Bergen County Academies

Infobox_Secondary_school
background = #f0f6fa
border = #ccd2d9
name = Bergen County Academies

http://bcts.bergen.org/images/stories/BCTS/BCA/BCA-logo.jpg]
motto =
grades = 9-12
established = 1991
type = Magnet Public high school
district = Bergen County Technical Schools
principal = Daniel Jaye [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=737&Itemid=1545 Bergen County Academies Administration] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed July 25, 2007.]
enrollment = 1,104 (as of 2005-06)
faculty = 95.8 (on FTE basis)
ratio = 11.5
colors = Black and Gold (BCA)
nickname = Knights
address = 200 Hackensack Avenue
city = Hackensack
state = NJ
zipcode = 07601
country = USA
information = 201-343-6000
website = [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_multilink&Itemid=1353 Bergen County Academies]
free_label_1 = Average SAT Scores (2005-06)
free_1 = 2015
free_label_2 = Athletics
free_2 = 13 Sports
35 TeamsThe Bergen County Academies (sometimes referred to as Bergen Academy or BCA) is a magnet public high school located in Hackensack that serves the high-school population of Bergen County, New Jersey. [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=1353 Welcome to Bergen County Academies] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed July 16, 2007.] The school was originally the brainchild of the late Dr. John Grieco. The current principal is Daniel Jaye; the vice principal is Russell Davis. Dr. Raymond Bath is the Academic Dean; Dr. David Ostfeld is Admissions Chair.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,104 students and 95.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 11.5. [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3401470&ID=340147000250 Bergen Academies Hackensack] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed May 4, 2008.]

House and grounds

The Bergen County Academies is located on the John Grieco Campus of the Bergen County Technical Schools District in Hackensack, NJ. In addition to the main three-floor building, the Environmental Science Center (ESC) is used for academic purposes. A two-floor addition has recently been built and has opened on 4/28/08.

Program

The school's strengths are evident in its academics, extracurricular activities, and notable faculty, many of whom hold doctorates in their respective fields. [ [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=224&Itemid=1045 Academy Faculty] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed July 16, 2007.] The school also offers individual research opportunities which allow students to compete in science fairs on local to international levels. Seniors participate in Senior Experience, [ [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=408&Itemid=839 Senior Experience] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed July 16, 2007.] a cooperative education or internship program through which seniors work and learn for the full business day each Wednesday instead of reporting to school. The school is involved in the Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programs. Bergen County Academies was certified to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma in January 2004. [ [http://www.ibo.org/school/001501/ Bergen County Academies] , International Baccalaureate Organization. Accessed May 24, 2007.] The school is one of only 16 schools in New Jersey to offer the IB program. [ [http://www.ibo.org/school/search/index.cfm?programmes=&country=US&region=NJ&find_schools=Find Find an IB World School—results] , International Baccalaureate Organization. Accessed May 24, 2007.]

The school is divided into seven college-preparatory academic programs. An eighth program, called the Global Leadership Exchange (GLE) exists for the graduating classes of 2008 and 2009, but does not exist for any later classes.

The school day is from 8:00 AM to 4:10 PM, accommodating a traditional high school education and higher education in specific fields. Students are permitted to enter the building much earlier than the time school begins.

While the academies are treated as a single school within the district and the state, students apply to colleges and academic programs under their respective academy, rather than BCA as a whole. Bergen County Academies itself has no CEEB code.

Homerooms are referred to as "IGS" (Information Gathering Sessions). All seniors participate in the Senior Experience internship, and classes are scheduled using flexible modular scheduling.

Among students, there is an elected government, or council. There are three branches to the student government: Student Council, Class Council, and the Superintendent's Congress. [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=164&Itemid=791 Student Government] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed July 16, 2007.] Each graduating class elects its own Class Council with required council experience to perform functions limited in scope to a single class. The Superintendent's Congress consists of representatives from every academy recommended by teachers.

