Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District is a grade
K–12
K–12, from kindergarten to 12th grade, is an English language expression that indicates the range of years of publicly supported primary and secondary education found in the United States and Canada, which is similar to publicly supported sch ...
school district
A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public Primary school, primary or Secondary school, secondary schools or both in various countries. It is not to be confused with an attendance zone, which is within a school dis ...
based in
Dobbs Ferry, New York
Dobbs Ferry is a Administrative divisions of New York#Village, village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 10,875 according to the 2010 United States Census. In 2021, its population rose to an estimated 11,456. The ...
, in the
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley or Hudson River Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The region stretches from the Capital District (New York), Capital District includi ...
, approximately 20 miles north of
midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...
. It is a
Union Free School District, which relates to its organizational structure, and it is not affiliated with labor unions. The teachers are members of Dobbs Ferry United Teachers. The district is very small compared to other districts in
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a County (United States), county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The c ...
, with approximately 112 students per grade
in three schools: Springhurst Elementary School, Dobbs Ferry
Middle School
Middle school, also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school.
Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, middle school includes g ...
, and Dobbs Ferry High School.
The school district's governing body is the elected
board of education
A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution.
The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional area, ...
, consisting of seven members, each serving a three-year term. The board members choose the President and Vice-president for one-year terms. Additionally, the board is responsible for hiring the
superintendent
Superintendent may refer to:
*Building superintendent, a manager, maintenance or repair person, custodian or janitor, especially in the United States; sometimes shortened to "super"
*Prison warden or superintendent, a prison administrator
*Soprin ...
, with Kenneth Slentz serving as the superintendent in 2024.
Springhurst Elementary School
Springhurst Elementary School is a small coeducational public elementary school in
Dobbs Ferry, New York
Dobbs Ferry is a Administrative divisions of New York#Village, village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 10,875 according to the 2010 United States Census. In 2021, its population rose to an estimated 11,456. The ...
. Grades range from
Kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
to fifth grade.
Dobbs Ferry Middle School

Dobbs Ferry Middle School is a coeducational public middle school. Grades range from sixth to eighth. Dobbs Ferry uses the
International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), more commonly known as the International Baccalaureate (IB), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the I ...
(IB)
Middle Years Programme
The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) is an educational programme for students between the ages of 11 and 16 around the world as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum. The Middle Years Programme is intended ...
(MYP) throughout its curriculum.
Dobbs Ferry High School
Dobbs Ferry High School is a coeducational public high school offering an International Baccalaureate (IB) program. It has been authorized as an
IB World School
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a two-year educational programme primarily aimed at 16-to-19-year-olds in 140 countries around the world. The programme provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry int ...
since 1998.
Parent and community support of the school district
Parents in the district have established several affiliated groups to support and represent their interests in the district. These include:
* Dobbs Ferry Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA): includes high school student representatives, it's the formal body by which parents support the students;
* Dobbs Ferry Schools Foundation: raises funds through an annual gala to supplement school programs and teacher training;
* SPRING Community Partners: ensures that all children in the district have the resources to succeed in school and beyond; and
* Dobbs Ferry Trail Guides: supports and advocates for children, founded by parents of children with special needs.
Geographic boundaries
The boundaries of the Dobbs Ferry school district are not identical to those of the Village of
Dobbs Ferry
Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 10,875 according to the 2010 United States Census. In 2021, its population rose to an estimated 11,456. The village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is ...
. Some residents of the Ardsley Park neighborhood in the Village of
Irvington are part of the Dobbs Ferry school district. Also, all residents of the
Northfield neighborhood in Dobbs Ferry and some residents of the Knoll and Southfield neighborhoods are in the Ardsley school district. Residents in properties that cross borders with neighboring districts can choose which district they want to be a part of.
History
The first purpose-built school building in the village was on Main Street, built in 1857, roughly opposite the present town hall. That served until 1896, when a new building was completed on Broadway, just south of the present High School, on what had been the Appleton estate. That 1896 building was doubled in size in the early 20th century with an addition on the back. The addition became the high school, and the front part was the elementary school. The building was dedicated on December 22, 1896, and the ceremony was recounted on page 1 of the December 25, 1896, issue of the Dobbs Ferry Register. The present high school was a WPA project, begun in 1934 and completed in 1936. The 1896 building and the 1936 building sat side by side and comprised the entire school system until Springhurst School was built on the former F. Q. Brown estate in the late 1950s.
The village engaged in a prolonged debate over whether to build Springhurst. The old buildings were overcrowded, and students in many grades were placed in "double sessions." This meant that some students went very early in the morning until mid-day, while others started at mid-day and stayed until late afternoon. Despite these challenges, the proposal was repeatedly rejected in votes. Eventually, Springhurst was built, and the 1896 building became the middle school for grades 5 through 8. In the 1960s or early 70s, Springhurst was expanded and the deteriorating 1896 building, which was becoming structurally unsound, was demolished.
References
External links
*
High School Principal's CornerDFHS Facebook PageDFHS Principal's BlogThe Digital Eagle, the online student newspaper
{{Authority control
School districts in Westchester County, New York