The following co-curricular clubs/activities have been approved for the 2019-2020 school year. For more information and for each club's criteria for service credit, contact the listed advisor.
All School Musical (ASMP):
Director- Ms. Van Buskirk
Producer- Ms. Wilcox
Students participate in the rehearsal and performance of a full-scale musical production. Students can be involved as actors, singers, dancers, as well as crew members for set construction, set painting, properties, running crew, technical crew, lighting and sound crew, make-up, set dressing, ushers, orchestra, business and advertising.
American Red Cross Club/Future Doctors of America:
Advisor- Ms. Smilon
Art Club:
Advisor-Ms. Gollub
The art club is open to all interested students. Club members will have the opportunity to develop individual art skills, prepare a portfolio, and volunteer artistic services to paint murals for the school. During the months of November, January, and February, students get heavily involved in set painting for the All-School Musical Production.
Astronomy Club:
Advisor-Mr. J. Hughes
Goals of the Astronomy Club
• Develop an understanding and appreciation of celestial objects.
• To be able to locate the moon, planets, and constellations and understand their changes in position with respect to the earth’s movements.
• To understand and explore the job of astronomers.
• To use the World Wide Web to find the latest developments in the field of astronomical research or events.
• To work with a local astronomical society/organization to bring greater exposure of astronomy to other students.
• Use fundraising for the purchase of a school telescope.
Book Club:
Advisor-Ms. Collins
Chess Club:
Advisor: Mr. Quinn
The Chess Club is designed to promote the game for enjoyment and competition of participating members. In addition, it will stimulate interest in the student body as well as help others learn and improve their chess abilities through interaction with other members of the club. The club will attempt to send selected members on field trips to participate in tournaments or to interact with other clubs to enhance the abilities of our members.
Chinese Club:
Advisor-Ms. L. Lee
The goal of Chinese Club is to educate and spread information about the Chinese language and culture through enjoyable means, such as lectures, films and cuisine. The club offers many diverse activities that range from dumpling making, Chinese calligraphy and traditional Chinese games and sports. Chinese Club also plans and hosts the annual Chinese New Year Celebration at NVOT. Aside from club activities, the Chinese Club also participates in fund raisers for charity organizations and reliefs. It is open to the general school population.
Contemporary Social & Political Issues Club:
Advisor-Mr. Kinsella
The Contemporary Social and Political Issues club is an opportunity for students to become more active, informed and civically responsible students and citizens. Students engage the social and political issues the are currently being debated at the state and national level and those that matter most to them. The CSPI club offers students the opportunity for the exchange of diverse ideas and opinions through intellectual sharing, debate and discussion so that they are learning from each other. They develop fundamental skill related to rhetoric, civics, and cooperation.
Criteria for Club Credit: Attend 5 meetings and participate in fundraiser.
Debate Team:
Advisor- Ms. Rabelo
Assistant (JV)- Ms. Gallagher
Debate is an activity that elicits the best of students, as they prepare for and participate in this activity. Whether as debaters or judges, students must master complex issues and think
creatively. Both varsity and junior varsity teams travel around the county to compete against other Bergen County teams.
DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America):
Advisor-Mr. Marino
DECA is a co-curricular, competitive marketing club that is run in accordance with the Marketing I class. DECA aims to further enhance your knowledge and application of marketing topics to real world business situations. Students can choose to compete in specific areas of marketing such as sports and entertainment, apparel and food marketing, just to name a few. There is a strong emphasis placed of presentation and interviewing skills.
Drama Club:
Advisor- Ms. Van Buskirk
Assistant- Ms. K. Doherty
Members of the Drama Club develop and refine theatrical skills through participation in a full scale dramatic production. To receive credit, club members are required to participate in the Fall Production in at least one of the following production areas - performance, stage management, scenic design/build, costume design/construction, lighting, sound, or house management. Students will be encouraged to work in more than one department over their four years. At least two meetings will feature guest artists who will discuss careers in professional theater. Auditions for cast members and initial club meeting will be held in early September. Depending on student interest and ticket availability, club members may be offered the opportunity to attend selected live theatrical performances throughout the year.
EMS Club:
Advisor-Ms. Sposa
The NVOT EMS Club provides all students with an opportunity to explore volunteer opportunities and future career possibilities in all areas of emergency services including fire, EMS, and law enforcement. The club works closely with local agencies and departments to bridge the gap between school and community.
F.B.L.A. (Future Business Leaders of America):
Advisor- Ms. O'Sullivan
Assistant- Mr. Rotella
The primary objective of this organization is to:
• Develop competent, aggressive business leadership.
• Strengthen confidence of students in themselves and their work.
• Create more interest in American business enterprise.
• Encourage and practice efficient money management.
• Assist students in the establishment of occupational goals.
• Facilitate transition from school to work.
