Carteret High School - Misplaced Pages

High school in Middlesex County, New Jersey, US

Carteret High School
Address

199 Washington Avenue Carteret, Middlesex County, New Jersey 07008 United States
Coordinates	40°34′51″N 74°13′37″W / 40.580765°N 74.22697°W / 40.580765; -74.22697
Information
Type	Public high school
Established	1929
School district	Carteret School District
NCES School ID	340282003268
Principal	David Salvatore
Faculty	87.5 FTEs
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	1,182 (as of 2023–24)
Student to teacher ratio	13.5:1
Color(s)	Royal blue and white
Athletics conference	Greater Middlesex Conference (general) Big Central Football Conference (football)
Team name	Ramblers
Rival	Perth Amboy High School
Accreditation	Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Yearbook	Loudspeaker
Website	Official website

Carteret High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Carteret in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, as the lone secondary school of the Carteret School District. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1929 and is accredited through January 2027.

As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,182 students and 87.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.5:1. There were 699 students (59.1% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 153 (12.9% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.

In 2019, 18% of students achieved proficiency in mathematics and 44% in reading. The graduation rate was 82%.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are offered in AP Biology. The Project Acceleration Program allows students to receive college credit from Seton Hall University and over 200 other colleges and universities. Schedule permitting, students may also earn college credits by attending classes at Middlesex County College.

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 261st-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. The school had been ranked 296th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 302nd in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. The magazine ranked the school 272nd in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 312th in the magazine's September 2010 issue, which surveyed 332 schools across the state. Schooldigger.com ranked the school 270th out of 367 public high schools statewide in its 2010 rankings (an increase of 17 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).

Athletics

The Carteret High School Ramblers compete in the Greater Middlesex Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools located in the Middlesex County area and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). With 770 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. The football team competes in Division 3 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. The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group III North for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 700 to 884 students.

School colors are royal blue and white. Sports offered include softball, bowling (men and women), track and field spring (men and women), soccer (men and women), basketball (men and women), football, tennis (women), wrestling (men) and baseball (men).

The boys' basketball team won the Group III state championship in 1932 vs. Weehawken High School by a final score of 28-27 and the Group II title in 1934 with a 42–38 victory over Ramsey High School in the tournament final.

The boys track team won the indoor track Group III state championship in 1973 and the Group II title in 1987.

The boys track team won the Group III spring / outdoor track state championship in 1973.

The football team won the NJSIAA state sectional championships in Central Jersey Group III in 1976 and in Central Jersey Group II in 1992, 1996, 2007 and 2012. The 1976 team won the Central Jersey Group III sectional title in front of a hometown crowd of 4,500 with a 29–22 win against Long Branch High School in the championship game. In 1992, the team became the first in program history to finish the season with no ties or losses, ending the season 11-0 after winning the Central Jersey Group II title with a 14–0 win against Princeton High School, one of the team's five shutouts that season; the 1991 team earned consideration from the Courier News as one of "the best in GMC history". The 2007 football team won the Central Jersey, Group II state sectional title by a score a 20–14 over Rumson-Fair Haven High School in the tournament championship game played at Rutgers Stadium; The win was Carteret's fourth sectional title, and its first since 1996. The 2012 football team went undefeated at 12-0 and were crowned Central Jersey Group II champions as well, defeating Weequahic High School by the score of 13–12 in the championship game played at Metlife Stadium. Dating back to 1927, Carteret has had a Thanksgiving Day football rivalry with Perth Amboy High School that was listed at 8th on NJ.com's 2017 list "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football". Perth Amboy lead the rivalry with a 46-42-2 overall record as of 2017.

The boys track team won the indoor relay championship in Group II in 1987.

The 1990 baseball team finished the season with a record of 21-2 after coming back to defeat Hanover Park High School and win the Group II state championship by a score of 13–7 in nine innings in the tournament final.

The boys bowling team won the overall state championship in 2005 with a pinfall of 2,988, which was 29 pins more than Bordentown Regional High School in second place.

The girls bowling team won the Group II state championship in 2008.

Administration

The principal is David Salvatore. His administration team includes two vice principals.

Nicholas Sysock, then vice principal, was suspended without pay in October 2012 after being charged with possession of child pornography. After pleading guilty to a single count of possession of child pornography, Syscock was sentenced in August 2013 to three years in prison and will have limits on his access to children after his release.

