Union High School (New Jersey)

Union High School is a comprehensive community public high school located in Union Township, in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as the lone secondary school 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 Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1953.[3]

Union High School
Address
2350 North Third Street

Union Township
,
Union County
,
New Jersey
07083

United States
Coordinates40.704229°N 74.283639°W / 40.704229; -74.283639
Information
TypePublic high school
School districtUnion Public School District
NCES School ID341650005742[1]
PrincipalAlthea Bossard (interim)
Faculty169.0 FTEs[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment2,270 (as of 2021–22)[1]
Student to teacher ratio13.4:1[1]
Color(s)  Maroon
  white[2]
Athletics conferenceUnion County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (general)
Big Central Football Conference (football)
Team nameFarmers[2]
RivalLinden High School
Websiteuhs.twpunionschools.org

As of the 2021–22 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,270 students and 169.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1. There were 687 students (30.3% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 239 (10.5% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 201st-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology.[4] The school had been ranked 250th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 243rd in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[5] The magazine ranked the school 229th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[6] The school was ranked 210th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[7]

Union High School Performing Arts Company

The Union High School Performing Arts Company (UHSPAC) includes a theatre department, an instrumental music program, and various choral music groups.[8]

Musicals

Union High School's theatre department, under the direction of James Mosser, produces two major theatrical productions annually and has been recognized numerous times by the Paper Mill Playhouse 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.[9] UHSPAC's 2013 production of Cats was nominated for 14 Rising Star Awards and won five, the second-most of any school in the state, including awards for Outstanding Chorus, Outstanding Choreography/Musical Staging, and Outstanding Orchestra. Also in 2015, the UHSPAC production of "Sophisticated Ladies" was nominated for 16 Rising Star Awards, winning nine of them, the most in the 20-year history of the Rising Star Awards. Of those nine included: Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical, Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role, Outstanding Musical Direction. The UHSPAC came home with more awards than any other school in the state. In 2018 their production of Peter Pan won best musical at the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising star Awards, making their third best musical win.[10]

Marching Band

The Union High School Marching Band consists of wind, percussion, and color guard members. The band performs at all school football games and competes in many USBands and Tournament of Bands (TOB) competitions located in the New York/New Jersey/Pennsylvania area. At the 2012 Yamaha Cup, with their show entitled, "Rosie", the marching band won 1st place in Group 4A competition with a score of 85.888 and receiving the awards for Best Music, Best Visual, and Best Overall Effect, competing against 13 other marching bands in that division. In 2014 with their show entitled, "Soaring", the marching band won 1st place in the USBANDS Group 3A New Jersey state championship at Rutgers University with a score of 84.400 and receiving the award for Best Overall Effect, beating out 18 other New Jersey bands competing within Group 3A. Also in 2014, the band won 1st place at the USBands Group 3A National Championships in Allentown, Pennsylvania at J. Birney Crum Stadium. They achieved a score of 91.213, taking home the awards for Best Guard, Best Music, and Best Visual and they defeated 15 other bands in the 3A division.[11]

Athletics

The Union High School Farmers[2] compete in the Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Union County and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[12] Prior to the NJSIAA's 2010 realignment, the school had participated in the Watchung Conference, a high school sports association which included public high schools in Essex, Hudson and Union counties.[13] With 1,618 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group IV for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 1,060 to 5,049 students in that grade range.[14] The football team competes in Division 5A of the Big Central Football Conference, which includes 60 public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, Union and Warren counties, which are broken down into 10 divisions by size and location.[15] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group V North for football for 2022–2024, which included schools with 1,313 to 5,304 students.[16]

Together with David Brearley High School, the school participates in a cooperative ice hockey program with Jonathan Dayton High School as the host school / lead agency, under an agreement scheduled to expire at the end of the 2023–24 school year.[17]

The boys spring / outdoor track team won the Group III state championship in 1930 and 1931, won the Group II title in 1933, and won in Group IV in 1973.[18]

The boys' cross country team won the overall Public B title in 1931 and the overall state championship in 1943.[19]

The boys tennis team won the overall state championship in 1959 (against runner-up Teaneck High School in the final match of the tournament) and 1960 (vs. Ridgewood High School).[20] The 1959 team won the state title after defeating previously undefeated River Dell High School 3-0 in the quarterfinals and Ridgewood High School 2-1 in the semis before knocking off Teaneck 2-1 in the final round of the tournament.[21]

The boys' bowling team won the overall state championship in 1966, 1968 and 1986. The program's three state titles are tied for seventh-most in the state.[22]

The baseball team won the Group IV state championship in 1972 (vs. Ewing High School), 1974 (vs. Sayreville High School) and 2002 (vs. Jackson Memorial High School).[23]