History

The campus was called the Bergen County Technical High School before it became the academies. BCA began as a single academy, "The Academy for the Advancement of Science and Technology" (AAST), which inducted students in 1992 for the graduating class of 1996.

In 1997, additional academies opened on the campus: the Academy for Business and Computer Technology (ABCT), the Academy for Engineering Design Technology (AEDT), and the Academy for Medical Science Technology (AMST). The following year, three career institutes, renamed a year later to become academies: the Academy for Culinary Arts (ACA), the Academy for Power and Transportation (APT), and the Academy for Visual Arts and Graphic Communications (AVAGC). Soon, the seven programs were geared less towards career prep and more towards college prep, adopting a liberal arts curriculum with an extra focus on their respective fields.

In 2002, ABCT became the Academy for Business and Finance (ABF), APT was replaced by the Academy for Telecommunications and Computer Science (ATCS), ACA added hotel administration to its coursework and became the Academy for Culinary Arts and Hotel Administration (ACAHA), and AVAGC expanded its scope to include performing arts and became the Academy for Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA). [ [http://www.academyppo.com/academy/academies.shtml Academy Parent Partnership Organization] ]

The school itself also changed its name numerous times, from "Bergen County Regional Academies" to "Bergen Academies", to "Bergen County Academy" and to the present "Bergen County Academies".

In 2001, a major dispute initiated by the Bergen County School Administrators' Association focused on what Paramus Superintendent Janice Dime called "elitism." Several of these districts threatened to withdraw funding from the program. The Bergen County Technical Schools agreed to increase the transparency of the admissions process and enter into talks with a number of sending districts. For the 2006 - 2007 school year, districts paid annual tuition of $6600 for each student.

Admissions

Though it is a public school, the admission process is selective. [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_multilink&Itemid=1354 Admission process] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed July 16, 2007. ] The number of successful candidates for admission is widely thought to hover around 15% of those that apply. A math and English test, as well as an interview by a panel of teachers, is required for admission.

Tuition is free for residents of Bergen County and is paid for by the student's home school district, the State of New Jersey, and a number of public and private grants. Payments from sending districts are mandated by both state and county legislation affecting vocational and technical districts such as BCTS.

BCA serves all 70 municipalities of Bergen County. In recent years, classes of 250 - 270 have been accepted from an applicant pool of 1100 - 1200. [ [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=431&Itemid=1217 Admissions FAQ] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed July 16, 2007.] Limits are held on the number of students that can be accepted from each district, with the limit being based on the size of the high school. The school reports that there are "4 or 5 districts where this is a problem."

The Academies

The academies are listed here in order of identification numbers. The first two academies (AAST and AEDT) share parallel schedules and science courses each year; they merge in core classes. The last three (ATCS, ACAHA, and AVPA) have science courses spread through the four years similarly, also sharing courses and classes. The academies are commonly referred to, not by their acronyms, but rather by single-word nicknames.

The Academy for the Advancement of Science and Technology (AAST)

AAST was founded on a charter school framework in 1992 with the mission of preparing students for careers in math and science by promoting a problem-solving, project-based, technical learning environment. AAST has departed from this model and has become a more standard magnet school. The roots of the program can be seen in its unique science curriculum, which emphasizes and integrates chemistry, biology and physics, and its hallmark Wednesday lab rotation. This academy celebrated ten years of excellence in 2006-07. Much of the AAST model, including the 6-mod project period on Wednesday, has been adopted by the other academies.

The Academy for Engineering and Design Technology (AEDT)

This academy's core curriculum is similar to that of AAST. The two programs share the same core courses, but AEDT directs students away from some of AAST's focus on biology in order to provide room for courses in electronics and design increasingly in upper grades. However, a neuroscience course called Physiological Control Systems is required for all junior AEDT students. The program encourages students to take part in several competitions such as "BattleBots IQ". Students in AEDT take the required science courses with AAST, as well as its own engineering courses, like civil engineering and Digital Electronics. The only courses that are mandatory for AAST and not AEDT are biology electives.

