High Tech High School

High Tech High School
An aerial picture of the High Tech High School building in May 2022
Address

1 High Tech Way Secaucus, New Jersey , (Hudson County) 07094 United States
Coordinates	40°45′39″N 74°05′00″W / 40.7609°N 74.0834°W / 40.7609; -74.0834
Information
Type	Magnet public high school
Established	1991
NCES School ID	340757002766^[1]
Principal	Kathy Young
Faculty	92.8 FTEs^[1]
Enrollment	913 (as of 2022–23)^[1]
Student to teacher ratio	9.8:1^[1]
Color(s)	Black and Gold
Team name	Lazercats
Website	hths.hcstonline.org

High Tech High School is a full-time public magnet high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades in Secaucus, in Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as part of the Hudson County Schools of Technology. Since its establishment in 1991, High Tech High School has been named a Top Ten High School, a Governor's School of Excellence, a New Jersey Star School (twice) and has been cited by New Jersey Monthly magazine as one of the state's great public high schools.^[2] The school is noted for success in the sciences and in the performing arts, winning several awards in both fields.

The exterior of the previous building in North Bergen

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 913 students and 92.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.8:1. There were 217 students (23.8% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 88 (9.6% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.^[1]

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>>Narrator: In this converted navy facility near the San Diego Airport thoughtfully applied technology is transforming public education. >>We're going to want to focus on the advertising throughout the school. >>Larry: They're doing things, they're producing things so the purpose "tech" in High Tech High is not for consumption. It's for production. >>Narrator: A former high school carpentry teacher with a law degree, Larry Rosenstock became founding principal and C.E.O. of High Tech High in 1998. >>I tell our visitors who come here "Stop any child that you want, grade six through twelve at random and ask them what they're working on and watch what happens." They'll look you in the eye and they'll talk to you about what they're working on. >>Alex: So what we're going to do in this class is we're going to make a movie or like a documentary on everything we learn. We're learning about physiology but we're also learning about like after effects which makes videos and stuff so we're bringing them together. >>Narrator: High Tech's 2,500 students gain entrance by a lottery and represent a cross-section of San Diego's public school population. >>Jeffrey: Okay, trace it out. >>Narrator: And whether they choose to focus on the arts or sciences all of them are engaged in rigorous projects. >>Teacher: And the one thing we want to be careful about is that we don't add your DNA to these samples and you come out in the end with your DNA barcode- >>Narrator: In an 11th grade biology class students are developing a DNA barcoding process that will help African law enforcement officials convict poachers. >>Teachers: These are photos that I got last week from one of our collaborators in Nairobi. This is an eland. >>I know everyone is really serious about it because it's a serious issue but this is really a lot more fun than you'd be able to do in any other classroom. >>A lot of people donate stuff because we are a non-profit. >>Narrator: Whenever possible, projects are designed to serve the local community whether it's creating a storage system for the YMCA. >>David: We have a new storage facility- >>We can actually take this out. >>Narrator: Or designing an assistive technology device. >>David: She used it for the first time and moved that bar up and down the paper for the first time herself. Her eyes just lit up. It was the first time that she'd been able to do something on her own and it was just the students were tremendously touched, I was touched. It was just a really amazing experience. >>What's going on here? >>It's a fat that builds up. >>Narrator: Instead of grades on high stakes tests at the end of the year, students are assessed on an ongoing basis. >>Rob: Assessment is not an endpoint; it's not an end activity. It's something that goes on moment to moment so teachers are always checking for kids' understanding and so forth and we're always asking kids to in a lot of different contexts to kind of describe what it is they're working on, what it is they've discovered, what their plan is for the next day and so on. So assessment is folded in. >>Jeffrey: Good work guys. >>Student: Alright, thanks. >>Narrator: They are also judged on their individual digital portfolios and their stand-and-deliver presentations of learning. >>Student: I will start this presentation of learning today with math and physics followed by Spanish I and finishing off with humanities. >>Christopher: Instead of taking finals at our school we do POLs, which is a presentation of learning where we get up in front of the whole class and the teachers and a whole panel of people and tell them exactly what we learned this year, how it can be applied to real life, and how you've developed in critical thinking or developed in other things. >>Narrator: Students are also assessed on their contributions to group projects like books on the ecology of San Diego Bay. Larry: These are really high quality efforts by kids as opposed to memorizing 3,000 biology words to prepare for the AP exam. We want kids behaving like scientists, and behaving like photographers, and behaving like graphic artists. >>Narrator: The High Tech model is working. >>Student: Point one which is that line- >>Narrator: The original high school has grown into a network of eight public charter schools. >>Jeffrey: And maybe you could put that same kind of text here, here, and there. >>Narrator: And 100 percent of High Tech High graduates are accepted to college. >>Jeffrey: I really believe in this place. I've been here since the beginning and I think it is absolutely the true way to learn. >>Gabby: And the brown is fine in the background? >>Jeffrey: Yeah the brown is fine as long as you put those words in. >>Okay, thank you, Okay? >>For more information on what works in public education go to edutopia.org