Notable alumni

Jim Babjak (born 1957), founding member of The Smithereens.
Joseph A. Cafasso (born 1956), former Fox News consultant on military and counterterrorism issues who left the network after allegations surfaced that he misrepresented his military record.
Dennis Diken (born 1957, class of 1975), founding member of The Smithereens.
Keith Hughes (1968-2014), former professional basketball player who coached the Carteret High School basketball team for one season.
Sam Kamara (born 1997), football defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League.
Art McMahon (born 1946, class of 1964), defensive back for the Boston / New England Patriots football team from 1968 to 1970 and 1972.
Joe Medwick (1911-1975), left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1968.
Mike Mesaros (class of 1975), founding member of The Smithereens.
Laurence S. Weiss (c. 1919–2003), business executive and politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1978 to 1992.
Jason Worilds (born 1988), outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

References

^ School data for Carteret High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.
^ Carteret High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
^ Carteret High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed December 23, 2022.
Yearbook Club, Carteret High School. Accessed March 8, 2022.
Carteret High School, U.S. News & World Report. Accessed April 29, 2020.
District Information Archived February 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Carteret School District. Accessed November 8, 2012.
Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014.
Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed August 29, 2012.
Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed November 2, 2011.
"Top New Jersey High Schools 2010: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2009-2010, Schooldigger.com. Accessed December 30, 2011.
League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
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."
NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
Staff. "Trenton's Quintet Wins Jersey Title; Beats South Side of Newark, 36 to 30, to Take Class A High School Honors. Carteret Class B Victor; Downs Woodrow Wilson of Weehawken, 28 to 27 -- Class A Prep Crown to St. Benedict's.", The New York Times, March 20, 1932. Accessed October 28, 2015.
Staff. "Trenton High Five Keeps State Title; Halts Union Hill, 29-19, to Score Third Year in Row in New Jersey Tourney.", The New York Times, March 18, 1934. Accessed October 28, 2015. "Carteret conquered Ramsey, 42-28, for the Group 2 high school title."
NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
Boys Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1922-2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024.
NJSIAA Spring Track Summary of Group Titles Boys, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2021.
NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
"Schoolboy Halfback Breaks New Jersey Scoring Record", The New York Times, December 5, 1976. Accessed December 26, 2020. "Carteret, beaten twice the last two years in playoff games, finally broke through and took the Central Jersey Group 3 championship, beating Long Branch, 29-22, before 4,500 in Carteret."
Amsel, Michael. "Branchers Run Out of Time. Carteret Wins Title, 29-22", Asbury Park Press, December 5, 1976. Accessed January 9, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Frank Glazier will tell you that his Long Branch High School football team just ran out of time in it quest for the Central Jersey Group III championship. Carteret Coach Jim Gilrain will tell you that the only thing Long Branch ran out of yesterday was ways to contain his methodical Rambler offense. And the record books will tell you simply that on Dec. 4 at Walter Oberholt Field, Carteret topped Long Branch, 29-22, for its first NJSIAA Playoff championship."
Tufaro, Greg. "Which football team is the best in GMC history?", Courier News, August 15, 2018. Accessed November 20, 2020. "Carteret 1992 (Central Group II) According to the research of former colleague and venerable sports writer John Haley, the 1992 Ramblers were the first to finish undefeated and untied at Carteret, whose program commenced 67 years earlier under Sally McCarthy, a female head coach.... The defense allowed a total of 50 points and registered five shutouts including a 14-0 blanking of Princeton in the sectional final."
McKenzie, Doug. "Late drive by Bulldogs falls short in title game; Carteret hangs on to win CJ Group II, 20-14", Central Jersey Archives, December 6, 2007. Accessed November 12, 2020. "However, all the confidence they had for their senior quarterback wasn’t quite enough to bring RFH its first state championship, as the Bulldogs dropped a heartbreaking 20-14 ballgame to Carteret to finish the year 9-3."
Moretti, Mike. "Lewin's TD lifts Carteret past Rumson", The Star-Ledger, December 3, 2007. Accessed December 3, 2007. "But with senior tailback Byron Lewin picking up 143 yards on 22 carries and scoring the winning touchdown with 2:18 to go, Carteret defeated Rumson, 20-14, in the NJSIAA/Gatorade Central Jersey, Group 2 championship game before 4,000 at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway. It was Carteret's first state title since 1996 and fourth in six final appearances."
2007 Football - Central, Group II, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 3, 2007.
