Wikipedia

Union County Vocational Technical Schools

The Union County Vocational-Technical Schools (UCVTS) are a grouping of schools on the Union County Vocational Technical Schools Campus in Scotch Plains, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, which offers educational programs for students across Union County, eight at the high school level for students in ninth through twelfth grades and one at the adult education level.[3] The high school level programs are separated into two groups, full-time students and shared-time students; and the full-time programs are further subdivided into the vocational program and career academies.

Union County Vocational Technical Schools
Address
1776 Raritan Road
Scotch Plains
, Union County, New Jersey, 07076
United States
Coordinates40°37′08″N 74°21′30″W / 40.618771°N 74.358213°W / 40.618771; -74.358213
District information
GradesVocational
SuperintendentGwendolyn Ryan
Business administratorJanet Behrmann
Schools8
Students and staff
Enrollment1,668 (as of 2022–23)[1]
Faculty137.0 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio12.2:1[1]
Other information
District Factor GroupNA
Websitewww.ucvts.org
Ind. Per pupil District
spending		 Rank
(*)		 Vocational
average		 %± vs.
average
1ATotal Spending$18,0316$18,891−4.6%
1Budgetary Cost11,723217,296−32.2%
2Classroom Instruction7,12549,045−21.2%
6Support Services69412,269−69.4%
8Administrative Cost1,50942,353−35.9%
10Operations & Maintenance2,10743,014−30.1%
13Extracurricular Activities1324464−71.6%
16Median Teacher Salary59,501765,035
Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2]
*Of Vocational districts with any number of students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=21

As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of eight schools, had an enrollment of 1,668 students and 137.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.2:1.[1]

In 2023, The Union County Vocational-Technical Schools (UCVTS) in Scotch Plains received a $33 million investment to enhance and expand facilities on their Raritan Road campus. Announced by NJ Senate President Nick Scutari and Union County officials on July 26, the funding aimed to improve educational offerings at UCVTS.[4]

Awards and recognition

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Union County Magnet High School was recognized by Governor Jim McGreevey in 2003 as one of 25 schools selected statewide for the First Annual Governor's School of Excellence award.[5]

In 2016, the Academy for Performing Arts was one of ten schools in New Jersey, and one of two high school programs in the state, recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education.[6] The Academy for Allied Health Sciences was one of nine public schools—and the only public high school—recognized in 2017 as Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.[7]

In 2021, the Academy for Information Technology (AIT) was given the Blue Ribbon School award by the U.S. Department of Education.

High school level programs

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Full-time UCVTS programs

Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[8]) are:[9][10]

Full-time Career and technical academies
Shared-time / Alternative UCVTS programs
  • Raymond J. Lesniak Experience Strength & Hope Recovery High School[19] with 2 students in grades 9–12
  • Simon Youth Academy[20] with 23 students in grades 9–12
    • Syreeta McClain, principal[12]
  • Union County Career and Technical Institute[21] with 17 students in grades 9–12
    • Lisa Tauscher, principal[12]

Administration

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Core members of the district's administration are:[12][22]

  • Gwendolyn Ryan, superintendent
  • Janet Behrmann, business administrator and board secretary

Athletics

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An intramural program is provided for after school physical activity. For official sports recognized by the NJSIAA, students participate on their home high schools' teams.

Campus newspaper

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The Campus Chronicle is the monthly newspaper for the UCVTS campus. It is based in the Academy for Information Technology building. While it is called a newspaper, it more closely resembles a magazine in that it is made using duplex A4 paper stapled with three staples on the right binding. The staff use Adobe InDesign as its layout program.

The original name for UC Juice was TechToday. It was changed due to the addition of the Academy for Performing Arts school on campus, rendering the name TechToday unfitting for the campus newspaper.

History

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TechToday was founded in 2006–2007 school year. During its first year it released 3 issues, typically around four pages long. Each edition consisted of a news section and an arts section (called TechToday Arts).

