Union County Magnet High School
Encyclopedia
The Union County Magnet High School (UCMHS) is a magnet
public high school located in Scotch Plains
on the Union County Vocational Technical Schools Campus
, serving the vocational and technical educational needs of students throughout Union County
, New Jersey
. The Magnet School serves approximately 280 students. The Mission Statement of the school states that the school's goal is to prepare students for college/vocational training utilizing technology through problem solving, project-based learning, and interdisciplinary education. Students must apply to enter the school and the school turns away approximately 2/3 of applicants.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 274 students and 24 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.42.
in 2003 as one of 25 schools selected statewide for the First Annual Governor's School of Excellence award.
Union County Magnet High School was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence
by the United States Department of Education
, the highest award an American school can receive, during the 2004-05 school year.
Union County Magnet High School was cited as a "Public Elite", one of 22 such schools recognized nationwide in Newsweek
magazine's listing of "America's Best High Schools" in the May 8, 2006 issue. Newsweek described that the school's "Focus is on science, math and technology".
In Newsweek
's May 22, 2007 issue, ranking the country's top high schools, Union County Magnet High School was listed in 598th place, the 12th-highest ranked school in New Jersey.
In 2005-06, the school averaged a 1922 combined SAT score, fourth highest of all public high schools statewide.
In 2008, Magnet High School, along with the Academy for Allied Health Sciences, was named #1 youth per capita in the entire nation by the American Cancer Society for their Relay for Life. In total, the schools raised over $73,000.
In 2009, Magnet High School, along with the other UCVTS schools, was named #1 youth per capita in the entire nation by the American Cancer Society for their Relay for Life. In total, the schools raised over $115,000. This was achieved by setting a minimum fundraising amount per participant an order of magnitude larger than the registration fee required by the American Cancer Society.
and math league for those interested in science and math competitions, golf club, community service club, robotics, Magnet Inventors Team, chess club, technology club, yearbook committee, art club, newspaper club (TechToday), video wall committee, class councils (one for each grade), and student council (whole school). Most clubs meet during lunch.
In October 2006, a small group of students formed an Anime Club to view and discuss anime
, or Japanese cartoons. They met significant difficulty in forming the club due to opposition from the school board. Now these students meet under the permission of the Multicultural Club, and are forming a larger fanbase as the interest spread to other schools on campus.
As of 2008, these students are considered to be a separate organization, known as "A.N.I.M.E." rather than the "Anime Club" as they do not have an advisor and are not an official school club. They are not listed in the student handbook as an extracurricular activity.
The school holds dances about once a month and annually, Magnet hosts a talent show and the Coffee House, which is put together by the drama club. In Spring 2006, the drama club has put on its first full-length production since 2003. Since 2006, the drama club included a musical group, and in 2007, musicals and singing acts were included in the annual "Coffeehouse" production.
The second largest club within the school district is 1257 Robotics Team. Because the school is oriented to math and science, the FIRST robotics team receives a lot of support. Although disbanded in 2006 due to loss of the founding members, the 1257 robotics team was reformed in the 2008-09 school year and is going strong once again.
Being enrolled in an engineering school, a few Magnet students also compete in the annual Union County College
bridge building competition, which consists of teams of about five people each from all over the county. Teams are divided into novice and advanced categories, and each team must build a bridge with the given specifications (they change every year).
A new club at Magnet, which began in the 2007-08 school year, is the SMAC (Student Movement Against Cancer) club. The club was started by two students, and its main objective is to schedule, plan, and organize the annual Relay For Life
held at the school. Since its inception, SMAC has become hugely successful, as evidenced by the success of UCMHS Relay for Life.
Magnet does not offer any varsity sports, but students are allowed to join sports teams in their home districts, provided they do not pose any scheduling conflicts. The Union County Vocational Technical School district offers after school intramurals. There is also a non-affiliated Ultimate Frisbee team that many Magnet students have chosen to become members of. Its first competitive year was 2007-08 where it entered in the ARJI youth tournament at Rutgers.
Students have complained that although the Magnet School advertises the students' right to utilize their local high school facilities for extra curricular activities, this right is severely hampered by the abundance of scheduling difficulties. For example, some students found it impossible to join their local school's music program, as attending practices during the school day was an impossibility.
