“Bulldogs” is the proud team name here at Rutherford High School. Right in front of us stands Rutherford High School. It is a comprehensive four-year public high school. Rutherford High School operates as part of the Rutherford School District. It is located in Rutherford New Jersey. This town has about 18000 residents. It is just west of New York City.
The original Rutherford High School structure was built in 1922. It was expanded in 1938, 1957 and 2005. Rutherford High School has been accredited since 1940. The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission oversees it.
As of 2023-24, the school had 736 students. There were about 70 classroom teachers. This makes the student-teacher ratio about 10.6:1.
During the 1999-2000 school year, Rutherford High School received a special award. It was the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence. The United States Department of Education gave it. This award recognized the school’s use of technology. Every classroom was wired for Internet access. Students had more access to computers than average.
Rutherford High School offers many courses. These range from Honors to Advanced Placement classes. AP classes give students college credit. Elective classes are also available. These range from technology to career-related courses. The school has a television studio. It is used for morning announcements. It also sends feeds to the local public access station. The library was recently expanded. It has 23 computers and over 20000 books. Two gyms support athletic programs and physical education classes. The East Wing has a half-size Olympic-style swimming pool. The YMCA of the Meadowlands currently leases it. The Rutherford Bulldogs Swim Team also uses it.
A typical day at Rutherford High School begins at 7:50 AM. This is when homeroom starts. School is in session five days a week. There are seven 57-minute classes. These classes follow a rotating block schedule. There is also one lunch period. Students can participate in many extra-curricular activities. These include clubs, academic groups, and music programs.
Rutherford High School has many academic teams. It also has non-athletic extracurricular activities. Rutherford was the Academic Decathlon champion for New Jersey. It represented New Jersey at the National Competition in Memphis in 2009. It competed again in Omaha in 2010. The theater arts program puts on two performances each year. There is a play in November. A musical follows in March.
The Rutherford High School Bulldogs participate in the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference. This conference includes small schools in several counties. Rutherford was a member of the Bergen County Scholastic League before 2010. For the 2019-20 school year, the NJSIAA classified the school as Group IV.
Rutherford High School offers many sports. These include cross country, football, tennis, soccer, volleyball, and cheerleading in the fall. Winter sports include basketball, swimming, track and field, wrestling, and bowling. Spring sports are baseball, tennis, softball, and track and field.
The boys track team won the Group IV spring track state championship in 1922 and 1923. The boys cross country team won the public school state championship in 1926. The boys basketball team won the Group III state championship in 1940 and 1942. They won the Group II title in 1985. The boys track team won the Group I / II state indoor relay championship in 1969. The baseball team won the Group II state title in 1992, 2004, and 2005. The girls volleyball team won the Group II state championship in 1991, 1992, and 1994. The girls soccer team won the North II, Group II state sectional championship in 2007. The football team won the North II Group II state sectional championship in 2017 and 2018. The boys soccer team became Northeast Group 2-B regional champions in 2020.
Frank Morano is the school’s principal.
Rutherford High School has many notable alumni. These include Brant Alyea, a former MLB outfielder. He is one of nine players to hit a home run on his first MLB pitch. Other alumni include Henry Becton, chairman of Becton Dickinson and Company. Jim Blumenstock played football for the New York Giants. Peggy Noonan was a speechwriter for presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. Thomas R. Pickering was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Ramy Youssef is a stand-up comedian and writer. He is known for his role on the Hulu series Ramy.
The Rutherford High School Distinguished Graduate Award recognizes alumni achievements. The school recognizes graduates who show excellence. Students can see them as symbols of commitment. Rutherford High School mixes tradition and innovation. It offers a unique education based on a solid foundation.