The boys track team won the winter track Meet of Champions in 1973.[24]

The football team won the North II Group IV state sectional championships in 1978, 1979, 1982, 1984–1987 and 1991–1993, and won the North II Group V title in 2019.[25] In the 1979 North II Group IV final, the team won the championship with a 35-24 victory against a Livingston High School team led by quarterback Stan Yagiello at Giants Stadium in front of 15,000 fans [26] The 1991 team came back from a 14-0 at the half to defeat Randolph High School by a score of 24-14 in the North II Group IV championship game, to end Randolph's 59-game unbeaten streak, which was the longest at the time in state history.[27] The 1992 team, ranked fifth in the nation by USA Today, finished the season with an 11-0 record and extended their winning streak to 22 games after taking the North Group IV state sectional title with a 21-7 victory against Randolph High School in the championship game played in front of 7,000 fans.[28][29][30] In 1993, the team beat Randolph 19-6 to win the North II Group IV sectional championship and finish the season 10-1.[31] In 2019, the team won the North II Group V sectional title, the program's first in more than a quarter century, with a 42–28 win against Clifton High School in the championship game.[32] The school's rivalry with Linden High School, with games played on Thanksgiving Day (or the day before Thanksgiving) for more than 75 years, was listed at 13th on NJ.com's 2017 list "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football". Union leads the rivalry with a 37–32–5 overall record as of 2017.[33]

The softball team won the Group IV state title in 1989, defeating Middletown High School North by a score of 3-1 in the championship game.[34][35] The team won the North II Group IV state championship in 2009 and were the runner-ups in the Group IV final game against Williamstown High School.

The boys' basketball team won the Group IV state championship in 1997, coming back from being down 10 points in the fourth quarter to defeat Atlantic City High School by a score of 61-50 in the tournament final played at Boardwalk Hall.[36][37]

On May 2, 2008, the school's Armed Drill Team took first place at The Nationals in the challenger level.[38]

Administration

The school's interim principal Althea Bossard. Her core administration team includes four vice principals.[39]

