Driver Education

Dear Parents and Students:

This letter is to provide information regarding the Horace Greeley High School Spring Driver Education Program scheduled to begin Saturday, February 1, 2025. The Driver Education program will be run in collaboration with the Golden Crown Driving School in accordance with NYS Driver’s Education Law. Students must be 16 years old by Friday, January 31, 2025, with a valid Learner’s Permit Number. The program can accommodate up to 72 students, with a minimum of 20 students and a maximum of 36 students per lecture class. Registration is first-come first -served and will begin on Friday, January 10 at 7:30am. The Program registration opens to non-Chappaqua School District students/residents starting on Wednesday, January 22 at 8:30am. Registration will end on Friday, January 31, 2025.

Driver Education provides valuable information, enables the family to receive insurance discounts with select participating companies and allows the student to accelerate the licensing process, provides the coursework and certificate required to schedule a road test (MV-278 form). Once the course is successfully completed, students will receive a Certificate of Completion (MV-285 form) which allows them to apply for a Senior License at 17 years of age. For additional information about the pre-license/license process click here.

Program Requirements

• 48 hours of total instruction completed by the end of the Spring program
• 24 hours of in-car (6 hours of driving and 18 hours of observation)
• 24 hours in the classroom
• Students attend 1 driving session and 1 classroom session per week over the 16-week program
• Driving and lecture sessions are 90 minutes
• A 3-hour commitment per week is required in order to attend the Driver Education program
• Students MUST be 16 by Friday, January 31, 2025 with a valid Learner’s Permit Number
• Students may register in advance of obtaining a permit but MUST be 16 by Friday, January 31, 2025 and have a valid Learner’s Permit Number

Scheduling

• Scheduling is based on the order in which registration form is received and student enrollment
• Students will receive their schedule at the mandatory orientation on Thursday, January 30, 2025 (if needed, snow day will be Friday, January 31, 2025) at 3:00pm and NOT before
• Lecture Class-90 minutes (16 sessions)
  • Wednesday: 3:00 pm or 4:45 pm
• Driving-90 minutes (16 sessions)
  • Monday-Friday: 3:00 pm, 4:30 pm, 6:00pm
  • Saturday: 9:00 am, 10:30 am, 12:00pm

Holidays, Vacation and Snow Closings

• In Car Driving will NOT meet on the following holiday/vacation dates: February Recess (2/15 – 2/22), April Recess (4/12 – 4/19), Memorial Day (5/26).
• Lecture classroom will NOT meet on the following Wednesday dates: February 19 and April 16.
• On the following School Holidays, March 31*, May 23 and May 24, in car driving classes meet at regular times.
  *In car driving is optional on March 31 but must be made up by the end of the Spring Program.
• Based on weather related school closings, Driver Ed is cancelled. (Driving school will arrange mandatory make-ups.)
• If snow or other inclement weather starts in the afternoon, Golden Crown Driving School will text students informing them if class is cancelled (Driving School will arrange make-ups.)
• School closings are posted on the Driver's Education section of the Horace Greeley High School website.

Attendance

Please Note Our Attendance Policy Which is Strictly Enforced:

• The New York State Education Department determines the length and attendance policy requirements. Excessive absences will cause students to forfeit their Certificate of Completion (MV-285) as well as the enrollment fee which is non-refundable.
• A maximum of TWO in-car session absences are allowed but MUST be made up by the end of the Spring program to receive a Certificate of Completion. All driving absences must be scheduled for makeup with the Golden Crown Driving School by the end of the program in order to receive credit for the course.
• A maximum of TWO Lecture class absences are allowed but MUST be made up to receive a Certificate of Completion.  Lecture absences to be made up must be made-up by the end of the program in order to receive credit for the course.

Registration

Students are scheduled in the order in which requested forms are received. Please complete this FORM, make a copy of the Learner’s Permit, and return both with a check payable to the Chappaqua Central School District. The cost of the program is $910 for Chappaqua students/residents and registration will begin on Friday, January 10 at 7:30am. Registration for non-Chappaqua School District students/residents will begin on Wednesday, January 22 at 8:30am. and the program fee is $960. Registration will end on Friday, January 31.

