Wall High School Knightly News

Dear Wall High School students, families, and staff,

Happy summer (almost)!

Congratulations to the Wall High School Class of 2026! Please come back to the website later this week for links to the Senior Walk video and Graduation video which will be posted after each event.

Summer Assignments

Please click here to review a letter about summer assignments for Math and English Language Arts. Please note that all summer assignments for the high school are optional except for AP high school courses.

Report Cards

Report cards will be available in Genesis on June 18th by 12pm.

2026 Fall Sports Registration

Registration for 2026 Fall Sports will begin on June 1st. If your child plans to participate in a fall sport please click here to view a letter from Ms. Henry, our Athletic Director, which explains the registration process. All sports physicals must be received by July 31st to guarantee that your child will be cleared in time to participate in the start of fall sports.

Daily Rotation Calendar

The Daily Rotation Calendar is also available. Please click here to review the 26-27 WHS Daily Rotation Calendar.

26-27 Schedule

Scheduling for the 2026-2027 school year is complete! All students have met with their school counselor and finalized courses for next year.

Thank you and have a great summer! See you in September!

- Mr. Davis

We extend our sincere gratitude to Barlow’s Farm & Flowers of Wall Township for their generous donation of beautiful plants and palms for our graduation ceremony and commitment to supporting our school community. Thank you, Barlow’s Farm & Flowers, for helping make our graduation ceremony so special.

Wall High School proudly congratulates Jill Alexander on being named the 2026 NJ Arts Educator of the Year.

This prestigious honor recognizes Mrs. Alexander's exceptional dedication to her students, her passion for the arts, and her unwavering commitment to excellence in education. Through her inspiring instruction and mentorship, Mrs. Alexander challenges students to think creatively, develop their artistic talents, and take pride in their accomplishments. Her students consistently earn recognition at the county and state levels, reflecting both their hard work and the outstanding guidance she provides.

Most importantly, Mrs. Alexander creates an environment where students feel supported, challenged, and inspired to reach their full potential. Her influence extends far beyond the art room, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of countless students.

Congratulations, Mrs. Alexander on this well-deserved recognition. We are proud to celebrate your achievement and grateful for all you do for the students of Wall High School.

Congratulations to Mr. Ryan on earning the 2026 Count Basie Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical for Wall High School’s production of Into the Woods. Mr. Ryan’s creativity, vision, and commitment to excellence were evident throughout the entire production and helped provide our students with an unforgettable experience. This recognition is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of the outstanding work happening in the Wall High School performing arts program.

Pictured below: Mr. Ryan receiving the Count Basie Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical.

Congratulations to Mr. Montalto on receiving the 2026 Count Basie Award for Outstanding All Student Orchestra for Wall High School’s production of Into the Woods. Mr. Montalto’s leadership, talent, and dedication helped create an exceptional musical experience for both our students and audiences. We are incredibly proud of this well-deserved recognition and grateful for the time and passion he brings to our performing arts program each year.

Pictured below: Mr. Montalto receiving the Count Basie Award for Outstanding All Student Orchestra

Congratulations to Mr. Ryan and all the students and staff involved in the production of the fall drama, Eurydice, and the spring musical, Into the Woods, for the eleven nominations received for the Basie Awards on May 19th. Special congratulations to all of our nominated students and staff:

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

The 4th District Congressional Art Competition 2026 was held at the Community Medical Center in Toms River and Wall High School students earned 8 out of the 11 awards presented.

The Wall High School Military Wall of Honor was unveiled in a ceremony on Wednesday, March 4th. Thank you to everyone who joined us that evening, and a special thank you to all those who played a role in creating the Wall of Honor.

If you know a Wall High School graduate who served or is currently serving in the military, they may use the button below to submit a form to be added to the Wall of Honor.

Yearbook is now $125

Link to order: Buy Your Yearbook

The Wall High School Parent-Teacher Organization plays an important role in building a strong school community and supporting programs for both students and staff. PTO funds help provide classroom resources, student events, teacher appreciation activities, and more. We encourage every family to join the PTO for the 2025–26 school year and pay annual dues—your participation directly benefits our school. Membership information and payment options can be found through the link below. Thank you for helping us make this year exceptional for our students.

