Wikipedia

Metuchen High School

Metuchen High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Metuchen in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as the lone secondary school of the Metuchen School District. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1929.[3]

Metuchen High School
Address
Map
400 Grove Avenue

Metuchen
,
Middlsex County
,
New Jersey
08840

United States
Coordinates40°33′11″N 74°21′23″W / 40.552984°N 74.356448°W / 40.552984; -74.356448
Information
TypePublic
Established1909
School districtMetuchen School District
NCES School ID340999003392[1]
PrincipalEd Porowski
Faculty59.8 FTEs[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment708 (as of 2022–23)[1]
Student to teacher ratio11.8:1[1]
Color(s)  Royal blue and
  white[2]
Athletics conferenceGreater Middlesex Conference (general)
Big Central Football Conference (football)
Team nameBulldogs[2]
AccreditationMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools[3]
Websitewww.metuchenschools.org/o/mhs

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 708 students and 59.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1. There were 32 students (4.5% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 11 (1.6% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]

History

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The district's original high school, constructed at a cost of $45,380 (equivalent to $1.5 million in 2023) was completed in January 1909.[4] The school had a total of 64 students and a graduating class of six.[5] The current facility was completed and formally dedicated in October 1958,[6] at which time the previous building becoming Franklin Middle School.[7]

Awards, recognition and rankings

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The school was the 77th-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.[8] The school had been ranked 19th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 54th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[9] The magazine ranked the school 86th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[10] The school was ranked 56th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[11] Schooldigger.com ranked the school tied for 99th out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (a decrease of 26 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (88.6%) and language arts literacy (94.7%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).[12]

Athletics

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The Metuchen High School Bulldogs[2] compete in the Greater Middlesex Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools located in the Middlesex County area. The league operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[13] With 522 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group II for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 486 to 758 students in that grade range.[14] The football team competes in Division 2B 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 II South for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 514 to 685 students.[16]

The school participates together with J. P. Stevens High School in a joint ice hockey team in which Edison High School is the host school / lead agency. The co-op program operates under agreements scheduled to expire at the end of the 2023–24 school year.[17]

The school was recognized as the Group I winner of the NJSIAA ShopRite Cup in 2006–07, which recognizes overall athletic achievement by schools in Groups I-IV, Group A and Group B, based on the all-around best athletic program within each group in the state of New Jersey. The award for the 2006-07 ShopRite Cup recognized the school for achieving 2nd place in girls' soccer, 2nd in boys' soccer, 1st in girls' cross country, 4th in boys' cross country, a tie for 3rd in football, and 1st in boys' track and field.[18] The team repeated as Group I winner in the 2007-08 ShopRite Cup, with first-place finishes in girls' soccer, boys' winter track relays and boys' spring track, a second-place finish in boys' winter track individual and a third place in girls' cross-country, with an additional nine points awarded for having no disqualifications in all three athletic seasons.[19]

The boys track team won the Group II spring / outdoor track state championship in 1940 (as co-champion) and won the Group I title in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2006-2008.[20]

The boys' cross country team won the Group III state championship in 1953, won the Group II title in 1961 and won the Group I championship in 1994, 2015 and 2016.[21] In 2017, the team became the first Group I school to win the Greater Middlesex County championship.

The boys' track team won the indoor relay championship in Group I/II in 1972 and 1973 (as co-champion with Saddle Brook High School), and the Group I title in 1992, 1997, 1999, 2003 and 2008; The seven titles are tied for third-most among public high schools in the state. The girls team won the indoor relay title in Group I in 1996.[22]

The 1985 football team won the Central Jersey Group I state sectional title with a 7-0 victory against Keyport High School in the championship game.[23][24]

The boys track team won the winter / indoor track state championship in Group I in 1990 (as co-champion), 1993, 1997 and 1999.[25] The girls team won the Group I title in 1996.[26]

The girls track team won the winter track Group I state title in 1994 and 1996.[27]

The girls cross country team won the Group I state championship in 2006, 2012, 2016 and 2017, and won the Group II title in 2018.[28]

In 2007, the girls' soccer team won the Central Jersey, Group I state sectional championship with a 1–0 win over Robbinsville High School in the tournament final. The win marked the team's third consecutive sectional title, their first three-peat since 1988–90.[29][30] The team moved on to win the Group I state championship with a 1–0 win over Glen Ridge High School in the tournament final, the team's first ever state title.[31][32][33]

Marching Band

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The Pride of Metuchen High School Marching Band consists of over 80 wind, percussion, and color guard members. The band performs at all school football games and participates in many Tournament of Bands and USBands competitions located in the New Jersey area. At the 2013 New Jersey state championships at Rutgers University, the marching band won 3rd place in Group 4 Open competition. The Pride of Metuchen were the 2015-16 Tournament of Bands Group 3 A, Atlantic Coast Champions.[34] The band won Tournament of Bands 2022-23 Region VII and New Jersey State Championships for Group 4A.[35]

