As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 3,079 students and 264.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.6:1.[1]
History
The district was established with the passage of a referendum in January 1957 by the five constituent municipalities of Egg Harbor City, Egg Harbor Township, Galloway Township, Hamilton Township and Mullica Township by a 5-1 margin that allocated $1.7 million (equivalent to $18.4 million in 2023) for the construction of what would become Oakcrest High School.[5] Egg Harbor Regional High School opened in September 1960, with 150 students from Hamilton Township shifted out of Vineland High School.[6] The school was renamed as Oakcrest High School for the start of the 1960-61 school year.[7] The school name was chosen based on its site on the crest of a hill amid oak trees.[8]
Absegami High School was established at the start of the 1972–73 school year as a school-within-a-school inside Oakcrest High School. Absegami had its own independent identity and held classes in the afternoons, while Oakcrest met during morning sessions.[9] By a three-vote margin, voters in the district approved a referendum by 1,152-1,149 to spend $11.89 million (equivalent to $49.9 million in 2023) for the construction of Absegami's own building on a 120-acre (49 ha) site in Galloway Township.[10] Absegami High School opened independently in its own building in September 1982.[11]
Voters passed a September 2007 referendum by a 3,176–1,719 margin, approving a plan to construct a third high school in the district, to be located in Egg Harbor City and constricted at a cost of $81.7 million.[12] The new Cedar Creek High School was planned to alleviate overcrowding in the two existing schools and serve students from Egg Harbor City and Mullica Township. Construction began in Fall 2008 and opened to students in September 2010.[13][14]
In 2009–10, the district had 3,296 students, its peak enrollment. Enrollment decreased afterward due to a decline in casino jobs. Between 2009-2010 and 2014 its enrollment declined by almost 6%.[15]
The district had been classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "CD", the sixth-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.[16]
Awards and recognition
For the 2005–06 school year, the district was recognized with the "Best Practices Award" by the New Jersey Department of Education for its "A Proactive Approach to Guidance and Career Services" Career Education program at Oakcrest High School.[17]
Cedar Creek High School[26] (942 students) located in Egg Harbor City, serves students from Egg Harbor City, Mullica Township, Port Republic and Washington Township (in Burlington County).[27][28]
Thomas P. Grossi, business administrator and board secretary
Board of education
The district's board of education, comprised of nine members, sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.[36][37] Seats on the nine-member board are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with four seats assigned to Galloway Township, three to Hamilton Township and one each to Egg Harbor City and Mullica Township.[38][39]
^Greater Egg Harbor Regional Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District, adopted 10 August 10, 1998. Accessed February 10, 2025. "The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades nine through twelve in the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Composition: The Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Egg Harbor City, Galloway Township, Hamilton Township and Mullica Township."
^A Greater Future, Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Accessed February 10, 2025. "Any student who does not attend a Magnet Program will be assigned to a high school based on home address. Students in Hamilton Township attend Oakcrest High School; those in Galloway attend Absegami High School; and those in Egg Harbor City and Mullica Township attend Cedar Creek. In addition to those municipalities that support GEHR with tax revenue. Students from Port Republic (Atlantic County) and Washington Township (Burlington County) attend Cedar Creek."
^"Regional High Approved in Egg Harbor", Courier-Post, January 31, 1957. Accessed March 8, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Formation of a Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School was approved by five communities in the area last night, 2,603 to 529 in a public referendum.... Approval of the referendum clears the way for construction of a proposed 30-room school to be built at an approximate cost of $1,700,000."
^"6900 Pupils Start Here Tomorrow", The Daily Journal, September 6, 1960. Accessed March 8, 2022. "Cumberland County schools will officially begin the 1960-61 academic year tomorrow, with an estimated 6900 pupils anticipated for the Vineland system. Overlapping sessions at Memorial Junior High School and Vineland High will continue this year because of overcrowded conditions, A. L. Donley, superintendent of schools, announced. Donley predicted a total enrollment increase of 183 students despite the loss of 150 pupils from Hamilton Township, who will enter the new Egg Harbor Regional High School."
^Rudinger, Ardith. "Absegami High to Be Oakcrest 'Alter Ego'", The Press of Atlantic City, February 25, 1972. Accessed February 10, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "Absegami High School will be the new alma mater in September 1972 for approximately half the students attending Oakcrest High School here. The name, lifted from local Indian history and recently okayed by the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Board of Education, will be given afternoon school within the Oakcrest building, making official the split-school concept planned since last year by the board."
