HTHS Mission Statement

The Haddon Township High School shall establish the highest standards of excellence for educating all individuals to use knowledge, values, and skills to function as responsible members of society.  The school will provide a nurturing, stimulating environment; a dedicated staff; an innovative curriculum; and the opportunity for community involvement and support.

About HTHS

The teaching community of HTHS strives for partnerships, new beginnings, and positive initiatives in education.  

HTHS offers challenging curricula throughout grades 9-12.  Twelve AP courses are available for all students to explore.  We offer five years of four different languages, including an AP course in each, as well as share foreign exchange experiences with Germany, France, Italy and Spain.  The English and Social Studies Departments offer a seminar course, Parallels: A Study of Human Nature through American History and Literature.  These two departments also jointly select the most outstanding junior in humanities to receive the University of Rochester’s Frederick Douglass Award and the Susan B. Anthony Award.  

The Social Studies Department collaborates with Student Personnel Services on a special career education project.  As part of our Modern World History curriculum, seniors experience a powerful assembly that includes Holocaust survivors as guest speakers.  In 2011-2012, the Goodwin Holocaust Museum & Education Center chose HTHS to participate in a “Student/Survivor Project” which culminated in student-produced video documentaries of survivor interviews.  This honor, and the permanent archive it produced, adds even more power to our impressive Holocaust awareness program.  Financial Literacy classes include an advanced career unit in which students complete individual interest inventories and temperament sorters.  These tools help students gain a clearer focus of life after high school. 

The Visual and Performing Arts Department blends academics, performance, and presentation to produce diverse and talented students who are ready for life after graduation.  HTHS performing and visual arts are visible within the community through our active marching band, senior citizen performances and art displays.  The department showcases its curriculum with students participating in regional, state and even national levels of instrumental and choral music and visual arts.  In addition to all of the traditional ensembles and performing groups, the department has a Technology in Music and Digital Audio curriculum that utilizes a state of the art recording studio.  Theatrical performances take place in the fall and the spring, along with two special nights dedicated to the music of Jazz and Broadway.  The HT Arts Extravaganza is an annual community arts celebration that shares performances and visual art from students in grades K-12. Additionally, all Visual and Performing Arts staff members participate in and/or present at their respective State and National Conferences.

The Science Department offers a wide range of courses for students of all ability levels.

All science classes are six-credit courses and follow a block schedule that provides for 89-minute class periods three times a week.  Students may participate in academic related competitions such as the USA Bio Olympiad, Delaware Valley Science Council Exam, and Merck State Science Day competition.  Through the Governor’s School of New Jersey, talented and motivated students have a wonderful opportunity to sample the pure sciences, mathematics and engineering during two summer programs.  Each year, faculty selects one junior to receive the University of Rochester’s Bausch and Lomb award for excellence in science.  

In addition to its usual rigorous course offerings highlighted by AP Calculus and AP Statistics, the Math Department effectively addresses the needs of students of all levels.  Also, we are proud to offer semester-long SAT prep classes for both math and critical reading skills, as well as a PTA sponsored SAT boot camp.

HTHS benefits daily from advances in instructional technology: LCD Projection capabilities in every classroom, video distribution, SMART Boards and a TV studio.  

In TV production students develop scripts, collect footage using camcorders, and digitally edit original stories and school events.  This year we continue with our 1:1 iPad initiative that will encourage and support students’ and teachers’ utilization and development of technology skills consistent with 21st century college and career readiness expectations.

Although the school is small, HTHS students have proven that they can successfully compete against those in many larger schools.  Technology Education students continue to achieve recognition in curriculum-related contests.  German students compete in the South Jersey Declamation Contest.  Mathematics students take part in several state, national and international competitions.  Our Knowledge Bowl team consistently competes well with the top area schools, most recently capturing first-place in 2016-17.