Administration

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The school's principal is Ed Porowski. His administration team includes the assistant principal Brian Stike.[36]

Notable alumni

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See also: Category:Metuchen High School alumni

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e School data for Metuchen High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Metuchen High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Metuchen High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed February 7, 2022.
  4. ^ "Event in Metuchen History; Dedication of the New High School Building on Thursday Evening of This Week - Total Cost of Edifice $45,380.10 Final Payment Made at the Meeting of the Board Last Week - Description of the School.", Daily Home News, January 12, 1909. Accessed March 6, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "The dedicatory exercises of the Metuchen high school will take place on Thursday evening, Jan. 14, at 8:15 o'clock."
  5. ^ Blue Letter: 1959, Metuchen High School. Accessed March 6, 2022. "On June 17, 1909, the first graduating class of Metuchen High School, numbering four girls and two boys, received diplomas from Mr. Washington Wilson in the auditorium on the third floor of the present Franklin School building.... The June 19, 1909 edition of the Metuchen Recorder published the following highlights of the first graduation exercises held Thursday night, June 17, 1909: It listed Miss Mary Almeda Johnson as orator since Miss Johnson was credited as the student with the highest average. The Recorder listed Amy Norma Pierson, Marguerite Justina Towle, Elsie M. Burroughs, Reginald B. Crowell and Edward E. Rowland as the other graduates. The high school enrollment in 1909 showed seventeen freshmen, seventeen sophomores, thirteen juniors and seven seniors."
  6. ^ "New Metuchen High School Dedicated", The Daily Home News, October 20, 1958. Accessed March 6, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Dr. Ralph Brancale, president of the Board of Education, was the principal speaker at dedication ceremonies for the new Metuchen High School yesterday."
  7. ^ Staff. "Glimpse of History: Scores of students pass through the doors of Metuchen's Franklin School", The Star-Ledger, July 17, 2011, updated March 31, 2019. Accessed March 6, 2022. "Designed by architects Walker and Morris, the Franklin School opened in 1909. It was originally used as a high school, with younger children in the borough attending the Moss and Edgar schools. In 1958, a new high school was built on Grove Avenue, and the Franklin School, located on Route 27, became the middle school."
  8. ^ Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  9. ^ Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed August 28, 2012.
  10. ^ Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed August 10, 2011.
  11. ^ "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  12. ^ New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2010-2011[permanent dead link‍], Schooldigger.com. Accessed March 3, 2012.
  13. ^ League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  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 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
  17. ^ NJSIAA Winter Cooperative Sports Programs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  18. ^ Fourth Annual ShopRite Cup: 2006-2007 Final Standings Archived September 3, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 12, 2017.
  19. ^ Fifth Annual ShopRite Cup 2007-2008 Final Standings, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  20. ^ NJSIAA Spring Track Summary of Group Titles Boys, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2021.
  21. ^ NJSIAA Boys Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
  22. ^ History of the NJSIAA Indoor Relay Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  23. ^ NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
  24. ^ Ditzel, Al. "Keyport falls to Metuchen in C J I final", Asbury Park Press, December 9, 1985. Accessed December 29, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "Just 15 yards away, Metuchen's football players began their celebration. The Bulldogs are the 1985 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group I champions, after holding on for a 7-0 victory over Keyport."
  25. ^ Boys Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1922-2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  26. ^ Girls Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1922-2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  27. ^ NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  28. ^ NJSIAA Girls Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
  29. ^ 2007 Girls Soccer - Central, Group I, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 15, 2007.
  30. ^ Layton, Shawn. "Metuchen claims another Group I crown: Girls soccer wins third title in a row" Archived January 24, 2013, at archive.today, Edison Sentinel, November 14, 2007. Accessed November 15, 2007.
  31. ^ 2007 Girls Soccer - Public Semis/Finals, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 24, 2007.
  32. ^ "Metuchen wins girls soccer Group I title"[permanent dead link‍], Home News Tribune, November 17, 2004. Accessed November 24, 2007.
