Gloucester County Institute of Technology
Encyclopedia
The Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT) is a four-year vocational
public high school in Sewell
, New Jersey
, United States
, as part of the Gloucester County Vocational-Technical School District
. GCIT is in a transition period currently from a part-time high school to a full-time high school. GCIT currently offers eight full time academies, two part time academies and four academies geared for Special Education. Students must apply and get selected to go into GCIT. GCIT currently picks the top 26 in each academy based from grades in the 7th and 8th grade, state standardized test scores, and attendance.
As of the 2007-08 school year, the school had an enrollment of 889 students and 62.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.3.
The last four academies are considered career-technical academies while the first four academies are academy programs. In addition, each academy would accept 26 students per class for the 2007-2008 school year. Before this school year, 25 kids were accepted per academy.
For the 2010-2011 school year, a new school will be offered to students: The School of Health Science Careers. This program is similar to the Academy of Allied Health and Medical Sciences.
GCIT also offers courses for adults in the night hours.
In 2009, GCIT's HSPA scores were 85% in Language Arts Literacy and 74% in Math. These percentages represent the students who scored Proficient or above on the test.
GCIT offers many world-language courses. Currently, GCIT offers courses in Spanish, Latin, Italian, and French. Two years of a language are required to graduate, but 4 levels of Spanish, Latin, and Italian and 3 levels of French are offered at GCIT.
GCIT offers several electives but the majority of the electives are taken only at the senior year. Students can also choose from 5 Gloucester County College
courses instead of taking an elective. The tuition for these courses will be paid by the district, but students are responsible for books and other expenses. GCIT currently offers College Personal Finance (which is now a graduation requirement beginning with the class of 2013), General Psychology, Principles of Sociology, College Calculus I, and English Composition 101 to students in their junior and senior years.
GCIT also offers extracurricular clubs like in most high schools. The difference is that GCIT does not have connections to provide after-school busing like most schools, so clubs occur during the day. On Wednesday, all periods are shortened to provide 1 hour for students to go to a club. GCIT offers a variety of clubs from crocheting club to fitness club, from French club to robotics club. There's bound to be one that interests every student. Check out the club list here: GCIT Clubs
GCIT takes more of an oral approach to teaching. Homework, tests, and written "busy" work are uncommon. Instead, teachers focus on group discussions, projects, and research papers.
, has 249 students enrolled whereas the largest one, Williamstown, has 1,343 students.
The Cheetahs is the current name of all GCIT's sporting teams. Although many of the teams are relatively new, some have had great success. Recently, GCIT’s Varsity Softball Team successfully defended the NJTAC State Competition by defeating Sussex County Technical School
, 22-1.
In addition, GCIT's boy soccer team made the New Jersey state playoffs for the last 2 years. GCIT's boy tennis team also made it over .500 for the first time this season, finishing with a 7-6 record.
GCIT offers many sporting teams to its full-time academy, a list of those teams is provided below.
GCIT is the only school in Gloucester County
that has an Olympic sized swimming pool. GCIT also has a fitness room with many equipment including free weights and treadmills. GCIT currently lets the public pay a membership fee and use the pool and fitness rooms at certain times.
GCIT currently offers many sports but however, it does not offer football. However, a football field is part of a considered expansion to the school in the future. Currently, students who want to play football or a sport GCIT does not offer is permitted to play in their home district's team. However, GCIT is adding new sports to their Athletics department as more students enroll into GCIT.
In addition, GCIT has the Bankbridge Career Center offered towards GCIT Students. Students attending Bankbridge school operate this center. However, the Bankbridge Career Center is actually a Wawa
. The Bankbridge Career Center offers just about everything found in a normal Wawa besides carbonated beverages since it is illegal to sell carbonated beverages in a school during school hours in the state of New Jersey.
