Bethlehem Central High School

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Bethlehem Central High School is a public high school in Delmar, New York, just south of Albany. It serves students in grades 9–12 from the towns of Bethlehem and New Scotland and is part of the Bethlehem Central School District. The campus is located at 700 Delaware Avenue. The principal is David Doemel, Jr. About 1,630 students were enrolled in 2016–17 with roughly 98 full‑time teachers, for a student‑to‑teacher ratio of about 16 to 1. The school colors are orange and black and the mascot is the Eagle. They compete in the Suburban Council and Section II as a Class AA school.

Bethlehem Central High School has roots dating back to the early 20th century. The current Delmar campus opened in 1954 after outgrowing the original building on Kenwood Avenue, which now houses the district’s middle school while still bearing the Bethlehem Central High School name.

In 2006, the district banned hats, hoods, bandannas, and handkerchiefs at school because these items could be used as gang symbols. The policy sparked student protests and a large petition. In 2024, a Halifax, Canada teen made 12 threatening phone calls to the school as part of swatting attempts to disrupt classes.

Academically, the school is known for its strong competition teams. The Science Bowl team won regional titles many times, earning trips to the national competition in Washington, DC, from 2006 through 2019 and again in 2021. The Science Olympiad team has also performed well, winning regional events and placing ninth at the New York State competition in 2021. The Masterminds team has won several state championships, including five years in a row from 2013 to 2017. The History Bowl team has consistently placed well at national championships since 2012, though the team is not funded by the school. Bethlehem students have also had success in all‑subject Quizbowl events.

The school supports a broad athletics program, with more than 20 sports across three seasons. The district is part of the New York State Athletic Association and competes as a Class AA school in Section II, within the Suburban Scholastic Council’s gold division. In 2006, funding for ice hockey, cheerleading, and gymnastics was cut, but community fundraising restored those programs in 2007. Highlights include the boys’ soccer team reaching the state Final Four in 2006, strong performances by the girls’ swim team, and later successes like the boys’ ice hockey team winning the Section II title in 2018 and 2019. The boys’ tennis team won the Section II title in 2024, and the girls’ tennis team won back-to-back sectional titles in 2021 and 2022, with the 2021 team finishing third in New York State and the 2022 team finishing second.

Within the high school is the Lab School of Bethlehem Central High School, a “school within a school” started in 1992. It offers internship experiences for juniors and seniors, with journals and a year-end project, plus field trips and special trips abroad every two years focused on topics like marine biology. The Lab School emphasizes hands‑on learning and real‑world experience.