The Long Island Rail Road's Port Jefferson Branch bounds the school to the south.

After World War II, servicemen returning from overseas brought tremendous population growth to suburban Long Island.

[4][5] The overcrowding problem was finally remedied with the construction of a new Northport High School on Laurel Hill Road.

A unique feature of the school building is the large open area, called the Commons, that visitors enter into immediately from the main entrance.

There is a balcony on the north side, providing access to the school's administrative offices and counseling center.

The Commons is also a favorite hangout of NHS students who congregate there before and after school, during lunch and free periods.

In each corner lies the "wells," partially enclosed recessed areas where students can catch up on work, socialize or relax.

A smaller (Little) theater frequently used by drama classes is located just beyond the commons to the northeast, as are two gyms (large and small) to the southwest.

Beyond the library on the east side of the building (in the L wing) is another, albeit considerably smaller open area, known as the Small Commons.

The old weight room was remade into two health infusion classrooms, and a section was added onto the Small Gym.

Advance Placement (AP) courses are offered in all the five core departments of English, foreign languages, mathematics, sciences and social studies.

Many students avail themselves of the chance to explore and excel at all different types of music ranging from voice, band, orchestra, composition, etc.

For example, AOF members learn accounting, finance, marketing and management with the opportunity to earn college credit.

Like in the AOF, AOIT students may receive college credit and a paid internship usually just before senior year.

Participatory Awareness Through Community Help (PATCH) was created by Thomas J. O'Donnell in 1969 in hope of educating more students about the Constitution and United States history and civics.

One of PATCH's electives, Constitutional Law, supplements the regular New York State eleventh grade American history curriculum and remains popular to this day.

The society's most notable event is A Midwinter Nights Dream which has raised $2,500,000 toward research for a cure for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).