• September 17, 2025
• November 12, 2025
• January 14, 2026
• March 11, 2026
• May 13, 2026

Thank you to Broad Street Dough Co., Broadway Hot & Honey, Chefs International, Inc, FoodTown and Target for donating gift cards to support the Wall High School PTO Teacher Appreciation Program. Your support helps us celebrate our incredible teachers and is truly appreciated by our entire school community. Each month we honor two staff members who go above and beyond for our students, and we reward them with one of the gift cards that has been donated to the PTO.

Julia Macleod - 9th Grade

Mason DiStefano - 10th Grade

Justin Cannon - 11th Grade

Farah Sherif - 12th Grade

Amelia Auch, Dane Casey, Avonlea McInnes, Adam Ternyila, Alexander Travis and Brooke White

Two English 9 Honors students make the second round of the New York Times 2025-26 Tiny (100-Word) Memoirs Contest. They placed in the top 17% out of 14,232 total entrants. Congratulations to James O'Hara who wrote, "The Emboldened Retriever" and Matthew Newman who wrote, "When Our Worlds Met."

Five student artworks from our Digital Illustration class were selected for the Monmouth Teen Arts Festival Cover Design Contest, an exciting achievement for our program. Although the pieces were named runner-ups, all five works will be featured in the official festival program distributed to students and educators from across Monmouth County who attend this year’s event. This is the first time our school has had five artworks selected by the judging panel to be included in the program, a milestone we are incredibly proud of!

Congratulations to these talented artists (pictured left to right): Katie Doran (Grade12), Emma Grant (Grade 12), Maddox Mizelle (Grade 12), Mallory Fitzpatrick (Grade 2), and Aubrie Hickey (Grade10).

Two Wall High School art students have been selected for a prestigious state-level recognition through the Art Educators of New Jersey (AENJ). Melody Kusters (Grade 10), a Drawing and Painting 1 student, and Erin McBarron (Grade 11), a Drawing and Painting 2 student, were chosen by a panel of AENJ judges as the only two high school students from Monmouth County to be recognized at the state level for their outstanding artwork.

Each year, AENJ selects just two works of art to represent Monmouth County, and both honors were awarded to Wall High School students this year. Melody and Erin will be recognized at the Youth Art Month State Reception on March 28 at Grounds For Sculpture.

Congratulations to these talented artists on this exceptional achievement!

As Wall Township celebrates its 175th anniversary, eight members of the school’s National Art Honor Society were recognized for creating commemorative poster designs for the milestone celebration. Students submitted artwork in two categories, Digital Paintings and Traditional Renderings, showcasing their creativity and artistic skill. The students were formally honored during a recent Wall Township Committee meeting for their contributions to the township’s celebration.

Traditional Renderings: Best in Show: Brooke Roland, 1st Place: Chiara Byrnes, 2nd Place: Quinn Butler and 3rd Place: Devin Gottschalk

Digital Paintings: Best in Show: Clarisa Herrera, 1st Place: Rory Dunfee, 2nd Place: Avery Feely (not pictured) and 3rd Place: Katherine Doran

Congratulations to these talented students for helping commemorate this important milestone in Wall Township’s history!

Congratulations to the following students who successfully auditioned into the All-Shore Symphonic Band. The band is comprised of students from Monmouth and Ocean counties. We are very proud of your musical achievements!

Avery Rausch - Flute

Avonlea McInnes - Clarinet

Octavio Esquivel - Trombone

Joshua Clark - Euphonium

Karina Cherrington - Oboe

Christian Girardy - Trumpet

Nathaniel Shuman - Trumpet

Ella Dowd - Clarinet

Colin Harris - Percussion

Eamon Nelson - Percussion

Isabella Nieves - Oboe

Rebecca Girardy - Clarinet

Abigail Kowsaluk - Percussion

We've started something new this year to recognize and celebrate our staff at WHS. The Knight of the Month award recognizes Wall High School staff members who go above and beyond in serving our students, colleagues, and community. One is nominated by colleagues and another is chosen by the Senior Student of the Month. Congrats to our two staff members recognized for February!

