Linden High School is a comprehensive community public high school located in Linden in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as the lone secondary school of the Linden Public Schools. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1928.Linden High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed July 23, 2011.
As of the 2024–25 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,934 students and 142.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.6:1. There were 1,119 students (57.9% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 186 (9.6% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for Linden High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed January 15, 2026.
Linden High School has been an IB World School since July 2001, offering students the IB Diploma Programme.Linden High School, International Baccalaureate Organization. Accessed May 1, 2008.
History Linden High School opened for start of the 1910–11 school year, with a graduating class that included three students.Linden High School, City of Linden. Accessed April 13, 2022. "Linden High School is in the city of Linden that is a diverse community that is located about fifteen miles away from New York City. In September 1910, Linden High School began its operation as an academic institution, with three students graduating that year." The high school had been located in School No. 1 until a standalone high school building opened to students in 1925, with expansions made to the original building in 1931 and 1960. A plaque in the school honors Lida M. Ebbert, who was the school's principal from when it was established in 1910 until she retired in 1952.Russell, Suzanne C. "Comfort Zone; Linden High School principal is back at the school where she began teaching almost 20 years ago", Courier News, October 26, 2007. Accessed April 13, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "She is the first woman to hold the position since Lida M. Ebbert served as the principal from 1910 to 1952. A plaque in the high school was dedicated to Ebbert in 1960."Yeats, Lauren Pancurak. Linden, New Jersey, pp. 73-74. Arcadia Publishing, 2002. . Accessed April 13, 2022. "Because of the overcrowding at School No. 1, it was decided that a separate high school shpuld be built, so land was purchased on St. Georges Avenue between Ainsworth and Summit Streets. The cornerstone was laid on October 10, 1924, and the school opened in 1925... Lida M. Hubbert became the principal in 1910 while the high school students were still housed at School No. 1. She was in charge of the entire school system as well, which, at that time, included just 24 students of high-school age. Ebbert and the students moved into the new Linden High School in 1925, and Ebbert was the Linden High School principal until 1952. In 1967, the school was renamed the Lida M. Ebbert Linden High School in her honor. Following Ebbert's death in 1980, a group of her former students and associates contributed to a fund to perpetuate her memory. Her name, in bronze letters, was placed above the front entrance to the school."
Awards, recognition and rankings The school was the 253rd-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 326th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 284th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed September 11, 2012. The magazine ranked the school 299th in 2008 out of 316 schools.Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed July 23, 2011. The school was ranked 293rd 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.
Athletics The Linden High School TigersLinden High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. 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).League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. With 1,202 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. Prior to the 2010 realignment, the school had participated in the Watchung Conference, which included public high schools in Essex, Hudson and Union counties., Watchung Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 7, 2011. Accessed December 16, 2014. The football team competes in Division 4 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 V North for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 1,317 to 5,409 students.NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
The boys' track team won the Group III spring / outdoor track state championship in 1941.NJSIAA Spring Track Summary of Group Titles Boys, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2021.
The boys' baseball team won the Group IV state championship in 1979 (against Middletown High School South in the final game of the tournament), and won the Group III title in 1981 (vs. Moorestown High School) and 1982 (vs. Freehold Township High School).Baseball Championship History: 1959–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. The 1979 team finished the season with an 18-6 record after winning the Group IV title with a 2-1 victory on a run scored in the bottom of the ninth in the championship game against Middletown South.Graham, Tony. "Middletown South Beaten by Linden", Asbury Park Press, June 10, 1979. Accessed June 14, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Middletown South High School is still suffering NJSIAA pains.... Yesterday, it was the baseball's team turn for heartbreak in a nine-inning 2-1 loss to Linden in an NJSIAA Group IV championship struggle at Mercer County Park. Linden senior Lou Wisnowski, just recently back in action after suffering a shoulder separation, separated the Eagles (18-9-1) from their title dreams and gave the Tigers (18-6) their first NJSIAA baseball crown."
The football team won the North II Group III state sectional title in 1985 and the North II Group V title in 2014.NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022. In 2014, the team defeated Elizabeth High School by a score of 27–20 in the tournament final to win the North II Group V championship.Kratch, James. "Juwan Dolbrice leads Linden to first title in 29 years with win over Elizabeth in North 2 Group 5 final", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 7, 2014. Accessed December 26, 2016. "Juwan Dolbrice returned a kickoff 75 yards for the game-winning touchdown when Linden defeated Elizabeth, 27-20, in the NJSIAA/SportsCare Institute North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 final Saturday evening at MetLife Stadium.... The victory ends a 29-year championship drought for Linden, which was playing in its first sectional final since it won North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 in 1985 for the only sectional crown in school history prior to Saturday night." The school's rivalry with Union High School, with games played on Thanksgiving Day (or the day before Thanksgiving) for more than 75 years, was listed at 13th on NJ.com's 2017 list "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football". Union leads the rivalry with a 37–32–5 overall record as of 2017.Stypulkoski, Matt. "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 27, 2017, updated May 15, 2019. Accessed December 1, 2020. "13-Linden vs. Union - This will be the 75th time these Union County rivals will meet, though the Thanksgiving Day rivalry has been moved to the day before Thanksgiving.... All-time series: Union leads Linden, 37-32-5"
The boys' bowling team won the overall state championship in 1988 and the Group III title in 2020.History of NJSIAA Boys Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 1, 2022.
The girls' basketball team won the Group IV state title in 1992 (vs. Piscataway High School), 1993 (vs. East Brunswick High School) and 1994 (vs. Washington Township High School).Girls Basketball Championship History: 1919–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated March 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. The 1993 team won the Group IV title with a 71-55 win against East Brunswick in the championship game.via Associated Press. "West Side whips No 1 Egg Harbor in Group III final; Anthony's 25 points pace stunning upset by Roughriders.", Asbury Park Press, March 17, 1993. Accessed January 13, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Linden 71, East Brunswick 55: Forward Tamecka Dixon scored 33 points and grabbed 18 rebounds as the Tigers defended their Group IV title with a victory over the Bears at Monmouth College. Forward Simone Gilliam and guard Raqia Johnson combined for 31 points for the Tigers (26-1). Senior forward Jan Przystup had 25 points and 10 rebounds for East Brunswick (26-4)." The 1994 team won the Group IV title with a 58-52 win against a Washington Township team that came into the championship game undefeated.Chessari, Joe. "Linden has a bigger goal in mind", The Record, March 14, 1994. Accessed January 21, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Linden won another Group 4 girls basketball championship Sunday afternoon, but the Tigers are saving the real party for next week. The Tigers (22-2) hope to use their 58-52 victory over previously unbeaten Washington Township at the Dunn Center as a preamble to a Tournament of Champions title."