The Academy for Business and Finance (ABF or ABFIB)

Originally called the Academy for Business and Computer Technology (ABCT), the academy participates in the IB Diploma Program. Students in the Business Academy take extra courses in economics, management, SAP Technology, business ethics, and the rigorous IB curriculum.

The Academy for Medical Science Technology (AMST)

Students in this academy take more biology courses than other BCA students. Required courses in biology beyond introductory biology, which all other students take, are Medical Science Seminar, Biotechnology, Zoology, Anatomy and Physiology, Bioethics, plus four additional electives. [ [http://users.bergen.org/dondew/bio/biodept/reqbioAMST2.html Information on AMST] ] Medical students typically take literature and history courses alongside business students.

The Academy for Culinary Arts and Hotel Administration (ACAHA or ACHA)

Founded in 1997 Fact|date=December 2007 and originally called the Academy for Culinary Arts (ACA), the program represented a culinary vocational program that was reworked to give students a more academic focus. Originally grouped with APT and AVAGC (see abbreviations stated previously) as "career" academies, they were set apart from the college prep programs of AAST, ABCT, AEDT and AMST. After being reorganized into academic, college-prep academies, the name changed to the present name in 2002 to reflect the change in emphasis and curriculum. Head instructor Mary Beth Brace has been recognized as Advisor of the Year for SkillsUSA and has received attention for devotion as a baking and culinary arts instructor. Chef John Branda, who worked in the food service industry for 30 years, was the saucier at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, and co-owned an upscale Fair Lawn, New Jersey restaurant. [ [http://leadernewspapers.net/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=1873 Branda Named Teacher of the Year] ]

The Academy for Telecommunications and Computer Science (ATCS)

This academy has a primary focus in the world of computers and the Internet. Its students are well-prepared for careers as computer programmers, software engineers, networking technicians, and other computer-related professions. ATCS students study material from Cisco Systems and Oracle Corporation and compete in competitions against other schools and colleges.

The Academy for Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA)

This academy is unique for being subdivided into two main divisions: Visual Arts and Performing Arts. Under the Visual division is the Visual Academy. Under the Performing division, there are the Theatre and Music Academies. Visual, Performing, and Music students have performed at venues in nearby New York City. Fact|date=April 2007 Depending on their focus, students in AVPA take classes in drawing, painting, printing, acting, and stagecraft, or music and music theory. [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=686&Itemid=761 AVPA Main] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed July 16, 2007.]

Global Leadership Exchange (GLE)

Started in 2004 to first support the class of 2008, GLE is the newest program at the Academies; its focus is the field of biotechnology and global leadership. It was initially designed to give its students the state high school requirements in two years, with International Baccalaureate courses being later added to the program. Much of its focus and goals are now being integrated into the Academy for Medical Science Technology. The GLE program only existed for the classes of 2008 and 2009.

Academics

There are eighteen academic departments of BCA: Biology, Business, Chemistry, Culinary Arts, Engineering, English, Health/PE, History, Journalism, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Studio Arts and Graphic Communications, Technology, Theater Arts, Senior Experience, Visual Arts, and World Languages. Besides specific classes and requirements, all academies require four years English, mathematics, physical education; three years social studies, science, and world language; two years technology and art/music. All students take three years of projects and clubs, with clubs placed at the last three mods on Wednesday. Over one hundred electives of diverse fields are offered and most are available to all students. (see the "Scheduling" section.) In addition, 40 hours of community service is required for graduation.

Mathematics

Students in ABF who participate in the IB program have two years of Integrated Math and two years of IB Math. Other students generally follow the in-house mathematics curriculum with an advanced nature, which begins with algebra and continues to linear algebra, multivariable calculus, and beyond. It begins with the pre-calculus sequence [http://bcts.bergen.org/images/stories/BCTS/pdf/BCA_Course_Catalog.pdf PDF File of Course Catalog] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed July 16, 2007.] (loose reference).