Flag and Color Guard:
Advisor-Ms. O'Shea
Assistant-Ms. Rothstein
Instructional Clinics, open to all girls grades 9 -12, are held in late May for the Marching Band season of the following fall. Rehearsals are held during the summer and throughout the
fall in conjunction with the Marching Band. The Color Guard performs precision flag drills with the Marching Band at all football games, in addition to the Columbus Day and Memorial Day Parades and Herald News Band Festival. See Ms. Wilcox for additional information.
French Club:
Advisor-Ms. Safa
Fun Physics Club:
Advisor-Mr. Elqariani
In the Fun Physics Club, students have discussions about research in physics, prepare for and compete in the Physics Olympiads and Physics Bowl, and watch and discuss physics-related movies. Members also visit area elementary schools and perform and discuss experiments.
GSA (Gay/Straight Alliance):
Advisor-Ms. Greco
This club (G.S.A.) will be an all-inclusive group formed to address student concerns about sexuality, providing a forum for discussion about sex-gender issues such as hardships faced by gay, lesbian, bi- sexual, transgender, and questioning youth, family, friends and allies and to explore and pursue ways of alleviating them.
Gifted and Talented:
Advisor-Ms. Vion
Individual and group activities are provided for students of exceptional ability and high interest in particular areas of pursuit. Specialized and leadership projects are projected offerings for this coming year. For additional information, see Ms. Vion.
Hand-in-Hand Club:
Advisor-Ms. Beatty
Assistant-Ms. K. Doherty
Hand in Hand is a club created to provide socialization for developmentally disabled students who live in our district but go to a special school. These students come to our high school once a month for social, recreational, and daily living activities. Activities such as baking, crafts, dance, sports, and trips are planned. Northern Valley students meet prior to the monthly visits in order to plan activities.
Heroes and Cool Kids:
Advisor- Ms. MacRae
Heroes & Cool Kids is an award winning program started by former New York Jet and Northern Valley resident, Bruce Harper, to train high school students to mentor middle school students. Sophomores, juniors and seniors are eligible for inclusion. Students must be recommended by a teacher and then proceed through an intensive interview process. Students must be in good academic standing and pledge to be drug and alcohol free. Students are put through intensive training to work with the 6th graders in the four sending districts. The high school students will mentor middle school students on important life skills, including sportsmanship, conflict resolution, and positive lifestyle choices highlighting drug, alcohol, and tobacco prevention. The goal of Heroes & Cool Kids is to promote pro-social behavior in students and to create a caring and disciplined school climate.
Instrumental Music:
Director-Ms. Wilcox
Intramural Athletics:
Volleyball-Mr. Byron
Badminton-Mr. Clause
Basketball-Mr. Byron
Intramural sports will be offered during various seasons for basketball, badminton, and volleyball. Students participate either in the morning or after school.
Investment Club:
Advisor-Mr. B. Dunn
Italian Club:
Advisor-Ms. Rubano
The club’s goal is to enrich students’ understanding and appreciation of Italian culture. The club will offer diverse activities so that all members can gain an appreciation of Italian. Food is a major focal point: members bake biscotti, make pasta & pizza, and sell cannoli. Events include dining at an Italian restaurant, dinner/movie night held in school, and a NYC theater trip.
Japanese Club:
Advisor-Ms. Fukuda
The club develops an understanding of the Japanese culture, language, and ethnic background. The club fosters volunteer service within the school and community. They also sponsor the Japanese Festival in March and a Japanese culture-related event every month.
Jazz Band:
Advisor-Ms. Wilcox
Assistant- TBD
This ensemble is open to instrumentalists who are registered in a music department course, by audition, and explores progressive jazz, bebop, and jazz-rock music styles. The group
performs at concerts and special performances throughout the year. See Ms. Wilcox for additional information.
Kinesis (Dance Team):
Advisor- Ms. O'Donnell
Korean Club:
Advisor-Ms. MJ Lee
The Korean Club supplements the classroom with fun and educational activities. Students may learn more about Korean culture, history, and society, through participating in a wide range of activities, such as cooking, eating, or arts and crafts.
Library Council:
Advisor-Ms. Reinfried
The Media Club is a service club where students volunteer some of their free time to work in the school library. Members assist library staff in the daily operations of the library such as new book processing, periodical cataloging, shelving, and special projects.
Literary Magazine ("Coldwater"):
Advisor-Mr. Lai
Assistant-Ms. Reinfried
"Coldwater" is the school’s literary magazine and provides a showcase for student writing, art and photography. It is published once a year in the spring, and material may be submitted from September through March.
Students who enjoy creative writing, photography, or drawing are urged to submit their work to the editors or advisor for consideration. The magazine also needs students who can help with computer generated layout. An organizational meeting is held in September, and general staff meetings are held throughout the year to prepare the magazine for publication. Interested students should check announcements for notification of these meetings. Further information is available from the advisor.
