Burlington Township High School

Burlington Township High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Burlington Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Burlington Township School District.[3] The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools.[3]

Burlington Township High School
Address
610 Fountain Avenue

Burlington Township
,
Burlington County
,
New Jersey
08016

United States
Coordinates40.064663°N 74.837473°W / 40.064663; -74.837473
Information
TypePublic high school
Established1964
School districtBurlington Township School District
NCES School ID3402460[1]
PrincipalPhil Brownridge
Faculty102.0 FTEs[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,190 (as of 2018–19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio11.7:1[1]
Color(s)  Black
  Old Gold
  White[2]
Athletics conferenceBurlington County Scholastic League
Team nameFalcons[2]
RivalBurlington City High School, Delran High School, Florence Township Memorial High School, Holy Cross High School
AccreditationMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools[3]
Websitewww.burltwpsch.org/hs/

As of the 2018–19 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,190 students and 102.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7:1. There were 176 students (14.8% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 64 (5.4% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 178th-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 203rd in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 153rd in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.[5] The magazine ranked the school 140th in 2008 out of 316 schools.[6] The school was ranked 138th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.[7] Schooldigger.com ranked the school as 186th out of 376 public high schools statewide in its 2010 rankings (a decrease of 6 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).[8]

Athletics

The Burlington Township High School Falcons[2] compete in the Burlington County Scholastic League, which includes public and non-public high schools in the Burlington County area, operating under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[9] With 892 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.[10] The football team competes in the Capitol Division of the 95-team West Jersey Football League superconference[11][12] and was classified by the NJSIAA as Group III South for football for 2018–2020.[13] Township and student population have drastically increased within the past decade. The school, during the first seven years of competition in the Burlington County League, was considered a "Group I" then "Group II" category.

The school's main rivals are Burlington City High School, Delran High School, Florence Township Memorial High School and Holy Cross High School.[14][15]

The boys basketball team won the Group I state championship in 1985 (vs. Bogota High School in the tournament final), 1987 (vs. Newark Tech High School) and 1992 (vs. Newark Tech).[16] The 1992 team won the Group I title with a 79-61 win in the championship game at Rutgers University against Newark Tech.[17] The 2010-11 team won the Central Jersey Group III sectional championship with a 70–64 win over Colts Neck High School, overcoming a deficit of 13 points in the fourth quarter.[18] The 2011 sectional title was the program's tenth overall and its first since 1992.[19]

The football team won the South Jersey Group I state sectional championships in 1976 and 1977.[20] The BTHS football team had won two consecutive Patriot Division titles and were moved up to the Liberty Division, where they pulled through the 2006–07 season with a 1–7 record. The first two games of the 06–07 season were forfeited due to an ineligible running back, overturning two games the team had won.[21]

The softball team defeated Saddle Brook High School in the final of the playoffs to win the 1985 Group I state championship.[22]

The boys track team won the spring track state championship in Group I in 1996.[23]

The girls basketball team won the Group I state championship in 1997, defeating Cresskill High School in the final game of the tournament.[24]

The 2011 boys soccer team won the BCSL Liberty Division for the first time in school history with a 7-1-2 record; the title was also the first in the boys soccer program's history.[25]

The BTHS boys bowling team won the BCSL division championship with an 11-1 division record, and went 14-5 overall, and repeated as division champion in 2012.[26]

The field hockey team won the Central Jersey Group III state sectional championship in 2019.[27] In 2019, the team defeated Brick Township High School by a score of 5–0 in the final of the Central Jersey Group III tournament to win the program's first sectional title.[28]

Allegations of religious intolerance

On March 22, 2007, Burlington Township High School scheduled a simulated Columbine-like school shooting, lockdown and evacuation where Burlington Township Police detectives posed as Christian fundamentalists who became angry (when a student was expelled for praying before class) and began shooting students in order to "seek justice".[29]

In response to the news coverage, the Burlington Township School District issued an official statement saying:

