Writer Evan Wasserstrom is from Livingston, NJ and attended Whippany Park High School in Whippany, NJ. The vice principal when he graduated in 1975 was named Rickwalder. In the movie, Frank Dickwalder is the principal of Whippany Park High School even though it takes place in California and not New Jersey. Mr. Rigetti is named after Joseph Righetti, who still teaches at Whippany Park.