| Number of Schools Managed |
1 |
5 |
| Number of Students Managed |
2,301 students |
2,429 students |
| District Total Revenue |
$76,160,000 |
$39,780,000 |
| District Expenditure |
$70,004,000 |
$39,973,000 |
| District Revenue / Student |
$33,099 |
$16,377 |
| District Expenditure / Student |
$30,423 |
$16,457 |
| District Graduation Rates |
97% |
81% |
|
- Passaic County Technical Institute is a regionalvocational public high school in Wayne, in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States near the city of Paterson. Although it admits students from all of Passaic County, 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 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 10,529 students and 1000 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 11.2.
- 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, fighter 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 X. Graves, Jr. 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 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. Passaic County Tech has since been renamed Passaic County Technical Institute.
- Expansion
-
With construction completed, a brand new library (F-Wing Library) a separate gymnasium (Athletic Center) (consisting of an indoor pool, a basketball court, indoor track, and a weight room) extending the school's F-Wing (now the FX Wing) was added to PCTI. And remodeling part of the H-Wing to comply with the new H-Wing bridge that connects to the lower end of the FX-Wing. Also adding a new BlackBox Theater.
- 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
- 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.
- The football team won the 1998 North I Section IV title game, defeating Union Hill High School 48-6 in the tournament final at Giants Stadium.
- Notable alumni
- Mike Adams (born 1981), free Safety for the Cleveland Browns of the NFL.
- Gerald Hayes (born 1980), linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL.
- Marcel Shipp (born 1978), running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL {As of 4/18/07}.
- PCTI Alma mater
-
There is a high school on the hill,
up above the city,
Where we have been given tools for life,
Passaic County, we thank you today
‘Cause now we can make our way through this life,
PCT, we thank you today.
There is a heartbeat in the school,
up above the city,
It is the teachers giving us tools for life,
It is the staff helping us to grow,
Administrators helping us to know how to live,
PCT you taught us to give.
We’ve had our share of joy and laughter;
We’ve had our share of hard work and tears,
But PCT, we’ll never forget you,
Throughout all our years.
There is a vision in our hearts for
further achievement,
It is a vision for success in our lives,
Passaic County, we thank you today,
‘Cause now we can make our way in this life,
PCT we thank you today. - External links
- Official Web Site
- Data for the Passaic County Technical Institute, National Center for Education Statistics
- Source: Wikipedia; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.
-
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