Germantown Central School

Germantown Central School District is a comprehensive, rural public school district that provides opportunity, resources, environment, and instruction so that all students may be productive, successful, independent, responsible, and contributing members of our global society. 

GCS is located at 123 Main Street, Germantown, NY, and serves the towns of Germantown, Clermont, Livingston, Taghkanic, Gallatin, and Ancram. 

Six local district schools in Germantown and Clermont voted to consolidate and form GCS in January 1923. Prior to this, students who wished to continue their education beyond 8th grade had to take a train to, or board in, Hudson, NY. The first students attended GCS in September 1924. The first high school graduation, consisting of two young ladies, was held in June 1927. The first class to attend all four years of high school at GCS graduated in June 1928. 

The GCS archive of historic photos, documents, and yearbooks is held within the Jr./Sr. High School Library. The archive has been amassed over many years and includes some material that goes all the way back to September 1924, when GCS opened. Among the archive materials are commencement programs, prom invitations, library accession records, school play programs, photographs donated by retiring teachers, and more. The first yearbook was published by the class of 1932. Yearbooks were published sporadically until 1948, when they became an annual tradition. Small autograph books were far more common in the Depression and war years.