History

High Tech High School was founded in 1991 by the Hudson County Schools of Technology school district to provide Hudson County residents with a quality public education in a technology-based environment, beginning with a class of 30 students when it opened.^[3] The school has grown to more than 1,000 students and has been able to maintain a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1.^[1]

In September 2018, the school moved from its previous location in North Bergen to a newly built 350,000-square-foot (33,000 m²) school building constructed at a cost of $160 million on a 22-acre (8.9 ha) site in Secaucus.^[4] The former building was sold to North Bergen school district to become the new home of North Bergen High School.^[5]

Awards, recognition, and rankings

Awards received by High Tech High School include:^[2]

In November 2023, the school won the NBC "Star Choir" competition, and performed at the Rockefeller Center tree lighting.
In June 2023, the school was ranked 1st, 7th, and 14th in the nation for high school eSports Super Smash Bros. Ultimate by, The Electronic Gaming Federation.
Business Insider, using data from the 2015 Niche rankings, ranked High Tech High School 21st on its 2014 list of the "25 best public high school in the United States".^[6]^[7]
In September 2013, the school was one of 15 in New Jersey to be recognized by the United States Department of Education as part of the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, an award called the "most prestigious honor in the United States' education system" and which Education Secretary Arne Duncan described as schools that "represent examples of educational excellence".^[8]^[9]
In its 2013 report on "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast ranked the school 436th in the nation among participating public high schools and 36th among schools in New Jersey.^[10]
Schooldigger.com ranked the school tied for 29th out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (a decrease of 10 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (92.3%) and language arts literacy (100.0%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).^[11]
In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post, the school was ranked 49th in New Jersey and 1,516th nationwide.^[12]
2003 Governor's School of Excellence^[13]
2002 School Leader Award, NJ School Boards Association
2001 Best High School Musical, Director, Costumes - Paper Mill Playhouse
2000 2000 National Student Community Service Award - SkillsUSA
1999 100 Top Wired Schools in the US by FamilyPC Magazine
1998 New Jersey Star School by NJ Department of Education.^[14]
1997 Flagship School for Exemplary Video Journalism by Channel One
1996 Best Practices in World Languages by the New Jersey Department of Education
1995 New Jersey Star School by New Jersey Department of Education.^[15]
1995 10 Best Overall Schools in New Jersey by New Jersey Monthly Magazine
1994 Philanthropic Corporate Award by Panasonic, Matsushita
1993 Outstanding Program Award by NJASCD
1992 School Leadership Exemplary Program Award by NJSBA
1992 NJ State National Blue Ribbon Nominee, New Jersey Department of Education
1992 School Leader Award Competition, NJ School Boards' Association
1991 Model Parental Involvement Program Award by NJSBA

