It includes a majority of the Crown Heights and Spackenkill census-designated places (hamlets).
Spackenkill is a Dutch interpretation of the Native American phrase "speaking waters", which was given to a noisy stream running through Spackenkill Road, located just across the street from the present Croft Corners Fire Company.
It was a traditional one-room schoolhouse built of bricks brought from the Netherlands as ballast in sailing vessels.
By 1920 the one-room schoolhouse was overcrowded with an enrollment of 55 pupils, and plans were made for a new building.
Rapid population growth made the purchase of two additional sites advisable.
In 1967, the residents passed, by an overwhelming majority, a referendum to purchase land for a high school.
The New York State Department of Education moved to block the construction, and the Spackenkill District responded by filing a lawsuit.
Under the leadership of superintendent Dr. Mark Villanti and support from the Board of Education, a 24 million dollar capital project was passed by the community in 2017.
Nassau Elementary School is run by principal Erik Lynch and houses about 300 students, while Hagan Elementary School also contains approximately 300 students and its principal is Clinton DeSouza.
The school was named after the long-time district principal, Orville A. Todd.
In the district, 35 percent of the 136 third graders passed the New York State Math Test.
A month prior to testing, Spackenkill teachers often tutor students before and after classes to prepare them.
The more popular sports in the school district include football, basketball, soccer, crew, tennis, and baseball.