Butler High School (New Jersey) Explained

Butler High School
Established:1903
Grades:9-12
District:Butler Public Schools
Type:Public high school
Principal:Rory Fitzgerald
Enrollment:480 (as of 2022–23)
Faculty:41.3 FTEs
Ratio:11.6:1
Us Nces School Id:340252004166
Teamname:Bulldogs
Colors: Royal blue and
Gold
Address:38 Bartholdi Avenue
City:Butler
County:Morris County
State:New Jersey
Zipcode:07405
Country:United States
Pushpin Map:USA New Jersey Morris County#USA New Jersey#USA

Butler High School is a four-year public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Butler, in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as the lone secondary school of the Butler Public Schools.

Students from Bloomingdale attend Butler High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Bloomingdale School District.[1] [2] In 2020–21, more than 40% of the students in the high school came from Bloomingdale.[3]

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 480 students and 41.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.6:1. There were 80 students (16.7% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 31 (6.5% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[4]

History

Students from Butler had been sent to attend high school in Paterson before Butler High School was opened in 1903. From the time the school opened, the school served students from a 200sqmi area that included Jefferson Township, Kinnelon, Pequannock Township and Riverdale in Morris County, and Bloomingdale, Ringwood, Wanaque and West Milford in Passaic County until they built their own schools or established alternate arrangements with other school districts.[5] [6]

In September 1954, the Butler district notified its eight sending communities that growing enrollment of borough residents would mean that there would be no space available at Butler High School and that the local districts serving students from Passaic County communities and Pequannock Township would have to make alternate arrangements by 1958.[7] While Pequannock Township, Ringwood and Wanaque met the 1958 deadline, West Milford left four years later, Kinnelon and Riverdale left with the opening of Kinnelon High School in 1962 and Jefferson Township ended their sending relationship with the opening of Jefferson Township High School in 1964.[8] [9]

The original building occupied by Butler High School was built in the late 1800s and soon expanded with an annex (Still existing, "Annex Building") constructed in 1916. The school then doubled its size with an addition parallel to Bartholdi Avenue in the mid 1930s. After sections of the original Butler High School facility caught fire in January 1963, with damage focused on the portion of the building constructed in 1897, the school was shut down for renovations.[10] The gymnasium was unusable due to water damage caused during the fighting of the fire and physical education classes were held outside for the remainder of the school year. Several classrooms in the original 1888 building were also heavily damaged and that building was town down. The school day was increased and the freshmen and some sophomores began classes later in the morning. Trailers were used for the guidance offices, freeing space in the main building for classrooms. The "Art Building" was then built to the left of the original school and opened after 1964.

The "Art building" (as of 2011): four locker rooms, a gymnasium, cafeteria and kitchen, five bathrooms, nurse's office, athletic director's office, physics lab, forensic science, two art rooms, an English classroom, culinary arts, health room, photo lab, auxiliary gym, and library w/ media center.The "Main building" (as of 2011): Main and attendance offices, Principal and Vice Principal's offices, guidance offices, and academic offices. Band and choir room, auditorium, foreign language, history, mathematics, and English classrooms, and science laboratories. Also, an updated computer lab; TLC lab, and six bathrooms (two for the use of faculty)The "Annex building" (as of 2011): Butler Board of Education, student resource center, one marketing and financial classroom, and two computer labs: (Business and computer-animated design).

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 162nd-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology.[11] The school had been ranked 94th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 176th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[12] The magazine ranked the school 123rd in 2008 out of 316 schools.[13] The school was ranked 116th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[14] Schooldigger.com ranked the school as 224th out of 376 public high schools statewide in its 2010 rankings (an increase of 14 positions from the 2009 rank) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the language arts literacy and mathematics components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).[15]

Athletics

The Butler High School Bulldogs[16] participate in the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference, which comprises small-enrollment schools in Bergen, Hudson, Morris and Passaic counties, and was created following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[17] [18] [19] Until the 2018–19 school year, the school had been part of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference, but shifted to the NJIC to compete against other smaller schools.[20] Before the NJSIAA's 2010 realignment, the school had competed in the Northern Hills Conference an athletic conference that included public and private high schools in Essex, Morris and Passaic counties.[21] With 374 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group I for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 75 to 476 students in that grade range.[22] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group I North for football for 2022–2024, which included schools with 184 to 471 students.[23]

The girls field hockey team won the North II Group II state sectional championships in both 1978 and 1979. The team was the Group II co-champion in 1978 after a 1–1 tie in the finals against the two-time defending champion Haddonfield Memorial High School.[24] [25]

The football team won the NJSIAA North II Group II state sectional championship in 1982 and 1983, won the title in North II Group I in 1990 and 1994–1997, and won in North I Group I in 2018.[26] The 1982 team finished the season with an 11–0 record after winning the North II Group II sectional championship game with a 23–7 win against James Caldwell High School.[27] The 1983 team finished the season with an 11–0 record, and brought the program's winning streak to 24 consecutive games, after taking the North II Group II sectional title with a 16–8 victory against Hillside High School in the championship game.[28] The team won the 1994 North II Group I title with a 35–21 victory in the championship game against New Providence High School.[29] After winning the first two rounds of the 2018 NJSIAA playoffs by shutout, the team won the North I Group I state sectional championship with a 35–28 win against Park Ridge High School in the final game of the tournament.[30] [31] [32]