The facade
of the building features faux-stone over the staircases, which project from the building, and a series of white and brown gravel coated concrete panels, each containing a trapezoidal window. The building contains many windows and glass walls to the extent that in some places one can stand on one side of the building and see through the other side of the building.
Magnet is located in Scotch Plains on a campus which is home to Union County Vocational-Technical School, the Academy for Information Technology
, the Academy for Allied Health Sciences
, and the Union County (or John H. Stamler) Police Academy. The campus also has a New Jersey Transit
bus stop and a soccer field.
In 2008, construction began on an addition to the Magnet building. This addition serves as the site of the Performing Arts school. The plans included a bridge linking the building with the addition, which will be located in one of the last free patches of ground on campus, over a frequently used path leading from a parking lot to the front door of the Magnet High School. These plans were finished in 2010. The Union County Vocational-Technical Schools (UCVTS) has now changed from an open, spacious environment into a more urban environment.
District (UCVTSD). Following the creation of this school in 1997, a number of these districts filed suit against UCMHS. Scotch Plains petitioned the New Jersey Department of Education
to force the exclusion of students from their district from the Magnet School. Rahway, New Jersey
refused to allow Rahway students attending Magnet to participate in Rahway extracurricular programs. Their argument was that Magnet was taking the best students away from the home districts and that Magnet was drawing funds away from the home districts.
The final case against UCMHS was the case launched by the City of Linden
. It was resolved late in 2002 in favor of UCMHS. Linden ran a science school within its own district where it sent its gifted and talented students. They argued that their program was comparable to UCMHS and they should not, therefore, be required to pay tuition for students attending the county school. The UCMHS argued that the programs were not comparable, as evidenced by Linden students desiring to leave their home district in favor of Magnet.
Magnet won each of these suits because it is, legally, a Vocational-Technical school (a school which offers a vocational education
) and offers vocational certifications. State law requires local school districts pay tuition for students who attend the county vocational school.
Recently, as a result of extensive state budget cuts, the Board of Education of the Springfield Public Schools
announced its plan in 2010 to refuse to pay tuition for students attending several of the schools on the UCVTS campus, on the grounds that it has comparable programs in engineering, performing arts, and health-care training. The Springfield Board of Education believes that, in the absence of any state funding to offset the cost of sending students to the Magnet, Performing Arts, and Allied Health high schools, it should not be obligated to pay to send its students to these schools.
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
public high school located in Scotch Plains
Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township population increased to a record high of 23,510.-History:...
on the Union County Vocational Technical Schools Campus
Union County Vocational Technical Schools Campus
The Union County Vocational Technical Schools Campus is a hub for education located in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.This campus contains:*Union County Vocational Technical Schools**Union County Academy for Performing Arts...
, serving the vocational and technical educational needs of students throughout 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...
. The Magnet School serves approximately 280 students. The Mission Statement of the school states that the school's goal is to prepare students for college/vocational training utilizing technology through problem solving, project-based learning, and interdisciplinary education. Students must apply to enter the school and the school turns away approximately 2/3 of applicants.
As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 274 students and 24 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 11.42.
Awards and recognition
Union County Magnet High School was recognized by Governor Jim McGreeveyJim McGreevey
James Edward "Jim" McGreevey is an American Democratic politician. He served as the 52nd Governor of New Jersey from January 15, 2002, until he resigned from office at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2004. His term was set to expire on January 17, 2006...
in 2003 as one of 25 schools selected statewide for the First Annual Governor's School of Excellence award.
Union County Magnet High School was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, the highest award an American school can receive, during the 2004-05 school year.
Union County Magnet High School was cited as a "Public Elite", one of 22 such schools recognized nationwide in Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine's listing of "America's Best High Schools" in the May 8, 2006 issue. Newsweek described that the school's "Focus is on science, math and technology".
In Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
's May 22, 2007 issue, ranking the country's top high schools, Union County Magnet High School was listed in 598th place, the 12th-highest ranked school in New Jersey.
In 2005-06, the school averaged a 1922 combined SAT score, fourth highest of all public high schools statewide.
