Belleville High School is a four-year comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Belleville, in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Operating as the lone secondary school of the Belleville School District, the school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1964.Belleville High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed January 15, 2020.
As of the 2024–25 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,590 students and 123.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.9:1. There were 921 students (57.9% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 190 (11.9% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for Belleville High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed January 15, 2026.
Awards, recognition and rankings The school was the 294th-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 160th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 214th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed December 1, 2012. The magazine ranked the school 2008 out of 316 schools.Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed April 12, 2011. The school was ranked 241st 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.
Schooldigger.com ranked the school 311th out of 376 public high schools statewide in its 2010 rankings (a decrease of 12 positions from the 2009 rank) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the language arts literacy and mathematics components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA)., Schooldigger.com. Accessed January 14, 2012.
Athletics The Belleville High School BuccaneersBelleville High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 4, 2015. compete in the Super Essex Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Essex 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. Until the NJSIAA's 2009 realignment, the school had participated in Division A of the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League, which included high schools located in Bergen County, Passaic County and Essex County.Home Page, Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 9, 2009. Accessed December 15, 2014. With 1,057 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.NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020. The football team competes in the Freedom White division of the North Jersey Super Football Conference, which includes 112 schools competing in 20 divisions, making it the nation's biggest football-only high school sports league.Cooper, Darren. "Here's what we know about the new Super Football Conference 2020 schedule", The Record, July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference (SFC) is a 112-team group, the largest high school football-only conference in America, and is comprised of teams from five different counties."Cooper, Darren. "NJ football: Super Football Conference revised schedules for 2020 regular season", The Record, July 23, 2020. Accessed March 22, 2021. "The Super Football Conference has 112 teams that will play across 20 divisions." The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group IV North for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 893 to 1,315 students.NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. The school colors are blue, white and gold.
The baseball team won the North II Group IV state sectional championship in 1965.Baseball Championship History: 1959–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated June 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
Administration The school's principal is Caleb Rhodes. His core administrative team includes four assistant principals.BHS Administration, Belleville High School. Accessed September 3, 2024.
Notable alumni
Chico Borja (1959–2021), soccer player and coachDenman, Elliott. "Cosmos going south after 2-1 win", Asbury Park Press, June 8, 1981. Accessed February 7, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "'I had many chances today," said Borja, who was born in Ecuador, came to the U.S. with his family at 14, and played his soccer at nearby Belleville High School and New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark." Ramiro Borja (born 1961), retired professional soccer player"NJAC tourney resumes today", Herald News, May 14, 1990. Accessed February 7, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "Former Belleville High School standout Ramiro Borja notched a goal and an assist in the first half to lead the Albany Capitals to a 2-0 win over the New Jersey Eagles in an American Professional Soccer League game at Bleecker Stadium in Albany Saturday night." Lonnie Bunch (born 1952, class of 1970), educator, historian and museum curator who became the Fourteenth Secretary of the Smithsonian in 2019 and was founding director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and CultureStaff. "Belleville resident in charge as newest Smithsonian museum opens", The Record, September 29, 2016. Accessed July 1, 2019. "A Belleville High School graduate was a major contributor to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture that opened this weekend in the nation’s capital. Dr. Lonnie Bunch, Belleville Class of 1970 and also a School No. 5 