The girls' basketball team won the 2003 North II Group I championship, defeating runner-up Glen Ridge High School 65–39.[33] The team moved on to the Group I state championship, defeating Wildwood High School by 43 - 37 in the final game.[34] [35]

The girls' soccer team won the 2002 North I Group I state sectional championship over Glen Ridge High School by a score of 2–1.[36] In 2004 they made it to the finals again, defeating Glen Rock High School 1–0 in the final game of the tournament.[37] The team won the sectional state championship again in 2005, with a 3–0 win over Midland Park High School.[38]

Administration

The school's principal is Rory Fitzgerald.[39] His core administration team includes the assistant principal and athletic director.[40]

Notable alumni

Notable faculty

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://rc.doe.state.nj.us/1516/27/0630/000.html Butler Public Schools 2016 Report Card Narrative
  2. http://www.butlerboe.org/bhs-guidance/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/School-Profile-Combined-2012-20131.pdf Butler High School profile
  3. https://www.nj.gov/education/finance/fp/acfr/search/21/0630.pdf#page=10 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Butler Public Schools
  4. https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3402520&ID=340252004166 School data for Butler High School
  5. Fagan, Matt. "Butler High School's Hall of Honor accepting nominations", The Record, September 12, 2017. Accessed September 13, 2017. "However, between 1906 and early 1960s, Butler was the high school for vast portions of Morris County and northwestern Passaic County and even portions of Sussex County, Wall said.... At one time the high school served as the regional high school for Bloomingdale, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Pequannock, Ringwood, Riverdale, Wanaque and West Milford. Before 1903, when Butler High School first opened its doors, graduates of the Butler Grammar School attended Paterson High School, Butler school board officials said."
  6. [Rodney Frelinghuysen|Frelinghuysen, Rodney P.]
  7. Staff. "Enrollments Tax Schools In Bergen; Auxiliary Rooms Are Being Converted for Classes and Construction Is Pushed", The New York Times, September 5, 1954. Accessed September 13, 2017. "Butler, in near-by Morris County, is taking drastic action to relieve congestion in its high school... Four of these 'sending districts' -- Riverdale, Jefferson Township, Kinnelon and Pequannock Township -- are in Morris County. The others -- Wanaque, Ringwood, West Milford and Bloomingdale -- are in Passaic County. Butler has given Pequannock Township and the four districts in Passaic until 1958 to complete withdrawal of their students."
  8. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99332758/nickname-and-colors-chosen-for-kinnelon/ "Students Choose 'The Colts,' Colors of New Kinnelon H.S."
  9. http://www.butlerboe.org/100years/history.htm History of BHS
  10. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99333373/fire-at-butler-high-school/ "Fire Damages Butler School"
  11. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
  12. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed August 23, 2012.
  13. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed June 22, 2011.
  14. http://njmonthly.com/articles/towns_and_schools/highschoolrankings/top-new-jersey-high-schools-by-rank.html "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank"
  15. http://www.schooldigger.com/schoolrank.aspx?Level=3&findschool=0252004166 New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2009-2010
  16. https://www.njsiaa.org/schools/butler-high-school Butler High School
  17. Mattura, Greg. "Small-school NJIC may debut its own league championship", The Record, January 9, 2017. Accessed August 30, 2020. "The small-school North Jersey Interscholastic Conference may debut its own boys basketball tournament this season, one season after introducing its girls hoops championship. The NJIC is comprised of schools from Bergen, Passaic and Hudson counties and the event offered to the 36 boys teams would serve as an alternative to likely competing against larger programs in a county tournament."
  18. https://www.northjerseyic.org/g5-bin/client.cgi?G5genie=265 Member Schools
  19. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2020-10/2020-2021-lc-officers-schools.pdf League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021
  20. Havsy, Jane. "Butler off to smooth start in new small-school conference", Daily Record, September 28, 2018. Accessed August 27, 2020. "Butler High School's athletic teams wandered into uncharted territory this fall. The Bulldogs are taking on the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference, an allegiance of NJSIAA Group I schools in Bergen, Passaic and Hudson counties. As the league's first Morris County member, Butler began its transition from the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference in January 2016."
  21. https://web.archive.org/web/20110128150637/http://northernhillsconference.com/ Home Page
  22. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2020-11/general-classifications-2018-2020.pdf NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020
  23. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2022-08/Football%20%2722%20%26%20%2723.pdf NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2022–2024
  24. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2021-12/21-girls-field-hockey_0.pdf History of NJSIAA Field Hockey Championships
