Are you thinking of making a move to Monmouth County NJ and you have started researching the different towns and the school systems? Do you have school-aged children already or maybe you’re planning on having a family in the future? If you are one who likes to plan and research the schools in specific areas, you may find this video extremely important.
Today I’m here to talk about the Freehold Regional High School District. What it is, what schools are part of the system, and what having a district like this means for you and your children. Let’s Get Started.
The Freehold Regional High School District is a public regional school district that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from eight communities in western Monmouth County, NJ. It is also the largest Regional High School District in the State of NJ.
The sending schools cover an area of over 200 square miles. And the district educates approximately 10,400 students in our six high schools. It is important to note that The curriculum at each of our high schools is the same for all academic subjects.
In addition to amazing academics, the schools offer a wonderful selection of extracurricular activities. Athletics, performing arts, activities, organizations, clubs, and more.
What makes the district so special and unique, in addition to the excellent schools, there are many magnet programs offered throughout the district. These are all 4-year programs of study!
So what does this mean for parents living within the various sending districts and for those who are looking to move to the area?
As soon as children begin 8th grade they need to start thinking about High School and where they would like to attend High School. Within the first few weeks of the 8th grade school year, every parent will receive an email detailing the various programs and steps needed to begin the application process. At that time you can sit with your child and start exploring the different programs.
Keep an eye out for the dates and deadline information. There are NO exceptions at all. The application opens to students on September 26th and closes at 11:59 pm on November 9th. Check back often as these dates may change.
Every district has its own High School that children living within the town are zoned for and can automatically attend.
Confused? Okay, let’s start from the beginning. The Freehold Regional district is made up of 6 towns:
Freehold Township
Freehold Borough
Marlboro Township
Manalapan Township
Colts Neck
Howell
So all of these towns are part of ONE regional high school system. Within the system, there are several different magnet programs as well as an International Bacheloreet program. Children apply and if they are accepted to a specific program they will attend the high school that hosts that program.
There are many specialized Magnet Programs located throughout the district. All 8th-grade students from a sending school in our district are eligible to apply for specialized programs. Keep in mind, admission is extremely competitive. If selected, students attend the school where the program is housed.
So what are the programs offered within the Freehold Regional District?
Colts Neck is home to the Law & Public Service program and the Naval Junior ROTC program.
Freehold High School has three programs: Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management, Computer Science, and Medical Sciences.
Freehold Township High School is home to the Animal & Botanical Sciences program and the Global Studies program Howell High School is home to the Fine & Performing Arts, as well as the Humanities program.
Manalapan High School houses the Science & Engineering program and the Law Enforcement & Public Safety program. Marlboro High School contains the Business Administration magnet. The district also offers the IB Diploma Programme at Freehold Township and Howell High Schools.
Again, admission to these programs is pretty competitive. I’ll leave links in the description box below with more detailed information and links to the dates that applications are due. Each program does host an open house, so it gives children a chance to visit the school and learn about the programs!
It is also important to note, your child can ONLY apply to 2 programs.
There are very different criteria required when applying to various programs. Along with your grades and teacher recommendations, there are some programs that require auditions, entrance exams, interviews,s and or essays.
Choosing to enter into a magnet program should NOT be taken lightly. Be sure your child understands their level of commitment and truly has an interest and desire to pursue that specific field of study!
So now that your child has made the decision to apply to a certain program. When will they find out if they are accepted? Emails are sent out in February. There are also waiting lists that come out at the same time. If your child wasn’t accepted immediately into the program, there is still a chance for them to be accepted into the program at a later date. This happens is students turn down their offer and spaces become available!
Okay, as if that wasn’t enough information. In addition, there is also the international bachelorette program at two of the high schools. These courses are taken during Junior and Senior years. Every course taken is an IB course. Students who are zoned for Colts Neck HS, Freehold HS, Freehold Township HS, Manalapan HS, Howell HS, and Marlboro HS are eligible to participate in the program at Freehold Township. Students who are zoned for Howell HS may participate in the IB program hosted at Howell HS.
I know it seems extremely overwhelming and confusing, but there are so many informational seminars, webinars, and options to explore the magnet and ib programs further.
Monmouth County has so many fabulous school districts, and the freehold regional hs is one of them. There are over 50 towns here in Monmouth County, so it can get overwhelming. If you have any additional questions about the schools please reach out, if I can’t answer your questions directly, I can put you in touch with someone who can!
Thanks for joining me this week as we explored the Freehold Regional High School District. I’ll catch you on the next one!
LINKS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
