News From the Eagle's Nest

Dear Morris Knolls Community,

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, I want to take this opportunity to celebrate the heart and spirit of our incredible school community. Thanksgiving reminds us to appreciate the people and moments that enrich our lives, and here at Morris Knolls, we have so much to be thankful for. From the dedication of our students and staff to the unwavering support of our families, every day is filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and create lasting memories.

Our school theme, Golden Moments, celebrates the victories, connections, and acts of kindness that define our community. As we close the first marking period, it is clear that we have started the year with remarkable momentum. Whether through academic accomplishments or co-curricular achievements, our students, staff, and families have demonstrated dedication and passion in all they do.

This newsletter highlights the outstanding efforts of our students who balance their academic responsibilities with excellence in their extracurricular pursuits. Their resilience, teamwork, and leadership embody the spirit of the Golden Eagles. Their achievements remind us that success is not only about the outcomes, but also the dedication and heart behind the effort.

As you gather with loved ones this Thanksgiving, I encourage you to reflect on your own Golden Moments and the small victories that bring joy and meaning to your lives. Thank you for your continued support of Morris Knolls High School and for making our community a place where everyone has the opportunity to soar.

Wishing you and your families a joyful and restful Thanksgiving holiday.

With Golden Eagle Pride,

Ryan MacNaughton, Principal

The Summa Award was devised to recognize the academic achievement of students who have achieved an overall average of 93.0 for the previous school year. Congratulations on this outstanding accomplishment!!!

Congratulations to our AP students and teachers for improving our AP Scores! Morris Knolls had significant improvement in our AP Scores. AP enrollment went up and our percent pass rate went from 77% in 2023 to 84% in 2024! Way to go, MK!!

Honor Roll recipients, we are proud of your outstanding performance and wish you continued academic success!

1. HIGH HONOR ROLL: An average of 93 or higher is required for placement on High Honor Roll (no grade below 85) after weighting for Honors level and Advanced Placement/IB courses.

2. MERIT HONOR ROLL: An average of 87 or higher is required for placement on Merit Honor Roll (no grade below 80) after weighting for Honors level and Advanced Placement/IB courses.

MK placed first receiving the highest score out of 16 bands. We also received best Color Guard!!! Congratulations to Mr. Schwartz and the entire program!! Click on the videos below to view the winning program and the awards ceremony. GO KNOLLS!!

On October 11, Morris Knolls High School held an impactful assembly titled "After the Fire," which focused on the tragic Seton Hall University fire that occurred in 2000. The event featured two survivors, Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos, who shared their harrowing experiences and the long road to recovery. Their stories not only emphasized the dangers of fire and the importance of safety but also conveyed a powerful message of hope and resilience. The assembly encouraged both students and staff to find strength in adversity and reinforced the importance of fire preparedness, making it a deeply inspirational experience for the entire school community.

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We are honored to recognize our National Merit Commended Students. These students have been recognized for their exceptional performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, placing among the top 50,000 students in the nation!

Matt Lamont, a junior at Morris Knolls High School, is known for his role as a snare drummer in the marching band, but his true passion lies in playing guitar. Having started lessons at just 7 years old, Matt continues to hone his craft with the same instructor to this day.

In June 2024, Matt had the incredible opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall with his guitar ensemble through Lindeblad School of Music. In addition to his performances, Matt writes, records, and produces his own music. He recently released his debut album, “Tunnel Vision,” now available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

Check out the attached video of Matt’s performance of his original song, “Cracked,” at Diamond Spring Brewery in Denville.

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Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to building affordable housing for families in need. Through volunteer efforts, donations, and partnerships, Habitat helps create safe, stable homes for those who lack adequate housing, fostering stronger communities and offering families a chance at a better future.

Students of the MK Music Department had the privilege of performing with the NJ All State Choir and Symphony Orchestra at NJPAC in Newark, NJ.

The choir students were selected based on a virtual audition process amongst over 1000 applicants from all over New Jersey! Emma Cieslik (Grade 12), Anika Zoeller (Grade 11), Beatriz Labing-Isa (Grade 12), and David Oliveira (Grade 12) were selected for the Mixed Choir and Erin Dawson (not pictured) will be performing with the Treble Choir in February.

Students attended hours of rehearsal during the month of October and then met in Atlantic City for the NJEA Convention. They arrived Wednesday afternoon and rehearsed through to the concert on Friday evening in historic Boardwalk Hall. With a week of rest in between, they then presented the same concert at NJPAC on Sunday, November 17th.

Bringing the MK Choir experience full circle, the 2024 NJ All State Choir was conducted by former Knolls choral director, Mr. Michael Semancik and accompanied by Mr. Paul Conrad (Mrs. Markowski's brother). What a wonderful opportunity and experience for our students to have and bring back to our programs here at Knolls!

Grace Ort's All-State audition process began in early January when she successfully auditioned for and was accepted into the North Jersey Region Band. After being accepted into this preliminary ensemble, she was invited to audition for All-State in late January, competing against other oboists from across the state. Grace was one of four oboists in New Jersey to be accepted into the 2024 All-State Orchestra.

