SCS is located near the intersection of New York State Routes 10 & 23 in the Northern Catskill Mountains. The District has a long, rich tradition of academic excellence with a preponderance of graduates receiving Regents Diplomas. This commitment to academics is enhanced with a well-rounded and broad-based extracurricular program which includes athletics, the arts, clubs, student leadership, and o
pportunities for volunteerism. While many graduates from SCS have gone on to some of the most prestigious colleges in the country, others have taken full advantage of the vocational training through BOCES programs and remained local community members while embarking on very successful careers. Stamford Central School has long enjoyed a very involved and supportive relationship with the community and local taxpayers. This has been very evident with taxpayer passage of annual budget votes, building projects, and school bus acquisitions. In turn, the school has endeavored to serve as a reserve for community activities while pursuing local, state, and federal grant resources to fund program expansion for the children of The District while not adding those costs onto the local tax base. The school and community have both been very fortunate to have the generosity of several local foundations which help to fund many, many causes both in the school and the local area. Individual class sizes at Stamford Central School usually run between 18-27 students and are taught by a staff of 36 certified teachers, a complement of licensed teaching assistants and aides, and an itinerant staff who provide services through the Otsego-Northern Catskills BOCES. The socioeconomic status of our students, as reflected by free/reduced lunch population hovers around 50%. Through various grants, the Stamford Central School building is both fully wired to the internet while also being a "wireless" facility. Having both capabilities allow our students to partake of Distance Learning opportunities with other schools (including colleges), utilize the three wireless laptop carts (housing a combined 73 units) throughout the building, and travel around the world via "virtual fieldtrips". Stamford Central School also has four (4) computer labs, several Smart Boards throughout the building, Senteo technology (hand-held “clickers”), touch screen computers, and Smart Tables for our primary students. Stamford Central School has long been a well-respected institution within Central New York by utilizing both shared decision-making and planning as well as securing and implementing the most recent educational programs. By securing "Energy Efficiency and Conservation" incentives through State and Federal programs, the District is able to reduce energy costs with new windows and other improvements. Our weather station (located on the roof of our main building) is one example of technology utilized for information and safety as well as for student learning. While some students who have been identified through the Committee on Special Education are serviced through BOCES placements, many of the children receive their instruction here at Stamford Central School where we provide students with individualized instructional strategies in Resource Rooms with Literacy and/or Special Education teachers. Project Lead the Way is another initiative embraced by our District. With a new, state-of-the-art computer lab and a highly qualified Technology teacher ready to attend Project Lead the Way (PLTW) training, we are well positioned to implement PLTW courses for the 2014-2015 school year. Those courses could include Introduction to Engineering, Gateway to Technology, etc. Robotics and launching “rockets” are just a couple of exciting units the students would learn about. Code Academy is another technology elective currently offered in our District. In this course, our students learn how to write “code” for applications, better known as “apps” for hand held electronic devices. This field is growing exponentially with abundant employment opportunities for our students. Plays or musicals, instrumental band, garage band, chorus, select chorus, Advanced Placement courses, college-credited courses, distance learning courses, anatomy/physiology, historical geology, history of the Catskills, woodworking, photography, etc. are just a few of the electives we offer our students here at Stamford Central School. We pride ourselves in strength-of-schedule, providing our students a variety of opportunities for classes in their areas of interest. Athletics include soccer, basketball, cheerleading, golf, baseball, tennis, softball and track. Balancing academic achievement with extra curricular activities is another objective we embrace. Being a small school, many of our students are involved in both the arts and athletics. The advisors and coaches work together to make dual participation possible. We are fortunate to have a united team of faculty and staff who endeavor to make all decisions in the best interest of our students. As our Mission statement asserts: Our mission is to build a partnership of students, families, staff and community members in order to create an educational community dedicated to excellence.
