Union High School (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
Union High School is a comprehensive
community public high school
located in Union Township
in Union County
, New Jersey
, United States, operating as part of the Union Public School District
. In the late 1960s, a new high school was built, expanding on the existing Burnet Junior High School structure. Subsequent to completion of the new Union High School, the former high school building became Burnet Junior High and later, Burnet Middle School. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Commission on Secondary Schools since 1953.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,410 students and 157 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.35:1 .
The school was the 243rd-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly
magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 229th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 210th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
The high school itself has gone under construction to allow expansion of functions of the school. These include UHSPAC (Union High School Performing Arts Company), The C.A.S.T (Communication Arts Science and Technology) Program, A.J.R.O.T.C (Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) program and their football team, the "Fighting Farmers."
In the early 1990s, it was named an All-American school, along with all other schools in the Union Township School System.
The school itself was featured in Howard Stern
's "autobiographical" movie, Private Parts
, where it served as a stand in for Stern's actual high school, Roosevelt High School
in Roosevelt, New York
on Long Island
.
in their annual Rising Star Awards. In 2010, the UHSPAC’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
received the Rising Star Award for Best Overall Production, Best Director, Best Music Direction and Best Chorus; winning more awards than any other school in the state. They produce two major theatrical productions annually.
, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
. Prior to the 2010 realignment, the school had participated in the Watchung Conference
, a high school sports association which consisted of public high schools covering Essex County
, Hudson County
and Union County
.
The football team won the North II Group IV state sectional championships in 1978-79, 1982, 1984-87 and 1991-93.
On May 2, 2008, Union High School's Armed Drill Team took first place at The Nationals in the challenger level.
Comprehensive high school
Comprehensive high schools are the most common form of public high schools in the United States and are meant to serve the needs of all students, as compared to the common practice in other nations in which examinations are used to sort students into different high schools for different populations...
community public high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located in Union Township
Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
Union is a Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms...
in Union County
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 536,499. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Elizabeth. Union County ranks 93rd among the highest-income counties in the United States. It also ranks 74th in...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States, operating as part of the Union Public School District
Union Public School District
The Union Public School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in preschool through grade twelve from Union Township, in Union County, New Jersey, United States....
. In the late 1960s, a new high school was built, expanding on the existing Burnet Junior High School structure. Subsequent to completion of the new Union High School, the former high school building became Burnet Junior High and later, Burnet Middle School. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association dedicated to educational excellence and improvement through peer evaluation and accreditation...
Commission on Secondary Schools since 1953.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,410 students and 157 classroom teachers (on an FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.35:1 .
The school was the 243rd-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly is a monthly glossy publication featuring issues of possible interest to residents of the United States state of New Jersey...
magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 229th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 210th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.
The high school itself has gone under construction to allow expansion of functions of the school. These include UHSPAC (Union High School Performing Arts Company), The C.A.S.T (Communication Arts Science and Technology) Program, A.J.R.O.T.C (Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) program and their football team, the "Fighting Farmers."
In the early 1990s, it was named an All-American school, along with all other schools in the Union Township School System.
The school itself was featured in Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
's "autobiographical" movie, Private Parts
Private Parts
Private Parts may refer to:*Intimate parts, such as the human sex organs*Private Parts , a 1993 autobiography by radio personality Howard Stern*Private Parts , a 1997 film based on Howard Stern's autobiography of the same name...
, where it served as a stand in for Stern's actual high school, Roosevelt High School
Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School
Roosevelt High School is a four-year public high school located in Roosevelt as part of the Roosevelt School District, serving students in grades 9 through 12. It is located in the hamlet of Roosevelt in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, U.S...
in Roosevelt, New York
Roosevelt, New York
Roosevelt is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 16,258 at the 2010 census.Roosevelt is in the town of Hempstead.-Geography:Roosevelt is located at ....
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
.
Union High School Performing Arts Company
The Union High School Performing Arts Company includes a theatre department, an instrumental music program, and a choral music group. Union High School’s theatre department, under the direction of James Mosser, has been recognized numerous times by the Paper Mill PlayhousePaper Mill Playhouse
Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theatre with approximately 1200 seats, located in Millburn, New Jersey, less than 25 miles from Manhattan. Due to its location, it can draw from the pool of actors who live in New York City. Its location, as well as its focus on producing large-scale shows, makes...
in their annual Rising Star Awards. In 2010, the UHSPAC’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...
received the Rising Star Award for Best Overall Production, Best Director, Best Music Direction and Best Chorus; winning more awards than any other school in the state. They produce two major theatrical productions annually.