This prepares the student for Statistics or AP Statistics, or the more common calculus sequence:

Students place into a course in the pre-calculus sequence and continue up, taking one course in each group. The full sequence requires six years; fewer than twenty students from each graduating class reach Topics in Advanced Mathematics, which is not unexpected given the advanced nature of the course. The BCA course catalog states:

This is our most advanced course. Designed for the exceptionally well-prepared student, this course covers material that is two years beyond the curriculum of BC Calculus. As such, the material varies from year to year, currently covering a sweeping introduction to three cornerstones of Mathematics, namely, Linear Algebra, Abstract Algebra and Real Analysis. Vector spaces, linear operators, groups, fields and rings, and the topological underpinnings of Calculus are covered. Emphasis is placed on rigor and proof.

An often-noted shortcoming of this otherwise rigorous curriculum is its lack of geometry, which spans a full year in traditional high schools. As of 2007, geometry is briefly covered in the introductory course "Geometric Concepts", a one-trimester elective, in Analysis I (for the first trimester) / Advanced Analysis I (for six-weeks) or in various six-module projects dealing with geometry. Fact|date=April 2007

cheduling

Students currently observe a form of flexible modular scheduling.

Prior to the 2007-2008 academic year, the full school day lasted from 8:00 am to 4:10 pm and began with a 10-minute IGS followed by 24 modules (commonly referred to as "mods") that last 17 minutes; there were 3 minutes after each mod. (Each three-mod block was 60 minutes.)

A revised schedule was implemented in the 2007-8 school year. Two minutes were cut from each mod (to 15 minutes), IGS was cut by 6 minutes, the three minutes after each mod was preserved, and the number of mods extended to 27, with the day still lasting from 8:00 to 4:10. The Principal's Advisory Team strongly supported this schedule, giving students more time for electives and interaction. Classes still typically last three mods, or 51 minutes. (Each three-mod block is 54 minutes.)

Classes meet variably every day. Every week, a class may meet four hours per week for AP programs or high-level classes to two hours per week for electives. On Wednesday, students attend projects for six mods; students with labs meet for four mods for laboratory work, relevant to their chemistry, physics, or biology courses, in rotation. Wednesday labs and projects last four and six mods respectively. Extracurricular activities occur after the school day. Previously, AAST and AEDT shared almost all their core courses and the other academies shared their core courses. There is an effort underway to diversify classes by mixing the different academies. Fact|date=November 2007

There are upper and lower limits to a student's free mods, or mods with no class. Students report to their elected clubs during the last three mods on Wednesday.

In 2005, Superintendent Robert Aloia suggested a new scheduling scheme be implemented. The schedule was criticized because it eliminated many 2-mod classes. Fact|date=April 2007

The Arts

Students of all academies participate in various studio and performing arts courses. The Bergen County Academies Concert and Chamber Choirs have won excellent ratings and awards at local and national competitions under Dr. Patrick D. Finley. The Academies offer college-level courses in music theory, including AP Music Theory and Advanced Problems in Music Theory. The instrumental performance program offers other features, including an opportunity for students to play with the North Jersey Philharmonic and the Guitar and Mandolin Society.

The school features two studio art labs. The artwork produced has won awards in local competitions. The second studio is a visual arts lab equipped with compositing and printing equipment to train students in graphic communication and print media.

The theatre arts department puts on plays and musicals each year in an auditorium seating 1,200, sometimes rented to outside professional groups. Fact|date=April 2007 The school has a restaurant-grade kitchen for teaching culinary arts, featuring the Academy Grill, which serves meals prepared by the school's culinary arts students. Fact|date=April 2007 The Bergen Academies Video Lab broadcasts inside the school, featuring workstations, professional cameras, and a bluescreen.Fact|date=April 2007

Extracurricular activities

AAST Math Team

With over 150 students from grades 12 and below in participation, AAST Math Team is a large extracurricular team at the Academies. Since its inception, the team has been coached by Joseph Holbrook, who is also the chair of the mathematics department. In line with the school's original philosophy, Holbrook created a model for mathematics education that was directed at solving non-standard problems, without concerning traditional time restraints and curricula. Holbrook runs problem-solving sessions on Saturdays and Sundays, which function as practice sessions for team members. This model has been adapted to create programs for local middle school students. [ [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=849&Itemid=735 Academy After Hours] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed July 16, 2007.] Students are encouraged to come to practices and participate with the team in high school math competitions.

