11 Spencer Lane ♦ Annandale, NJ 08801 ♦ 908.832.7200

high school

Young adults at Hunterdon Prep have boundless opportunities to explore their full potential for academic and personal growth.

Students at the Hunterdon Preparatory School receive individual and group instruction using a traditional grade level curriculum that is introduced, delivered, enriched, and assessed using methods that are both carefully planned and flexible.  Individual assignments may be adapted and modified according to what each student needs to be successful. Academic instruction and technology are integrated at every grade level and in every classroom.

Our high school programming provides for group counseling three times a week for forty minutes.  “Group” is a forum for learning the skills and tools students need to communicate effectively and respectfully, resolving conflicts in a socially acceptable manner, giving and receiving feedback and support, and learning to identify emotions as a way to change negative social responses to positive ones.

Science Instructor, Steve Moore, with working with two students in science lab

ACADEMICS 

Students at Hunterdon Prep are placed in homerooms that are the best fit for them chronologically, socially and emotionally.  The Troupe homeroom, our youngest group, places its academic focus on developing functional organizational skills and learning to accept academic feedback from teachers and peers.  This self-contained class combines individual instruction with hands-on group activities to support the curriculum.  Basic research techniques that are necessary to prepare for secondary school are introduced and practiced throughout the subject matter covered in class.

The Nest homeroom of 9th and 10th graders experiences integrated English and history assignments utilizing the infinite possibilities of collaborative topics to learn how an academic paper is written.  How the research is presented to an audience is the focus here and again, the “how” options are individualized and supported according to each student’s individual learning style and needs.  Students in the Nest are expected to produce valid citations, accept and make revisions and produce work that is commensurate with their unique abilities.

Hive students can be either 10th or 11th graders.  It is in the Hive where we see a student's academic individuality begin to emerge and where they start to develop exciting, realistic dreams for their futures. Many of our Hive students choose to take the PSAT which we administer on-site. Students in the Hive also have the opportunity to participate in our spring semester college-level transition course. 

Our Cave homeroom is typically comprised of 12th graders.  We set expectations high for Cave students as they are role models for our underclassmen. Our seniors engage in higher-level cooperative learning and academic rigor as they transition to their future endeavors. Students in the Cave are offered internships which correspond to their potential career interests.

CORE STUDIES

  • Our core subjects include coursework in English, mathematics, social studies, science, visual and performing arts and physical education/health, and are aligned with state and national standards.

  • Students study integrated English and American literature each year for 4 years to meet graduation requirements.

  • Social studies and science courses coincide with each sending district’s program of study in order to make the possibility of transitioning back to one’s local school district seamless and efficient. Science courses offered at HPS include Earth Science, Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, Global Issues and Physics.  Lab activities are included as part of the curriculum in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students at all levels of secondary school are placed in higher order mathematics courses such as Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus and Calculus according to their IEPs.

  • World Language courses are taken online through the company, Duolingo, and supported by HPS staff members. Students may take any world language available from this provider.  Online access allows students to progress through the coursework at their own pace. Some students may be allowed to take their world language as an independent study, thus allowing them access to an additional special interest elective. The expectations for taking world language as an independent study include regularly accessing assignments and submitting a written record each week verifying the number of points accrued. Students whose local school districts require two years of a world language must take the same language for both years.  Students may choose to enroll in additional years of world language studies if they are considering a college or university with more than a two-year requirement.

     

Click here to see a full list of our curriculum offerings.

A map of the world

A student playing the violin at an HPS music concert

ELECTIVES

Students at Hunterdon Prep have the opportunity to participate in elective courses designed to give them the chance to explore their passions and interests outside the core curriculum.

Students can select from a variety of special interest electives such as: Art Studio, Music Lab, Crafts, Performing Arts, Dungeons & Dragons, Life Skills, 3D Printing, Minecraft, Book Club, Film Studies, Strategy & Competition, Creative Writing, Math Workshop, Ceramics, and Vocal Lab. Physical Education electives include: Bowling,  Basketball, Yoga, Recess Games, Outdoor Ed, Fishing, Couch to 5K, Power Walking, Soccer, and Fitness/Weights.

Visit our Electives web page to read more about our Electives classes. 

A student practicing independent living skills in the kitchen
At Hunterdon Prep we believe that learning experiences are transformative when they have authentic, useful application in the life of the learner.

ENRICHMENT 

Our students are on the go! HPS Students have ample opportunity for enrichment activities outside the classroom. Visit our Enrichment Activities web page to see some of the activities our students are involved in. 

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

Our students take many paths after high school. At Hunterdon Prep, it is our goal to help prepare students for the road ahead and to provide them with the tools and skills to navigate the world of college, work, and life in the adult world. 