^McFarland, Donna. "Voters Approve $12 Million Bond Issue for New School", The Press of Atlantic City, September 14, 1979. Accessed February 10, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "By a razor thin margin of 1152-1149, voters in the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School Distict approved an $11.89 million bond referendum to build a high school in Galloway Township.... Galloway Township residents cast the deciding ballots in the election, voting 626-424 for the new Absegami High School, to be located on a 120-acre tract off Wrangleboro Road near the Garden State Parkway."
^ abAbout AbsegamiArchived May 1, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Absegami High School. Accessed July 6, 2014. "For a while, Absegami and Oakcrest High Schools coexisted in the same building until Absegami's own building was completed in 1982. In June 1978, the voters approved the withdrawal of Egg Harbor Township from the Regional District. And in 1979, the voters approved a referendum to build Absegami High School in Galloway Township. In September 1982, Absegami High School opened to pupils of the Regional District."
^Previti, Emily. "Greater Egg Harbor Regional trying to collect 12% more in taxes", The Press of Atlantic City, March 30, 2010, updated June 19, 2019. Accessed March 8, 2022. "In 2007, voters passed a referendum that raised another $27 million in extra taxes to cover the $81.7 million it cost to plan, design and build Cedar Creek High School, which will open in the fall."
^Staff. "Students get a sneak peek at Egg Harbor City's new Cedar Creek High School", The Press of Atlantic City, August 25, 2010, updated July 20, 2019. Accessed March 8, 2022. "Freshmen and sophomores, at right, who will attend the new Cedar Creek High School in Egg Harbor City got a look at their new school, above, during student orientation Tuesday. The school is part of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School District and will serve all students from Egg Harbor City, Mullica Township, Port Republic and Green Bank in Washington Township, Burlington County, as well as some students from Hamilton Township and Galloway Township."
^Absegami High School, Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Accessed February 10, 2025.
^Absegami High School 2016-17 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 27, 2018. "We are the home school for students who reside in Galloway Township and students who reside in Egg Harbor City, Mullica Township, and Port Republic and Hamilton Township are eligible to apply for either of our two magnet programs (Computer Science and Homeland Security and Public Safety)."
^Cedar Creek High School, Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Accessed February 10, 2025.
^Lowe, Claire. "Superintendent cites capacity in declining Brigantine request"The Press of Atlantic City, July 6, 2011. Accessed February 10, 2025. "Over the last year, Brigantine has conducted a feasibility study and spoken with Greater Egg Harbor Regional administration about the possibility of sending its high school students to the newly constructed Cedar Creek High School in Egg Harbor City. The new school opened in September to ninth- and 10th-grade students from Egg Harbor, Mullica Township, Port Republic, and Green Bank. Capacity is expected to expand to near 650 in the 2011-2012 school year when the school takes on a third grade level, a junior class. Ciccariello said that when the school is complete with a senior class, enrollment is expected to reach 850 to 900 students."
^Cedar Creek High School 2016-17 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 27, 2018. "We are the home school for students who reside in Egg Harbor City, Mullica Township, and Port Republic and students who reside in Galloway Township and Hamilton Township are eligible to apply for either of our two magnet programs (engineering/environmental science)."
^Oakcrest High School, Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Accessed February 10, 2025.
^Oakcrest High School 2016-17 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 27, 2018. "We are the home school for students who reside in Hamilton Township and students who reside in Egg Harbor City, Mullica Township, and Port Republic and Galloway Township are eligible to apply for either of our two magnet programs (Biomedical Sciences and Air Force JROTC in Aerospace Science and Leadership)."
^Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2024. Accessed February 10, 2025. "The Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District is a Type II district located in the County of Atlantic, State of New Jersey. As a type II district, the School District functions independently through a Board of Education. The board is comprised of nine members elected to a three-year term. The purpose of the District is to educate students in grades K-8." See "Roster of Officials" on page 15.
^Greater Egg Harbor Regional Board of Education District Policy 0141 - Board Member Number and Term, Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District, revised October 14, 2024. Accessed February 10, 2025. "The Board of Education shall consist of nine members. The constituent districts of this regional district and the members to which each is entitled are: Egg Harbor City: one member; Galloway Township: four members; Hamilton Township: three members; Mullica Township: one member. The term of a Board member shall be three years."
