The Union County Vocational Technical Schools (UCVTS) are a grouping of schools on the Union County Vocational Technical Schools Campus in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, United States, which offers six potential programs for students across Union County, five at the high school level for students in ninth through twelfth grades and one at the adult education level. The high school level programs are separated into two groups, full-time students and shared-time students; and the full-time programs are further subdivided into the vocational program and career academies.
As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its five schools had an enrollment of 1,359 students and 130.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a studentâ€"teacher ratio of 10.4:1.
Awards and recognition
Union County Magnet High School was recognized by Governor Jim McGreevey in 2003 as one of 25 schools selected statewide for the First Annual Governor's School of Excellence award.
In 2016, the Academy for Performing Arts was one of ten schools in New Jersey, and one of two high school programs in the state, recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education. The Academy for Allied Health Sciences was one of nine public schools -- and the only public high school -- recognized in 2017 as Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.
2015 pink slipping of teachers
On April 27, 2015, a group of 43 non-tenured teachers at the Union County Vocational Technical Schools were given non-renewal notices. Students staged protests to show support for the non-tenured teachers. On April 30, about 90 percent of district students wore red T-shirts in support of their teachers. On May 1, the students staged a sit-in before the start of classes. Students planned this sit-in to avoid breaking any school rules. The students planned to appear at the May 4 Board of Education meeting in support of their teachers.
High school level programs
- Full-time UCVTS programs
Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are:
- Career academies
- Union County Academy for Allied Health Sciences (AAHS) had 267 students
- Walt Smolenski, Principal
- Union County Academy for Information Technology (AIT) had 266 students
- Colleen D. Gialanella, Principal
- Union County Academy for Performing Arts (APA) had 184 students
- Dr. Charles Serson, Interim Principal
- Union County Magnet High School (MHS) had 290 students
- Paul C. Rafalowski, Principal
- Vocational programs
- Union County Vocational-Technical High School (UCTECH) had 352 students
- Jeffrey Lerner, Principal
- Shared-time UCVTS programs
- The Union County Vocational-Technical School
- Lisa Tauscher, Principal of Special Education & Shared-Time Programs
Adult-level programs
- The Union County Adult High School
- Lisa Tauscher, Principal
Administration
Core members of the district's administration are:
- Peter A. Capodice, Superintendent
- Janet Behrmann, Business Administrator / Board Secretary
Athletics
An intramural program is provided for after school physical activity. For official sports recognized by the NJSIAA, students participate on their home high schools' teams.
References
External links
- Union County Vocational Technical Schools Website
- Union County Vocational Technical School District's 2015â€"16 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for the Union County Vocational Technical Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
- 2009 - 2010 Salaries for Certificated Staff