Notable alumni

References
  1. School data for Union High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.
  2. Union High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  3. Union High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed February 10, 2022.
  4. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  5. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed September 12, 2012.
  6. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed February 25, 2011.
  7. "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  8. Home Page, Union High School Performing Arts Company. Accessed November 25, 2019.
  9. 2010 RECIPIENTS as presented at the 15th Annual Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 Archived October 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Paper Mill Playhouse, June 8, 2010. Accessed July 10, 2011. "Rising Star Award Outstanding Overall Production Union High School Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"
  10. "Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn announces 2013 Rising Star Award winners", Independent Press, June 9, 2013. Accessed June 9, 2013. "Summit High School took home six Rising Star Awards, more awards than any other school in the state. Union High School won five awards, and Jackson Memorial High School and Gill St. Bernard's School took home two awards each."
  11. Yamaha Cup10/13/2012East Rutherford, NJ, USBANDS, October 13, 2012. Accessed June 8, 2013.
  12. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  13. Home Page, Watchung Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 7, 2011. Accessed December 16, 2014.
  14. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  15. Kinney, Mike. "Big Central revises 2020 football schedule for its shortened inaugural season", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 12, 2020. Accessed April 18, 2021. "The newly formed Big Central Football Conference has released a revised 2020 schedule for its inaugural season.... the BCFC is comprised of schools from Middlesex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren counties."
  16. NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2022–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  17. NJSIAA Winter Cooperative Sports Programs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  18. NJSIAA Boys Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  19. NJSIAA Boys Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  20. History of Boys Team Tennis Championship Tournament, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  21. "Union High Is Winner Of State Tennis Crown; Stops Teaneck, 2-1, In Final After Beating River Dell, Ridgewood", The Record, June 1, 1959. Accessed February 24, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "With defending champion Ridgewood eliminated in the semifinals, Teaneck High School unexpectedly found itself in the championship match of the thirteenth annual New Jersey State Interscholastic A. A. tennis tournament Saturday afternoon at Princeton University. The Highwaymen, however, fared no better than Ridgewood as it, too, fell victim to a strong Union High club, bowing 2 to 1.... On Friday it crushed third-seeded River Dell Regional of Oradell. 3-0. River Dell was unbeaten during the regular season. Saturday morning it disposed of Ridgewood, 2-1, with the Oehrlein brothers, Rich and Walt, providing the winning margin with victories over Tucker Wolf and Steve Caldwell in the singles."
  22. History of NJSIAA Boys Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 1, 2022.
  23. NJSIAA Baseball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  24. NJSIAA Winter Track Previous Team Meet of Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  25. NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  26. Kerber, Fred. "Union's big 2d half buries Livingston, 35-14", New York Daily News, December 2, 1979. Accessed January 16, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Mark Ignatowicz scored three touchdowns the fourth quarter to propel Union High to a 35-14 victory against Livingston for the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 championship in the finale of a Giants Stadium tripleheader that drew a crowd of 15,226 yesterday."
  27. Union ends Randolph streak", The Record, December 8, 1991. Accessed January 30, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Union brought an end to New Jersey's longest scholastic football unbeaten streak Saturday when it rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to defeat Randolph, 24-14, in the Group 4, Section 2 championship game. Brian Sheridan rushed for 138 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 2-yard run with 6:05 to play as Union ended Randolph's 59-game unbeaten streak (58-0-1)."
  28. "High School Football; Union Rides the Wind To North Jersey Crown", The New York Times, December 6, 1992. Accessed January 15, 2021. "He had to know then that Randolph, a pass-happy offensive machine, would be in for a long day in its showdown with Union for the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 championship.... The Farmers jumped all over Randolph, scoring two first-quarter touchdowns with the wind at their backs, on their way to a 21-7 victory over the Rams and their ninth sectional crown. A crowd of 7,000 fans saw Union defeat Randolph for the second consecutive year in the sectional final."
  29. "Union gets it done against Randolph", The Record, December 6, 1992. Accessed January 22, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Senior fullback Brian Sheridan rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns as Union defeated Randolph, 21-7, for the Group 4, Section 2 football championship. Sheridan scored twice in the first quarter as the Farmers (11-0), winners of 22 in a row, jumped out to a 14-0 lead."
  30. "Year-by-year final football rankings", USA Today, June 20, 200. Accessed January 30, 2021.
  31. Roe, Tom. "Union rallies past Rams", Daily Record, December 5, 1993. Accessed January 24, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Union earned its place among New Jersey's greatest high school football teams by coming from behind to defeat Randolph 19-16.yesterday in the North Jersey Section 2, Group IV title game. It was the third straight year Union has beat the Rams to capture the championship, giving the Farmers an incredible 10 state titles in 17 years."
  32. Farrell, Sean. "Union football ends 25-year sectional title drought and Clifton's season", The Record, November 22, 2019. Accessed November 25, 2019. "The Farmers kept their undefeated season going with a 42-28 win over Clifton in the North 2, Group 5 final on Friday. Senior quarterback Andrew Sanborn led an efficient offense that brought Union its first state sectional championship since 1993."
  33. Stypulkoski, Matt. "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 27, 2017, updated May 15, 2019. Accessed December 1, 2020. "13-Linden vs. Union - This will be the 75th time these Union County rivals will meet, though the Thanksgiving Day rivalry has been moved to the day before Thanksgiving.... All-time series: Union leads Linden, 37-32-5"