The AAST Math Team participates in competitions such as the AMCs, AIME, USAMO, Mandelbrot, Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament, and ARML. The team often ranks within the top ten in competitions it enters, competing against top magnet schools and state and regional teams. The team has been nationally ranked in the top three in each of the past five years of the Mandelbrot Competition. [ [http://web.mandelbrot.org/scores.html Mandelbrot Rankings] ]

Although the AAST Math Team is open to all academies, it is still known as "AAST" for historical and logistical reasons.

FreshAngles

As part of a co-curricular program run through the Academies' Journalism and English departments, students run a current events website known as "FreshAngles" and was located at freshangles.com. FreshAngles is a project where students participate by taking electives in Journalism and Wire Editing, where students learn how to acquire articles from the AP wire. Teenvoice also had collaborations with Columbia University's [http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/ Center for New Media] , Fred Friendly Seminars, ABC Television's ABC 2000 Today, as well as local high schools' newspapers.

The site debuted on January 27 1997, originally located at "teenvoice.com" and known as "in-site", later changing its name to "Teenvoice". [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010221063417/www.teenvoice.com/about_more.html About Teenvoice.com] , archived February 21, 2001, accessed from archive April 23, 2007.] In 2000, Women Express, Inc., publisher of " [http://www.teenvoices.com Teen Voices] " magazine, threatened with a copyright infringement lawsuit for using the name Teenvoice, so the name of the website changed to FreshAngles on May 9 2001. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010509141857/http://www.freshangles.com/ FreshAngles] , archived May 9, 2001, accessed from archive April 23, 2007.] [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010516003629/www.freshangles.com/newsite/ Teenvoice.com redirects to FreshAngles.com] , archived May 16, 2001, accessed from archive April 23, 2007.]

After a crash of the server around 2005, FreshAngles started back up in 2007 , run by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. [ [http://my.highschooljournalism.org/nj/hackensack/bca/ FreshAngles on My High School Journalism] , accessed April 23, 2007.]

ports

The Academies shares its sports program with the Bergen County Technical High School. The boys' teams, called the Bergen Tech Knights, and the girls' teams, the Bergen Tech Lady Knights, have formerly played in the BCSL Olympic athletic conference. Fact|date=April 2007 Bergen Tech has been placed in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL) for the start of the Fall 2006 athletic season. The tennis team and baseball team advanced to the North I Group IV State playoffs in 2005, with the tennis team continuing on to the semifinals after winning sectionals. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=106049&tclass=North%20I%2C%20Group%20IV 2005 Boys Team Tennis - North I, Group IV] , NJSIAA, accessed April 23, 2007.] [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=107442&tclass=North%20I%2C%20Group%20IV 2005 Baseball - North I, Group IV] , NJSIAA, accessed April 23, 2007.]

In 2006, the football team reached the playoffs, falling to Randolph High School 29-0 in football. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=188015&tclass=North%20I%2C%20Group%20IV 2006 Football Tournament - North I, Group IV] , NJSIAA, accessed April 23, 2007.] The boys soccer team advanced to the 2006 state tournament, winning in the first round before losing to Memorial High School in the semifinal game. [ [http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=186283&tclass=North%20I%2C%20Group%20IV 2006 Boys Soccer Tournament - North I, Group IV] , NJSIAA, accessed April 23, 2007.]

