Pennsville Memorial High School

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 255th-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. The school had been ranked 159th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 209th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. The magazine ranked the school 206th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 257th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.

Athletics

Pennsville Memorial High School Eagles compete as a member school in the Tri-County Conference, which is composed of schools whose enrollments vary greatly for grades 9-12 and operates under the auspices of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. With 348 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2015-16 school year as South Jersey, Group I for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 78 to 478 students in that grade range.

The football team won the South Jersey Group II state sectional titles in both 1974 and 1981. The team won the South Jersey Group I state sectional championship in 2015 against Clayton High School by a score of 28-6 in the tournament final. The team finished with an 11-1 record, and marked the first time the football team had won a state championship in 34 years and the first time they won in Group I. Every year before Thanksgiving, there's a memorial football game between Pennsville and Pennsgrove and whoever wins receive the Norm Willy Boot Trophy as a tribute to one of Pennsville's fallen coaches and former defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles. Pennsville also competes for the Old Oaken Bucket Trophy, a prize for the winner of Pennsville/Salem game. The healthy competition of passing the bucket started more than 50 years ago during the first Pennsville/Salem football game. Between 1985 and 2005, Salem had a winning streak and was in possession of the Old Oaken Bucket until Pennsville won it back in fall 2005. The Old Oaken Bucket Trophy would go missing until it was found on the front lawn of Pennsville Memorial High School 9 years later.

The baseball team was the first NJSIAA baseball team to have an undefeated season, with a 25-0 season in 1981. The same year they won the Group II state championship. They would reclaim the Group II state championship in 1984, when they defeated Lyndhurst High School in the tournament final. In 1988, the team won the Diamond Classic, a 16-team tournament consisting of seven South Jersey division/conference leaders and nine1 at-large bids taken from the Courier-Post Top 20. The team won the 2002 Group I state championship with a 3-2 win against Whippany Park High School. The team repeated in 2003 as Group I state champions with a 9-2 win against Henry P. Becton Regional High School. In 2004, the Eagles would again win the South Jersey Group I championship before falling to New Providence High School 3-2 in the State Group I Semi-Final. The Eagles won the 2005 Group I state championship in similar fashion to their 2002 championship with a 3-2 win over Whippany Park High School. Also in 2005, the team defeated Gloucester Catholic High School 5-4 to win the Diamond Classic. They also received the Courier Cup, given to the top ranked team in the Courier-Post Top 20. The team won the 2006 Group I state championship with a 9-3 win over Pascack Hills High School. The six-year South Jersey Group I champion streak ended in 2008 when the Eagles fell to the Pitman High School Panthers in the South Jersey Group I sectional semi-final 3-1. In 2014, the Eagles would reclaim the South Jersey Group I title with a 12-2 win over the Glassboro High School Bulldogs. In 2016, Pennsville defeated Waldwick High School 3-2 to win the Group I state championship at Toms River East High School.

The field hockey team won the South Jersey Group II state sectional championship and the Group II state title in 1982.

The wrestling team won the South Jersey Group II state sectional championship in 1982, 1983, 1988 and 1993.

In 2007, the girls' tennis team won the South Jersey, Group I state sectional championship with a 3½-1½ win over Salem High School in the tournament final. The 2008 girls tennis team repeated as champion in the South Jersey, Group I section with a 5-0 win over Arthur P. Schalick High School. The team lost to New Providence High School 3-2 in the semifinals of the Group I state tournament.

In 2001, the girls' soccer team won the South Jersey Group I state sectional championship with a 4-0 win over Bordentown Regional High School. The girls went on to defeat Spotswood High School by a score of 6-0 in the state semi-final but lost to Glen Ridge High School 3-1 in the Group I state final as the only South Jersey team to reach a title game that year. In 2002, the team repeated as South Jersey Group I state sectional champions by defeating Riverside High School by a score of 3-2. The team made it back to the state final by defeating Shore Regional High School 2-1 in the state semi-final played at Old Bridge. The girls tied for the Group I state title with a 1-1 draw against Glen Rock High School in the final played at The College of New Jersey, finishing the season as co-champion with an 18-1-1 record. In 2007, the girls soccer team won the South Jersey, Group I state sectional championship with a 4-3 win over Palmyra High School in the tournament final.

The softball team won the 2008 South Jersey, Group I sectional title by a score of 10-0 in the final game against Gloucester Township Technical High School. The team won the Group I championship, defeating Florence Township Memorial High School 9-1 in the first round, and taking the title — their first since 2002 — with an 8-2 win over High Tech High School.

Pep Band

The Pennsville Pep Band was under the direction of Mr. John Carpenter and performs at various activities including football games, basketball games, etc. The newly formed pep band has replaced the "Pennsville Marching Band" which was discontinued in 2009.

Past Marching Band Accomplishments:

Class offerings

Pennsville Memorial High School course selection includes the selection of three language classes, including Spanish, Chinese, or German all four years, Chinese courses 3 and 4 are honor classes offered at junior and senior year for those that had Chinese 1 and 2 or Chinese 4 honors 1, 2, and Chinese 3 honors. German 3 is an honors course offered at junior and senior year for those who've had German 1 and 2. German 4/AP course is offered exclusively at senior year for those who have had German 1, 2, and 3. Spanish 3 is an honors course offered junior and senior year for those who had Spanish 1 and 2. Spanish 4/AP is offered exclusively at senior year for those that had taken Spanish 1, 2, and Spanish 3 honors. Basic fine arts 1, 2, 3, and 4 all four years. advanced art can be taken all four years 1, 2, 3, 4 all four years. Foods 1 and 2. Child care 1 and 2 is offered as a course with an on-site day care for little kids. Journalism 1-3. Computer technology classes are given as options. Medical Terminology is exclusively given an option to take only by seniors. Accounting I, II, III and IV at senior year. Advanced music can be taken all four years 1, 2, 3, 4. AP music theory can be taking during senior year. GMT can be taken all four years 1, 2, 3, 4.

Academic classes are offered, along with electives. This includes English honors 9-12 and AP at senior year, history honors 9-12 and AP at junior or senior year, science honors 10-12 and AP at junior or senior year, math honors at 9-12 and AP at junior or senior year for pre-calculus and calculus exclusively at senior year. In order to graduate, students need three years of math, one year of algebra 1, one year of geometry, and one year of algebra 2/trigonometry, three years of history, one year of world history, and one year of US history 1 and 2, three years of science, one year physical/earth science, one year of biology, and one year of environmental science or chemistry. four years of English is required to graduate. Students can choose to go beyond their requirements and take a fourth year of math, science, and history.

Gym class is given to students in grades 9-12 as it is a mandatory requirement to have pe all four years in order to graduate.

Pennsville also has a share time option with salem country vocational technical school for those who wish to take a trait over there in the morning consisting of 2 blocks and be transported to pennsville in the afternoon by 3rd block. Seniors goes to pennsville in the morning and go over to the vo tech in the afternoon.

Salem Community College dual credits program

Students who have a minimum 85 GPA and applicants who have earned 80 credits at the completion of their sophomore year and 115 credits at the completion of their junior year will be considered for the program to attend Salem Community College to get credits before graduating high school. Students in 11th and 12th grades may attend fall semester classes or spring semester classes.

Administration

Core members of the school's administration are:

Notable alumni