Stypulkoski, Matt. "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 27, 2017, updated May 15, 2019. Accessed December 1, 2020. "8-Carteret vs. Perth Amboy... That's how bitter the longest-running Thanksgiving Day rivalry in Middlesex County is, with these two schools separated by a little more than seven miles having played since 1927. All-time series: Perth Amboy leads 46-42-2"
History of the NJSIAA Indoor Relay Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
Baseball Championship History: 1959–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated June 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
Seidman, Howard R. "Hanover Park loses in ninth; Twelve walks lead to defeat as Carteret wins Group II title", Daily Record, June 3, 1990. Accessed January 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "After taking a 6-2 lead into the sixth inning, Hanover Park High School went nine innings with Carteret before falling 13-7 in the Group II state baseball championship at Princeton University. The Hornets were done in by giving up 12 walks including six in the sixth which allowed the Ramblers to take the lead, 7-6.... Carteret, 21-2, was limited to just two hits going into the ninth inning and ended up with six."
History of NJSIAA Boys Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 1, 2022.
Tufaro, Greg. "Carteret wins state title; Ramblers earn boys championship, Woodbridge girls finish second", Home News Tribune, February 24, 2005. Accessed April 25, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Although his team hadn't won a tournament all season and didn't even finish first in its division, Carteret High School boys bowling coach Charlie Simon always knew his squad had the potential to be the best in the state. The Ramblers, who saved their best for last, proved Simon right, winning the school's first ever NJSIAA Championship with a three-game pinfall of 2,988 at Carolier Lanes yesterday.... They moved from fifth to third place in the second game and had to overcome Bordentown and Linden to win the team title. The Ramblers edged runner-up Bordentown by 29 pins."
History of NJSIAA Girls Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
Student Handbook 2019-2020, Carteret High School. Accessed March 8, 2022.
School Administration, Carteret High School. Accessed March 8, 2022.
Makin, Cheryl. "Carteret High School Vice Principal Nicholas Sysock of Rahway was arrested on child pornography charges Tuesday", Courier News, October 24, 2012. Accessed November 8, 2012. "Shock and dismay continues to rock the community in the wake of Carteret High School Vice Principal Nicholas G. Sysock's arrest on child pornography charges.... Ahearn said that as a result of the arrest and formal charges, Sysock has been suspended without pay or benefits immediately."
Epstein, Sue. "Former Carteret High School vice principal sentenced to prison for possessing of child porn", NJ ADvance Media for NJ.com, August 15, 2013. Accessed October 4, 2017. "A former vice principal at Carteret High School was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for possessing child pornography. Nicholas Sysock, 54, of Rahway, pleaded guilty earlier in the year to one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said."
Cahillane, Kevin. "Not Fade Away: The Smithereens' Monument to Persistence", The New York Times, October 10, 2004. Accessed November 3, 2007. "The band formed in 1980 when three Carteret High School graduates (class of 1975) and childhood friends (Mr. Babjak, Dennis Diken on drums and Mike Mesaros on bass) met Pat DiNizio, a Scotch Plains singer-songwriter-garbage man."
Rutenberg, Jim. "At Fox News, the Colonel Who Wasn't", The New York Times, April 29, 2002. Accessed December 30, 2011. "Born in 1956, he graduated from Carteret High School in Carteret, N.J., military records show."
^ The Smithereens to perform 30th anniversary concert in Carteret Archived December 5, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Borough of Carteret, press release dated July 20, 2010. Accessed November 26, 2014. "The Smithereens are known for writing and playing catchy 1960s-influenced power pop. Guitarist Jim Babjak, drummer Dennis Diken, and former bass player Mike Mesaros graduated Carteret High School in 1975, and formed the group with Scotch Plains singer Pat DiNizio in 1980."
Prunty, Brendan. "Former Rutgers basketball star Keith Hughes passes away at age 45", The Star-Ledger, February 10, 2014. Accessed October 4, 2017. "In 2006, he took over as the varsity coach at his alma mater, guiding Carteret High School for one season."
Sam Kamara, Stony Brook Seawolves football. Accessed August 17, 2021. "HOMETOWN Carteret, N.J. HIGH SCHOOL Carteret"
Art McMahon, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed January 9, 2018.
Staff. "Ducky Medwick, Slugger For Gas House Gang, Dies", The New York Times, March 22, 1975. Accessed October 19, 2014. "Medwick was born in Carteret, N. J,. on Nov. 24, 1911, and went on to star at Carteret High School in track, football, basketball, and baseball."
Pallone, Frank. "Tribute To Laurence Weiss", Congressional Record, Volume 140, Number 139 (September 29, 1994). Accessed September 24, 2015. "Mr. Speaker, the story of Larry Weiss is one of the great American success stories. Born in Hungary, he immigrated to the United States with his parents at the age of 3. The Weiss family settled first in Jersey City, then Carteret, where Larry went through the public schools and graduated from the high school."
Vrentas, Jenny. "Steelers draft Carteret product Jason Worilds in second round of NFL Draft" Archived May 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, The Star-Ledger, April 23, 2010. Accessed July 15, 2010.