Numerous sports are offered for boys and girls, including basketball, bowling, golf, lacrosse, soccer, track, tennis, and volleyball. For boys, offerings also include football and wrestling. For girls, the program also includes cheerleading (club program) and softball. During the 2007-2008 school year, a varsity fencing team was initiated by a coalition of several parents along with the Athletic Department, and as of now the team has obtained a coach and looks to be moving forward. If a particular sport is offered by the student's home district but not by the Academy (i.e. ice hockey, swimming), that student may join and participate with his local school's team. Fact|date=April 2007

Other activities

The Academies' BattleBots IQ team, known as the [http://sites.bergen.org/BattleBots/ Titanium Knights] , won the 2006 national heavyweight championship in the high school division with the robot "E2V2", [ [http://www.battlebotsiq.com/news.php 2006 Results for BattleBots IQ] ] and won two other awards for another 120lb robot, "Knightrous". In previous years, the team has won second, third, and fourth place titles in BBIQ, and affiliated student teams have won numerous awards in [http://www.nerc.us/ Northeast Robotics Club] events.

The Bergen County Academies is also home to a large Amnesty International student group. Students from the chapter perform many activities and attend local, regional, and national conferences on human rights. [ [http://sites.bergen.org/Amnesty/ Home page of the local Amnesty International chapter] ]

The Academies' policy debate program finished first in Bergen County in 2005-2006, beating Tenafly High School and the Dwight-Englewood School.

Besides "FreshAngles", there are two other student-run publications present at the Academies: "The Academy Chronicle" and "The Academy Advocate", which focus on in-school news and activities, also discussing international and domestic affairs, social issues and business news. [ [http://students.bergen.org/bca/class2009/sibmah Home page of "The Academy Advocate"] ]

Based out of its Stem Cell Laboratory, the Bioscience Research Program enables students to work in their free time as scientists, constructing and completing original projects to submit to journals. [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=724&Itemid=1 Bioscience Research Program] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed July 16, 2007.] First opened in May 2008, the Nanotechnology Lab offers a scanning electron microscope to these students as well as those researching the physical sciences. [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1413&Itemid=2092] , Bergen County Academies. Accessed June 23, 2008.]

Academy students participate in many other competitions nationwide, such as SkillsUSA, FBLA, and HOSA. The Academies have a Model UN program consisting of their own Model UN conference, called [http://www.academymodelun.org/ AMUN] and the Academies Model United Nations Team, which has won Best Delegation at [http://www.yale.edu/yira/ymun/index.htm Yale] , [http://www.pmunc.org/ Princeton] , [http://www.wamunc.com/ GWU] , and [http://www.bosmun.org/ MIT/BU] , and garnered numerous individual delegate awards.

The Academies' Quizbowl team qualified to compete again in a national championship in 2007. It won the fall 2006 New Jersey State Championship in the Knowledge Master Open, placing eighth in the nation, and also won the spring 2007 New Jersey Championship in the KMO, earning second place internationally in the overall rankings. [ [http://www.greatauk.com/kmoh.pdf KMO 2006-2007 Rankings] ] It won the NAQT New Jersey State Championship at Rutgers in 2007.

Volunteer based clubs include Red Cross, Teens Against Multiple Sclerosis, Help Our Planet Earth, World Wildlife Fund and Alzhiemer's Club.

Awards and recognition

For the 2006-07 school year, the Bergen County Academies was recognized with the Blue Ribbon Award from the United States Department of Education, the highest honor that an American school can achieve. [ [http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2006/2006-schools.html#nj No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools in 2006] , accessed September 29, 2006.]

In 2007, Bergen County Academies was recognized as one of six national Intel Schools of Distinction for excellence as one of the nation's top schools for mathematics. The program recognizes one school for math and one for science in each of three school ranges (elementary, middle and high school). [Fabiano, Giovanna. [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MTUyMTI1 "Bergen Academies wins national math award"] , "The Record (Bergen County)", June 16, 2007. Accessed June 16, 2007.]

