No School - Monday, January 20

All schools and offices in the East Greenbush CSD will be closed on Monday, January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Columbia Schedules Five Hour Pre-Licensing Courses

Jan 8, 2025 | Columbia, District

Columbia High School will be offering two virtual Five Hour Pre-Licensing Courses later this month. This course teaches the knowledge and skills needed to become a safer, more responsible driver. New drivers will learn New York traffic laws, defensive driving skills, rules of the road and much more.

Upcoming Courses

  • The first course will be from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm on Monday, January 20, 2025. (There is no school on Monday, January 20, 2025.)
  • The second course will be on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 and on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. Both classes will run from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm on both evenings.

These classes are offered using the Distance Learning model as approved by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, using Google Meet as the virtual platform.

How to Register

  • Students must hold a valid learner’s permit in order to enroll in the course.
  • The cost of the course is $50.00. Checks or cash are accepted for payment.
  • Please sign up in the Main Office at Columbia or email Mr. Tooker at TookerJe@egcsd.org or see Mr. Tooker in Room S-121 at Columbia.
  • This class is available to both Columbia students and out-of-district students. Out-of-district students should contact Mr. Tooker at TookerJe@egcsd.org for additional information.

About the Five-Hour Pre-Licensing Course

The Five-Hour Pre-Licensing Course meets New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYSDMV) requirements for pre-licensing education. All new drivers must complete the 5-hour pre-licensing course before scheduling the road test for their first driver license. To take the course, students must be 16 or older and have a valid photo learner permit. You must take your road test within one year of completing the pre-licensing course.

You’ll learn about:

  • New York vehicle and traffic laws
  • Safe driving behaviors
  • Defensive driving skills
  • Dangers of driving under the influence
  • Common risks for new drivers

Our pre-licensing course is NYSDMV approved. It follows the NYSDMV Online Pre-Licensing Program (OPL) syllabus and is designed to meet New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law regulations.

After you successfully pass the course, you will receive a course certificate to provide to the DMV. To get your first driver license, simply schedule an appointment for your road test and pass your behind-the-wheel assessment.