departed the program, and it continued under Munoz with their next production, The Curious Savage by John Patrick in November 2017,^[53] with two of the performers being nominated for "Foxy Awards" - Ava Vasalani (Ethel Savage) for Lead Actress, and Maya Fortgang (Fairy May) for Supporting Actress. The musical that school year was Curtains^[54] in March 2018, which became the first VHS musical to participate in the Rising Star Awards since Munoz took over. In fall 2018, the production was The Secret in the Wings, a Mary Zimmerman play.^[55] To fundraise for the program, the Spotlight Players put on a "murder mystery" dinner, where the actors, with packets of information on the mystery, would go table to table, talking to the guests about the investigation at hand.^[56] The dinner took place in January 2019. The next musical was The Addams Family in March 2019, which was one of the more successful productions in recent years for the program,^[57] earning around $9,000 in ticket sales alone.

On April 12, 2019, the nominations for Montclair State University's Theatre Night "Foxy" Awards were announced. VHS's production of The Secret in the Wings was nominated in five categories, including Outstanding Achievement in Choreography/Movement, Outstanding Achievement in Stage Crew, Outstanding Achievement by an Acting Ensemble of a Dramatic Stage Adaptation of a Literary Work or Film, Outstanding Production of a Drama Stage Adaptation of Literary Work or Film, and Excellence in Dramaturgy.^[58]

The fall play of 2019 was the classic William Shakespeare comedic play, The Comedy of Errors, one of few Shakespearean productions ever performed at Verona High School. The production was performed on November 14, 15, and 16th, 2019.^[59] Their next production was the musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood on March 5, 6, and 7th, 2020. In addition, the Spotlight Players also presented their second annual murder mystery, "Once Upon a Murder", in January 2020 at Verona Community Center. On April 15, the nominations for the 2020 Theatre Night "Foxy" Awards were announced, and VHS's production of The Comedy of Errors was nominated in four categories - Supporting Actor in a Classical Play (Griffin Willner as Egeon), Lead Actor in a Classical Play (Aidan Callari as Antipholus of Syracuse), Lead Actress in a Classical Play (Abby Bermeo as Dromio of Ephesus), and Acting Ensemble of a Classical Play.

Student organizations

Do Anything Nice (D.A.N.)

Do Anything Nice (D.A.N.) is a student-led organization that demonstrates the importance of acts of kindness in everyday life and leads in creative strategies for people to practice kindness in their daily lives. D.A.N. members engage in innovative new methods to bring community service to educational institutions.^[60]

Founded by a small group of senior students, VHS D.A.N. is now^[when?] in its 7th year active at Verona High School. In fall 2001 the first random act of kindness was to put candy in every student's locker during the evening hours of the night. Since then the club has expanded to include a second D.A.N. chapter located at Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York, that is now^[when?] in its 3rd year active.

Administration

The school's principal is Joshua Cogdill. His core administration team includes the assistant principal.^[61]

Controversies

In April 2022, school librarian and technology coordinator Elissa Malespina was unexpectedly terminated from her role due to her attempts to include diversity within displays in the library. Her annual evaluation noted that her "approach to library displays creates a student space that is not inclusive enough," and that she would not be asked to return for the 2022-23 school year. Math and computer science teacher and 20 year veteran of the school Richard Wertz suggested that this sudden negativity followed outcries from parents in the community. Malespina went on medical leave for the remainder of the school year.^[62]