  25. Gormley, Helene. "Haddonfield is mirrored in tie for Group 2 honors", Courier-Post, November 20, 1978. Accessed March 1, 2021. "Against Butler, the four-time South Jersey champ began and ended like a team on fire, slumping a little in the middle. After a torrid beginning, which saw seven shots by Haddonfield in the first 15 minutes, the Haddons regrouped to rally for a 1-1 tie with Butler and their third straight Group 2 state title."
  26. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2021-12/21-football.pdf NJSIAA Football History
  27. Mayer, John. "Butler takes 1st State title", The Record, December 5, 1982. Accessed March 5, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Watching films of the upcoming football opponent is supposed to better prepare a team for the game, but yesterday afternoon it may have done Caldwell more harm than good. 'When we looked at the films, their linebackers played way back, so our game plan was to run on Butler all day,' said Chiefs quarterback Jeff Durr after his team had lost 23-7 in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 2, Section 2 championship game."
  28. https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/04/sports/passaic-11-0-tops-north-bergen-24-13.html "Passaic (11-0) Tops North Bergen, 24-13"
  29. Carty, Jim. "For Pioneers, no solace in playing well", Courier News, December 4, 1994. Accessed January 24, 2021. "The Pioneers didn't want to talk about their great defensive effort in Saturday's North Jersey 2, Group 1 final against Butler. They didn't want to talk about gallant yet failed comebacks. New Providence proved to the world what coach Frank Barrone insisted going into the game that Butler was beatable. The Pioneers had not, however, closed the deal, falling 35-21 after a furious fourth-quarter comeback."
  30. http://highschoolsports.nj.com/tournament/68865/ "Football - 2018 NJSIAA North 1, Group 1 Playoffs"
  31. Gantaifis, Nick. "State of the Program: After sectional title, Butler football looking for more in 2019", The Record, July 10, 2019. Accessed August 7, 2019. "Butler has won eight NJSIAA sectional titles, its most recent coming last fall when the Bulldogs defeated Park Ridge 35-28 in North 1, Group 1. It was their first state sectional final appearance since 2009. Butler claimed consecutive North 2, Group 1 titles in 1982 and 1983, but its glory years were the 1990s when the small Morris County school won five more in an eight-year period, highlighted by four straight championships from 1994 to '97."
  32. Staff. "QB Smith powers Butler past Park Ridge, 35-28 in NJ 1, Gr. 1 final", The Star-Ledger, November 17, 2018. Accessed August 7, 2019. "Smith's 1-yard touchdown run came with 1:39 left and helped give the Bulldogs a 35-28 victory over Park Ridge in the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics North 1, Group I championship game held at Pequannock High School.... It was the school's first sectional championship since 1997, when Butler won its fourth straight title."
  33. http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=30419&tclass=North%20II%2C%20Group%20I 2003 Girls Basketball - North II, Group I
  34. http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=30419&tclass=Group%20I%2C%20Semis%2FFinals 2003 Girls Basketball - Group I, Semis/Finals
  35. https://www.njsiaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2020-11/2020-girls-basketball-history.pdf NJSIAA Girls Basketball Championship History
  36. http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=24423&tclass=North%20II%2C%20Group%20I 2002 Girls Soccer - North II, Group I
  37. http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=83348&tclass=North%20I%2C%20Group%20I 2004 Girls Soccer - North I, Group I
  38. http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=127460&tclass=North%20I%2C%20Group%20I 2005 Girls Soccer - North I, Group I
  39. https://www.butlerboe.org/domain/142 Our Principal
  40. https://www.butlerboe.org/cms/lib/NJ50000507/Centricity/Domain/15/23-24%20BHS%20Parent_Student%20Handbook.pdf Parent / Student Handbook - Student Code of Conduct 2023-2024 School Year
  41. http://www.njsportsheroes.com/larryhandfb.html Larry Hand
  42. http://www.westmilfordmessenger.com/news/local-news/two-township-residents-honored-by-butler-high-school-GRWM20181015181019989 "Two township residents honored by Butler High School"
  43. [Rodney Frelinghuysen|Frelinghuysen, Rodney P.]
  44. https://odusports.com/staff-directory/wendy-larry/3 Wendy Larry
  45. https://books.google.com/books?id=SnMkAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22graduated+from+butler+high+school%22 Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual, 1966
  46. https://www.atec.army.mil/otc/pao/Archives%202013/OTCNews(bgspellmon).htm "Bloomingdale native promoted to brigadier general"
  47. Dulavy, Ryan. "NFL personnel notice Butler grad Turzilli at Rutgers Pro Day", Daily Record, March 5, 2015. Accessed May 27, 2017. "'I feel like (the key is) just getting an opportunity and I'll make the most of it,' said Turzilli, a Butler High School graduate who spent one year at Rutgers after transferring from Kansas."
  48. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/499608186/ "Arthur Vervaet Jr. of Oakland, 86"
  49. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-call-george-kiick-named-as-f/143223828/ "George Kiick Appointed As Aide To Notre Dame Alumnus"

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