As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,207 students and 98.2 classroom teachers (on an
FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio of 12.3:1. There were 270 students (22.4% of enrollment) eligible for
free lunch and 116 (9.6% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]
The school colors are red and white. The school
mascot is the
cardinal.[2]
History
Lawrence High School opened in 1966 and celebrated its 50th anniversary in the 2016–2017 school year.[7]
The school was the 102nd-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 305 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2018 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools"[11] The school had previously been ranked in the top 75 and 100 in previous years' rankings.[12]
The Lawrence High School Cardinals[2] compete in the
Colonial Valley Conference, which is comprised of public and private schools in Mercer County and operates under the supervision of the
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[22] With 842 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.[23] The football team competes in the Valley Division of the 94-team
West Jersey Football League superconference[24][25] and was classified by the NJSIAA as Group III South for football for 2022–2024, which included schools with 680 to 889 students.[26] The school's most successful teams include football, golf, wrestling, soccer, swimming, diving, tennis, softball, cheerleading and cross-country.
The school participates as the host school / lead agency in a joint ice hockey team with
Ewing High School and
Hightstown High School. The co-op program operates under agreements scheduled to expire at the end of the 2023–24 school year.[27]
The boys' soccer team won the Group II state championship in 1967 (defeating
Northern Highlands Regional High School in the tournament final), 1969 (vs.
Morris Knolls High School), 1970 (vs.
Shore Regional High School), 1971 (vs.
Point Pleasant Borough High School), 1973 and 1975 (vs.
Garfield High School both years), 1980 (vs.
Governor Livingston High School) and 1994 (vs.
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School), and won the Group III state title in 1968 (vs.
Glen Rock High School); The nine state championships are tied for eighth-most of any program statewide and the streak of five consecutive titles from 1967 to 1971 is the longest for any public school.[28][29] The program won its first state title in 1967 with a 3–2 win against Northern Highlands in the Group II championship game.[30] The 1968 team finished the season with a record of 15-2-3 after winning the Group III title with a 2–1 win against Glen Rock in the championship game played at
Princeton University.[31] A 4–1 win against Garfield in the 1973 Group II championship led the team to a season record of 15-3-1.[32]
The football team was undefeated in 1973. The 1974 football team, featuring future NFL quarterback
Scott Brunner, was overshadowed by a defensive unit that had eight shutouts and only allowed six points all year, with a record of 8-0-1, as part of a three-year undefeated stretch from 1972 to 1974 in the pre-playoff era where the team won 21 games and had one tie.[33] The football team won the Colonial Valley Conference titles in 2004, 2005 and 2006. In 2006, the team made it to the state playoffs as the top seed, only to be knocked off by 8th-seeded
Moorestown High School at home 19–14 in the first round of the tournament.[34] In 2007, the team made it to state playoffs once again but were defeated by Middletown South at home in the first round, 16–6. The football team won the WJFL Patriot division title in 2013, made the state playoffs and defeated
Allentown High School and
Carteret High School to advance to the Central Jersey Group III Championship where they were defeated by
Hopewell Valley Central High School.[35]
The girls spring / outdoor track team was the Group II state champion in 1979.[36]
The boys track team won the Group II winter / indoor track state championship in 1984 (as co-champion).[37] The girls team won the Group II state title in 1987.[38]
The boys swimming team won the Public Central B sectional title in 2000 and 2008.[39] The girls team won the Public Central A title in 2006.[40]
The wrestling team was the CVC Valley Division champions most recently in the 2003–04 season.[41]
The boys' track and field Team was the CVC Patriot Division champions in 2010, 2011 and co-champions in 2013. Lawrence Girls track and field team were the 2014 CVC Patriot Division Co-Champions.[42]
In 2012, the softball team won their first state sectional title in program history, winning the Central Jersey Group III title with a 3–2 win over
Manasquan High School.[43]
Lawrence High features clubs such as the Lawrence High School Theater Company, LMTI, Model Congress, Model UN, International Alliance, Yearbook, Student Ambassadors, Teen PEP, Peer Leadership, The Lawrence High School Gay-Straight Alliance, a student newspaper, and
Operation Smile. Lawrence High School also has a
DECA chapter and is active in the New Jersey Science Olympiad. The school's Debate team won the county championship in 2008. In 2017, a Game Design Club and an Engineering Club were founded by students. These clubs wrote a co-grant and received $8,437 for their grant to build computers and engineer a go-kart.
Lawrence High School's
mock trial team, led by history teacher Mark Rowe and local attorney Steve Goodell, has won 11 Mercer County Competitions and six Central Jersey Championships. The team also finished third in the state three times and second in the state three times over the past 14 years.[citation needed]
Lawrence High School's performing arts department includes instrumental and choral groups, a jazz band, and a marching band, the Red Scare.