Monmouth County Vocational School District offers numerous shared time programs for juniors and seniors at Wall High School. Shared-time programs provide an opportunity for students to enroll in a career and technical education course while attending their home high school. The shared-time classes are a half-day in length and the student continues with their regular course of study at their home high school the other half of the day. Most programs consist of two years of study in which the student learns skills that will qualify them for entry-level jobs or prepare them for further education in their chosen career and technical education field.

Please click the button below for more details including links to the MCVSD website, links to the application and more. If you have any questions, please reach out to your school counselor.

Scoir is a solution for students, supporters, counselors, and colleges focused on finding the right fit through a unified college search and planning network. This platform connects students to a powerful set of tools to help them identify their talents, search for their college fit, plan with their supporters, and apply when ready. As a parent/guardian, you play an integral role on Scoir by providing your student(s) with college suggestions, financial information, and general guidance.

On October 22nd, our 9th graders completed the YouScience aptitude assessment, a series of engaging brain games that highlight students’ natural strengths and learning styles.

On November 14th and 18th, students revisited their results during a 7 Mindsets lesson focused on “Passion First.” They learned how to access their one-page summary and full aptitude report, completed a reflection sheet, and discussed how their strengths can guide future academic, college, and career planning. Reflection sheets were sent home.

Families can view results by logging into their student’s YouScience account. Select Aptitude & Career Discovery → Discover Aptitudes → Download Results to access the one-page summary and other reports. Additional tools—career matches, college and major exploration, and conversation prompts—are also available. We are excited to use these results to help guide future conversations about coursework, career exploration and post-secondary planning!

For more information, visit the YouScience parent page.

Please reach out to Mr. Tarantin if you have any questions or would like support reviewing your student’s results.

Everyone should try to join at least one club!

Take a look at the club and activities website and email the clubs advisor if you have any questions.

Several of our students had the opportunity to present at the Dare to Dream Conference, hosted by the New Jersey Department of Education. The conference focuses on empowering middle and high school students by promoting self-advocacy skills that help them become active participants in their education, future planning, and personal goals.

The event featured keynote presentations from accomplished students across New Jersey, as well as presentations from young adults who have demonstrated outstanding self-advocacy and leadership skills. Our students proudly shared their experiences, perspectives, and successes, serving as role models for their peers and contributing to important conversations about student voice and self-determination.

Participating in the conference provided our students with a valuable opportunity to develop their leadership abilities, build confidence in public speaking, and inspire others to advocate for themselves. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and the positive impact they made at this statewide event.

Pictured left to right in the group shot are Michael D’ Alessio, Logan Wells, Lily Rafferty, Rezo Aspanidze, Madelynn Rizzo, and Eden Bonnie.

In March, Wall High School Latin students were among the over 100,000 students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 26 foreign countries who took the National Latin Exam which is administered under the auspices of the American Classical League and the National Junior Classical League. The National Latin Exam promotes and supports the teaching and learning of the Latin language, its literature and culture, and its lasting influence in the modern world. The NLE is an opportunity for students to receive reinforcement and recognition for their accomplishments in the classroom. Depending upon their score, students may earn certificates, medals, and may even qualify for scholarships. This year, the following students are recognized for their achievements with these awards:

Gold Medal - Summa cum laude

Beginning Latin: Julia Bowen, Justin Fallon, Cooper DiBiase & Erin Palmer

Intermediate Latin: Joshua DesFosse, Avonlea McInnes, Colin Jackson, Justin Lee & Brendan Fallon

Intermediate Reading Comprehension: Benjamin Gloth, Braden Maccioli

Advanced Prose: Jake Karcich

Perfect paper: Joshua DesFosse & Avonlea McInnes (2nd consecutive year)