  34. NJSIAA Softball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  35. "Group 4: Barber drives in three as Union captures title", Courier-Post, June 4, 1989. Accessed January 5, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Trisha Barber knocked in three runs to lead Union High School to a 3-1 win over Middletown North and the state Group 4 softball crown yesterday at Trenton State College."
  36. NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
  37. McGarry, Michael. "Atlantic City hopes to continue boys basketball's turnaround with another state title today", The Press of Atlantic City, March 10, 2013. Accessed December 19, 2020. "The Vikings made it to the 1997 state final, but squandered a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead and lost to Union 61-50 in Boardwalk Hall."
  38. 2008 National High School Drill Team Championships - Challenge Level Archived July 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, The Nationals. Accessed July 18, 2008.
  39. , Union High School. Accessed September 15, 2022.
  40. Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey: 2004 Edition, p. 267. Lawyers Diary and Manual, LLC, 2004. ISBN 9781577411871. Accessed October 6, 2019. "Assemblyman Biondi was born in Newark June 23, 1942. He is a graduate of Union High School and served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1961 to 1967."
  41. Cryan, Kathy. "Union Native, Grammy Award Songwriter Nija Charles Comes Home; Surprised with Street Named Dedication", TAP into Union, October 28, 2020. Accessed April 29, 2022. "A surprise awaited 2015 Union High School graduate and two-time Grammy Award winner Nija Charles when she appeared with family and friends near her childhood home at the corner of Revere and Laurel Avenues in Vauxhall Tuesday afternoon."
  42. Frezza Jr., Harry. Football: Improved Westfield loses shootout; Johnson Stars", Courier News, October 8, 2006. Accessed July 10, 2012. "Westfield was in the game until senior fullback Isa Abdul-Quddus ran for 9 yards and a first down with just under two minutes left."
  43. Isa Abdul-Quddus Archived September 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, New Orleans Saints. Accessed July 10, 2012. "Prepped at Union (N.J.) HS where he was a first team All-County and second team All-State selection as a senior, making over 100 tackles in both his senior and junior seasons."
  44. Gacser, Ava. "America's Next Top Model taps Union native", Home News Tribune, January 28, 2009. Accessed July 10, 2011 ."A 21-year-old student from Union named Aminat is listed among the 13 finalists who will fight for the top-model title beginning Wednesday, Feb. 25, on The CW. A quick Google search reveals that this could very well be Union High School Class of 2004 graduate Aminat Ayinde."
  45. Wilbon, Michael. "Dave D'Addio: Md. Fullback In Full Force", The Washington Post, September 13, 1983. Accessed September 25, 2015. "'Dave is just a tough New Jersey kid,' said Frank Costello, the Maryland strength coach, who graduated from Union High School a few years before D'Addio."
  46. Davison Igbinosun, Ole Miss football. Accessed May 19, 2023. "Hometown Union, N.J.; High School Union"
  47. Strum, Charles. "He's Out! But Coach Appeals Call; Confusion in the Stands as Board Ejects a Baseball Coach", The New York Times, March 6, 1992. Accessed July 10, 2011. "It is axiomatic here that in March, when the temperature hits 40 degrees, baseball is just around the corner and Gordon LeMatty, the Union High School varsity coach, is not far behind.... Larry Kubin, a pitcher and an outfielder from the class of 1977 who went on to play football at Penn State and for the Washington Redskins, said the board had been 'ruthless in its disrespect.'"
  48. Larry Kubin profile Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, database Football. Accessed June 6, 2007.
  49. An evening of comedy with Artie Lange and the Killers of Comedy, Lakeland Center. Accessed December 1, 2006.
  50. Ray Liotta Biography Archived February 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, accessed December 10, 2006.
  51. Elliot Maddox bio Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Accessed April 15, 2007. "Elliott Maddox was born in East Orange, New Jersey on December 21, 1947. He was a Union County resident from kindergarten until graduation from Union High School."
  52. Parachini, JR. "First UHS Athletic Hall of Fame event is a success", Union County LocalSource, December 5, 2013. Accessed April 12, 2020. "Eulace Peacock, Class of 1933"
  53. Sylvia Pogorzelski Miss New Jersey USA 2005, Miss New Jersey USA. Accessed September 12, 2015. "Sylvia grew up in Union, New Jersey with her parents Janusz & Irene Pogorzelski and brother Arthur who is five years younger.... After her freshman year at Union High School, her parents decided to move to East Hanover, New Jersey. She started attending Hanover Park High School in her sophomore year and graduated in 2003."
  54. "Philip Rubin: Biographical Sketch", Haskins Laboratories. Accessed December 28, 2016. "Philip Rubin was born and spent his early years in Newark, New Jersey. He graduated from UnionHigh School in Union, New Jersey, in 1967."
  55. Staff. "At Union, There Is Strength", The New York Times, April 17, 1975. Accessed July 10, 2012. "He has watched proudly as Al Santorini, one of his finest pitchers, and Elliott Maddox, now the New York Yankees' center fielder, left his tutelage found success in professional baseball."
  56. Parkinson, Claire L.; Millar, Pamela S.; and Thaller, Michelle. (editors). Women of Goddard: Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, July 2011, p. 111. Accessed September 13, 2018. "Amy Simon-Miller Union High School, Union, New Jersey"
  57. Wentworth, Bridget. "Union's Darnell Stapleton on way to Super Bowl XLIII with Pittsburgh Steelers", The Star-Ledger, January 24, 2009. Accessed February 25, 2011."Stapleton's road made its first detour after he emerged as a talented lineman for Union High School. He had let his grades slip, though, and his GPA didn't qualify him to play for a Division 1 school."
  58. Travis Taylor. RealGM.com. Accessed February 13, 2015.
  59. Jordan, Chris. "Robert Wuhl knows history - and old movie theaters", Asbury Park Press, February 12, 2011. Accessed February 25, 2011. "'It was a great place to grow up in,' said Wuhl, a 1969 graduate of Union High School. 'It was a terrific school, terrific environment — I'm very proud of my Jersey roots. I'm not one of these people who knocks that at all.'"
  60. Staff. "IWF Wrestling School holds annual youth summer clinic", Passaic Valley Today, August 5, 2010. Accessed June 9, 2013. "Twenty-two IWF students performed on WWE Raw and SmackDown television events, including 'BoneCrusher' Darren Young, a graduate of Union High School and Fairleigh Dickinson University."
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