The theater program is run by director Lorie Baldwin, also the educator in charge of theater classes.
"Red Scare" marching band
The Lawrence High School "Red Scare" Marching Band is the school's marching band, which provides entertainment at school football games, local parades, competitions and in cities across the country. The "Red Scare" was established in September 2001 by Eric Haltmeier and Lee Neamand. The band is under the direction of Michael Drobish. For the 2017–18 season, the band added a color guard to the band for the first time since 1989. The band is currently in the process of evolving into a traditional marching band, with new uniforms set to be added to the band for the 2018–19 season. The band competes in
USBands as a Group IA band.
Administration
The school's principal is David J. Adam. His core administration team includes three assistant principals and the director of athletics.[46]
^Dauer, Gillian; and Vanaprthi, Roja.
"Fiftieth Anniversary of L.H.S.", p. 7, The Lawrencian, Fall / Winter 2016.. Accessed December 31, 2020. "The 2016-2017 school year marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of Lawrence High School. Since 1966, Lawrence High School has been educating and preparing students. The school has put on several events to honor the 50th anniversary."
^Moslowski, Lee Anne.
"Washington students adjusting easily to Lawrence school", Messenger-Press, February 7, 1991. Accessed May 8, 2023, via
Newspapers.com. "The first year in the transfer of Washington Township students from Allentown High School to Lawrence High School is going smoothly, according to school officials in both districts. In September, Washington's ninth-graders began attending Lawrence as part of a phased withdrawal from Allentown that will be complete in 1993-94. Washington students attending Allentown before the current school year will remain there until they graduate.... Enrollment figures from December show 32 Washington freshmen attending Lawrence, with 48 sophomore, junior, and senior students still at Allentown. There are also a few students in grades 10, 11, and 12 who were sent to Lawrence this year for various reasons. Projections for next year indicate there will be 29 students at Allentown and 72 at Lawrence."
^Nussbaum, Debra.
"A Number Story", The New York Times, September 29, 2002. Accessed June 4, 2012. "In Washington Township, Mercer County, voters approved a bond issue in 2001 to build a high school in the district, which now sends its students to nearby Lawrence High School."
^Kilby, David.
"Cranbury: HHS alumni recalls how school used to be", CentralJersey.com, June 24, 2011. Accessed October 3, 2017. "Cranbury stopped sending its students to HHS in 1965, then it began sending its students to Hightstown-East Windsor High School. Cranbury students soon would go to Lawrence High School, then to Princeton High School, which is where they go today."
^Home Page,
West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023. "The WJFL is a 94-school super conference that stretches from Princeton to Wildwood encompassing schools from the Colonial Valley Conference, the Burlington County Scholastic League, the Olympic Conference, the Tri-County Conference, the Colonial Conference, and the Cape Atlantic League. The WJFL is made up of sixteen divisions with divisional alignments based on school size, geography and a strength-of-program component."
^Greco, Richard; and Deakyne, Brian.
"Which N.J. boys soccer programs have the most state titles?", NJ Advance Media for
NJ.com, October 24, 2019, updated June 14, 2020. Accessed December 31, 2020. "T7-Lawrence: Number of titles: 9; Championships: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980, 1994; Final appearances: 13"
^"Glen Rock Bows In Group 3 Tilt", The Record, December 1, 1968. Accessed December 31, 2020, via
Newspapers.com. "Glen Rock was bounced from the finals of the State soccer tourney Friday, 2-1, as Lawrence copped the Group 3 championship at Princeton University. The loss was only the second of the year for the Rockers, who won 15 games and tied one. Lawrence closed with a 15-2-3 mark."
^Simka, Red.
"Community Pressbox; Soccer Team Loses Finale - Lawrence 4, Garfield 1", The Messenger, November 29, 1973. Accessed January 14, 2021. "A 'Hearty Toast' to coach Nick Perrapato and his Boilermaker soccer team for their fine efforts on behalf of Garfield in the recently concluded state soccer tournament for Group Two schools. Garfield was a 4-1 loser to Lawrence High School in the finals of the tournament.... Lawrence, which had a season mark of 15-3-1, was appearing in the finals for the seventh consecu tive time."
^O'Gorman, George.
"Lawrence enjoying playoff success", The Trentonian, November 23, 2013. Accessed January 25, 2015. "Brunner was quarterback for the legendary Ed Shirk whose Lawrence teams from 1972-73-74, went 21-0-1. But there were no NJSIAA playoffs in those days, so the 8-0-1 team of '73 that posted eight shutouts, never got to play for a state title like these Cardinals will next month."