"Any perceived insensitivities to our religious community as a result of the emergency exercise are regrettable. It was certainly not the intent to portray any group in a negative manner. We cherish, respect, and celebrate the diversity of cultures and faith that exist within our community." The district respected the right of students and faculty to pray on school grounds.[30][31]

Administration

The school's principal is Phil Brownridge[32]

Notable alumni

Notable faculty
  • Kenneth William Faulkner (born 1947), former boys' basketball coach who led the team to a 521–129 record and NJSIAA Group I state championships in 1985, 1987 and 1992.[37]

References
  1. School data for Burlington Township High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
  2. Burlington Township High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  3. Burlington Township High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed February 8, 2018.
  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 4, 2012.
  6. Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed February 14, 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 2009-2010, Schooldigger.com. Accessed January 4, 2012.
  9. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  10. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  11. Divisions, West Jersey Football League. Accessed September 5, 2020.
  12. Minnick, Kevin. "Football: Entering 10th season, a new leader for state’s second-largest conference", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 8, 2019. Accessed September 5, 2020. "The WJFL was created in 2010 as a way to help teams play a full schedule and face opponents of similar size, ability and geographical location.... The league is comprised of 16 divisions and includes better than 90 high schools."
  13. NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2018–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, finalized August 2019. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  14. Staff. "Burlington City tops Burlington Township, The Blue Devils got a 24-point performance from Keith Watson and stayed undefeated.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 12, 2002. Accessed April 12, 2002. "Even before the junior varsity boys' basketball game had ended at Burlington City last night, the gymnasium stands were almost full. By the time the varsity teams took the court, there was not an empty seat to be found. That's the way it usually is when the Blue Devils meet crosstown rival Burlington Township."
  15. Staff. "3 Rivals On The River Have The Best Chances", The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 21, 1985. Accessed April 12, 2012. "A strong three-way race looms in the Burlington County League Freedom Division, a strong collection of small schools along or near the Delaware River from Palmyra to Bordentown. Burlington Township won this competitive division a year ago, but it will be hard-pressed to repeat. Depth of pitching points to Burlington, Florence and Delran as the top contenders, although Township will be up there somewhere."
  16. NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2020.
  17. Frambes, Doug. "Burlington Township awesome in victory", Courier-Post, March 16, 1992. Accessed December 6, 2020. "Newark Tech found out Sunday what was already well-known to many South Jersey schools. There are few options when playing Burlington Township. The powerful 30-1 Falcons, coached by Ken Faulkner, rode roughshod over the defending state Group 1 champions 79-61 in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Tournament final at Rutgers University."
  18. Hadden, Doug. "S. Jersey Boys: Burlington Township defeats Colts Neck, 70-64, for Central Jersey Group 3 title", The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 9, 2011. Accessed August 29, 2011. "Burlington Township, behind by 13 at one point in the fourth quarter, closed out Tuesday night's Central Jersey Group 3 basketball championship game with a 25-4 run and went home with an improbable title. The Falcons (21-9) shocked host Colts Neck, 70-64, and advanced to the state semifinals on Thursday against South Jersey champion Kingsway at 7 p.m. at Winslow Township."
  19. Christopher, Chris. "Boys: Colts Neck blows 4th quarter lead to Burlington Twp in CJ Group III final", Asbury Park Press, March 8, 2011. Accessed August 29, 2011. "The Falcons, who began play in 1965, have won 10 sectional titles, including nine in South Jersey Group I. Burlington is 10-2 in sectional championship games. The Falcons captured their previous sectional championship in 1992. They won Group state titles in 1985, 1987 and 1992."
  20. NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  21. Maderia calls his Holy Cross return special, The Courier-Post, October 17, 2006.
