Union County Magnet High School

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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 270 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.

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.[1]

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".[2]

Contents

[edit] Educational Philosophy and Structure

Class schedules are run on block scheduling (four 83-minute classes per day) and A and B day scheduling (except Technology and Fitness classes). This means each day alternates. For example, if Monday is an A day, then Wednesday and Friday are A days, and Tuesday and Thursday are B days.

The school's mission is to get magda in. states that it focuses on science, math, and technology. Consequently, students are required to take one course in each topic every year. Some of the technology courses which include topics in engineering, design, computer programming, 3D animation, and architecture, are offered in conjunction with the Union County College (UCC) and students receive college credit for those courses. Very high level math courses are offered and almost every student completes courses up to Calculus I and the highest level students take courses up to Multivariable Calculus. The school offers minimal arts courses, such as film and genre, humanities, and communications/media, because the school's main focus is math, science, and technology.

The school also offers eight AP (Advanced Placement Program or college-level courses): AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP European History, AP English Literature and Composition, and AP United States Government and Politics. These courses are supposed to be geared towards passing the AP exam, which is taken in May. If students receive a 3 or higher on the AP exam, they may be able to receive college credit for that class (depending upon the college).

Interdisciplinary learning is encouraged, with English language and History classes being at the forefront of integration. Computers are used in every class, often for research. Using the Internet as a substitute, the School has no library.

Students also receive certifications in First Aid (American Red Cross), CPR (Red Cross), and Drafting (through the ADDA).

Graduation requirements are as follows: 4 years of English, 4 years of Fitness/health, 4 years of technology, 3 years of social studies, 4 years of Math, 4 years of laboratory science, and 3 years of world language (only French or Spanish are offered). Students are also required to serve 40 hours of community service with at least two different activities.

[edit] Culture and extracurriculars

Magnet is accepting and open to new cultures and tries to recognize and celebrate these cultures through the Multicultural Club, Spanish Club, and French Club. In addition to this club, there is also drama club, science olympiad 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 committee, video wall committee, class councils (one for each grade), and student council (whole school). Most clubs meet during lunch.

The Magnet House Band, consisting of a drummer, a guitarist, a bassist, a pianist, and the occasional brass, provides live music at many school events and assemblies. Until recently, it was the only outlet for musicians in the entire school. Now, due to the efforts of a few music enthusiasts in the school, the high school has its first ever Music League, a group that is still in its early stages of creation.

In October of 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.

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 will be putting on its first full-length production since 2003.

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. As of the 2006/2007 school year, the Robotics Team has been disbanded due to a lack of a faculty advisor.

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.

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. Every year, each grade loses about 5% to 8% of their student body; a few of those who have left cited this stark lack of extra curricular opportunity as their motivation for leaving. However, a few students enjoy the unique learning opportunity offered at Magnet.

[edit] 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 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 giving the school the unofficial nickname, "The Fishbowl". Inside, the building features white walls and blue metal-lashed windows. The majority of the school is carpeted, with the exception of rubber floors in the fitness center and laboratories and tile in the lower floor hallway. The building is two stories.

UCMHS is currently undergoing extensive construction outside its walls as of September 2005. No longer can students look outside to enjoy the vast field of grass, which was affectionately referred to as the "Grassy Knoll". It was originally the play field for Ultimate and other sports.

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.

[edit] Legal Troubles
The neutrality of this article is disputed.
Please see the discussion on the talk page.

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 Schools 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.[3] Rahway, New Jersey refused to allow Rahway students attending Magnet to participate in Rahway extracurricular programs.[4] Their argument was that Magnet was taking the best students away from their home districts, that Magnet was drawing funds away from the home districts, and that they have to pay for transportation to Magnet.

Magnet won each of these suits because it is, legally, a Vocational-Technical school (a school which offers a vocational education) that offers certification in drafting (90% of students must pass the ADDA - American Design Drafting Association Certification Exam). Simply put, Magnet exists officially for the training of draftsmen and engineers.

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 allowing them to keep their students and not have to pay into 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.

Distribution of funds was also a hot, though unofficial, topic of this case. The sending districts receive approximately $9,000 annually for each student, while Magnet would receive $6,000 for a student. The remaining $3,000 which the home district keeps more than covers the transportation fees, sometimes leaving the sending district over $1,000 in excess funds.

Magnet High School still stands today despite the many lawsuits and arguments pressed against it. The disputable selection system, although neutral in every way except for grades in middle school and standardised testing, is one of the most argued aspects of the school.

[edit] References

  1. ^ U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 2003 through 2005 (PDF), accessed June 5, 2006
  2. ^ "The Public Elites",Newsweek, May 8, 2006
  3. ^ September 22, 2000 decision by NJ State Board of Education Concerning the Magnet School (the Scotch Plains decision)
  4. ^ Decision by State Commissioner of Education Concerning participation of Magnet Students in Home District Activities, dated November 29, 1999

[edit] External links

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