Notable alumni

See also: Category:Verona High School (New Jersey) alumni

• Kevin Bannon (born 1957, class of 1975), basketball coach at The College of New Jersey (Trenton State College), Rider University and Rutgers University.^[63][64]
• Mel Behney (born 1947, class of 1965), former MLB pitcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds.^[65]
• Lorinda Cherry (1944–2022), computer scientist and programmer who spent much of her career at Bell Labs^[66]
• Jay Curtis (born c. 1950, class of 1968), author, producer, writer, director and actor, who co-directed 75-0: The Documentary, about a 1966 loss by a score of 75–0 to Madison High School, part of a 32-game losing streak.^[67]
• Dan DePalma (born 1989), wide receiver who played in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.^[68]
• Anthony Fasano (born 1984), former NFL tight end.^[69]
• Samantha Futerman (born 1987), actress known for her supporting role in the drama film Memoirs of a Geishaand for her self-made documentary film Twinsters, about her discovery that she had an identical twin sister.^[70]
• Barbara J. Griffiths (born 1949), diplomat who was the United States Ambassador to Iceland from 1999 to 2002.^[71]
• Fred Hill Jr. (born 1959, class of 1977), head coach of Rutgers University men's basketball team 2006–10; assistant coach at Seton Hall.^[72]
• Jay Mohr (born 1970), comedian, actor and sports radio personality^[73]
• Kal Parekh, actor who appeared in ABC-TV series Pan Am.^[74]
• Donald J. Strait (1918–2015), flying ace in the 356th Fighter Group during World War II and a career officer in the United States Air Force.^[75]
• Bruce Wands (1949–2022, class of 1967), educator, author, artist, and musician, with a specific interest in digital art^[76]

Popular culture

The original, unaired pilot of the television show Strangers with Candy was filmed in Verona High School. The VHS signboard is also used in almost every episode thereafter to display various witticisms, although the name has been changed to that of the school in the show, Flatpoint High School.^[77]

