About Ichabod Crane Central School

WHERE WE'RE LOCATED
Nestled between the Catskill and Berkshire mountains, Ichabod Crane Central School District serves a population of 8,296 residents in northern Columbia and southern Rensselaer counties. The District's rural setting provides a relaxed quality of life for its residents, while its close proximity to New York's capital, Albany, 26 miles northeast, and to New York City, 120 miles south, offers easy access to major metropolitan areas. Washington Irving described the area as "...a little retired Dutch valley...where manners, and customs remain fixed..." and that atmosphere has remained. Irving modeled his character, Ichabod Crane, in the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow," after his good friend and then local school master, Jesse Merwin.

Steeped in history, the District is home to many unique sites such as Martin Van Buren National Historic Site and the Columbia County Historical Society, which maintains the Columbia County Museum, Vanderpoel House, Van Alen House and the 1920 Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse.

THEN AND NOW
The Ichabod Crane Central School District was formed in 1954, incorporating seven community schools into one centralized district. Currently there are five buildings, two are named for the district's favorite sons - Martin Van Buren and Martin H. Glynn. Van Buren, who made his home in Kinderhook, served as a New York state attorney general, vice president under Andrew Jackson, and as the eighth president of the United States. Glynn, raised in the village of Valatie, served as a U.S. representative, as well as the governor of New York from 1913 to 1915.

Ichabod Crane High School, located on Route 9 in the Town of Kinderhook, currently serves a population of approximately 701 students in grades 9 through 12. Ichabod Crane Middle School houses approximately 552 students in grades 6 through 8. The two elementary schools, Martin Van Buren (in the village of Kinderhook) and Martin H. Glynn (in the village of Valatie) serve students in grades 3 through 5. The Primary School is home to kindergarten through grade 3.

The total district enrollment is approximately 2,191 students with a professional staff of 220 and support staff of 140.

STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR SUCCESS:

• Juried invitational art exhibitions
• International study and travel
• Government and leadership conferences
• Odyssey of the Mind
• Interscholastic athletics, winning numerous Patroon Conference championships, as well as Section II titles
• Musical theatre productions
• Marching band and chorus performances, earning special recognitions, awards and honors
• National Merit Scholarship Competition

OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTS PROGRAMS IN:

• Child-centered programs
• Full-day kindergarten
• Multi-age classrooms
• Team-teaching approach
• Enrichment programs
• Foreign language programs
• Advanced-placement and/or college-level courses in science, mathematics, social studies, Languages other than English, and English
• Art, music, industrial technology and physical education as part of the students' program of study
• Integration of technology in instruction
• Education for students with special needs in the least restrictive environment
• Ongoing staff development

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