In 2008, Magnet High School, along with the Academy for Allied Health Sciences, was named #1 youth per capita in the entire nation by the American Cancer Society for their Relay for Life. In total, the schools raised over $73,000.
In 2009, Magnet High School, along with the other UCVTS schools, was named #1 youth per capita in the entire nation by the American Cancer Society for their Relay for Life. In total, the schools raised over $115,000. This was achieved by setting a minimum fundraising amount per participant an order of magnitude larger than the registration fee required by the American Cancer Society.
Culture and extracurricular activities
Magnet is accepting and open to new cultures and tries to recognize and celebrate these cultures through the Multicultural Club, and French Club. In addition to this club, there is also drama club, Science OlympiadScience Olympiad
Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...
and math league for those interested in science and math competitions, golf club, community service club, robotics, Magnet Inventors Team, chess club, technology club, yearbook committee, art club, newspaper club (TechToday), video wall committee, class councils (one for each grade), and student council (whole school). Most clubs meet during lunch.
In October 2006, a small group of students formed an Anime Club to view and discuss anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, or Japanese cartoons. They met significant difficulty in forming the club due to opposition from the school board. Now these students meet under the permission of the Multicultural Club, and are forming a larger fanbase as the interest spread to other schools on campus.
As of 2008, these students are considered to be a separate organization, known as "A.N.I.M.E." rather than the "Anime Club" as they do not have an advisor and are not an official school club. They are not listed in the student handbook as an extracurricular activity.
The school holds dances about once a month and annually, Magnet hosts a talent show and the Coffee House, which is put together by the drama club. In Spring 2006, the drama club has put on its first full-length production since 2003. Since 2006, the drama club included a musical group, and in 2007, musicals and singing acts were included in the annual "Coffeehouse" production.
The second largest club within the school district is 1257 Robotics Team. Because the school is oriented to math and science, the FIRST robotics team receives a lot of support. Although disbanded in 2006 due to loss of the founding members, the 1257 robotics team was reformed in the 2008-09 school year and is going strong once again.
Being enrolled in an engineering school, a few Magnet students also compete in the annual Union County College
Union County College
Union County College is an accredited, co-educational, two-year, public, community college located in Union County, New Jersey. As the first and oldest of New Jersey's 19 community colleges, Union County College has been serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The...
bridge building competition, which consists of teams of about five people each from all over the county. Teams are divided into novice and advanced categories, and each team must build a bridge with the given specifications (they change every year).
A new club at Magnet, which began in the 2007-08 school year, is the SMAC (Student Movement Against Cancer) club. The club was started by two students, and its main objective is to schedule, plan, and organize the annual Relay For Life
Relay For Life
Relay For Life is the main volunteer-driven cancer fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. Originating in the United States, the Relay For Life event has spread to 21 countries. Relay events are held in local communities, campus universities, military bases, and in cyberspace...
held at the school. Since its inception, SMAC has become hugely successful, as evidenced by the success of UCMHS Relay for Life.
Magnet does not offer any varsity sports, but students are allowed to join sports teams in their home districts, provided they do not pose any scheduling conflicts. The Union County Vocational Technical School district offers after school intramurals. There is also a non-affiliated Ultimate Frisbee team that many Magnet students have chosen to become members of. Its first competitive year was 2007-08 where it entered in the ARJI youth tournament at Rutgers.
Students have complained that although the Magnet School advertises the students' right to utilize their local high school facilities for extra curricular activities, this right is severely hampered by the abundance of scheduling difficulties. For example, some students found it impossible to join their local school's music program, as attending practices during the school day was an impossibility.
Building
The building that houses UCMHS was constructed in the 1960s and housed a portion of (UCC) through the 1970s. It was abandoned through the mid 1990s when the UCVTSD had the building gutted and renovated. UCMHS opened in 1997 and since then the building has seen minor renovations and the addition of a glass atrium to the fitness center. Following the major renovations in the mid-1990s, the building was named Mancuso Hall after the Chairman of the Union County Board of Education at the time.The facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
of the building features faux-stone over the staircases, which project from the building, and a series of white and brown gravel coated concrete panels, each containing a trapezoidal window. The building contains many windows and glass walls to the extent that in some places one can stand on one side of the building and see through the other side of the building.
