Woodbridge High School (New Jersey)

Woodbridge High School
Address
1 Samuel Lupo Place Woodbridge Township , Middlesex County , New Jersey 07095 United States
Coordinates	40°33′59″N74°17′05″W / 40.566448°N 74.284695°W / 40.566448; -74.284695
Information
Type	Public high school
Established	1956
School district	Woodbridge Township School District
NCES School ID	341812003672 [1]
Principal	Scott Osborne
Faculty	131.6 FTEs [1]
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	1,558 (as of 2022–23) [1]
Student to teacher ratio	11.8:1 [1]
Color(s)	Red and   Black [2]
Athletics conference	Greater Middlesex Conference (general) Big Central Football Conference (football)
Team name	Barrons [2]
Accreditation	Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools [3]
Newspaper	Barron Perspective
Yearbook	Baronet
Website	www.woodbridge.k12.nj.us/o/whs

Woodbridge High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Woodbridge Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as part of the Woodbridge Township School District. The high school is one of three in the district, together with Colonia High School and John F. Kennedy Memorial High School. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1928. ^[3]

As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,558 students and 131.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1. There were 468 students (30.0% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 172 (11.0% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch. ^[1]

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 159th-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. ^[4] The school had been ranked 170th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 229th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. ^[5] The magazine ranked the school 231st in 2008 out of 316 schools. ^[6] The school was ranked 222nd in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state. ^[7] Schooldigger.com ranked the school tied for 40th out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (a decrease of 14 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (93.8%) and language arts literacy (97.3%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA). ^[8]

History

The current Woodbridge High School was occupied in 1956 and built adjacent to the then new modern football stadium. The old stadium (Legion Field) was vacated to make way for the southbound lanes of the New Jersey Turnpike. Prior to 1957, the high school was located on Barron and Grove Avenue, which is the current site of the Woodbridge Middle School. It operated on split sessions for many years: Freshmen and Sophomores attended school in the afternoon; Juniors and Seniors in the morning. The last graduating class of the Barron Avenue "Woodbridge High School" was in 1956.

• The first school building was erected in 1876 in Woodbridge Township, and was designated PS 1. It was located on School Street in Woodbridge Proper.
• The school was built on a budget of $25,000.00. The head mason was William B. Van Voast of New Brunswick, New Jersey. The carpentry work was done by Manning & Rudolph, of Plainfield, C. Graham & Son, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, architects. The clock, bell, and bell tower have since been removed, along with other renovations that have been done to the building. ^[9] The bell now resides at Parker Press Park. The names of the mentioned mason and carpenters are embossed on the bell, along with other names.
• Classes started in January 1877.
• High school classes were first conducted in PS 1. The building now houses the Woodbridge Board of Education.
• In 1883, the first high school students graduated. There were two graduates.
• In 1911, high school classes were conducted in the then new building on Barron Avenue. This building now houses Woodbridge Middle School.
• In 1948, a football field and stadium building were constructed on the site of an old wooden surfaced auto racetrack called the 'Woodbridge Speedway'. It was dedicated as 'The Stadium'. The field was re-dedicated 'Nick Priscoe Field' in the 1970s after a longtime former head football coach.
• In 1956, the current Woodbridge HS building was erected and 'Kelly Street' ran through the HS property. The roadway was later renamed 'Samuel Lupo Place" in the 1980s after another head football coach.
• In 1956, WHS graduated 317 students, the final class to graduate from the Barron Avenue building.

Athletics

The Woodbridge High School Barrons ^[2] compete in the Greater Middlesex Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in the Middlesex County area and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). ^[10] With 1,052 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group III for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 761 to 1,058 students in that grade range. ^[11] The football team competes in Division 4 of the Big Central Football Conference, which includes 60 public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, Union and Warren counties, which are broken down into 10 divisions by size and location. ^[12] The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group IV North for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 893 to 1,315 students. ^[13]

Together with John F. Kennedy Memorial High School, the school participates in a cooperative ice hockey program with Colonia High School as the host school / lead agency, under an agreement scheduled to expire at the end of the 2023–24 school year. ^[14]

The football team has won 12 conference / division titles, and nine state championships: 1930, 1938, 1939, 1960, 1970 and 1971 before the playoff era, and won the Central Jersey Group IV sectional title in 1980, 1993 and 1997. ^{[15] [16]} The 1980 team won the Central Jersey Group IV state sectional title with a 7-6 win in the championship game against Raritan High School. ^[17]

