As we begin winter break, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for a fantastic start to the school year. Our school district continues to thrive which is a direct credit to the amazing work of our educators, support staff and families. I am thankful for your continued dedication and commitment to our students. All of your contributions help Randolph continue to be one of the very best institutions for primary and secondary education.
As a highly rated "A" district, Randolph Township Schools has been ranked 624 out of 10,751 school districts in America by Niche. As one of the top 6%, Randolph was assessed based on the quality of our educators, academics, college preparation, health & safety, clubs & activities, and diversity. Other rankings by Niche also placed Randolph in the top tier. Randolph High School was ranked in the top 4% ranking 736 out of 17,064 high schools. Randolph Athletics was also ranked 656 out of 10,776 districts to land in the top 6% nationally.
Randolph High School was also one of only 1,742 public high schools in the nation to win GreatSchools’ College Success Award which celebrates public high schools that excel at preparing students to enroll and succeed in college. Our Advanced Placement accolades were also impressive including 321 students receiving eligibility for college credit based on their scores, 135 students receiving advanced placement scholar awards and 10 prestigious AP Capstone Diplomas.
Center Grove Elementary is a recipient of the 2022 National School Blue Ribbon Award which is presented annually to a very select number of schools nationwide. This incredible achievement would not be possible without the support of our entire school community, and we are incredibly grateful to the United States Department of Education for their recognition of our educators’ hard work and dedication to student success.
We also had many individual staff accolades to celebrate. Randolph High School teacher and Head Football Coach Will Nahan was recognized by the New York Giants and Gatorade as the Lou Rettino High School Coach of the Week for Week 8 of the 2022 season. He was also selected as the 2022 Morris County Football Association Coach of the Year and Randolph High School’s Teacher of the Year. Several other educators received honors including Randolph Middle School 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher Stephanie Gregory, Center Grove Elementary School Counselor Megan Sciara, Fernbrook Elementary 2nd Grade Teacher Reed McMurray, Ironia Elementary Art Teacher Heather Lade, and Shongum Elementary 3rd Grade Teacher Lyn Fromme. All of these individuals were recognized as Teacher of the Year recipients for their respective buildings and we are so proud of all that they have and continue to do as leaders in their classrooms.
In addition to the stellar work happening in our schools, we also continue to be impressed by our alumni who we celebrate and think of on a regular basis. Alumna Lea Sevola graduated Summa Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ithaca College. Over the course of her professional career, she has had the opportunity to perform in more than a dozen productions in both leading and supporting roles at the regional and national level. Lea is currently performing in the iconic role of Vivienne Kensington in the National Tour of Legally Blonde the Musical.
As another example of success, Alumnus Derek Soled has had an illustrious career which has taken him all over the world. As an undergraduate, he attended Yale University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and served as captain of the varsity fencing team. In 2016, Dr. Soled attended the University of Oxford where he received his Master of Science in Medical Anthropology. At Oxford, he was awarded the Walter Byers Scholarship – awarded annually by the NCAA to the two best student-athletes in the country. From 2017-2022, he attended Harvard Medical School and Harvard Business School. He received his Doctor of Medicine Magna Cum Laude and his Master of Business Administration with High Distinction as a Baker Scholar. In addition to his formal education, Dr. Soled’s additional experiences and accolades are too extensive to list in their entirety. However, as a few highlights, he conducted research in China on public health and the aging population crisis; he served as an intern in the United States Senate in 2014 to help reform the Affordable Care Act which now provides medical coverage to millions of Americans; he participated in several clinical research opportunities with some of the world’s leading health systems including Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health; he served as a senior advisor to the New York City Health Commissioner during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic; and he co-founded the international non-profit, Medicine in Motion, which serves thousands of members around the world. Dr. Soled is currently completing a joint residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Boston Medical Center.
It has been a privilege to continue to witness the incredible success happening inside and as a direct result of our schools. The examples provided above are just a few of the many reasons why Randolph is one the nation’s very best school districts. Our district continues to lead in academic excellence, creating positive student-centered learning environments, and promoting innovation. Our team truly values and supports every child, and each is being prepared with the best tools and resources.
We had so much to celebrate this fall, and we will undoubtedly have many more opportunities to celebrate. I am excited for what will certainly be another successful new year.
Happy Holidays and best wishes to all as we enter 2023.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Fano