Plainfield High School is a comprehensive community four-year public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Plainfield, in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The school is part of the Plainfield Public School District, one of New Jersey's 31 former Abbott districts.Abbott School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Access June 1, 2016. Plainfield High School was established in 1857, making it the second-oldest high school in New Jersey.
As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 2,145 students and 129.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 16.6:1. There were 1,473 students (68.7% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 190 (8.9% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for Plainfield High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.
History For a period of time before the opening of Dunellen High School, students from Dunellen had attended the school as part of a sending/receiving relationship.Triolo, John; and Marren-Licht, Liz. Dunellen, p. 8. Arcadia Publishing, 2012. . Accessed February 24, 2025. "In 1935, an addition provided five more classrooms, a science laboratory, and a gymnasium. When completed, it was renamed Dunellen High School. From 1906 to 1925, Dunellen's high school students attended Plainfield High School, and from 1925 to 1935, they attended Bound Brook High School."
Awards, recognition and rankings The school was the 318th-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 280th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 307th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed September 12, 2012. The magazine ranked the school 293rd in 2008 out of 316 schools.Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed March 18, 2011. The school was ranked 307th 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 Plainfield High School CardinalsPlainfield 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. Before the 2010 realignment, the school had competed in the Watchung Conference, a high school sports association that included public high schools in Essex, Hudson and Union counties., Watchung Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 9, 2009. Accessed November 23, 2014. With 1,553 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. The football team competes in Division 5A 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.
Plainfield's football rivalry with Westfield High School dates back to 1900, making it one of the oldest active public high school football rivalry in the state., Mitchell & Ness. Accessed February 3, 2021, backed up by the Internet Archive as of November 25, 2016. "NJ: Westfield High School - Westfield, NJ vs. Plainfield High School - Plainfield, NJ since 1900 overall record of 57-45-7" The rivalry with Westfield was listed at 17th on NJ.com's 2017 list "Ranking the 31 fiercest rivalries in N.J. HS football". Westfield leads the rivalry with a 60-45-7 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. "17-Plainfield vs. Westfield... This rivalry has more history than just about any other — the two teams will meet for the 113th time this season, making it the second-longest Thanksgiving rivalry in the state behind Vineland and Millville.... All-time series: Westfield leads Plainfield, 60-45-7"
The boys track team won the Group IV spring / outdoor track state championship in 1947, 1950, 1951, 1959-1961, 1980 and 2009. The 11 group titles won by the program are tied for fifth-most in the state.NJSIAA Boys Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
The boys track team won the indoor track all-group state championship in 1953, and won the Group IV title in 1960, 1962-1964, 1975 (as co-champion), 1980-1982 and 2009; the boys program's nine group titles are tied for sixth in the state.Boys Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1922-2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024. The girls team won the Group IV title in 1982, 1985, 1992, 1993 (as co-champion), 1999; the five group titles won by the girl's program is tied for seventh-most among New Jersey schools.Girls Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1922-2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024.
The boys cross country running team won the Group IV state championship in 1957 and 1959.NJSIAA Boys Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
The boys track team won the winter track Meet of Champions in 1975, 1980 and 1981.NJSIAA Winter Track Previous Team Meet of Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
The boys' basketball team won the Group IV state championship in 1976 (defeating Neptune High School in the tournament final), 1983 (vs. Trenton Central High School), 2011 (vs. Burlington Township High School) and 2012 (vs. Neptune).NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020. Down by nine points early in the fourth quarter of the championship game, the 1972 team came back to tie Neptune in regulation and win the Group IV title 75-72 in overtime."Plainfield ends Neptune streak", The Record, March 21, 1976. Accessed February 1, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "A fourth-quarter slowdown by Neptune backfired yesterday and Plainfield rallied to beat the previously undefeated Fliers, 75-72, in overtime and win the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 4 title.... Neptune took a 59-50 lead early in the fourth-quarter and went to a four-corners offense in an attempt to hold it But the Cardinals rallied with a 10-3 spurt to cut the deficit to 62-60." The team won the 2004 North II, Group IV state sectional championship, defeating Elizabeth High School 47–42 in the final.2004 Boys Basketball - North II, Group IV, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed April 26, 2007. The 2012 team came back from a five-point deficit at the half to win the Group III title with a 58–48 defeat of Neptune in the championship game played at the Pine Belt Arena."Neptune (48) at Plainfield (58), NJSIAA Group Tournament, Final Round, Group 3 - Boys Basketball", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, March 10, 2012, updated August 25, 2019. Accessed February 3, 2021. "Plainfield, No. 4 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, staged a fourth-quarter comeback to earn a 58-48 victory over Neptune in the NJSIAA/ShopRite Group 3 final before an overflow crowd of more than 3,000 at Pine Belt Arena in Toms River. It was the second straight Group 3 title and third overall for Plainfield (28-3), the North Jersey, Section 2 winner, which also earned Group 4 titles in 1976 and '83 and won Group 3 last season." The squad advanced to the NJISAA Tournament of Champions final in 2011 and 2012, both times losing to national private school powerhouse St. Anthony High School. Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley called Plainfield, "the best basketball community in New Jersey." , Courier News, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 29, 2012.
The boys' track team won the Group IV state indoor relay championship in 1980 and 1981 (as co-champion with Trenton Central High School). The girls' track team won the title in 1981, 1985, 1986 and 1991; the four titles won by the girls track team is tied for tenth-most statewide.History of the NJSIAA Indoor Relay Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
The girls' outdoor track and field team won the Group IV state championship in 1982, 1985, 1986, 1991 and 1993.NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
Administration The school's principal is Shadin Belal. The core administration team includes five vice principals.Principal's Corner, Plainfield High School. Accessed December 22, 2024.
Notable alumni
Ernest Robinson Ackerman (1863-1931), represented in the United States House of Representatives from 1919 to 1931.Ernest R. Ackerman, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 16, 2008. Charlie Bicknell (1928-2013), pitcher who played in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies.Charlie Bicknell, Baseball Almanac. Accessed January 9, 2021. "Born In: Plainfield, New Jersey... High School: Plainfield High School (Plainfield, NJ)" Joe Black (1924-2002), first African American pitcher to win a World Series game, in 1952.Goldstein, Richard. "Joe Black, Pitching Pioneer for the Dodgers, Dies at 78", The New York Times, May 18, 2002. Accessed September 12, 2012. "Black was born in Plainfield, N.J., where he was an all-around athlete in high school."McKenzie, Doug. "South River's Pearson to be inducted to N.J. Hall of Fame" , East Brunswick Sentinel, February 7, 2001. Accessed October 8, 2007. "Also on this year's list of inductees are Joe Black, a Plainfield High School graduate who became the first African-American pitcher to win a World Series game" Jon Bramnick (born 1953), politician, who is a member of the New Jersey General Assembly and has served as Minority Leader of the Assembly since 2012.Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick, New Jersey Assembly Republicans. Accessed September 12, 2015. "Bramnick grew up in Plainfield and graduated from Plainfield High School."