Sports
Union High School now competes in the Union County Interscholastic Athletic ConferenceUnion County Interscholastic Athletic Conference
The Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference is a New Jersey high school sports association operating under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association...
, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports.-State championships:...
. Prior to the 2010 realignment, the school had participated in the Watchung Conference
Watchung Conference
The Watchung Conference was a high school sports association under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association . The conference consisted of eleven public high schools covering Essex County, Hudson County and Union County in northern New Jersey. In 2009, the...
, a high school sports association which consisted of public high schools covering Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
, Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
and Union County
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 536,499. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Elizabeth. Union County ranks 93rd among the highest-income counties in the United States. It also ranks 74th in...
.
The football team won the North II Group IV state sectional championships in 1978-79, 1982, 1984-87 and 1991-93.
On May 2, 2008, Union High School's Armed Drill Team took first place at The Nationals in the challenger level.
Administration
Core members of the school's administration are:- Edward Gibbons, Principal
- Gerry Benaquista, Vice Principal
- Michael Hamberg, Vice Principal
- Benjamin Kloc, Vice Principal
- Latee Moya-McCleod, Vice Principal
Notable alumni
- Aminat Ayinde (Class of 2004), contestant on Cycle 12 of America's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
. - Larry KubinLarry KubinLawrence William Kubin Jr. is a former American football linebacker who played with the Washington Redskins from 1981 to 1984 in the National Football League. He played college football at Penn State University.Kubin played high school football at Union High School.-References:...
(born 1959), linebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
who played with the Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
from 19811981 in sports1981 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup –** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, USA** Women's overall season champion: Marie-Theres Nadig, Switzerland-American football:...
to 19841984 in sports1984 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine Skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Erika Hess, Switzerland...
. - Artie LangeArtie LangeArthur Steven "Artie" Lange, Jr. is an American actor, comedian and radio personality best known for his tenures with the The Howard Stern Show and the comedy sketch series MADtv....
(born 1967), comedian & mainstay of The Howard Stern Show (attended). - Ray LiottaRay Liotta[File:Ray Liotta is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese and his role as Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams...
(born 1954), actor who has appeared in such films as GoodfellasGoodfellasGoodfellas is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese...
, Field of DreamsField of DreamsField of Dreams is a 1989 American fantasy-drama film directed by Phil Alden Robinson and is from the novel Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella...
and NarcNarc (film)Narc is a 2002 crime film about corrupt police involved in the illegal drug trade. It was released to critical acclaim and moderate commercial success. It was written and directed by Joe Carnahan. The plot revolves around the efforts of two police detectives as they search for the murderer of an...
. - Elliott MaddoxElliott MaddoxElliott Maddox is an African-American former Major League Baseball American player. Maddox, from 1970 to 1980, played for the Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators/Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Mets.-Early and personal life:Maddox attended Union High School in...
(born 1947), major league baseball outfielder. - Fred Rosser, (born 1979) WWE wrestler.
- Darnell StapletonDarnell StapletonDarnell Robert Stapleton is an American football offensive lineman who is currently retired due to knee injuries. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
(born 1985), offensive guard for the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. - Robert WuhlRobert Wuhl-Early life:Wuhl was born in Union, New Jersey to a Jewish family, including a father who worked as a produce distributor. After attending Union High School, Wuhl headed to the University of Houston, where he was active in the drama department and the Epsilon-Omicron Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon...
(born 1951), star of the HBO series ArlissArliss-Criticism:This show, which ran for seven seasons, is a prime example of how HBO differs from traditional networks due to its nature as a network its viewers specifically pay to be able to watch. Arliss was cited by so many viewers as the sole reason that they paid for the network that its...
, stand up comedian, and supporting actor in the original BatmanBatman (1989 film)Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
movie directed by Tim BurtonTim BurtonTimothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
. - Isa Abdul-QuddusIsa Abdul-QuddusIsa Abdul-Quddus is an American football safety for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football for Fordham University.-External links:**...
(born 1989) NFL football player, New Orleans Saints 2011
External links
- Union High school web page
- Union High School Performing Arts Company web page
- Union Public School District
- Data for the Union Public School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...