The 1975 boys' basketball team finished with a 29-2 record after winning the Group IV state championship, defeating Eastside Paterson by a score of 73-58 in the title game, the program's first tournament final. ^{[18] [19] [20]}

Boys' and girls' bowling teams have won 15 state championships between the two. The boys' team won the overall team title in 1981, 1983 and 1992, and won the Group III state championship in 2007, 2011, 2012, 2018 and 2019; The eight state titles are the most for any team in the state. The team won the Tournament of Champions in 2012 and 2018. ^[21] The girls' bowling team won the overall state championship in 1989, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2006, and won the Group III state title and the Tournament of Champions in 2007. The seven titles won by the girls' team are the second most in the state. ^[22] The 1993 team finished as overall state champion in 2001 with 2,653 pins, five ahead of second-place Central Regional High School with 2,648. ^[23]

The softball team won the Group IV state championship in 1978, defeating Westfield High School, and were runners up in 1979 when they lost to Ridgewood High School. ^[24]

The boys' shuttle hurdle relay team won the Group IV state championship in 1995 with the fastest time in the state, 31.27 seconds.^{[ citation needed ]}

Administration

The school's principal is Scott Osborne. His core administration team includes the two vice principals. ^[25]

Notable alumni

See also: Category:Woodbridge High School (New Jersey) alumni

• Percy Edgar Brown, (1885–1937), soil scientist at Iowa State University, best known for the book, Soils of Iowa ^[26]
• Erik Christensen (born 1931), wide receiver who played for the Washington Redskins. Christensen attended Woodbridge High School before transferring to Fork Union Military Academy. ^[27]
• Lou Creekmur (born 1927), offensive lineman (eight Pro Bowl appearances) with the Detroit Lions, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. ^[28]
• Libell Duran, Miss New Jersey USA 2013. ^[29]
• Edward M. Hundert (born 1957), medical ethicist.^{[ citation needed ]}
• Jack H. Jacobs (born 1945, class of 1962), Medal of Honor Recipient, awarded 1969. ^[30]
• Kyle Johnson (born 1978, class of 1996), fullback with the Denver Broncos. ^[31]
• Michael Jones (born 1987), actor and internet personality. ^[32]
• Pat Lamberti (1937–2007), American football linebacker who played for the New York Titans and Denver Broncos in 1961. ^[33]
• Praise Martin-Oguike (born 1993), American football defensive end who played in the XFL for the Seattle Dragons. ^[34]
• Jack Protz (born 1948), American football linebacker who played for the San Diego Chargers in 1970. ^[35]
• Dawn Marie Psaltis (born 1970), former female professional wrestler and WWE Diva.^{[ citation needed ]}
• Richie Sambora (born 1959), former lead guitarist of the rock band Bon Jovi who was honored by having the street leading to the school named "Richie Sambora Way". ^[36]
• Tommy Thompson (1927-1990), American football linebacker and center who played for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference and the NFL in the late 1940s and early 1950s. ^[37]