Magnet is located in Scotch Plains on a campus which is home to Union County Vocational-Technical School, the Academy for Information Technology
Academy for Information Technology
The Union County Academy for Information Technology is a full time four-year public high school located in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, on the Union County Vocational Technical Schools Campus. The school is part of the Union County Vocational Technical Schools , which serves students in all of Union...
, the Academy for Allied Health Sciences
Union County Academy for Allied Health Sciences
The Union County Academy for Allied Health Sciences is a full-time Vocational Public High School, located in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, United States...
, and the Union County (or John H. Stamler) Police Academy. The campus also has a New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
bus stop and a soccer field.
In 2008, construction began on an addition to the Magnet building. This addition serves as the site of the Performing Arts school. The plans included a bridge linking the building with the addition, which will be located in one of the last free patches of ground on campus, over a frequently used path leading from a parking lot to the front door of the Magnet High School. These plans were finished in 2010. The Union County Vocational-Technical Schools (UCVTS) has now changed from an open, spacious environment into a more urban environment.
Legal troubles
Since its creation, UCMHS has been a subject of controversy. There are 21 municipal school districts that are contained within the Union County Vocational Technical SchoolsUnion County Vocational Technical Schools
The Union County Vocational Technical Schools are a grouping of schools on the Union County Vocational Technical Schools Campus in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, United States. This organization offers six potential programs to the student, five at the High School level and one at the adult education...
District (UCVTSD). Following the creation of this school in 1997, a number of these districts filed suit against UCMHS. Scotch Plains petitioned the New Jersey Department of Education
New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education administers state and federal aid programs affecting more than 1.4 million public and non-public elementary and secondary school children in the state of New Jersey. The department is headquartered in Trenton.The Department is responsible for ensuring that...
to force the exclusion of students from their district from the Magnet School. Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway is a city in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area, being 15 miles southwest of Manhattan and five miles west of Staten Island...
refused to allow Rahway students attending Magnet to participate in Rahway extracurricular programs. Their argument was that Magnet was taking the best students away from the home districts and that Magnet was drawing funds away from the home districts.
The final case against UCMHS was the case launched by the City of Linden
Linden, New Jersey
- Local government :, the Mayor of Linden is . The former longtime Mayor of Linden is 82-year-old John T. Gregorio, who served as mayor of Linden for 30, nonconsecutive years and was repeatedly tagged with scandal during his mayoral career, including one felony conviction, later pardoned, which...
. It was resolved late in 2002 in favor of UCMHS. Linden ran a science school within its own district where it sent its gifted and talented students. They argued that their program was comparable to UCMHS and they should not, therefore, be required to pay tuition for students attending the county school. The UCMHS argued that the programs were not comparable, as evidenced by Linden students desiring to leave their home district in favor of Magnet.
Magnet won each of these suits because it is, legally, a Vocational-Technical school (a school which offers a vocational education
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
) and offers vocational certifications. State law requires local school districts pay tuition for students who attend the county vocational school.
Recently, as a result of extensive state budget cuts, the Board of Education of the Springfield Public Schools
Springfield Public Schools
The Springfield Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district serving students in Kindergarten through 12th grade from Springfield Township, in Union County, New Jersey, United States....
announced its plan in 2010 to refuse to pay tuition for students attending several of the schools on the UCVTS campus, on the grounds that it has comparable programs in engineering, performing arts, and health-care training. The Springfield Board of Education believes that, in the absence of any state funding to offset the cost of sending students to the Magnet, Performing Arts, and Allied Health high schools, it should not be obligated to pay to send its students to these schools.
External links
- Union County Magnet High School's website
- Data for Union County Magnet High School, 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...
- 1257 Robotics Team
- Article in newspaper on the proposal of the Magnet school
- September 22, 2000 Decision by State Commissioner of Education Concerning the Magnet School (the Scotch Plains-Fanwood decision)
- July 12, 1999 Decision by State Commissioner of Education regarding refusal of Roselle Park Board of Education to pay tuition for students attending Union County Magnet High School