References

1. Curriculum Bulletin, Verona High School. Accessed March 6, 2022.
2. School data for Verona High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.
3. Verona High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
4. , Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools, backed up by the Internet Archive as of April 24, 2014. Accessed March 30, 2015.
5. Member Directory, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed September 20, 2012.
6. Genovese, Peter. "What's in a nickname? Often, a school's history", The Home News, January 5, 1986. Accessed October 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com "Take Verona High School, whose nickname is the Hillbillies. 'This was the sticks years ago,' said Principal Joseph Pirrello. 'That's where the Hillbillies came from.' The school's emblem, according to Pirrello, is a 'big hillbilly with a corncob pipe and a shaggy-looking beard sitting on a railing.'"
7. Starnes, Joe Samuel. "Soapbox; Smile When You Say That", The New York Times, March 19, 2006. Accessed January 16, 2020. "It has been Verona High School's nickname for more than 60 years, and the original Hillbilly mascot, dating back to the 1950s, carried a rifle and a jug of liquor. In recent years his image was softened by replacing the gun and the moonshine with a fishing pole."
8. , New Jersey Department of Education, Archived December 18, 2006. Accessed November 30, 2009.
9. About VHS October 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Verona High School. Accessed September 10, 2011.
10. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
11. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed September 20, 2012.
12. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed September 10, 2011.
13. "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
14. New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2010–2011, Schooldigger.com. Accessed March 5, 2012.
15. Mathews, Jay. "The High School Challenge 2011: Verona High School", The Washington Post. Accessed September 10, 2011.
16. Streib, Lauren. "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast, May 6, 2013. Accessed May 9, 2013.
17. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021 Accessed July 15, 2020.
18. , Colonial Hills Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of November 19, 2010. Accessed November 25, 2014.
19. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
20. 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."
21. 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."
22. NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2022–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
23. NJSIAA Winter Cooperative Sports Programs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
24. NJSIAA Boys Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
25. NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
26. "Verona Scores Upset To Cop Group 2 Crown", The Record, March 18, 1957. Accessed January 10, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Verona, upset victor over Bogota in the semifinal round of the Group 2 N. J. S. I. A. A. championship did it again Saturday afternoon when it toppled previously undefeated Ocean City, 43-40, at Rutgers University."
27. "Verona defeats Woodbury in Group 1 final for 1st title since 1957", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, March 12, 2017, updated August 23, 2019. Accessed November 2, 2020. "Verona defeated Woodbury, 69-54, to claim the Group 1 title at the Louis Brown Athletic Center on Sunday.... The victory is the first time Verona won a state title since it claimed the Group 2 championship in 1957 in a win over Ocean City and clinched the Essex County squad's first trip to the Tournament of Champions."
28. NJSIAA Boys Basketball Tournament of Champions History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
29. Schneider, Jeremy. "Group 1 champion Verona gives Don Bosco Prep major scare in T of C quarterfinals", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, March 17, 2017, updated August 23, 2019. Accessed February 24, 2021. "The Verona coach had just watched his Group 1 champion Hillbillies give Non-Public A champion Don Bosco Prep, the No. 3 team in the NJ.com Top 20 that has lost just once this year, one of its toughest games of the year before falling late in the Tournament of Champions quarterfinals on Friday. Verona's potential Cinderella run ended in the fourth quarter when Don Bosco Prep pulled away for a 61-51 win."
30. NJSIAA History of Boys Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
31. History of Boys' Team Tennis Championship Tournament, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
32. NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
33. Gesario, Mike. "Billies Win State Title With Win Over Panthers", Verona-Cedar Grove Times, December 6, 2001. Accessed March 21, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "It was a bumpy road towards the Hillbillies' first title since the current system of team rankings was initiated several years ago. Verona, which began the season with back-to-back setbacks to Mountain Lakes and Immaculate, had been ousted from the Section II, Group I tournament after semifinal losses in both 1999 and 2000. The Hillbillies (8-4) had won state titles during the 1960s and 70s, but that was in the days before championship games.... Trailing by one point, at 14-13, VHS was content to kick the extra point to knot the game at 14 points apiece - but the snap was high and Fasano was forced to abort the kick attempt and try for a two-point conversion. That ad-libbed play would prove to be the turning point of the game. Fasano rolled to his right and fired the ball toward the back of the end zone and into the hands of a leaping Matt King, putting Verona ahead 15- 14. Neither team would score again."
