About Union High School

UNION HIGH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

	Commission Secondary Schools/Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools Accreditation.
	75% of Union High students who took Advanced Placement tests in May of 2004 received a score of "3" or better on a 5 point scale, making them eligible for college credit.
	Qualified students participate in Project Acceleration a cooperative arrangement between Seton Hall University and Union High School providing honor roll students with the opportunity to earn up to 22 college credits while attending classes offered at Union High School.
	Five new state-of-the-art science labs in September 2005.
	Tech Prep - Two Plus Two partnership program with Union County College.
	Programs in the areas of Electricity, Robotics, Graphic Communication, Wood Technology, Computer Aided Drafting (CAD), Technology Education.
	A comprehensive Industrial Education/Vocational & Technical Program allows students to pursue career oriented programs.
	Nearly 100 students with a G.P.A. of 3.5 or better are inducted annually into the national honor society.
	Union High School is the 11th largest high school in the state.
	Full time Student Assistance Counselor.
	New state-of-the-art wrestling and fitness rooms..
	More than 500 students participated in our 21 interscholastic high school male/female sports program.
	Thirty-eight academic, special interest, and service related co-curricular clubs.
	Students compete on the regional, state and national levels.
	Garden State (Bloustein) Distinguished Scholars for the past five (5) years - 75 students.
	New Jersey's Governor School: Twenty students selected.
	Union's Army Junior R.O.T.C. unit is ranked in the top 10% nationwide and is designated as an Army Junior R.O.T.C. Honor Unit With Distinction for the eighth consecutive year.
	Our graduates attend Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Penn State, M.I.T., College of New Jersey and Rutgers.
	90% of our senior class passed the H.S.P.A. in Language Arts Literacy. 3 out of 4 students of our current senior class passed the Mathematics section of the H.S.P.A.
	State-of-the art Computer Technology Labs/Programs.
	S.A.T. results - Top 10% - 1270 Top 25% - 1160.
	Advanced Placement Courses are offered in English, Mathematics, Honors Technology, History, World Languages, Science and Art.
	Dual ranking system in accordance with the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
	District-wide implementation of comprehensive School Counseling Program based on American School Counselor Standards.
	92% of students accepted to four-year, two-year, or other postsecondary institutions.
	More than two hundred scholarship opportunities announced to students from September - March through Union High School Daily Bulletin and monthly Scholarship Bulletins mailed home.
	Twelve counselors employed at Union High School with a student/counselor ratio of approximately 250/1.
	Special Events 2004-05: September - College & Career School Day; November - College & Career School Night - 2004; January - Financial Aid Seminar for parents/guardians Parents as Partners Workshop.
	New Honors Technology Course in Business Education.
	Business Education students participated in New Jersey's Banking Financial Literacy Awareness Program.
	New courses for 2005-06: International Business and Travel/Tourism Marketing Management.
	New course for 2006-07: Business Ethics/Human Relations.
	P.S.A.T. unit added to Grade 10 English curriculum.
	Advanced Placement unit added to Honors Grade 11 English curriculum.
	Students participate, annually, in Optimist Club and Rotary Club contest.
	More than 1/2 the seniors are taking mathematics as an elective.
	19/21 mathematics teachers have at least a Master's Degree.
	The mathematics department consistently explores the Internet and related literature for topics and methods of instruction designed to increase our student's scores on state and national standardized tests.
	Infineum Engineering Contest for Science students - First Place.
	New course called "Hollywood Science" cutting edge course not in any other high school in New Jersey.
	Increase in Science Studies larger percentage of students taking a 4th year of Science.
	Science students participating in Statewide competitions including Schering Plough research project, Chemistry Olympiads and Merck State ScienceDay.
	Four Advanced Placement courses are offered in the Social Studies department, involving 180 students.
	The courses are A.P. U.S. History (2 year program,U.S. I & II), A.P. Psychology, and A.P. European History.
	Recognition of Black History Month has been expanded with assembly programs, performances, bulletin boards, and additional classroom activities. Enrollment in the Social Studies Honors program has been expanded, with over 200 students involved in either World History, or U.S. History I and II Honor classes.
	Two new elective courses will be added to our program: Introduction to Law, which will provide an opportunity for students to learn about how the law impacts on their lives and familiarizes them with career opportunities, and Cultural Studies, which will explore the contributions to American History of African-Americans, Asians, Latinos, and Women
	There are AP classes in French, German and Spanish.
	Most World Languages teachers have advanced degrees and travel extensively.
	Field trips for students; trips to Europe, Canada, USA, etc.
	Students take National exams in the various languages and win awards.
	Honor Societies--each language--and language clubs with cultural festivals.
	Named to the fifth annual BEST 100 COMMUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION list.
	One of the premier Music Theater Departments in the state. Recipients of numerous Paper Mill Rising Star awards.
	A.P. courses in Music theory, Photography, & Studio Art.
	Award winning competitive Marching Band.
	Award winning Swing Choir ranked in the top 5% in the County.
	New classrooms in Music/Theater Arts & Photography.
	Visual Art teachers are recipients of Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation grant money.

Union Township is a suburban community located in Union County. Union has a population of approximately 53,000 and borders on the cities of Maplewood, Millburn, Kenilworth, Elizabeth, Hillside, Irvington, Roselle Park, and Springfield.

The township earned a reputation as a "lighthouse" district for the state and nation. Union has been named by the National Governors Association, the Committee on Economic Development, and the U.S. Department of Education as one of sixteen model school districts in the nation.

The annual operating budget for the district is approximately ninety-three million dollars and is dedicated to providing a quality education that meets the needs of a diverse student population.

Lowest Numerical Equivalent: A - 90, B - 80, C - 70, D - 60, F - Failure.

Transcripts include a weighted and unweighted rank. All rank is computed according to recommendations of the National Association of Secondary School Principals and is reported in both a weighted and unweighted version. All students and all courses are included when calculating rank. Descriptions of honors and advanced placement courses accompany college applications.

Among the staff of 225 professionals, many hold Master's Degrees and some hold Doctoral Degrees. Many have pursued graduate work beyond the Master's Degree.

Twelve counselors staff the Guidance Department. Counselor assignments are made alphabetically and the counselor continues with the student for four years. A Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) is also employed by the district and is based at the high school.

Dr. Theodore Jakubowski, Superintendent of Schools
Greg Tatum, Assitant Superintendent
Edward Gibbons, Principal
Diane Buttel, Vice Principal & Director of Guidance
Gerry Benaquista, Vice Principal
Michael Hamberg, Assistant Principal
Benjamin Kloc, Assistant Principal
Yvonne Rago, Assistant Principal
David Shaw, Assistant Principal