Principal

As principal of Ramsey High School, I am most proud of our sense of tradition and the pride we take in creating a positive learning environment.  Our building, constructed in 1936 with significant additions in 1967, 1975, and 2006, reflects that we are consistently developing on a strong tradition of excellence to meet the ever-changing needs of our student body. Our school provides comprehensive options that address the needs, interests, and talents of our students.  Rather than being known for a single standout program, we strive to deliver the best in all we do.  We continually produce successful athletic teams and student leaders, as well as award winning artists and performers. Academic achievement is evident in our standardized test scores, admissions to competitive colleges, and the degree to which our graduates succeed at post-high school institutions.

Our faculty, staff, and local community strive to empower students to become autonomous learners who will continue to recognize, solve, and resolve problems throughout their lives.  Through our curriculum, we achieve this goal by informing, guiding, and challenging students to understand that knowledge brings questions and responsibilities.  In response to changing demands on our students, we recently adjusted our daily schedule to offer longer periods of instruction.  This modification enables us to explore content in greater depth and to provide a meaningful and innovative learning experience that promotes the growth of skills that our students will need to be successful in the 21st Century.  To that end, we have dedicated a significant amount of time toward creating lessons that promote vital skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication.  We actively foster relationships with community groups ranging from the Ramsey Chamber of Commerce to Emergency Service organizations.  Interactions with such groups allow our students to gain perspective, discover opportunities, and to learn to contribute what they can to improve their community.

Our curriculum is under continual review in order to best address the changing needs of our learners.  Realizing the interdependence of skills, content, and changing technology, we have created an atmosphere in which students increase their competence in acquiring information, thinking through issues, and communicating ideas and opinions.  Currently, we are preparing to integrate the use of Chromebooks in the curriculum, and our teachers are actively considering the application of this powerful instructional tool in order to maximize its benefit for students.

We pride ourselves in developing intellectually and vocationally informed students capable of participating in both domestic and world affairs. Additionally, we offer vibrant co-curricular and extra-curricular programs.  Examples of these efforts include hosting the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life over the last six years, raising over $800,000 to fight cancer, and participation in the World Challenge program allowing us to send groups of our students and staff to Costa Rica and Peru to work on service oriented projects with local communities. 

This is an exciting time to be a part of the Ramsey High School community.  Few would argue that our global society is experiencing a great deal of change, and we are energized by the collaborative efforts of our students, parents, teachers, staff, administrators, and community members to build an optimal living and learning environment

Dr. Michael Thumm

Dr. Michael Thumm

Dr. Michael Thumm

Phone: 201-785-2300 x21503

Send Dr. Thumm an Email

Ramsey High School
256 E. Main Street
Ramsey, NJ 07446

Angela Trovato
Secretary
Email Angela Trovato
201-785-2300 x 21503