34. Staff. "Verona 13, Hoboken 12", The Star-Ledger, December 6, 2008. Accessed September 10, 2011. "Holmes made two interceptions from free safety in the final 1:07 to help preserve Verona's 13–12 victory over Hoboken yesterday for the NJSIAA/Gatorade North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 championship in East Rutherford. Verona, making its third final appearance in four years at Giants Stadium, won its first title since 2001."
35. Olivero, Antonio. "Verona caps first ever undefeated season, captures North 1 Group 1 title in win over Cresskill", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 5, 2014. Accessed December 12, 2016. "Minutes after leading his Verona team to the first undefeated season in the program's 75 year history, Verona head coach Lou Racioppe provided a powerful declaration. It echoed the Hillbillies 20-0 NJSIAA/Sports Care Institute North Jersey Section 1, Group 1 win over No. 1 seed Cresskill."
36. Schneider, Jeremy. "Dominant rushing attack powers Verona to second straight N1G1 crown", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 5, 2015. Accessed June 2, 2017. "Mark Riggio had 127 yards on the ground and a touchdown while Zack Zaccone had two passing touchdowns to go with 90 passing and 46 rushing yards as fourth-seeded Verona topped third-seeded Cedar Grove, 21-14, to win the NJSIAA/Sports Care Institute North Jersey, Section 1, Group 1 final at Kean University for the second straight season.... The victory marked the second straight perfect season for the Hillbillies, and their 23-game winning streak is the longest in the state."
37. Lanni, Patrick. "Verona’s championship a testament to senior class, beloved football community", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 22, 2019. Accessed September 30, 2020. "The trust all paid off Friday night as Verona rolled to a 43-2 victory over Lenape Valley in the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 final to give the Hillbillies their seventh championship in the playoff era and first since 2015."
38. Lanni, Patrick. "Verona blanks Lyndhurst to cap perfect season, win North 2 Regional Championship", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 29, 2019. Accessed September 30, 2020. "From its opening possession to the final whistle, Verona put together a dominant performance and rolled to a 41-0 win over Lyndhurst on Friday in the North, Group 2 Regional Championship game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford."
39. Lanni, Patrick. "Verona football coach Lou Racioppe suspended amid administrative investigation", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 13, 2017. Accessed March 2, 2018. "Verona's Lou Racioppe has been suspended from his football coaching position while the school district carries out an investigation, according to two parents of former players and another North Jersey Super Football Conference coach with knowledge of the situation."
40. Proctor, Owen. "Crowd backs Verona football coach Lou Racioppe", The Record, October 31, 2017. Accessed September 30, 2020.
41. Lanni, Patrick. "Verona football coach Lou Racioppe ousted following administrative investigation", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 1, 2017, updated August 23, 2019. Accessed September 30, 2020. "Racioppe said Wednesday evening that he was informed by Verona's administration that he will not be reinstated as the team’s coach this season but would not elaborate on the conversation or the allegations against him."
42. NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
43. Aitken Jr., Robert. "Verona wins first Group 1 volleyball title in school history", The Record', November 15, 2017. Accessed November 2, 2020.
44. NJSIAA Girls Volleyball Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
45. 2007 Baseball – North I, Group I, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 30, 2007.
46. Colonial Hills Conference Championship 2007 - 10/10/2007, Morris County Track Association. Accessed March 2, 2018.
47. 2011 NJSIAA/Star-Ledger/M-F AthleteSectional Track & Field Championships December 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed March 5, 2012.
48. Saff. "North Jersey, Section 1 Boys Track", The Star-Ledger, May 24, 2008. Accessed December 12, 2016.
49. Pangilinan, Noel. "Verona shuts down Sussex Tech in 4th quarter for win", Verona-Cedar Grove Times, March 4, 2010. Accessed September 20, 2012. "The Lady Hillbillies came into the State tournament fresh from winning the Super Essex Conference's Independence Division championship on Saturday. The conference championship was the first for the Verona girls team since 1976 and the second ever for the school."
50. NJSIAA Ice Hockey State Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
51. Staff. "Two In A Row for Verona's Marching Maroon and White", Baristanet, November 17, 2011. Accessed December 12, 2016.
52. "Verona School Band to Perform in Historic Church", Verona_Cedar Grove Times, April 8, 2012. Accessed September 20, 2012. "The Verona High School Concert Band will be the first non-professional group ever to perform at Newark's Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Wednesday, April 11 at 12 p.m."
53. Article in "MyVeronaNJ"
54. "VHS Spring Musical 'Curtains' Opens March 1", MyVeronaNJ, February 27, 2018. Accessed March 6, 2022.
55. "VHS Fall Play Next Week", MyVeronaNJ, November 14, 2018. Accessed March 6, 2022.
56. "Spotlight Players To Present Murder Mystery Dinner Theater", MyVeronaNJ, January 19, 2019. Accessed March 6, 2022.
57. "The Addams Family Coming To VHS, MyVeronaNJ, March 1, 2019. Accessed March 6, 2022.
58. "Theatre Night Awards".
59. "Verona Spotlight Players Wow Audiences with the Comedy of Errors".
60. Do Anything Nice (D.A.N.)
61. Principal, Verona High School. Accessed July 9, 2023.
62. Yorio, Kara (October 18, 2022). "After Her Book Displays Drew Criticism, Librarian Elissa Malespina Lost Her Job. She's Here to Say "I'm Not OK with This."". School Library Journal.