External links

v t e Public and private high schools of Middlesex County, New Jersey
Public	Academy for Urban Leadership Allied Health Carteret Colonia Dunellen East Brunswick East Brunswick Magnet Edison Edison Academy Magnet Highland Park John F. Kennedy Metuchen Middlesex Monroe New Brunswick New Brunswick Health Sciences Technology High School North Brunswick Old Bridge Perth Amboy Perth Amboy Magnet Piscataway Piscataway Magnet Sayreville South Amboy South Brunswick South Plainfield South River Spotswood J.P. Stevens West Windsor-Plainsboro North Woodbridge Woodbridge Academy Magnet
Private	Cardinal McCarrick Noor-Ul-Iman St. Joseph St. Thomas Aquinas Timothy Christian Wardlaw-Hartridge
by county Atlantic Bergen Burlington Camden Cape May Cumberland Essex Gloucester Hudson Hunterdon Mercer Middlesex Monmouth Morris Ocean Passaic Salem Somerset Sussex Union Warren

v t e Greater Middlesex Conference (NJSIAA)
Blue Division	Highland Park John F. Kennedy (Woodbridge) Metuchen Middlesex Mother Seton South River Spotswood St. Thomas Aquinas
Gold Division	Cardinal McCarrick Dunellen East Brunswick Magnet Edison Academy Magnet Perth Amboy Magnet Piscataway Magnet South Amboy Woodbridge Academy Magnet
Red Division	East Brunswick Edison J.P. Stevens Old Bridge Perth Amboy Piscataway Township South Brunswick St. Joseph (Metuchen) Woodbridge
White Division	Cartaret Colonia Monroe Township New Brunswick North Brunswick Township Sayreville South Plainfield

v t e Big Central Football Conference (NJSIAA)
Division 1A	Bound Brook Crusaders (Group I North) Brearley Bears (Group I North) Middlesex Blue Jays (Group I South) New Providence Pioneers (Group I North) Roselle Park Panthers (Group I North)
Division 1B	Belvidere County Seaters (Group I North) Jonathan Dayton Bulldogs (Group I North) Dunellen Destroyers (Group I North) Highland Park Owls (Group I South) Manville Mustangs (Group I South) South Hunterdon Eagles (Group I South)
Division 2A	Bernards Mountaineers (Group II South) Delaware Valley Terriers (Group II South) Governor Livingston Highlanders (Group III North) Hillside Comets (Group II South) North Plainfield Canucks (Group III North) Voorhees Vikings (Group III North)
Division 2B	St. Thomas Aquinas Trojans (Non-Public Group III) Abraham Clark Rams (Group II South) Arthur L. Johnson Crusaders (Group II South) Metuchen Bulldogs (Group II South) South River Rams (Group II South) Spotswood Chargers (Group II South)
Division 3	Carteret Ramblers (Group III North) Rahway Indians (Group III North) Somerville Pioneers (Group III South) South Plainfield Tigers (Group III North) Summit Hilltoppers (Group III North) Warren Hills Blue Streaks (Group III North)
Division 4	Colonia Patriots (Group IV North) Cranford Cougars (Group IV North) John F. Kennedy Mustangs (Group IV North) Linden Tigers (Group IV North) Montgomery Cougars (Group IV North) North Hunterdon Lions (Group IV North) Scotch Plains Fanwood Raiders (Group IV North) Woodbridge Barrons (Group IV North)
Division 5A	Elizabeth Minutemen (Group V North) Plainfield Cardinals (Group V North) Union Farmers (Group V North) Watchung Hills Regional High School (Group V North) Westfield Blue Devils (Group V North)
Division 5B	Bridgewater-Raritan Panthers (Group V North) Franklin Warriors (Group V South) Hillsborough Raiders (Group V South) Hunterdon Central Red Devils (Group V South) Phillipsburg Stateliners (Group IV North) Ridge Red Devils (Group V North)
Division 5C	East Brunswick Bears (Group V South) Monroe Township Falcons (Group V South) Old Bridge Knights (Group V South) Perth Amboy Panthers (Group V North) South Brunswick Vikings (Group V South) J. P. Stevens Hawks (Group V North)
Division 5D	Edison Eagles (Group V South) New Brunswick Zebras (Group V South) North Brunswick Township Raiders (Group V South) Piscataway Chiefs (Group V North) Sayreville Bombers (Group V South) St. Joseph Falcons (Non-Public Group IV)

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