Passaic County Technical Institute
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| Passaic County Technical Institute | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| 45 Reinhardt Road Wayne, NJ 07470 |
|
| Information | |
| School district | Passaic County Vocational School District |
| Principal | Joseph DiGise |
| Enrollment |
2,301 (as of 2005-06)[1] |
| Faculty | 213.0 (on FTE basis)[1] |
| Student:teacher ratio | 10.8[1] |
| Type | Vocational Public high school |
| Grades | 9 - 12 |
| Athletics conference | Northern Hills Conference, Skyline Division |
| Nickname | Bulldogs |
| Information | 973-790-6000 |
| Homepage | School website |
Passaic County Technical Institute is a regional vocational public high school in Wayne, New Jersey, United States near the city of Paterson. Although it admits students from all of Passaic County, New Jersey, the student body consists mostly of Patersonians, and a good number of students from Wayne and Passaic. It is often referred to as "PCTI", Passaic County Tech or Tech.
As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,301 students and 213.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 10.8.[1]
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[edit] History
In 1917, a small band of businessmen in Paterson (the "Silk City") agreed that the city should have a school to train young men to enter the textile industry, and Paterson Vocational School was born in an abandoned factory loft. Not quite a high school, Paterson Vocational School took boys who were at least 14 years of age or in the sixth grade, and trained them for two years or until they were ready to assume a job in a factory or trade, whichever came first. From 1917 to the early 1940s, Paterson Vocational School continued to operate as a two-year school, gradually expanding its curriculum to include a wider variety of trades. During World War II, the school remained open around the clock providing men and women with the training to become machinists and draftsmen to design and construct the engines used in bombers, fighters and transport aircraft flown in the Pacific and European theaters. For its service, the school was honored by the War Department.
Aware of the part technology would play in the booming postwar economy, Paterson Vocational School applied for and received approval from the New Jersey Department of Education to become a full-fledged high school in 1946. Academic subjects were added, as were new trades like Refrigeration, Industrial Electric and Electronics. The school was renamed Paterson Technical and Vocational High School and quickly gained the name Paterson Tech. Agriculture was offered to shared-time students attending Central High School (now Kennedy High School), with Paterson Tech renting a farm close to PCTI's present Wayne site where students learned to raise farm animals and grow crops.
By the 1960s, the importance of vocational and technical education was becoming obvious, and in 1964, Paterson Mayor, Frank Graves turned over Paterson Tech to the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders, thereby providing all youngsters in Passaic County access to Passaic County Technical and Vocational High School. With students flooding in from all over the county, Passaic County Tech, now reaching a student population of 500 young men and one girl, was bursting at the seams. The school's two buildings — one dating from the Civil War located at the corner of Summer and Ellison, the other a refurbished factory on Market Street — could not meet the demands. By 1965 plans were well underway to build a new school that would accommodate students for generations to come.
Armed with a Federal Grant of $3,925,000 — the largest ever awarded to that date — and research from a Citizens' Study Committee, the county chose a 59-acre tract of land which it owned in Wayne, previously the site of Camp Hope.
Ground breaking ceremonies were held in November 1966 and construction began 15 months later. On September 8, 1970, Passaic County Technical and Vocational High School — at the time, the largest technical/vocational high school in the state and third largest in the nation — opened its doors to close to 1,500 young men and women. In the 25 years since, PCTI has added two wings and an additional Special Needs building, a variety of academic courses and special programs and has kept abreast of technological advances and economic trends by constantly updating vocational, occupational and technical courses.
What has taken place over the last 25 years, is merely the opening chapter. As technical / vocational education approaches the 21st Century, there are new challenges to meet and new horizons to explore. Reflecting a commitment to the future, Passaic County Tech has been renamed Passaic County Technical Institute'.
[edit] Expansion
PCTI is currently in the finishing stages of its twenty six million dollar expansion. After the expansion is complete, the student body will amount to a total of approximately 3,000 students, making it one of the largest high schools in the state of New Jersey.
[edit] Shops/Majors
PCTI consists of 13 Schools (as shown on the school's student application):
- Academy of Finance
- Academy of Information Technology
- Computer Repair
- Computer Science
- Academy of Medical Arts
- Medical Arts
- Allied Health
- School of Business
- School of Applied Technology
- Drafting (CAD)
- Electronics
- Manufacturing Technology
- School of Automotive Technology
- School of Communication Arts
- Advertising Art & Design
- Graphic Arts
- Audio Visual Production
- School of Construction Technology
- School of Cosmetology
- School of Culinary Arts
- School of Education/Human Services/Child Development
- School of Engineering
- School of Performing Arts
- Dance
- Theater
- Instrumental
- School of Service Careers
- Criminal Justice/Public Safety
- Landscape Design
[edit] Extracurricular activities
The Passaic County Technical Institute Bulldogs compete in the Skyline Division of the Northern Hills Conference. PCTI is classified by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) as North I, Group IV.
On March 5, 2007, the boys' basketball team won the North I, Group IV state championship, edging North Bergen High School by 86-85 in overtime, in a game played at Wayne Valley High School.[2][3]
[edit] Notable alumni
- Mike Adams - Free Safety for the Cleveland Browns of the NFL.[4]
- Gerald Hayes - Linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL.[5]
- Mikey Portela - Executive Producer for the Rebellion Radio show.[citation needed]
- Marcel Shipp - Running Back for the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL {As of 4/18/07}.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Passaic County Technical Institute, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 19, 2008.
- ^ Passaic Tech wins sectional title in overtime, Herald News, by Adam Zagoria, March 7, 2007.
- ^ 2007 Boys Basketball - North I, Group IV, NJSIAA, accessed March 7, 2007.
- ^ Idec, Keith. "PCT grad Hayes sets sights on starting job following a lost year", Herald News, July 28, 2006. Accessed May 22, 2007. "'This is a huge season for him and he knows that,' said San Francisco safety Mike Adams, one of Hayes' closest friends and a former Passaic Tech teammate."
- ^ Stapleton, Art. "Falcons’ Beauharnais on a whole other level", Herald News, September 29, 2006. "Paterson Catholic coach Benjie Wimberly compares him to former Passaic Tech star Gerald Hayes, an All-State linebacker and now a starter for the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL."
- ^ DiTrani, Vinny. "Shipp sailing smoothly but may face rough seas", The Record (Bergen County), November 9, 2003. Accessed May 22, 2007. "To Shipp's credit, he's been taking the high road - or the high seas - in this potential melodrama. The former Passaic Tech star became Division 1-AA's sixth-leading all-time rusher at UMass, accumulating 5,383 yards."