graduate, has served as the founding director of the museum since 2005." Kacy Catanzaro (born 1990), professional wrestler, gymnast and obstacle racerSchneider, Jeremy. "From N.J. to WWE: Kacy Catanzaro begins pro wrestling journey", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 30, 2018, updated January 30, 2019. Accessed November 12, 2020. "World Wrestling Entertainment announced on Jan. 18 that Catanzaro, a Belleville High School graduate who was born in Glen Ridge, has joined WWE's NXT, the organization's developmental system." Jack Cullen (born 1939), pitcher who played for the New York YankeesConstantino, Rocco. "Jack Cullen", Ball Nine, April 8, 2022. Accessed January 3, 2025. "Despite the fame that has come from the Essex County town, only one person has ever graduated from Belleville High School and gone on to play Major League Baseball. That man is Jack Cullen, who pitched for the Yankees in the 1960s, and he joins us for this week’s edition of Spitballin'." Robert Curvin (1934–2015, class of 1952), advocate for Newark, New Jersey, activist and historian, who had a key role in the 1967 Newark riotsCohen, Gilbert. "Preserving Memory: Newark and Rutgers in the 1960’s And 1970’s - Oral History Interview: Curvin, Robert, 1991-11-30", Rutgers University, November 30, 1991. Accessed February 18, 2022. "Curvin: Well, I went to high school in Belleville, New Jersey, and graduated in 1952. And a year after that I entered the US Army.""Four Belleville Men Receive Basic Training Assignments", The Belleville Times-News, August 14, 1953. Accessed February 18, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Donald C. Pissott, Anthony Corsi, Carmen Sorice Jr., and Robert Curvin, all of Belleville, have recently been assigned to the 9th Infantry Division for Basic Training at Fort Dix. Pissott, Sorice and Curvin are all former Belleville High School students." Phil Cuzzi (born 1955, class of 1973), Major League Baseball umpireLamberti, Mike. "Belleville grad/MLB umpire Cuzzi promoted", Belleville Times, February 12, 2015. Accessed October 30, 2016. "A 1973 graduate of Belleville High School, Cuzzi long dreamed of being an umpire, but didn't really begin that quest until nearly a decade after high school." The Delicates, singing group consisting of Denise Ferri, Arleen Lanzotti, and Peggy Santiglia from the Class of 1962Grushkin, Paul. Rockin' Down the Highway: The Cars and People That Made Rock Roll, p. 190. Voyageur Press, 2006. . Accessed June 5, 2011. Tommy DeVito (1936–2020), lead guitarist for The Four Seasons who dropped out of school following eighth grade to pursue his music career, but was named an honorary graduate of Belleville High School in 2007Fink, Jerry. "Vegas man knows 'Jersey Boys': Before Tommy DeVito came to town, he started the Four Seasons, gave Frankie Valli a platform", Las Vegas Sun, April 2, 2008. Accessed April 13, 2011. "He quit school after the eighth grade. (Belleville High made him an honorary graduate last year.)" Connie Francis (1937-2025, class of 1955), singerBondy, Halley. "Belleville to honor hometown girl, the resilient Connie Francis", The Star-Ledger, October 22, 2009. Accessed April 13, 2011. "Francis graduated from Belleville High School in 1955. Her first hit, 'Who's Sorry Now?' took off in 1958 after airing on Dick Clark's American Bandstand." David Grant (born 1965; class of 1983), defensive end for six NFL seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Green Bay PackersLamberti, Mike. "Buc Shots: Belleville High grad David Grant reflects on Super Bowl experience", Belleville Times, February 4, 2016. Accessed July 1, 2019. "David Grant, a 1983 Belleville High School graduate, recalls his experience playing in Super Bowl XXIII against NFL Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Jerry Rice." Fred Paul Partus (born 1943), inventor and engineer known for his contributions to the development of optical fiber manufacturing and rocket engine diagnostics"First BHS, Then College, And Now The World, Say These Rutgers Grads", The Belleville Times-News, June 30, 1966. Accessed November 17, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "Fred P. Partus 157 Fairway Ave. Bachelor of Science" Joe Pesci (born 1943), Academy Award-winning actorCongressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of Congress, Volume 136, Part 22, p. 32597, United States Government Printing Office, 1990. Accessed July 1, 2019. "Mr. Speaker, it is obvious from his many accomplishments that Joe Pesci has come a long way since his days singing and playing guitar at Belleville High School." Joel A. Pisano (1949–2021), United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey from 2000 to 2001Alvarado, Monsy. "Joel A. Pisano, retired federal judge who presided over high-profile cases, dies at 71", The Record, February 28, 2021. Accessed March 2, 2021. "A New Jersey native, Pisano was the son of Salvatore Pisano, who died in 1992, and Rita W. Bergonzi Pisano, who died in 2009. He attended Belleville High School and graduated from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, in 1971 before attending Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark." Ron San Fillipo (1942–2024, class of 1960), athletic director and athletics coach