Demographics

Hudson County is the smallest of New Jersey's 21 counties. Highly urbanized and densely populated, the 2000 census ranked this area as fourth in the nation on the ethnicity index. As a regional magnet school, High Tech draws on its diverse student population from the 12 towns and cities within the county. The average expenditure per student is $14,760 and is derived from federal, state, and county aid. High Tech High School is accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education.^[16] 43% of the student body is Hispanic, 32% is Caucasian, 16% is Asian/Pacific Islander, and 9% is African American.^[17]

Sports

The High Tech Lasercats had competed in the Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association (HCIAA), which includes public and private high schools in Hudson County. The league operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).^[18]

High Tech had few sports teams, including girls' and boys' tennis, bowling, a judo club and basketball. Their best was their soccer team, which had a five-year run of county championships (2004-2008).

The girls' softball team won the 2008 North I, Group II state sectional championship, defeating Hoboken High School 3–1 in the tournament final.^[19] The team won the first round of the Group I state championship with a 4–2 win over Pompton Lakes High School 4–2, before falling to Pennsville Memorial High School by a score of 8–2 in the final game.^[20]

In March 2010, mayors from all 12 municipalities in Hudson County signed a petition stating that High Tech High School and County Prep High School should eliminate their sports programs because of budget cuts.^[21] On April 22, 2010; it was revealed in the new budget that sports were cut from both schools for the 2010–11 school year.^[22] The students attending High Tech High School at the time that the petition was signed (graduating classes 2010 to 2014) demonstrated their deep disapproval towards Hudson County's decision during the spring of 2010. Many seniors of the Class of 2010 risked their ability to graduate in order to participate in the walk-out that occurred.

Majors

At High Tech, Juniors are required to have 80 minutes of a major per day, and Seniors are required to have 120 minutes (2 hours) of a major per day.^[23]

Majors include:

Architecture
Computer-Aided Design and Analysis (CADA)
Automotive Technology
Engineering Technology
Wood Technology
Computer Science
Biomedical Science
Environmental Science
Music and Audio Technology
Dance
Musical Theatre
TV Production
Broadcasting
Studio Arts
Graphic Arts
Interactive Media
Culinary Arts

Student Council

The Student Council at High Tech is divided into four smaller student governments, one for each respective class. At the end of each school year (beginning of the year for the incoming-Freshman class), elections are held to determine the following year's class officers. The entire class votes, and a simple majority is required to win a position.

Each council consists of elected officials, including the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The President is responsible for organizing fundraisers and activities to be conducted by the student council. The Vice President is responsible for assisting the President in fulfilling any and all of their responsibilities, and verifying that class officers stay on task. The Secretary is responsible for logistics, record keeping, and internal affairs. The Treasurer is responsible for monitoring all financial activities by the council, and working with the Secretary to keep accurate and available records.

There are two general advisers of the overarching Student Council, and typically two advisers for each individual class government. There are also a number of student individuals appointed to the council, known as "Liaisons". These Liaisons are usually evenly distributed throughout academies and majors, and are responsible for delivering information to each of their assigned homerooms and helping execute successful council events and fundraisers.