GCIT is also involved in many community projects and charities. GCIT often participates in fundraising during Hurricane Katrina, the March of Dimes, Autism Speaks, etc. In addition, the HOSA club does an annual blood drive for the American Red Cross.
SBYS is trained to counsel over a wide variety of topics such as drugs, stress, depression, sexual orrientation, family problems, and more. SBYS also organizes recreational activities for the students of GCIT.
On February 12, 2008 the groundbreaking ceremony for this expansion project was conducted. This expansion is due to for opening fall 2010.
For the first time since 2001, GCIT just started a student run school newspaper for the school year of 2006-2007. The title of the newspaper changed from The Big Picture to Cheetah on the Spot. Cheetah on the Spot is now also in color unlike The Big Picture.
Cheetah on the Spot is also different from The Big Picture in the sense that issues can be downloaded from the Internet. You can download issues here: Cheetah on the Spot
| publisher = The Courier-Post
}} – Scholar search
| publisher = The Courier-Post
}} – Scholar search}}
Vocational school
A vocational school , providing vocational education, is a school in which students are taught the skills needed to perform a particular job...
public high school in Sewell
Sewell, New Jersey
Sewell is an unincorporated area within Mantua Township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. Sewell also refers to part of Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey, which is not part of Mantua Township. Locals refer to the Sewell part of Mantua as Old Sewell...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, as part of the Gloucester County Vocational-Technical School District
Gloucester County Vocational-Technical School District
The Gloucester County Vocational-Technical School District is a vocational public school district serving the vocational and educational needs of public high school in grades 9 to 12 and of adult students in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States....
. GCIT is in a transition period currently from a part-time high school to a full-time high school. GCIT currently offers eight full time academies, two part time academies and four academies geared for Special Education. Students must apply and get selected to go into GCIT. GCIT currently picks the top 26 in each academy based from grades in the 7th and 8th grade, state standardized test scores, and attendance.
As of the 2007-08 school year, the school had an enrollment of 889 students and 62.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.3.
Full time academies
There are several full time academies and school that are offered in GCIT to incoming freshmen. GCIT has recently redone its list of offered Academies. The list of the academies offered before the 2007-2008 school year and academies offered for the 2007-2008 school year is listed below.| Academies as of 2007 | Academies before 2007 |
|---|---|
| Academy of Allied Health and Medical Science | Academy of Allied Health and Medical Science |
| Academy of Finance and Business Management | Academy of Business and Information Technology |
| Academy of IT & Digital communications | School of Performing Arts (Dance) |
| School of Performing Arts (Dance and Drama) | school of Performing Arts (Drama) |
| School of Culinary Arts | School of Culinary Arts |
| School of Transportation Technology | School of Transportation Technology |
| School of Construction Technology | School of Construction Technology |
| Cosmetology | Cosmetology |
The last four academies are considered career-technical academies while the first four academies are academy programs. In addition, each academy would accept 26 students per class for the 2007-2008 school year. Before this school year, 25 kids were accepted per academy.
For the 2010-2011 school year, a new school will be offered to students: The School of Health Science Careers. This program is similar to the Academy of Allied Health and Medical Sciences.
Other academies
However, unlike the full time academies, part time academies are offered towards seniors only who are not a part of the other full time academies at GCIT. GCIT also offers academies for Special Education. Those academies are listed below (as of 2007)| Part-Time Academies | Special Education Academies |
|---|---|
| Law Enforcement | Automotive Services |
| Fire Safety | Building Maintenance |
| Commercial Food | |
| Graphics Technology |
GCIT also offers courses for adults in the night hours.
Academics
For the 2010-2011 school year, GCIT will begin offering Honors classes for all Academy students. All Career-Technical students will also be bumped up to College Prep (CP) courses.In 2009, GCIT's HSPA scores were 85% in Language Arts Literacy and 74% in Math. These percentages represent the students who scored Proficient or above on the test.