^Lewin, Joe.
"Softball Roundup: Lawrence High captures sectional title", The Times, June 1, 2012. Accessed March 19, 2013. "Yesterday in Manasquan, the Cardinals continued their run through the state tournament with a 3-2 victory over third-seeded Manasquan to claim the sectional title, the first in the history of the program, which dates back to the 1970s.
^"Lawrence continues program's historic run, wins Group 2 state title (PHOTOS/VIDEO)", NJ Advance Media for
NJ.com, May 22, 2019, updated August 22, 2019. "The first of the program-firsts for Lawrence's boys tennis team came long before the team arrived at Mercer County Park for the NJSIAA group semifinals and finals on Wednesday, but why stop? On the same day that the Cardinals clinched their first state-final appearance in program history, Lawrence, No. 16 in the NJ.com Top 20, took a step further in the afternoon by defeating Demarest, No. 15 in the ranking, 3-2 to take the Group 2 state championship for the program's first state group title."
^Staff.
"Author Ifa Bayeza Comes 'Home' At Library Reading and Book Signing", Town Topics, March 27, 2013. Accessed November 6, 2017. "Ifa Bayeza had a homecoming of sorts at Princeton Public Library on Friday night, March 22. The author, artist, playwright and professor, who was born in Trenton and graduated from Lawrence High School, read a selection of her latest book Some Sing, Some Cry, to an audience that included"
^Staff.
"Brackett Making Impact As Nittany Lions Receiver", Centre Daily Times, September 4, 2008. Accessed October 10, 2012. "Now the fourth receiver in an offense that routinely utilizes four-wide sets, the redshirt sophomore from Lawrenceville, NJ, poses a big problem for opposing defenses... Brackett threw for 46 touchdowns and ran for 23 more during his career at Lawrence High School...."
^"Lawrence singer Luke Elliot returns to local roots", Community News, February 28, 2018. Accessed January 10, 2020. "From an early age, Elliot found a love for creating music. He started taking piano lessons at eight years old and started writing songs at 13. A Lawrence High School graduate, Elliot went on to study English and literature at Mercer County Community College but left to pursue a career in music."
^Morgan, Scott.
"Ex-drummer and Lawrence native Pete Maloney settles into art career", Community News, July 28, 2017. Accessed October 3, 2017. "Maloney also grew up good friends with fellow Lawrence High School graduate Dan Lavery, who went on to play bass in the band Tonic (of 'If You Could Only See' fame) and get nominated for two Grammys."
^Soccer time at Moochie's fields Town to honor noted player, The Times, November 12, 2006, accessed April 21, 2007. "Myernick played soccer at both Slackwood Elementary and Lawrence High School. At Lawrence, he earned All-American honors and led his soccer team to three state championships."
^Vrentas, Jenny.
"Miami Dolphins draft former Monmouth tight end John Nalbone in the fifth round", The Star-Ledger, April 26, 2009. Accessed March 28, 2011. "Nalbone, a graduate of Lawrence High School, was a four-year starter for Monmouth and a Division I-AA All-American. His stock rose after he impressed in his Pro Day workouts with a 40 time in the 4.6 range, and he was hoping to sneak into the Draft's final rounds."
^Patricia Russo: Lucent's Best Hope?, Business Week, May 29, 2003. Today, with an optimism that's reminiscent of her days as captain of the cheerleading squad at Lawrence High School in New Jersey, Lucent's CEO contends that she can return the company to growth."
^Johnson, Greg.
"Lawrence High grad John Schneider rising in Blue Jays’ system as a manager", The Trentonian, April 10, 2018. Accessed December 5, 2018. "During John Schneider’s sixth season as a prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, his career in professional baseball took a twist.... Schneider, a 1998 Lawrence High graduate, is in his first season managing the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, who are in town until Wednesday to play the Thunder."
^Comic Jon Stewart to host benefit for former teacher, Princeton Packet by Helen Pettigrew, April 17, 2001. "Jon Stewart, the Lawrence High School alumnus who hosts the Comedy Central hit The Daily Show, will return to his alma mater April 28 as special guest host for a benefit concert honoring Selma Litowitz, his former English teacher who is afflicted with Parkinson's disease."
^Filichia, Peter.
"At Red Bank production of "Macbeth," there will be blood", The Star-Ledger, January 21, 2008. Accessed June 19, 2011. "Ironically, Teller likens his professional marriage to the Macbeths. He says of his 6-foot-6 partner -- who makes his own 5-foot-9 frame look minuscule -- 'Penn is my Lady Macbeth. I was here in New Jersey, teaching Latin at Lawrence High School (in Lawrence Township), when a mutual friend introduced us.'"