Marching Band:
Advisor- Ms. Wilcox
Assistants- Ms. Chen, Mr. Brassel, Mr. Daleus
The Marching Band provides entertainment and spirit at all football games. It combines concert-style musical arrangements with precision marching drills. The Band provides a unique opportunity for students to work together toward a common goal of excellence. The Band is open through membership in Concert Band or Wind Symphony although qualified players who are not in these courses may also join. See also Color Guard.
Math Team/Club:
Advisor- Dr. Lajinian
The Math Team affords students the opportunity to use their critical thinking and math skills to solve challenging, non-routine math problems in a competitive environment. The six New Jersey Math League competitions are open to all members; membership in the Bergen County Math League Team is limited to 15 students from this NJML group who have scored particularly well on previous tests. Individual as well as team scores are recognized.
Meditation Club:
Advisor-Ms. Greco
The meditation club is open to students who would like to learn how to improve mental well-being through meditation. Benefits of meditation include reducing stress, improving concentration and reducing anxiety among many others. The club hosts regularly scheduled brief guided meditations during lunch that are open to all students and staff. Requirements for club credit include attending at least one meditation per month and participating in an annual community service or charity project. For more information, please contact Ms. Greco.
Model United Nations:
Advisor-Ms. Christensen
The Model United Nations organization is a simulation of the UN General Assembly. Students who join the Model UN Club step into the shoes of ambassadors from UN member states to debate current issues on the organization’s agenda. While playing their roles as ambassadors, student “delegates” make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, negotiate with allies and adversaries, and resolve conflicts at the Model UN Annual Conference--all in the interest of mobilizing “international cooperation” to resolve problems that affect countries all over the world.
National Art Honor Society:
Advisor-Ms. Kipilman
National Honor Society:
Advisor- Mr. Quinn
Assistant- Ms. Cerrato
The Honor Society is a service organization composed of members who are elected based on their GPA and activity points. Students may be nominated in either their junior or senior year. In junior year, students must have a 3.75 GPA and a minimum of 6 activity points. As seniors, students must have a 3.75 GPA and 7 activity points. Members do service to the school and community which includes tutoring and acting as tour guides for school functions.
*See additional information in the "National Honor Society" section of this handbook.
Newspaper (The Lance):
Advisor- Ms. Kulick
Assistant- Mr. Krapels
The Lance is the student newspaper of Northern Valley Old Tappan High School. The newspaper club is made up of freelance writers and photographers who report to student editors and help to contribute to both the online edition of the newspaper (www.thelancenews.com) as well as the two annual print editions. Students meet regularly with editors and advisors to pitch ideas, practice journalistic writing techniques, and learn the hallmarks of news gathering and reporting.
NVOT Varsity Club:
Advisor- Ms. Massaro
The NVOT Varsity Club promotes school spirit and pride at Golden Knight events.
OT Diversity:
Advisor-Ms. Fox
“We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.” -- Maya Angelou.
The goal of OT Diversity is to celebrate the diverse backgrounds of our students and to break down barriers of bias and prejudice through a better understanding of the cultures and universals in our world. Activities include film viewings, cooking classes, student demonstrations and performances, small workshops and discussions, field trips, and the annual Karaoke competition.
Peer Mentors:
Advisor- Ms. MacRae
Assistant- Ms. Massaro
Students are selected from grades 10, 11 and 12 to be peer mentors. They are trained professionally and have ongoing supervision and practice sessions. Peer mentors are available to welcome new students and to provide ongoing service to students who are in need in any way. A special homeroom as well as designated drop in time is provided for students seeking to confer with their peers. Schedule will be posted in the fall.
Philosophy Club:
Advisor-Mr. D'Antuono
The philosophy club is dedicated to asking and discussing the big questions about life, existence, right and wrong, knowledge and belief, and human nature. We meet each week on Thursday or Friday during lunch.
Photography Workshop:
Advisor-Mr. Train
Photography club is for anyone interested in the visual arts and how they intertwine with society. We foster an enthusiastic bunch of students who enjoy talking about interesting apps, visual details, and the creative process in general. Throughout the year, this student driven club generates visual projects, participates in photographic assignments within the club and around the school, and supports various charitable organizations. Ultimately, any member of our organization is interested in learning, sharing resources with fellow photographers, and contributing to an enthusiastic group.
Portfolio Workshop:
Advisors-Ms. Kipilman
This workshop is designed for those students who have an inter- est in developing an art portfolio for college. Concentration is on drawing from observation, portfolio presentation and documentation, and researching colleges and summer art programs. Students will experience drawing from a live model and take a trip to Pratt Institute of Art for National Portfolio Day.