63. Demasio, Nunyo. "Sixth Man Not 1st Choice, Bannon Is Best One For Rutgers", New York Daily News, August 19, 1997. Accessed December 12, 2016. "To many who know Bannon, the affable coach was always so: Born in Verona in 1957, Bannon the son of a prep basketball coach attended Verona High."
64. "Bannon Inducted Into Basketball Hall Of Fame", My Verona NJ, press release dates November 12, 2014. Accessed February 6, 2018. "Kevin Bannon, Verona High School class of 1975, was inducted into the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Basketball Hall of Fame Honor Roll on Saturday, November 1."
65. Mel Behney Stats, Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed January 16, 2020. "High School: Verona HS (Verona, NJ)"
66. "Betrothal Announced; Lorinda Landgraf Planning Marriage to Engineer This Fall.", Verona-Cedar Grove Times, September 19, 1968. Accessed October 13, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Miss Landgraf, a graduate of Verona High School and the University of Delaware, will receive a master's degree from Stevens Institute of Technology in January."
67. Garcia, Julian. "Losing now an art at Verona High School", New York Daily News, February 15, 2014. Accessed January 7, 2018. "What would you do if your high school football team lost 32 straight games, including one by the score of 75-0?... Well that's what two members of the Verona (N.J.) High School Class of '68 have done, and they'll be screening it at the Yogi Berra Museum in Little Falls, N.J., on Feb. 26 so everyone can feel their pain. Lou Cortese and Jay Curtis, who both went on to work in video and film production after graduating from Verona nearly 46 years ago, have produced a film called 75-0: The Documentary, which focuses on their team's humiliating loss to powerhouse Madison HS on Oct. 5, 1966, as well as the 31 other losses that came during that streak, most of which were lopsided."
68. Staff. "For Dan DePalma, Lessons On And Off The Field", MyVeronaNJ, September 2, 2011. Accessed January 16, 2020. "No matter who they cheer for on Sundays in the fall, a lot of people in Verona have been paying attention lately to the Jets, because a 2007 graduate of Verona High School has been working for a chance at the NFL team. Dan DePalma joined the Jets as an undrafted free agent in late July when the lockout ended, and has been working hard ever since to make the team."
69. , NFL Players Association, backed up by the Internet Archive as of September 19, 2007. Accessed December 12, 2016. "Anthony Joseph Fasano was a four-year letterman and two-year captain at Verona, N.J., High School as a tight end and defensive lineman. He helped lead the team to the New Jersey state title among Group 1 schools and threw the game-winning PAT pass in the 2001 title game. As a senior he caught 78 passes for 1,460 yards and a county-record 23 touchdowns."
70. Josephson, Rachel. "Twins Reunited After 25 Years Have Verona Connection", The Fairviewer, May 7, 2015. Accessed September 6, 2021. "The story of Samantha Futerman, a 2005 VHS graduate caught the attention of many Verona residents due to the publicity for the movie, Twinsters. Many people have been surprised that such an interesting story can come from our small town like ours."
71. "Twenty-Seven Area Residents Get Degrees at M.S.C.", Verona-Cedar Grove Times, June 10, 1971. Accessed March 6, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Verona residents receiving B.A. degrees were:... Miss Barbara Griffiths of 116 Grove Ave.... Miss Griffiths, a Verona High graduate, majored in economics and plans to attend graduate school.... She is the daughter of Mrs. Gloria Griffiths and the late Arthur Griffiths."
72. Fred Hill: Head Coach October 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Rutgers University. Accessed September 6, 2021. "A New Jersey native who attended Verona High School, Hill is a 1977 graduate of Verona High School and a 1981 graduate of Montclair State College, where he was an All-Conference guard as a senior on a team that reached the NCAA Division III Tournament."
73. Chean, Steven. "Comedian Jay Mohr has two great passions: humor and sports. And his new TV show features plenty of both.", USA Weekend, June 30, 2002. Accessed May 12, 2007. "If there's one thing the former captain of New Jersey's Verona High School wrestling team has learned since taking to the stage some 15 years ago, it's that comedians and athletes have something in common: 'We're the most competitive people on the face of the planet. Now, that can be good, or very not good.'"
74. Nguyen, Stacy. "Kal Parekh to fly to superstardom with new "Pan Am" role?", Northwest Asian Weekly, October 13, 2011. Accessed December 12, 2016. "He moved the family across the world, settling in New Jersey in the late 1980s. Parekh attended Verona High School. He said at that point, he was shy — an introvert."
75. "Donald J. Strait", The Pilot, April 3, 2015. Accessed September 6, 2021. "Born April 28, 1918, in East Orange, N.J., he packed his 96 years with successes and honors whether on the Verona High School baseball team, in the U.S. Air Force, Fairchild Industries, every golf course he teed up on, or in his personal life."
76. Scherling, Laura. "The Magic of Computer Art: A Biographical Account of Bruce Wands", Columbia University. Accessed July 9, 2023. "Later, between 1963-1967, Wands attended Verona High School where he joined the marching band."
77. Rogak, Lisa. And Nothing But the Truthiness: The Rise (and Further Rise) of Stephen Colbert, p. 116. Macmillan, 2011. ISBN 9781429990547. Accessed December 12, 2016. "Flatpoint High School exteriors were done at Verona High School in Verona, while interiors were shot at Felician College Library in Rutherford; the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne was featured in another episode."

External links

• Verona High School
• School Performance Report for Verona High School, New Jersey Department of Education
• School Data for the Verona Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
• Verona High School Alumni Association