For the 1997 - 1998 school year, AAST was cited by the New Jersey Department of Education as a Star School. [ [http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/education/ss/ss3.pl?string=id=044&maxhits=10000 Star Schools for 1997-1998] , New Jersey Department of Education.]

Bergen County Academies was recognized by "Newsweek" magazine in its May 28, 2007 issue covering America's Best High Schools, as one of its 21 "Public Elites", a group of consistent high performers excluded from its rankings because of the number of students with SAT (or ACT) scores well above the national average. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18784620/site/newsweek/ "The Public Elites"] , "Newsweek", May 28, 2007. Accessed May 25, 2007.] The school was also recognized as a "Public Elite", one of 22 such schools recognized nationwide in "Newsweek" magazine's listing of "America's Best High Schools" in the May 8, 2006 issue. Newsweek described the school as "Seven subschools specializing in everything from finance to visual arts". [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12551652/site/newsweek/ "The Public Elites"] ,"Newsweek", May 8, 2006.]

In 2005-06, BCA averaged a 2015 combined SAT score, second-highest statewide. [ [http://www.nj.com/news/reportcard/index.ssf?/str/reportcards/rankings/print.asp?frmsql=select+dist%5Fcod%2C+sch%5Fcode%2Cco%5Fname%2C+ldistric%2C+lname%2Ctested+%2C+allpasse++as+target+from+testcube+where+sgroup+%3D+%27aTotal%27+and+year+%3D+%270506%27+and+testprg+%3D+%27SAT%27+and+subject+%3D+%27SAT+Total%27+and+tested+%3E%3D+0+and+level+%3D+%27s%27+Order+by+allpasse+desc%2C+tested+desc&frmcounty=Statewide&frmgroup=aTotal&frmyear=0506&frmtest=SAT&frmsubject=SAT%20Total&frmdfg=All&frmtested=0&frmmeasure=allpasse 2005-06 School Test Score Rankings] , "The Star-Ledger". Accessed June 19, 2007.]

In 2007, a student was named valedictorian at New York University. Fact|date=November 2007

In 2007, Class of 2003 student was awarded a Winston Churchill Scholarship to the University of Cambridge, the highest national honor conferred for collegiate mathematics and science excellence. [ [http://www.winstonchurchillfoundation.org Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States] ]

Notable alumni

*George Hotz, class of 2007, first person to claim that he had hacked the iPhone, allowing it to be used with networks other than AT&T. [ [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk1MyZmZ2JlbDdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5NzE4NTYxMyZ5cmlyeTdmNzE3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTI= "Tech whiz cracks code tying it to AT&T network"] , "The Record (Bergen County)", August 24, 2007, accessed August 24, 2007]
*Harry Altman, class of 2005, appeared in the documentary Spellbound
*Kaavya Viswanathan, class of 2004, author of the controversial novel entitled "How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life". [ [http://www.azcentral.com/ent/arts/articles/0428novel.html "Once-touted novel has uncertain future"] , "Arizona Republic", April 28, 2006, accessed April 23, 2007. "Weems, who taught literature to Viswanathan when she was a junior at Bergen County Academies in New Jersey, remembered her as a gifted student and as the winner of a number of writing contests."]
*Meetu Chilana, class of 2002, singer/actress/producer [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2038779/ IMDB Entry for Meetu Chilana] , Internet Movie Database]
*Glenn Clements, class of 1996, field producer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. [ [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3JmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MTg0Njc5 " A 'Daily Show' crew visits Iraq"] , "The Record (Bergen County)", August 23, 2007. Accessed August 24, 2007.]

References

External links

* [http://bcts.bergen.org/index.php?option=com_multilink&Itemid=1353 Bergen County Academies website]
* [http://www.academyppo.com/ Bergen County Academies PPO website]
*NJReportCard|03|0290|020|Bergen County Academies
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3401470 Data for the Bergen County Technical Schools] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://sites.bergen.org/mathcompetition/index.asp BCA math competitions]