Nutley High School


Nutley High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in the Township of Nutley, in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as the lone secondary school of the Nutley Public Schools. The school's colors are maroon and gray. The school has been accredited by the Middle States [Association of Colleges and Schools] Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1928. Students pursue an appropriate academic program to prepare for post-secondary education or for employment.
As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,190 students and 89.3 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 13.3:1. There were 134 students eligible for free lunch and 26 eligible for reduced-cost lunch.

Awards, recognition and rankings

The school was the 130th-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 140th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 160th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. The magazine ranked the school 141st in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 129th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state.

Graduation requirements

Students must pass the New Jersey High School Proficiency Assessment and earn a minimum of 120 credits in English, mathematics, science, social studies, world languages, physical/health education, visual/performing/practical arts, computer applications, and electives.

Athletics

The Nutley High School Raiders compete in the Super Essex Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Essex County and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Before the NJSIAA's 2009 realignment, the school had participated in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League, which included schools in Bergen, Essex and Passaic counties. With 910 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 the Freedom White division of the North Jersey Super Football Conference, which includes 112 schools competing in 20 divisions, making it the nation's biggest football-only high school sports league. 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.
School colors are maroon and gray. Interscholastic sports offered include crew, golf, track and field spring, soccer, cross country, bowling, softball, basketball, tennis, football, track and field winter, wrestling, baseball, volleyball, ice hockey, cross country crew and lacrosse.
The school participates as the host school / lead agency in a joint ice hockey team with Bloomfield High School and Columbia High School. The co-op program operates under agreements scheduled to expire at the end of the 2023–24 school year.
The 1977 girls' basketball team finished the season with a 28–1 record after winning the Group III state championship, defeating Willingboro High School by a score of 48–45 in the tournament final.
The 1992 football team finished the season with an 8-1-2 record after winning the North II, Group III state sectional title with a 39–6 victory against Morris Knolls High School in the championships game.
The softball team won the Group III state title in 1992 vs. Ocean Township High School and 1995 vs. Watchung Hills Regional High School. The 1992 team finished the season with a 20–7 record after winning the Group III title with a 6–4 victory against Ocean Township in the championship game.
The baseball team won the 2001 North II, Group III sectionals, defeating Cranford High School by a score of 5–3 in the final. The 2004 team won the North I, Group III title, edging Paramus High School 4-3. The team won the Greater Newark Tournament in 1993, 2001, 2002 and 2004. The program's four titles are tied for fifth-most in tournament history through 2019. The team won the 2004 Greater Newark Tournament title, defeating Seton Hall Preparatory School 3-2 in the finals.
The co-op ice hockey team with Columbia High School won the McMullen Cup and the Monsignor Kelly Cup in 2019. The 2019 team won the McMullen Cup with a 4–2 win in the tournament final against the Frisch School.

Administration

The school's principal is Denis Williams. His administration team includes two vice principals.

Notable appearances

lead singer Steven Tyler performed on stage at the Nutley prom in June 1966 as part of a predecessor group called "The Strangeurs".
In 2004, Nutley High School's football team and other student organizations were featured on MTV's Total Request Live, when high school student Corey Smith directed the short three-minute film Making the Grade, starring Hugh Jackman as a high school math teacher.

Notable alumni