Radio Station (WNVN):
Advisor-Steve Maietta
SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions):
Advisor-Ms. Greco
The mission of the Students Against Destructive Decisions Club (SADD) is to provide students with the best prevention and intervention tools possible to deal with the issues of underage drinking, other drug use, impaired driving, and other destructive decisions. There is also a strong focus on overall social and emotional well-being and positive school culture. Students are required to meet a minimum of one time monthly, participate in monthly educational school campaigns and at least one charity event.
Science Leagues:
Biology I-Dr. Lovelace
Biology II-Mr. Ahad
Chemistry I-Mr. Verbarg
Chemistry II-Mr. Verbarg
Physics I-Mr. Elqariani
Physics II-Mr. D'Antuono
The competitive science teams are comprised of students from the biology, chemistry and physics courses. Every student in these courses is invited to be a member of the activity. Four team members are selected to participate in interscholastic competition with other schools. The four competitive events are sponsored by the New Jersey Science League.
School Store:
Advisor-Ms. O'Sullivan
The school store sells a variety of NVOT items from clothing to water bottles. It is open during the unit lunch. The store is run by the members of FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America).
SCOPE (Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education):
Advisor-Ms. Dolby
This new club organizes fundraising efforts to help provide underprivileged children with the opportunity to attend summer camp.
Senior Options (SLE):
Advisor- Ms. Haller
Assistants-Ms. Cerrato & Ms. Eno
See information in the "Senior Options" section of this handbook
Sign Language Club:
Advisor-Ms. Fastow
The Northern Valley Sign Language Club gives students the chance to learn American Sign Language (ASL) along with discovering the Deaf culture . The club is a diverse community where students with different levels of sign language experience are able to teach one another simple phrases and songs. All are welcome! Join the Sign Language Club for the opportunity to make new friends while learning a new language!
Ski Club:
Advisor-Ms. Kohler
Assistant-Mr. Walsh
The Old Tappan Ski Club is one of the largest organizations in the school. Its purpose is purely recreational and social. The club has two meetings in November and approximately six trips during the ski season. The trips are Saturday or Sunday day trips to Catskill area mountains Hunter, Windham, and Belleayre.
Social Media/Digital Communication:
Advisor- Mr. Rotella
The Social Media/Digital Communication Club's mission is to build, promote, and preserve the integrity of the Northern Valley Regional High School brand. The club is responsible for obtaining information and pictures to post on all of the NVOT social media websites (Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram). The club provides students with an opportunity to gain REAL WORLD experience in the marketing and branding fields.
S.O.P.E. (Save our Planet Earth):
Advisor- Mr. Ahad
The purpose of this club is to raise environmental awareness within the school and community, and to actively make improvements in the environmental issues we all face. This active and large organization gets involved in environmental issues, outside trips, and community activities.
Spanish Club:
Advisor-Ms. Machado
The goal of the Spanish club is to enrich students understanding and appreciation of Hispanic culture. It is open to all current Spanish students. Culturally based activities such as field trips, holiday celebrations, games and movies are offered. Community service through Volunteens/Volunteachers is a must.
STEM League:
Advisor-Mr. Maietta
Student Senate:
Advisor-Ms. Hoffman
The NVOT School Senate is a student/faculty organization that works together to improve the academic, social, and school environment for students. The NVOT Senate works in partnership with the NVD School Senate to coordinate meaningful change for the Northern Valley School District as a whole.
SWENext (Society for Women Engineers):
Advisor-Ms. Hodgson
Tech Tutors:
Advisors- Ms. Langan
Tri-Music Honor Society:
Advisor-Ms. Wilcox
Assistant-Mr. Meszaros
TSA (Technology Student Association):
Advisor-Mr. Maietta
The Technology Student Association fosters personal growth,leadership, and opportunities in technology, innovation, design, and engineering. Members apply and integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics concepts through co-curricular activities, competitive events and related programs.
Vocal Music:
Vocal Groups Director & Vocal Activities Director- Mr. Meszaros
Volunteens/Volunteachers:
Advisor-Mr. Ahad
This is an open club for anyone who enjoys volunteering. A variety of trips and activities are planned all school year long. Activities may include: Habitat for Humanity, visiting senior
citizen homes, and a variety of fundraisers. The entire student body and faculty can participate in any or all of the activities.
Women's Issues:
Advisor-Ms. Gallagher
The Women’s Issues Club seeks to provide an open forum for discussion of any topic of interest to our members. The girls discuss a variety of current topics. The members plan and carry out fundraisers for various charities.
Yearbook:
Advisor- Mr. Rotella
Assistant- Mr. Marino
“Excalibur” is the title of the school yearbook. The yearbook is a proud tradition at Old Tappan and each year is a competition with the last year’s edition. Working on the yearbook gives students an opportunity to learn more about publishing. This year the staff is striving to initiate new fund raising activities. The staff consists mainly of seniors with underclassmen supporting in intern positions. There is one general meeting of the staff per year to discuss the book in general.