to address the needs of students with learning disabilities Elective program (fine arts, practical arts, technology education, and business education) A CAD lab A library-media center with 27,000 print volumes along with internet connectivity at 24 research stations A Japanese exchange program established with Fukui Prefecture in Japan Musical programs A German Exchange program established with students in the Karlsruhe area of Germany Diploma requirements In order to graduate with a diploma, students must complete 120 credits consisting of 4 years of English / Language Arts; 1 year of Physical Education, Health, and Safety for each year of enrollment; 2 years of United States History; 1 year of World History / Cultures; 3 years of Mathematics; 3 years of Science; 2 years of World Language; 5 credits of Fine Arts and 5 credits of Practical Arts. Cross-content workplace readiness skills, which are integrated into content areas in grades 9–12. All students, unless specifically exempted, must pass the Eleventh Grade HSPA as required by the State of New Jersey. All students must also take a state mandated Biology test when they take biology (freshman year for honors students and sophomore year for CP and MCP students). Extracurricular activities Marching Band Ramsey High School's Big Blue marching band was the 2005 Musical Arts Conference NJ State Champion and the 2005 Tournament of Bands Chapter 10 Group 4 Champion. The band also won 7th place in Group 4 at the Atlantic Coast Championship held in Hersheypark Stadium in November 2011. The band is under the direction of Joshua Jenkins, who took over in 2020 from the previous band director, Clifford Bialkin. In 2015, Big Blue won 5th place at the Atlantic Coast Championships. The band was invited to play in the 2015–2016 New Year's Day Parade and again in the 2019–2020 New Year's Day Parade in Rome, Italy. The band represented the state of New Jersey in the 2017 Memorial Day parade in Washington, D.C. The color guard has a separate season and they compete during the winter. The winter guard, nicknamed “Velocity”, competes in the MAIN circuit, and they won first place in 2018. Athletics The Ramsey High School Rams compete in the Big North Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Bergen and Passaic counties, and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).