There are many prominent initiatives in the Career and Technical Education Department, which include Business Education, Family and Consumer Sciences and Technology Education.  In addition to offering a wide variety of courses that cover all aspects and areas of business, we cultivate ongoing relationships which include the following: the Rutgers Biz Ed: Leadership Program for high school students, the Future Business Leaders of America Club, the OSHA Safety Training Outreach Program, the Cooperative Education Program, the mentoring relationship with the NJ Bar Association and an articulation agreement with Camden County College in the Business Education program.  The department’s Consumer Bowl Team has won county and regional competitions.

The Family and Consumer Science Program continues to successfully offer a variety of courses including the Parenthood Education class, which operates a real nursery school program as part of its curriculum.  Along with Foods and Clothing classes this program initiates life-long learning by teaching hands on, practical and educational skills that will be used throughout one’s lifetime.

In Technology Education, courses such as Graphic Design, Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) and Wood Technologies offer a variety of interesting and enriching activities.  Also, Digital Photography I and II incorporate the latest technologies and keep the students on the cutting edge of the 21st century practices.  Furthermore, our teachers incorporate Smart Board technology in meaningful and creative ways in a variety of content areas.  They also utilize blogs, Twitter, Edmodo and more to connect with our students.  The department continues to expand its Technology Education curriculum by adding course offerings that include the following: Introduction to Engineering and Advanced Engineering electives. These courses are the first steps in the development of a true S.T.E.M. program.  Consistent with the iPad initiative all programs in this department will be infusing various digital applications within these lessons.

The media center provides students and staff with a wide range of information resources to complement and support the school's curriculum.  Computers and iPads give access to the Internet and the 40 high quality databases we subscribe to, which open access to thousands of magazine, newspaper, and other scholarly articles.  The print collection continues to be updated, and contains over 23,000 fiction and non-fiction volumes for reading and research.  More than 30 print and digital subscriptions to magazines and newspapers are available.  There are 10 Mac computers, 2 printers and a photocopier available for student and staff use.  Students may utilize the media center independently, but are also asked on a course-by-course basis to use the media center to complete research-based projects.  The media specialist and the subject teachers collaborate to design challenging assignments that require students to support their ideas and findings with primary or secondary sources they discover during guided classroom visits.  The media center strives to provide an academically centered environment that will help give students the skills they need to succeed in high school and beyond.

Haddon Township High School has continued its course offerings for students who are eligible for special education services.  Program offerings continue to include both in-class and replacement resource class options.  In-class resource/team-teaching programs include classes in the English, Math, Science and Social Studies departments.  These programs provide students with opportunities for differentiated instruction, cooperative learning and learning support within the general education curriculum.  Resource classes offer a smaller class size, increased opportunities for individualized instruction, and a modified curriculum.  All programs are operated under state guidelines and meet “highly qualified” teacher requirements per NJ state mandates.  A Study Skills program is available for students with special needs for additional instructional support.  In addition, emphasis on transition services continues as an essential part of the program for students fourteen years of age and older.  The high school program addresses components such as career awareness, pre-vocational education and exposure to employment options and opportunities.

In addition to the supports for classified students, we encourage all students to visit our homework club after school and/or academic support periods during the school day.  Here, volunteer teachers and peer tutors work on those skills necessary for success in the classroom.   Also, our HT Honor Society provides peer tutoring at other times and locations in order to accommodate students’ busy schedules.  To assist our college bound seniors we have instituted a college essay-writing workshop, which is voluntarily supported by our English department teachers and guidance counselors.

To complement academics, the development of positive school climate continues as a high priority.  To this end, student volunteerism and civic engagement continue to be encouraged, supported and modeled.  Well over half of our faculty/staff and student body contribute in some way to our Empty Bowls project to combat hunger in local communities.  Community outreach thrives in Spanish Club activities, which include coat drives and distribution of turkeys during the holidays.  The Interact Club tutors weekly at Fellowship House in Camden.  Student Council spearheads many events that benefit the local environment.  Teachers and students also continually reinforce positive school climate through active participation in Rachel’s Challenge, Core Team, Intervention and Referral Service and the HTHS Code of Ethics.

All of the curricular and co-curricular programs at HTHS reflect the school’s culture and philosophy as a comprehensive school for diverse need and interests.