GCIT offers many world-language courses. Currently, GCIT offers courses in Spanish, Latin, Italian, and French. Two years of a language are required to graduate, but 4 levels of Spanish, Latin, and Italian and 3 levels of French are offered at GCIT.
GCIT offers several electives but the majority of the electives are taken only at the senior year. Students can also choose from 5 Gloucester County College
Gloucester County College
Gloucester County College is an accredited, co-educational, two-year, public , community college located in Sewell, Gloucester County, New Jersey, USA. It was established in 1966 and has of grounds...
courses instead of taking an elective. The tuition for these courses will be paid by the district, but students are responsible for books and other expenses. GCIT currently offers College Personal Finance (which is now a graduation requirement beginning with the class of 2013), General Psychology, Principles of Sociology, College Calculus I, and English Composition 101 to students in their junior and senior years.
GCIT also offers extracurricular clubs like in most high schools. The difference is that GCIT does not have connections to provide after-school busing like most schools, so clubs occur during the day. On Wednesday, all periods are shortened to provide 1 hour for students to go to a club. GCIT offers a variety of clubs from crocheting club to fitness club, from French club to robotics club. There's bound to be one that interests every student. Check out the club list here: GCIT Clubs
GCIT takes more of an oral approach to teaching. Homework, tests, and written "busy" work are uncommon. Instead, teachers focus on group discussions, projects, and research papers.
APA research paper
All students in College Prep (CP) and Honors classes at GCIT must complete an APA research paper for each class. To assist students in creating APA research papers, GCIT Staff wrote an APA manual that students can download. This manual is available on GCIT's website or by the following link. GCIT's APA Manual (2004)Athletics
GCIT is one of nineteen member schools in the Tri-County Conference, which is composed of schools whose enrollments vary greatly for grades 9-12. The smallest one, Clayton High SchoolClayton Middle/High School
Clayton Middle/High School are a comprehensive community middle school / public high school that serves students in seventh through twelfth grades from Clayton, in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Clayton Public Schools....
, has 249 students enrolled whereas the largest one, Williamstown, has 1,343 students.
The Cheetahs is the current name of all GCIT's sporting teams. Although many of the teams are relatively new, some have had great success. Recently, GCIT’s Varsity Softball Team successfully defended the NJTAC State Competition by defeating Sussex County Technical School
Sussex County Technical School
Sussex County Technical School is a county-wide technical public high school in Sussex County, New Jersey, as part of the Sussex County Vocational School District and is located in Sparta Township. It is the home of the McNeice Auditorium and the Fighting Mustangs...
, 22-1.
In addition, GCIT's boy soccer team made the New Jersey state playoffs for the last 2 years. GCIT's boy tennis team also made it over .500 for the first time this season, finishing with a 7-6 record.
GCIT offers many sporting teams to its full-time academy, a list of those teams is provided below.
| Boys Teams | Girls Teams | Co-Ed Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Varsity and JV Soccer | Varsity and JV Soccer | Cross Country: Varsity Boys and Varsity Girls |
| Varsity and JV Volleyball | Varsity and JV Volleyball | Bowling: Varsity and JV Boys, Varsity and JV Girls, and Varsity Co-Ed |
| Varsity and JV Tennis | Varsity Tennis | Swimming: Varsity Boys, Varsity Girls, and Varsity Co-Ed |
| Varsity, JV, and FR Basketball | Varsity, JV, and FR Basketball | Cheerleading: Varsity Boys, Varsity Girls, and Varsity Co-Ed |
| Varsity and JV Baseball | Varsity, JV, and FR Softball | Golf: Varsity Boys, Varsity Girls, and Varsity Co-Ed |
| Varsity Diving | Varsity Diving | |
| Varsity and JV Field Hockey |
GCIT is the only school in Gloucester County
Gloucester County, New Jersey
Gloucester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 288,288. Its county seat is Woodbury....
that has an Olympic sized swimming pool. GCIT also has a fitness room with many equipment including free weights and treadmills. GCIT currently lets the public pay a membership fee and use the pool and fitness rooms at certain times.