Notable alumni

Kyla Garcia, stage, film, and television actress and audiobook narrator.^[24]
Baker Grace, musician and songwriter.^[25]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f School data for High Tech High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Awards Archived October 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, High Tech High School. Accessed June 13, 2011.
^ Stoltzfus, Duane. "Hudson to start free adult school; Focus on trades, computers", The Record, June 12, 1991. Accessed April 4, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "The initiative comes as the district is preparing to open a 'high-tech high school' for incoming high school students. Starting in September, 30 freshmen will study information processing and multimedia, computer-driven technology."
^ Elamroussi, Aya. "$160M high-tech high school opens, dedicated to longtime educator", The Jersey Journal, September 8, 2018, updated January 29, 2019. Accessed January 19, 2020. "That's just the entrance of the new High Tech High School campus — the tip of the iceberg. The $160 million state-of-the-art school opened this week and was dedicated this afternoon to retiring Hudson County Schools of Technology Superintendent Frank J. Gargiulo.... The 350,000 sq ft (33,000 m²) building is packed with technological perks ranging from recording and production studios to 12 science labs and music classrooms.... The Frank J. Gargiulo Campus stands on a 22 acres (8.9 ha) owned by the county, roughly twice the size of the old High Tech building in North Bergen."
^ Kennedy, Mike (November 16, 2016). "North Bergen (N.J.) district will move high school to high-tech campus that is being vacated". American School & University. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
^ Stanger, Melissa; and Robinson, Melia. "The 25 Best Public High Schools In The US", Business Insider, November 4, 2014. Accessed January 19, 2015.
^ Best Public High Schools in America, Niche (company). Accessed January 19, 2015.
^ Rundquist, Jeanette. "15 N.J. schools named as national 'Blue Ribbon' winners", The Star-Ledger, September 24, 2013. Accessed September 25, 2013. "Five Catholic schools, six county vocational-technical schools and a Yeshiva are among the list of honored schools in New Jersey. Also named as 2013 Blue Ribbon Schools were Dover, Harrison and Wildwood high schools."
^ 2013 National Blue Ribbon Schools All Public and Private, pp. 15-17. United States Department of Education, National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. Accessed September 25, 2013.
^ Streib, Lauren. "America's Best High Schools" Archived May 8, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Beast, May 6, 2013. Accessed May 9, 2013.
^ New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2010-2011^{[permanent dead link]}, Schooldigger.com. Accessed February 24, 2012.
^ Mathews, Jay. "The High School Challenge 2011: High Tech High School", The Washington Post. Accessed September 9, 2011.
^ McGreevey Celebrates Schools That Are "Getting It Right" Schools of Excellence Winners Demonstrate Effectiveness of Governor's Education Priorities, New Jersey Department of Education press release dated November 21, 2003
^ Star School Award Program 1997-98, accessed February 3, 2007
^ Star School Award Program 1994-95, accessed February 3, 2007
^ About Us Archived June 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, High tech High School. Accessed June 13, 2011.
^ Student Teacher Ratio High Tech High School - North Bergen, New Jersey - NJ
^ Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Accessed July 15, 2007.
^ 2008 Softball Tournament - North II, Group I, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 28, 2008.
^ 2008 Softball Tournament - Public Semis/Finals, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 28, 2008.
^ Arrue, Karina. "Hudson County mayors: Let's get rid of sports programs at County Prep and High Tech", The Jersey Journal, March 12, 2010. Accessed June 13, 2011.
^ Arrue, Karina L. "No funding for athletics in next year's budget for Hudson County Schools of Technology", The Jersey Journal, April 24, 2010. Accessed June 13, 2011. "The Hudson County Schools of Technology's board of trustees approved a $45.7 million budget Thursday night. The budget for next year eliminates the entire athletics departments at its two schools - County Prep in Jersey City and High Tech High School in North Bergen - for a savings of $368,000."
^ High Tech High School - Majors Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, High Tech High School.
^ Hack, Charles. "Hoboken native wins Black Hollywood Film Festival talent slam", The Jersey Journal, October 20, 2013. Accessed October 8, 2022. "Born and raised in Hoboken, Garcia moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career in 2011. She was chosen from hundreds of entrants who submitted monologue entries on YouTube.com for this year's Slam.... She continued to perform in multiple productions at High Tech High School in North Bergen under the direction of Alex Perez."
^ Speiser, Matthew. "Listen: Weehawken singer, 15, drawing rave reviews and taking shot at the big time", The Jersey Journal, October 14, 2015, updated January 17, 2019. Accessed January 19, 2020. "Chloe Baker is a busy teenager. Between a full course load in musical theater at High Tech High School in North Bergen, homework, and a burgeoning career as a singer and songwriter, the 15-year-old Weehawken girl barely has time to make it to soccer practice at Weehawken High, where she is one of the team's best players."

External links

Education in Hudson County, New Jersey

School
districts

PK-8	East Newark Guttenberg
PK-12	Bayonne Harrison Hoboken Jersey City Kearny North Bergen Secaucus Union City Weehawken West New York
9-12	Hudson County Vocational