  33. ^ NJSIAA History of Girls Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
  34. ^ NJ state championships - 2 10/19/2013 New Brunswick, NJ, USBands, October 20, 2013. Accessed December 23, 2015.
  35. ^ 2022 TOB State Champions, Tournament of Bands. Accessed May 23, 2023.
  36. ^ Administration, Metuchen High School. Accessed May 23, 2023.
  37. ^ Tufaro, Greg. "Reception for Metuchen High School's second Hall of Fame class to be held April 15", Courier News, November 8, 2017. Accessed January 22, 2023. "Dr. Joy Bergelson, Class of ‘80; Joy Bergelson is Chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago."
  38. ^ Staff. "Metuchen's Marqus Blakely carries success to Vermont, NCAA Tournament", The Star-Ledger, March 18, 2010. Accessed August 10, 2011. "Marqus Blakely is an impact player. Metuchen had endured 16 straight losing seasons before Blakely's emergence as a junior in the 2004-05 season, when he led the school to a 17-9 record. As a senior, he led the Group 1 school to the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament championship game and a 22-3 record, the best in school history."
  39. ^ Tufaro, Greg. "Metuchen High School Hall of Fame inductees honored at reception", Courier News, November 20, 2015. Accessed July 2, 2019.
  40. ^ Gelt, Gary. "Lear jet disappears on illusion artist's fourth TV special", Los Angeles Times, October 25, 1981. Accessed August 10, 2011. "After graduating from Metuchen High School he enrolled at Fordham University."
  41. ^ Pope, John. "Tulane University President Scott Cowen receives Times-Picayune Loving Cup", The Times-Picayune, April 4, 2010. Accessed August 10, 2011. "When Scott Cowen was a student at Metuchen High School in New Jersey, he was class president for three years, then Student Council president, and he was captain of the Metuchen Bulldogs football team, on which he played defensive end. So it was no surprise that when Cowen graduated in 1964, he was honored as the student who had done the most for the school."
  42. ^ "Pros tell novices of happy ending in children's books", Courier News, October 1, 1984. Accessed February 19, 2018. "A graduate of Metuchen High School, Danziger has authored four best-selling children's books, including The Cat Ate My Gym Suit."
  43. ^ Staff. Best Track Boys of the Decades, The Star-Ledger. Accessed August 10, 2011.
  44. ^ Jarmon, Laurie. "Gail Fisher", p. 223 in Notable Black American Women, Jessie Carney Smith, editor, VNR AG, 1996. ISBN 0-8103-9177-5. Accessed December 23, 2015.
  45. ^ Constant, Andrew. "Katelynn Flaherty transfers from Point Pleasant Beach to Metuchen", Courier News, January 3, 2014. Accessed January 17, 2021. "As was first reported by Scott Stump Thursday afternoon, senior point guard Katelynn Flaherty has transferred from Point Pleasant Beach to Metuchen. Flaherty, a University of Michigan commit who has scored 2,174 career points in her first three seasons at Manasquan and Point Pleasant Beach, will join Cassie Smith to form a high-scoring duo for Metuchen."
  46. ^ About Robert Hegyes Archived October 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Cinema Without Borders. Accessed September 30, 2007. "Mr. Hegyes was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey and began studying acting in earnest at Metuchen High in the mid 1960s."
  47. ^ Muscavage, Nick. "Netflix series Daybreak an adaptation of Metuchen man's graphic novel", Courier News, February 10, 2020. Accessed February 13, 2020. "Brian Ralph didn't have a label when he attended Metuchen High School. The 1992 graduate played on the football and golf teams, enjoyed skateboarding and loved art.... Ralph, who grew up on New York Avenue in Metuchen, has lived in Savannah, Georgia, for 11 years."
  48. ^ Amaral, Brian. "Metuchen native makes history as new president of Dickinson College", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 24, 2013. "Roseman graduated from Metuchen High School in 1976."
  49. ^ a b c Tufaro, Greg. "Metuchen 'welcomes back' alumni for Hall of Fame nominations", Courier News, July 26, 2015. Accessed March 6, 2022. "Some of the school's most prominent graduates have had or are still enjoying successful careers in the arts. They include actor Robert Hegyes (Class of 1969), who starred in the iconic 1970s TV sitcom Welcome Back Kotter, Robert Taub (Class of 1973), an internationally acclaimed concert pianist, Tommy Ruegger (Class of 1972), a top Hollywood animator best known for writing and co-creating Animaniacs and Tiny Toons, and Hollywood writer and director Richard Wenk (Class of 1974). "
  50. ^ Makin, Bob. "Young Metuchen artist’s feature directorial debut to premiere at Tribeca", Courier News, April 8, 2017. Accessed May 31, 2018. "The film draws many parallels to the Arthur Miller play, which Shephard appeared in at Playhouse 22 in East Brunswick while a student at Metuchen High School, the movie’s main set location."
  51. ^ "Fortieth Annual New Jersey All-State High School Symphonic Band Concert Program February 22, 1970", National Association for Music Education. Accessed February 7, 2022. "Bassoons... Jack Waldman - Metuchen High School"
  52. ^ Robert Strauss (July 18, 2015). "Julian Zelizer: Presidents & Precedents". New Jersey Monthly. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
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