You can drop off the requested registration material in the Counseling Office at Horace Greeley High School or mail it to:

Chappaqua Continuing Education
Horace Greeley High School
70 Roaring Brook Road
Chappaqua, NY 10514

Refunds will not be issued after February 14. Refunds issued on or prior to this date will be pro-rated and are subject to a $20.00 cancellation fee.

Mandatory Orientation

Students will receive their schedule as well as program information from a representative from the Golden Crown Driving School at the mandatory organizational meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 30 at 3:00pm in the HGHS Cafeteria. (If needed, the snow day will be Friday, January 31 at 3:00pm.)

Course Completion Certificate

A Certificate of Completion-MV-285 is required to obtain senior license when 17 and for insurance benefits for select participating insurance companies. Note: The Certificate of Completion will be mailed to the student’s attention after the program has ended. Do not throw this form away and do not leave it with the DMV official who conducts the driving test if you are only 16. It takes several weeks to obtain a replacement document, not to mention that a delay in obtaining a license causes great disappointment. We experience this situation regularly and urge you to watch for the form and guard it carefully.

For further information about the program including questions about scheduling, requirements, or cancellations, please call (914) 238-7201 ex 2318.

Sincerely,

Francine Colandreo Flamino - Chappaqua Continuing Education
Dr. Sandra Sepe - Principal, Horace Greeley High School

Fall & Spring Programs

At 16, a student can obtain a Learner’s Permit to drive with an adult, and then six months after obtaining the learner’s permit, driving a minimum of 50 supervised hours and taking a pre-license course or completing the first half of Driver Education, a student can take a road test in order to obtain a Junior License.  The Junior License allows the student to drive alone until 9:00pm.  When the student turns 18, a Senior License is obtained which allows the student to drive after 9:00pm.

In addition to providing the coursework and certificate required to schedule a road test, Driver Education provides valuable driving information, enables the family to receive insurance discounts and allows the student to accelerate the licensing process.  Once the course is completed, the student can apply for a Senior License at 17.  Specifically, the Driver Education Course consists of:

• 24 hours of classroom instruction broken into 16 ninety-minute sessions; and
• 24 hours of in-car instruction (6 driving and 18 observing) broken into 16 ninety-minute sessions.
• Driver Ed registration forms will be emailed to students and their parents via Infinite Campus in late August for the fall program, and in January for the spring program to all incoming seniors, juniors and eligible sophomores. Students must by 16 with a permit the Friday before the start of the program.

Student Absences for Fall and Spring Programs
The length of the course and attendance policy is determined by the New York State Education Department. Excessive absences will cause students to forfeit their certificate and fee. 

• A maximum of two absences (2 lecture classes and 2 in-car session) are allowed and must be made up
• All lecture absences to be made up must be scheduled with the lecture teacher and completed within 2 weeks of an absence
• All driving absences must be scheduled for makeup with the driving school School by the end of the program in order to receive credit for the course

 
Early Dismissal, Vacation and Snow Closings

• If school is canceled due to inclement weather, Driver Ed is canceled. (Driving School will arrange make-ups.) 
• If snow starts in the afternoon, the Driving School will text students to let them know class is cancelled. (Driving School will arrange make-ups.) 
• If school is closed for vacation, Driver Ed is canceled unless special arrangements are made with the instructor. 
• On early dismissal days, classes meet at regular times.

Course Completion Certificates 

• Pre-license Certification MV-278
  Students will receive their pre-licensing certificate after the first half of classroom instruction and the midterm. Certificate is required to schedule road test.
   
• Course Completion Certificate MV-285 
  Mailed home after class is completed if student has fulfilled all requirements.  All make-ups (in-class and in-car) are to be completed during the current program. Students may not cross into the next semester in order to finish lecture and/or in-car time.
   
• Original certificate required to obtain senior license when 17 and for insurance benefits. Note: Please hold on to the certificate when it is mailed to you. If you lose the document, to issue a new one requires documentation for the state and can slow down obtaining a license.
  Questions about certificates, including duplicate issues, should be directed to 238-7201 ex 2318.

Click HERE do download the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Driver's Manual. (PDF)