Since the 1970s, Governor Livingston has provided programs for deaf, hard of hearing and cognitively-impaired students in the district and those who are enrolled from all over north-central New Jersey who attend on a tuition basis.
In November 1953, voters approved a $1.95 million bond referendum that included funds to purchase a site in Berkeley Heights for a third high school.
In April 1957, voters approved a $3.8 million bond referendum that included funds to construct a high school on the Berkeley Heights site.
The regional district's superintendent at the time was Dr. Warren Davis and Frederick Aho was the first principal of the high school.
[12] The school was built adjacent to an active Nike Missile Control Station in the Murray Hill section of Berkeley Heights which had opened in 1956; after the base was closed, the federal government gave the school district 6.3 acres (2.5 ha) of land that had been used for the defunct missile site.
[14] At Governor Livingston, the addition of an instructional media center and instrumental music room, and various renovations and expansions were completed by September 1973.
[15][16] The high school's namesake is William Livingston, the first Governor of New Jersey and a signatory of the United States Constitution.
[32] Governor Livingston has an extensive Deaf and Hard of Hearing program for students around Union County that has operated since 1976.
Teachers of the deaf instruct using total communication techniques and support is provided for students with cochlear implants.
[37][38] The Governor Livingston High School Highlanders[3] compete in the Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Union County and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).
The school fields teams in varsity, junior varsity, and freshman football, boys and girls soccer, cross country, cheerleading, wrestling, basketball, indoor and outdoor track, baseball, softball, golf, swimming, tennis, field hockey, bowling, lacrosse, fencing and ice hockey.
[46][47] In 2008, the football team qualified for the playoffs and reached the state sectional final, where it lost to James Caldwell High School at Giants Stadium by a score of 22–7.
[58] In 2018, the team ended the season 21-4 after having won the Group II state championship with a 3–2 win against Ramsey in the finals of the playoffs.
[60] The program won its second Group II state title in 2011 with a win in the finals against the West Essex High School Knights by a score of 8–2.
[61] In 2015, the team won its third Group II state championship with a 10–4 win in the tournament final against Bernards High School.
[62] In 2016, the baseball team captured their first ever Union County Tournament championship with a 3–2 win against Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.
[78] The 2 time State Champions fell to Morris Knolls at the Prudential Center in 2024 4-3, but came home with some hardware after defeating Manasquan 2-1, led by a goal on a penalty shot by Brady Silverman.
The first time they were crowned tri-champions in 2021, but in 2023, officially took the title home, beating Verona 12-5, led by 4 goals by All-Division leader Aidan Linde and Brett Peer with 3 assist.
The school has many clubs including foreign language clubs, drama, and various student outreach programs:[81] The Berkeley Heights local access cable channel (GLTV) Comcast: 34 / FiOS: 47 broadcasts from the Governor Livingston Television Studio; the station is run almost entirely by students with the help of a single adult advisor.