  22. NJSIAA Softball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  23. NJSIAA Spring Track Summary of Group Titles Boys, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  24. NJSIAA Girls Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  25. Lewis, John A. "Boys soccer: Township removes all doubt behind Machado" Archived October 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Burlington County Times, October 20, 2011. Accessed April 12, 2012. "Burlington Township's senior forward might easily have finished a hat trick in the biggest game of his high school career. He might easily have taken on the last defender and put his own stamp on the Falcons' boys soccer team's first division championship.... Burlington Township (9-3-2, 7-1-1) had a chance to clinch the Liberty against Cinnaminson last Tuesday, but found itself three goals down after 25 minutes and suffered a loss that brought Delran and Moorestown back into the race."
  26. Staff. "Friday Local Roundup: Township rolls to second straight title", Burlington County Times, January 27, 2012. Accessed April 12, 2012. "Jordan Peluso had the high game for Burlington Township with a 178 and Josette Eckhardt had the high series with a 462 in its 4-0 win over Northern Burlington in girls bowling action on Friday. With the win, the Falcons claimed the Burlington County League Liberty Division title for the second straight year."
  27. NJSIAA History of Field Hockey Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  28. Zimmaro, Mark. "Burlington Township slays sectional Dragons", Burlington County Times, November 1, 2019. Accessed November 11, 2020. "After years of coming so close on so many occasions, the Burlington Township High School field hockey program celebrated its first sectional championship on Friday as the Falcons defeated Brick Township 5-0 in the Central Jersey Group 3 championship on their home field."
  29. Levinsky, David. "Practice for worst-case scenario Hostage-crisis drill plays out in Burlington Township", Burlington County Times, March 23, 2007. Accessed January 4, 2012.
  30. "Statement Regarding March 22, 2007 Emergency Exercise", Burlington Township School District.
  31. Walsh, Jim. "Terror exercise is called offensive", Courier-Post, April 4, 2007. Accessed January 25, 2012. "'We cherish, respect and celebrate the diversity of cultures and faith that exist within our community,' the statement adds. It notes the district supports the right to pray, pointing to prayer groups and a Bible club in the high school."
  32. Student - Parent Handbook 2018-2019, Burlington Township High School. Accessed July 24, 2019.
  33. Moeller, Jeff. "College Basketball: Township's Kevin Baggett growing into new role", Burlington County Times, February 22, 2013. Accessed February 7, 2015. "Former Burlington Township standout Kevin Baggett is in his first year as Rider University's head men's basketball coach."
  34. Friedman, Josh. "Bread dispensary to draft pick: The incredible NFL journey of Burlington Twp. grad Ka'dar Hollman", Courier-Post, May 1, 2019. Accessed July 24, 2019. "Hollman, a 2013 Burlington Township High School graduate, wasn’t a former felon. He was just trying to get by."
  35. Staff. "Streater, Moore schedule football camp", Burlington County Times, April 28, 2015. Accessed September 1, 2015. "Burlington Township natives Rod Streater and Kashif Moore will hold the second Catch Your Dream Football Camp on May 9. Camp is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Burlington Township High School, where both starred before playing college football and then moving on to the NFL."
  36. Friedman, Josh. "Then and now: Burlington Township star Bryan Warrick", Courier-Post, February 8, 2018. Accessed February 5, 2020. "Bryan Warrick - Burlington Township - Year graduated: 1978; Scholastic accomplishments: Warrick was a three-sport athlete for the Falcons, competing in football, basketball and track. Football was Warrick’s best sport, and he quarterbacked Burlington Township to its only two sectional championships, leading the team to back-to-back undefeated seasons in 1976 and 1977 (he was Second Team All-South Jersey that year too)."
  37. Carchidi, Sam. "Burlington Twp. Coach Resigns New Duties As A Principal Sparked Ken Faulkner's Move. His Teams Won 521 Games In 24 Years.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 25, 1996. Accessed August 15, 2016. "During Faulkner's 24 seasons of coaching at Burlington Township, the Falcons compiled a 521-129 record and won 13 division titles, seven sectional crowns, and three Group 1 state championships (1985, 1987, 1992).... A former star guard at Riverside High (Class of '66) and Campbell (N.C.) College, Faulkner knew that he was going to retire before this season started."
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