Although the All-State auditions themselves took place over a period of two weeks in January, Grace prepared for her auditions for over six months prior to this time. She spent this time learning a conservatory-level audition piece entitled “Oboe Sonata” by early 20th-century composer Camille Saint-Saens. The auditions also included a sight-reading period and required her to master all 12 major scales. While the process was challenging, Grace is grateful for the experience, as it made her a better musician and gave her the opportunity to make friends from all across the state.

Inverly's supervisor gave her a perfect score on her marking period evaluation, indicating that she has exceeded all expectations for marking period 1. Her supervisor stated that, "Inverly is a valuable asset to our team. She demonstrates all four of our core values: Exceptional Leadership, Mindful Stewardship, Committed Relationship and Team Ownership."

Due to her excellent guest service and teamwork, Invery has been promoted to Trainer and was named Employee of the Quarter!!!

In addition to her success at the restaurant, Inverly is MK's overall highest earner so far this year, and also has a perfect 100% average in class!

Inverly - thank you for consistently working hard both in class & at work! Congrats to you on your promotion and honor, as both are well deserved!

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Ameilia was featured in the NJ Bluebirds Society's publication, "Jersey Blues"

Congratulations to Joy Mazur and the entire cast and crew of our Fall Drama, The 12 Huntsmen. The show was sold out all three nights and our students on stage and in the crew were amazing. The show was unique in the fact that different stories were presented each night for the audience. This made it a challenging show to pull off, but our amazing cast nailed it! MK has talent!!

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Designed to challenge and inspire, the Program for the Gifted and Talented of the Morris Hills Regional District is thriving on providing alternatives in acceleration and enrichment to students nominated, screened, and selected in all of the six federally-recognized categories of giftedness. These include general intellectual ability, specific academic aptitude, creative and productive thinking, leadership, fine and performing arts and psychomotor talents.

Through varied seminars , the student is guided in his or her area(s) of giftedness. Application and elaboration of cognitive, artistic, and psycho-social abilities and talents are the goals encouraged. Independent study and projects, mentorships and internships with community businesses, industries, and facilities are integral aspects of this highly individualized secondary school program.

Students are counseled and encouraged to structure their own long-term projects or programs to provide the most appropriate development and enrichment over the entire four-year high school period.

Fostering general leadership, commitment to tasks and a high degree of personal responsibility, the Program for the Gifted and Talented in the Morris Hills Regional District aids in the educational plan to develop creative and dynamic learning for the exceptionally bright and talented high school student.

Click below to view just some of the work our students are doing. MK has awesome students!!

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Best Group: The Science Department

Best Individuals:

• Addison Doltz (9)
• Aly Frio (12)
• Sawyer Mazol (9)

Ms. Skulnik will be serving as an Administrative Assistant in the Child Study Team Office. She is a graduate of Montclair State University and majored in Business Administration. She previously worked for the corporate office of Bed Bath & Beyond prior to coming to Morris Knolls. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with family, friends, and volunteering in the community.

Mr. Coffey will be serving as a Security Staff Assistant at MK. He has over 25 years of police experience serving as a Captain in the City of Hackensack Police Department and the West Caldwell Township Police Department. He is a graduate of Stockton State with a degree in Criminal Justice.

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Class of 2016 alumnus, Matthew Tavarone, along with the 1st Battalion, 150th Assault Helicopter Regiment, pose for a photo on the field at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Sept. 8, 2024.

Soldiers, with the 1-150th Assault Helicopter Regiment, were honored on the field during the 2nd quarter for providing a pregame flyover for the New York Giants first game of the season.

Matt pilots Black Hawk helicopters for the National Guard and serves as an officer in the Denville Township Police Department. Check out the video below of Matt landing at MK over the summer for the Denville Township Junior Police Academy!

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The Morris Knolls Quill Club reports on school and community news throughout the year, including sports, music, advice, and much more. Articles are student-written by club members of all grades and their hard work can be seen in their articles. All articles from this year and past years are able to be accessed at mkquill.com.

We are looking for 100% participation to help - Together, We we will Ignite Excellence!

NFHS Athletic Streaming

Morris Knolls High School is proud to announce our continued partnership with the NFHS Network to broadcast our Golden Eagle athletic contests and school wide events LIVE. We have invested in new technology that will bring you every game or event from Caruso Stadium and the Gene Kelly Gymnasium LIVE online. That means that if you or family members can’t make it to the game or school event, the live action can be watched from anywhere on your phone, tablet, computer or smart TV.

The NFHS Network will help showcase our primary mission of expanding participation and opportunities for involvement in education-based interscholastic sports and activities. The Morris Hills Regional School district has paid for memberships for all of our families and joining the NFHS Network and subscribing for unlimited access is a simple process.

Just follow these simple steps!

1. Go to NFHSnetwork.com

2. Enter Morris Knolls in the search box. This will bring you the free site for your Golden Eagle broadcasts.

3. Click “Follow” so you can stay up to date on all upcoming Morris Knolls broadcasted events.

Thank you for your continued support of Morris Knolls High School. We look forward to bringing you top notch broadcasts of our events!

Email: rmacnaughton@mhrd.org
Website: www.mhrd.org
Location: 50 Knoll Drive, Rockaway, NJ, USA
Phone: 9736642201
Twitter: @MKPrincipal