GCIT currently offers many sports but however, it does not offer football. However, a football field is part of a considered expansion to the school in the future. Currently, students who want to play football or a sport GCIT does not offer is permitted to play in their home district's team. However, GCIT is adding new sports to their Athletics department as more students enroll into GCIT.
Community involvement and services
GCIT is heavily involved into the community and provides services to the public.Community
GCIT offers several services to the public. For example, the Cosmetology academy offers a salon while the Culinary Arts academy provides a bakery.In addition, GCIT has the Bankbridge Career Center offered towards GCIT Students. Students attending Bankbridge school operate this center. However, the Bankbridge Career Center is actually a Wawa
Wawa
Wawa may refer to:*Water Authority of Western Australia*Wawa Food Markets, a convenience store/gas station chain in the United States*Wawa or Triplochiton scleroxylon, an African tree*Chinook Jargon, also known as "the Wawa" or Chinuk Wawa...
. The Bankbridge Career Center offers just about everything found in a normal Wawa besides carbonated beverages since it is illegal to sell carbonated beverages in a school during school hours in the state of New Jersey.
GCIT is also involved in many community projects and charities. GCIT often participates in fundraising during Hurricane Katrina, the March of Dimes, Autism Speaks, etc. In addition, the HOSA club does an annual blood drive for the American Red Cross.
School Based Youth Services
School Based Youth Services (SBYS) offers free counseling for teenagers between the ages of 13-19 who lives in Gloucester County. They also provide counseling for their family members as well. SBYS is open from 8 AM to 8 PM on Mondays to Thursdays and 8 AM to 3 PM on FridaysSBYS is trained to counsel over a wide variety of topics such as drugs, stress, depression, sexual orrientation, family problems, and more. SBYS also organizes recreational activities for the students of GCIT.
One Stop Youth Center
The One Stop Youth Center (OSYC) provides GED test preparation to out-of-school teens in Gloucester County. They work with teens between the ages of 16-21. They also allow students to go on recreational trips, community services, etc. The One Stop Youth Center is open from 8 AM to 4 PM Mondays to Thursdays. The One Stop Youth Center provides a monetary reward each week for meeting their educational and attendance objectives.Administration
GCIT and Bankbridge (A school for the disabled) are both joined into the Gloucester County Special Services School District. The GCSSSD is number 1 in the state for the lowest administrative costs per student. This permits each district to share the same administrative team to save money. The GCSSSD schools is now third out of 21 vocational schools in New Jersey in terms of cost per student.Recent changes
GCIT is an evolving school with many new events taking place. As the school grew in amount of incoming students, the school also grew physically and in services being provided. GCIT is one of the top schools in the area and should be a standard for all learning centers in the country.Expansion
GCIT recently passed a $10 million dollar expansion project. This expansion calls for a 30630 square feet (2,845.6 m²) connecting wing to connect 2 current separate wings. This would create about 2 science rooms, 13 classrooms, group instruction rooms, and 2 shops. (Auto/Diesel shop and Auto paint shop). This expansion project also involves the construction of 1 cosmetology lab and the movement of a marine lab to another location of the building.On February 12, 2008 the groundbreaking ceremony for this expansion project was conducted. This expansion is due to for opening fall 2010.
School newspaper
Cheetah on the Spot is also different from The Big Picture in the sense that issues can be downloaded from the Internet. You can download issues here: Cheetah on the Spot
External links
| publisher = The Courier-Post
The Courier-Post
The Courier-Post is a morning daily newspaper that serves South Jersey near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While based in Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey, United States, it serves most of Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties....
}} – Scholar search
| publisher = The Courier-Post
The Courier-Post
The Courier-Post is a morning daily newspaper that serves South Jersey near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While based in Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey, United States, it serves most of Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties....
}} – Scholar search}}