Transition Class is where our students begin to explore their goals for the future and start to build a tool kit of skills to use in achieving them. Students in middle school through 11th grade receive transition instruction once per week where they work toward mastering their transition goals at each grade level. Our 12th grade students receive transition instruction five times a week to help them take the steps needed to make post-graduation plans that are most suitable for their individual circumstances.Four students on a field trip. They are on a hill with many acres of green trees behind them.Our 11th and 12th grade students are given the opportunity to explore the worlds of college and work through our innovative programs. In our College Partnership Program, students have the opportunity to enroll in a college course called "Pathways to Success" on the campus of Raritan Valley Community College. You can find out more information on our College Partnerships web page.

Our upperclassmen also have the opportunity to explore the world of work in our Student Internship Program where students prepare for job interviews, explore their career interests, and learn valuable workplace skills in a supported work environment either on or off the school campus.

Students who would benefit from additional support in transitioning to life after high school may enroll in our 12+ Program.

The 12+ Program

The HPS 12+ Program is offered to students at the Hunterdon Preparatory School who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that allow for a 5th and/or a 6th year of high school. This 1-year or 2-year program aims to assist students in the transition from high school to post-secondary education, the workforce, and independent living. More information about this dynamic program can be found on our 12+ Program web page.

HPS students who continue their education in the 12+ Program do not accept their high school diplomas until the program is completed and therefore, their IEPs remain in effect.  Tuition and transportation are provided by the sending school districts that support the need for additional time spent at HPS. 

The 12+ Program is also open to students ages 18-21 who have not attended our high school program but would benefit from the transition services the program provides.  For more information on enrolling a student, our program, and private payment options, please contact Executive Director, Alisa Kopacz at 908-832-7200 Ext 13.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

High school students at the Hunterdon Preparatory School are working towards earning their high school diplomas from their sending school districts. The New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) requires 120 credits that are categorized by content or skill for a student to be eligible for a high school diploma.  Local school districts may and often do demand additional credits to graduate.  For example, the DOE requires every student to pass one year of a world language while many local school districts call for an additional year of the same language.A large group of happy Hunterdon Prep students in their caps and gowns on graduation day

HPS does not issue its own diploma. As a receiving school, HPS is an extension of the sending school district for which HPS is providing educational services.  Therefore, a student from Morris Hills High School, for instance, will receive a Morris Hills diploma and official transcript.

High school students need to earn between 30 and 40 credits per year to be considered “on track” to graduate with their peers who entered high school at the same time.  A student who has experienced academic failure and loss of credit is in danger of not graduating on time. Students who need to recoup academic credits in order to graduate are able to do so at Hunterdon Prep. Students who have suffered minor credit loss such as a health class or personal finance can easily absorb credit recoupment into their programming.  Students who need major credit recoupment have the opportunity to accelerate recoupment by attending our six week summer program.

High school students participate in the PARCC assessments with the accommodations identified in their individualized education plans.  Biology students are required to take the NJBCT (New Jersey Biology Competency Test) in May. 

We invite you to LEARN MORE.

Recent News

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Upcoming Events

NJGPA testing (3/11-3/15/24)

Start: Mar 11, 2024 End: Mar 15, 2024

Multi-Day Event

After school & art clubs meet

Mar 12, 2024 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Cave (senior class) donut sale

Mar 13, 2024 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

School picture make-up day

Mar 14, 2024 9:05 AM - 10:05 AM

NJGPA testing (make-ups)

Start: Mar 18, 2024 End: Mar 22, 2024

Multi-Day Event

After school & art clubs meet

Mar 19, 2024 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM

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908.832.7200 ♦ Fax: 908.832.9772 ♦ 11 Spencer Lane ♦ Annandale, NJ 08801
csmith@celdas.net

HUNTERDON PREPARATORY SCHOOL IS A, not-for-profit, day school serving students between the ages of 12 and 21
 from over 40 school districts in New Jersey. We are located near the town of Clinton in west central NJ.

WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY
Hunterdon Preparatory School is committed to making our content accessible to all members of the public, including those with disabilities. This includes parents, students, employees, and all others associated with our district. If you need assistance in accessing materials on the district website, please contact the school.

 

HUNTERDON PREPARATORY SCHOOL IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL
The Hunterdon Preparatory School provides educational services to applicants and employs personnel without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, economic or social background, or religious preferences. School programs and school related activities during the day and after regular school hours provide equal access for all students regardless of race, color, creed, sex, and national origin. Books, curricula, and other materials, course content, subject matter, and reading lists are reviewed for sex, race, and cultural bias. Materials are chosen to represent a wide range of opinions and suggested pupil activities.