References

1. School data for Woodbridge High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
2. Woodbridge High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
3. Woodbridge High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed February 13, 2022.
4. Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly , September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
5. Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2012. Accessed September 7, 2012.
6. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly , August 16, 2010. Accessed April 18, 2011.
7. "Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly , September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
8. New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2010-2011, Schooldigger.com. Accessed February 26, 2012.
9. History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Their Pioneers and Prominent Men, 1882
10. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
11. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
12. Kinney, Mike. "Big Central revises 2020 football schedule for its shortened inaugural season", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 12, 2020. Accessed April 18, 2021. "The newly formed Big Central Football Conference has released a revised 2020 schedule for its inaugural season.... the BCFC is comprised of schools from Middlesex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren counties."
13. NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
14. NJSIAA Winter Cooperative Sports Programs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
15. Championship seasons, Woodbridge High School Football. Accessed July 17, 2011.
16. NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
17. Sansevere, Bob. "Raritan's bid falls short in setback to Woodbridge", Asbury Park Press , December 7, 1980. Accessed March 2, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Shoulder pads were stacked high, one on top of the other. Pants were piled in a heap, cleats were thrown together, helmets were scattered. This is what remained of the Raritan High School football team 30 minutes after it had lost the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV championship to Woodbridge, 7-6."
18. History of NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
19. Staff. "Englewood Wins Title", The New York Times , March 23, 1975. Accessed July 17, 2011. "Woodbridge High won the Group 4 championship, defeating Paterson Eastside, 73-58. Mark DiDonna, a 6-foot-2-inch forward scored 27 points for Woodbridge, which was making its first appearance in the state tournament finals. Woodbridge finished the season with a 29-2 record."
20. Staff. "S. Jersey Scoreboard", Philadelphia Inquirer , March 16, 2011. Accessed July 17, 2011.
21. History of NJSIAA Boys Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2022.
22. History of NJSIAA Girls' Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
23. Krautheim, Matt. "Central 2nd by five pins; Artale 5th", Asbury Park Press , February 18, 2001. Accessed January 28, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Five pins. That's all that separated Central Regional's girls bowling team from the Girls state title, as the Golden Eagles finished second to Woodbridge yesterday at the NJSIAA Championships at Carolier Lanes. Central, led by senior Heather Iannaccio's 607 series and junior Lauren Dawkins' 602, came from fourth place after the second game to finish with a 2,648 pinfall. Woodbridge finished with 2,653."
24. Softball Championship History 1972–2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated July 2023. Accessed April 1, 2024.
25. Administrative Team, Woodbridge High School. Accessed April 23, 2023.
26. Firkins, B. J. "In Memoriam: Charles L. Robbins; Percy Edgar Brown; Richard Philip Baker; Erwin Oliver Finkenbinder; Charlotte M. King" in Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 1938. Accessed April 27, 2020. "Dr. Brown was born on a farm at Woodbridge, New Jersey, October 9, 1885, and died suddenly of coronary thrombosis at his home on the morning of July 8, 1937, as he was preparing to leave for his office. He graduated from Woodbridge High School in 1902 and received his B.S. degree from Rutgers College, New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1906."
27. Erik Christensen profile Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , database Football. Accessed June 13, 2007.
28. Lou Creekmur Archived April 8, 2013, at the Wayback Machine , database Football. Accessed November 28, 2007.
29. Kuperinsky, Amy. "Miss USA 2013: Libell Duran brings her winning ways Las Vegas", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 11, 2013. Accessed December 1, 2015. "Filled with other crowns, trophies and sashes — including one from Duran's reign as Woodbridge High School prom queen — the case is almost the only indication a pageant contender lives in the house."
30. Interview With Jack H. Jacobs Archived June 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine , Rutgers University, November 20, 2000. Accessed July 11, 2008. "JJ: ... Anyway, we moved to New Jersey in the mid-'50s, and my parents still live in the same house in Woodbridge. I went to Woodbridge High School, and then, from there, I went to Rutgers."
31. Kyle Johnson player profile, National Football League Players Association. Accessed July 29, 2007. "Hometown: Woodbridge, N.J....Johnson earned second-team all-state recognition and was named all-county and all-area as a senior at Woodbridge High School in Woodbridge, N.J., after rushing for 1,235 yards.
32. https://roosterteeth.com/episode/off-topic-2018-125 ^{[ dead link ]}
33. Pat Lamberti Stats, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed April 27, 2020. "Born: September 1, 1937 in Woodbridge, NJ... High School: Woodbridge (NJ)"
34. Praise Martin-Oguike, Temple Owls football. Accessed April 27, 2020. "Hometown: Woodbridge, N.J.; High School: Woodbridge"
35. Jack Protz Stats, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed April 27, 2020. "Born: April 14, 1948 (Age: 72-013d) in Jersey City, NJ... High School: Woodbridge (NJ)"
36. via Associated Press. "Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora honored in N.J.", USA Today , November 24, 2009. Accessed April 18, 2011. "Sambora also financed the new weight room at his alma mater, Woodbridge High School. It's being named in honor of Sambora's father, Adam, who died of cancer in 2007. The street leading to the school is now Richie Sambora Way."
37. Tommy Thompson, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed April 27, 2020. "Born: January 6, 1927 in Jersey City, NJ... High School: Woodbridge (NJ)"

External links

• Woodbridge High School website
• School Performance Report for Woodbridge High School , New Jersey Department of Education
• School Data for the Woodbridge Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics
• Woodbridge HS Football Program - Official Web Site