 
2007-2008 TechToday Logo

At the end of the 2006/2007 school year, management was failing and most of the work was being done by the advisor at the time. He appointed two new editors, Phyllis Lee and Taylor Kelly, to take over the next year.

At the 2007-2008 club fair, TechToday had approximately 150 people sign up to join the club. Throughout the year, it had six issues released. It went through a layout program change, from Microsoft Publisher to Apple Pages. It also went under a layout design change, which was well received across campus.

At the 2008-2009 club fair, TechToday had 119 people sign up to join the club. It is planning on switching from Apple Pages to Adobe InDesign as its layout program.

On September 16, 2008, TechToday changed its name to UC Juice. Because the name 'TechToday' did not fit the addition of the Academy for Performing Arts to the UCVTS campus, the name was decided to be changed. The other possible choices were: 'UCVTS Utopian', 'The Ubiquitarian', 'UC Inquirer', 'UCVTS United', and 'UC Juice', and were voted on. UC Juice won by a landslide. The name UC Juice was originated from the nickname of one of the freshman members, Juice.

In 2010, the paper changed its name once again, becoming The Campus Inquirer. It was then once again switched to its current name, The Campus Chronicle.

Board of education

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The district's board of education is composed of five members—the county superintendent of schools and four appointed members—who set policy and oversee the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type I school district, the board's trustees are appointed by the members of the Union County Board of County Commissioners to serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat up for reappointment each year. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.[23][24][25]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d District information for Union County Vocational-Technical School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
  3. ^ Union County Voc-Tech Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed October 10, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a vocational school in the County Vocational School District. Composition: The Union County Vocational-Technical Schools are comprised of all the area within the County of Union."
  4. ^ "Scutari, Union County Commissioners Announce New $33M in Funding for Union County Vo-Tech Schools in Scotch Plains". TAPinto. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  5. ^ McGreevey Celebrates Schools that are "Getting it Right": Schools of Excellence Winners Demonstrate Effectiveness of Governor's Education Priorities Archived 2012-10-18 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of Education press release dated November 21, 2003. Accessed December 15, 2009.
  6. ^ 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools All Public and Non‐Public, National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. Accessed November 13, 2016.
  7. ^ "Nine New Jersey Public Schools Earn National Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education", New Jersey Department of Education, September 28, 2017. Accessed October 18, 2017.
  8. ^ Data for the Union County Vocational Technical Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  9. ^ School Performance Reports for the Union County Vocational-Technical Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
  10. ^ New Jersey School Directory for the Union County Vocational Technical Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  11. ^ Academy for Allied Health Sciences, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed October 10, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i Administration, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed October 10, 2024.
  13. ^ Academy for Global Logistics, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed October 10, 2024.
  14. ^ Academy for Information Technology, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed October 10, 2024.
  15. ^ Principal Message, Academy for Information Technology. Accessed October 10, 2024.
  16. ^ Academy for Performing Arts, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed October 10, 2024.
  17. ^ Union County Magnet High School, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed October 10, 2024.
  18. ^ Union County Vocational-Technical High School, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed October 10, 2024.
  19. ^ Raymond J. Lesniak Experience Strength & Hope Recovery High School, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed October 10, 2024.
  20. ^ Simon Youth Academy, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed October 10, 2024.
  21. ^ Union County Career and Technical Institute, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed October 10, 2024.
  22. ^ New Jersey School Directory for Union County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  23. ^ New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
  24. ^ Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Union County Vocational-Technical School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2022. Accessed October 10, 2024. "The Union County Vocational-Technical Schools is a Type I District located in Union County, New Jersey. The District is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an educational institution. The Board of Education of the Union County Vocational-Technical School consists of five (5) members; four (4) members are appointed by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and one (1) statutory member, who is the Union County Superintendent of Schools. A superintendent is appointed by the Board and is responsible for the administrative control of the District." See "Roster of Officials" on page 13.
  25. ^ Board of Education, Union County Vocational-Technical School District. Accessed October 10, 2024.
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