We all know MRHS (Manchester Regional High School), but do we really know the school as well as we think we do? 60 years ago, MRHS opened its doors and let in 700 eager students, ready to learn. Today there are over 800 students who attend MRHS, but I guarantee you, at least 75% of the students know nothing about their own school. 

MRHS was built in 1960 for people from Haledon, North Haledon, and Prospect Park to attend. So where did students attend before that? Before MRHS was officially open, students from Haledon attended John F. Kennedy Educational Complex, while students from Prospect Park and North Haledon were sent to Hawthorne High School. When the school was constructed it cost $2.75 million dollars or $28.18 million dollars today. In July of 2003, MRHS was accepted to the Inter-district Public School Choice Program, which allows students from all over Passaic County to attend MRHS!

MRHS also has many medals and recognitions! The school was awarded a Bronze Medal in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2009-2010 “Best American High School” issue, distinguishing it from the pack by being one of only two Passaic County schools mentioned. Only 1.750 high schools out of 21,786 public schools were recognized at all. The school was ranked 269th place out of 339 New Jersey high schools in New Jerseys Monthly magazine cover in September 2014. And guess what…Manchester Regional High School starred in the movie 12 and Holding. MRHS is still going strong and collecting many awards and mentions as time goes by! 

The athletics at MRHS are top-notch. The Falcons participate in the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference which is composed of small-enrollment schools in Bergen, Hudson, Morris, and Passaic counties. It was created by NJSIAA (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association). With 651 students in grades 10-12, the MRHS was classified by the NJSIAA as Group II for most athletic competition purposes. Prior to realignment that took effect in the fall of 2010, Manchester was a member of the smaller Bergen-Passaic Scholastic League.

Overall, even after 60 years, Manchester Regional High School is still running and improving and let’s hope it stays that way! The students and staff all love this school and with everyone in the school helping out, the school continues to be at its best.