About the Schools and Community

The Pine Plains Central School District is located in the historic and scenic Mid-Hudson Valley between the Catskill and Berkshire mountain ranges. Residents enjoy scenic, rural living while having access to cultural and recreational opportunities in New York City, Upstate New York and New England.

                The Pine Plains Central School District communities have an estimated population of 9,000 residents. The nine communities comprising the District are supported by a number of dairy farms, horse farms, and small businesses. Many residents commute to employment in Kingston, Poughkeepsie and Westchester County. 

                There are seven major colleges within a one hour drive.  These educational institutions also offer a variety of activities to community residents.  These colleges and universities include Bard, Marist, Vassar, Williams, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Albany, Dutchess and Columbia Greene Community Colleges.

                Pine Plains and the surrounding communities are safe and friendly environments to raise a family.  Housing is reasonably affordable.  Quality health care and major hospitals are readily accessible to area residents. Diverse houses of worship are located within the nine communities that comprise the Pine Plains Central School District.

The district has two elementary schools – Cold Spring Early Learning Center, a nationally recognized "Blue Ribbon School" for Grades K through 2 located in Stanford and Seymour Smith Intermediate learning Center serving Grades 3 through 5 and located in Pine Plains. The district has one middle school (Stissing Mountain Middle School) and one high school (Stissing Mountain High School) on our main campus in the Town of Pine Plains. In addition to the core academic programs, we also provide a variety of extra-curricular and athletic programs for our students. Over many years, our taxpayers have supported the expansion and improvement of its school buildings; for example, the district has completed a capital project to improve our outdoor athletic facilities and bleachers. The voters have also approved repairs to the masonry at Seymour Smith Intermediate Learning Center.  Despite difficult economic circumstances, our taxpayers have been most supportive of the need to keep our schools in good physical condition and to provide quality teachers and staff, classrooms, materials, equipment and facilities to enhance learning. 

The Board of Education and I have placed our primary focus on the improvement of student achievement in a spirit of collaboration with our administrators, faculty, staff, parents and community members. Parents, teachers, and administrators serve on the District and Building Leadership Teams. All of our schools enjoy the benefits of active PTSA groups. Our wonderful families and neighbors enthusiastically support the district’s educational, athletic and community service activities.  Each year, more students have improved their performance on state examinations and go on to college, work, military service and the skilled trades.

We hope that you find this web site helpful in answering some of the questions you may have concerning individual schools, Board of Education meetings and school events. Please keep returning to our site for updated information on school activities.

Cordially,
Linda L. Kaumeyer
Superintendent of Schools