Silver Medal - Maxima cum laude

Beginning Latin: Silvestro Lamb, Owen Ferrarese, Cein Murray-Dickerson & Jackson Napolitano

Intermediate Latin: James Cortese & Garrett Tidwell

Magna cum laude

Beginning Latin: Matthew Enegri & Luciano Kamb

Intermediate Latin Comprehension: Ella Dowd

Advanced Prose: Noah Gribko & Eamon Nelson

Cum Laude

Beginning Latin: Justin Jannarone & Jackson Wilkowski

Intermediate Latin Comprehension: Reagan Urban

Advanced Prose: Joshua Ritchie, Tanner Griffin & Jennevieve Dellett

Did You Know?

Right here in Wall Township, history reached the Moon before astronauts ever did! In 1946, scientists at the Diana Site at Camp Evans successfully bounced the first radio signal off the Moon and received an echo back just 2.5 seconds later. Known as Project Diana, this groundbreaking experiment proved that communication through space was possible and helped launch the age of radar astronomy and space exploration. Amazing to think this world-changing moment happened right here in our own district!

Wall High School students discovered this fascinating local history and more today at the InfoAge Science & History Museum, an incredible technology-rich resource right here in Wall, made possible through a State Grant for Computer Science.

Congratulations to Ava Walenjus, Maeve Donovan, and Erin McBarron, all grade 11 students in Ms. Barclay’s AP Language and Composition class. Each was recognized in the Monmouth Vicinage Law Day contests for their outstanding work on this year’s theme, “The Rule of Law and the American Dream.” Ava earned first place in the essay contest, Maeve earned second place in the essay contest, and Erin earned second place in the poetry contest. Their work thoughtfully explored how the rule of law can both support and challenge the pursuit of the American Dream.

In an effort to spread out school spirit throughout the year, the Wall High School Student Council is sponsoring a Battle of the Classes. Students can earn points for their class at the Pep Rally, Volleyball Night, Hall Decorating, and by attending various school events each marking period. For more details or to stay up to date with Battle of the Classes events, check out @WallStuCo on Instagram.

Join us in celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary with events and activities all year. This section will share district celebrations, announcements, and ways our school community can honor this historic milestone.

As you are aware, Dr. Handerhan announced back in the fall that she will be retiring at the end of this school year. Since then, the Wall Township Board of Education has been actively engaged in the search for a new Superintendent of Schools. At last night’s Board of Education Meeting, the Board of Education appointed Dr. David Bleakley as the next WTPS Superintendent of Schools, effective July 1, 2026. Dr. Bleakley brings with him over 20 years of educational experience, and the Board of Education is thrilled to welcome him to the District.

To learn more about Dr. Bleakley, click here. To learn more about the Superintendent Search, click here.

If your family is experiencing economic challenges or homelessness, visit the McKinney Vento webpage for essential information and guidance on available resources.

District Homeless Education Liaison

Tiffany Steiner
tsteiner@wallpublicschools.org
732.556.2647

Head boys golf coach, Matt Stefanski, earned his 400th career win for the Crimson Knights. Check out the article here.

Congratulations to Cali Buxbaum and Luke Van Benthuysen for making it to the NJSIAA Indoor Track & Field Meet of Champions! Cali placed 7th in the 3200M (10:31.86) and Luke placed 10th (51-6.00) in shot put. We are looking forward to a great spring season!

Congrats to Evan Penn who was named one the NJ Devils January High School players of the month!

Please be advised, WHS will not accept food deliveries from services such as DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, etc. for students in our school. While we understand the convenience these services provide, they create significant disruptions within our main office. More importantly, allowing outside food/lunch deliveries raises concerns about the safety and security of our students and staff.

Please note: Parents and guardians are still permitted to drop off lunch for students who may have forgotten their meals. However, we ask that you coordinate these drop-offs directly through our main office to ensure a smooth process.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we prioritize the well-being and security of our school community.

Mr. Davis