Phillipsburg High School (New Jersey)

Phillipsburg High School is a comprehensive, four-year public high school located in Phillipsburg, in Warren County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Because of the town's proximity to the border between New Jersey and Pennsylvania the school's nickname is the "Stateliners." The school was first established in 1871.School Information, Phillipsburg High School. Accessed October 3, 2011. "Phillipsburg High School, one of the oldest high schools in New Jersey, was organized by an act of the State legislature in 1871. It offered two programs, the Classical course designed for 'our young men to enter the freshmen class of any American College,' and the Normal Course for those planning to attend the State Normal Schools (later known as State Colleges)." The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 2000.Phillipsburg High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools, backed up by the Internet Archive as of April 24, 2012. Accessed April 21, 2021.

The school is part of the Phillipsburg School District, one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. BurkeWhat We Do: History, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022. "In 1998, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in the Abbott v. Burke case that the State must provide 100 percent funding for all school renovation and construction projects in special-needs school districts. According to the Court, aging, unsafe and overcrowded buildings prevented children from receiving the 'thorough and efficient' education required under the New Jersey Constitution.... Full funding for approved projects was authorized for the 31 special-needs districts, known as 'Abbott Districts'." which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.What We Do, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022.SDA Districts, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022. The district serves students from Phillipsburg and from five other municipalities: Alpha, Bloomsbury (in Hunterdon County), Greenwich Township, Lopatcong Township and Pohatcong Township, who attend as part of sending/receiving relationships.Phillipsburg High School 2016-17 Report Card Narrative , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 20, 2018. "Along with the residents of Phillipsburg, the high school consists of students from the sending districts of Lopatcong, Pohatcong, Alpha, Bloomsbury, and Greenwich Townships."About PSD, Phillipsburg School District. Accessed October 10, 2024. "The district serves students from the Town of Phillipsburg and five sending communities at the secondary level: Alpha, Bloomsbury, Greenwich, Lopatcong and Pohatcong Townships."2023–2024 Public School Directory, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed October 10, 2024.

The site of the new Phillipsburg High School, which began construction in January 2014, is in Lopatcong Township, with the site of the old school converted for use as Phillipsburg Middle School.DeGerolamo, Danielle. "Historic Clock Tower is under repair at the former Phillipsburg High School", TAPinto Phillipsburg, July 1, 2023. Accessed October 10, 2024. "The banners still waive high at what is now known as the Phillipsburg Middle School, and thanks to a capital project approved by the board of education, the clock tower is being repaired.... The former Phillipsburg High School is among New Jersey's oldest secondary schools." The three-story, building, with more than double the floor space of the existing high school and a capacity to accommodate more than 2,100 students, was completed for the 2016–17 school year and was dedicated in September 2016 at ceremonies attended by Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie.Peters, Sarah. "New Phillipsburg High School beginning to take shape in Lopatcong Township", The Express-Times, July 7, 2014. Accessed March 29, 2015. "The new Phillipsburg High School is starting to take shape atop a steep hillside off Belvidere Road in Lopatcong Township.... Five school board members and at least four administrators embarked on the tour of the property scheduled to open during the 2016-2017 academic year."Novak, Steve. "Christie: New Phillipsburg High School most modern in N.J.", The Express-Times, September 21, 2016. Accessed January 17, 2017. "The 330,000-square-foot high school finally opened for classes this month, and Gov. Chris Christie -- who on Wednesday was the guest of honor at a ceremony marking the $127.5 million project's completion -- thanked the assembled staff, students and other dignitaries for their patience.... The building on a hilltop in Lopatcong Township is designed for 2,172 students in grades 9 to 12, with 50 general classrooms, 12 science labs, 4 computer labs, media center and arts and vocational facilities." Phillipsburg High School's enrollment had been in excess of the school's capacity. To compensate for this, the Phillipsburg School District purchased or leased 31 trailers.

As of the 2024–25 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,750 students and 140.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.5:1. There were 737 students (42.1% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 83 (4.7% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for Phillipsburg High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed January 15, 2026.

Rankings The school was the 183rd-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.Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014. The school had been ranked 215th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 276th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed October 3, 2012. The magazine ranked the school 275th in 2008 out of 316 schools.Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed February 20, 2011. The school was ranked 234th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state."Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.

New high school Original plans for a new high school campus had stalled due to lack of funds by the New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation. In July 2008, new state funding was secured and on October 5, 2009, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site of the new high school located on Belvidere Road in Lopatcong Township. Then-Governor Jon Corzine was in attendance as well as former Governor James Florio, Phillipsburg School District Superintendent Mark B. Miller and then-State Education Commissioner Lucille Davy.Beyer, Sue. "Groundbreaking dignitaries", The Express-Times, October 5, 2009. Accessed October 3, 2012. "Dignitaries of the podium during the ground breaking ceremony for the new Phillipsburg High School. Included in the center is Governor Corzine as well as former governor James Florio."

The new campus had been expected to cost $174.4 million and was planned to hold a school and seven athletic fields. After the initial plans had been put on hold, Governor Chris Christie announced in February 2012 that the plan was back online, with a revised estimate of $675 million for the project.Wojcik, Sarah M. "Phillipsburg High School back on list for New Jersey Schools Development Authority-funded projects, Gov. Chris Christie says", The Express-Times, February 15, 2012. Accessed October 3, 2012. "Christie announced he is recommending approval for construction of eight new schools statewide, including the Stateliners' new home slated for Belvidere Road in Lopatcong Township. The projects total $675 million." Initial contracts were awarded in 2013, with a projected open date for the 2016–17 school year.Petty, Todd. "New Phillipsburg High School one step closer, with $80M construction contract", May 7, 2013. Accessed July 17, 2013. After many delays, construction started in January 2014 and the new school opened on September 12, 2016. The class of 2020 will be the first to have never attended the old high school building.Peters, Sarah. "Work starts on new Phillipsburg High School in Lopatcong Township, superintendent says", The Express-Times, January 13, 2014. Accessed January 18, 2014.

Athletics

The Phillipsburg High School StatelinersPhillipsburg High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. compete as a member of the Skyland Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Somerset, and Warren counties. The school operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. With 1,242 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group IV for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 1,060 to 5,049 students in that grade range.NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.

The football team competes in Division 5B 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.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." 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.NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. The school had been a member of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association's East Penn Conference, which was later rolled into the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, a highly competitive conference of the largest high schools in eastern and northeastern Pennsylvania.#344-05 Board Of Education Of The Town Of Phillipsburg, Warren County, R.T.C. Jr. vs. New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed October 3, 2012. "Beginning in 1976, Phillipsburg was a member of Pennsylvania's East Penn Conference (predecessor to the Lehigh Valley Athletic Conference) for football, having joined for basketball in 1963 and baseball in 1958.... In Fall 1995, because of the increasing difficulty in reconciling East Penn and NJSIAA requirements and the continuing impact of the 50% Rule on the school's ability to enter championship competition, Phillipsburg joined the newly created Skyland Conference in New Jersey."

Boys basketball The boys' basketball team won the Group III state championship in 1983, defeating Ewing High School in the tournament final.NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.