Putnam Valley High School is a comprehensive all-Regents high school.  Curricular offerings include Honors programs in Math, Science, English, Social Studies and Spanish.  Students are accepted into Honors classes based on class performance, standardized test scores, and teacher recommendations.
Eighth-grade students had an opportunity to accelerate in Languages other than English and Earth Science, with Honors classes in Math and Earth Science.  Electives are offered in all academic disciplines. 

Advanced Placement courses in English: Language, U.S. History, and Physics and Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA) Calculus I are offered to select eleventh grade students.  Seniors may be offered the opportunity to take Advanced Placement courses in  English: Literature, Biology, and Chemistry and.  Beginning in the 2008-09 school year, Advanced Placement Economics and A.P. Psychology are also offered to 12th grade students.   Two levels of Calculus are offered to seniors through Syracuse University Project Advance. Students who successfully complete Statistics or Precalculus will receive three college credits from Dutchess Community College.

Students interested in occupational education programs attend the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES Technical Center.

A wide range of co-curricular activities, including interscholastic sports, is offered to enhance the students’ educational experiences.  Students may choose to be involved in community service organizations (Interact, Make a Difference), Theatreworks and Stage Crew, Art Club, Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA), World Languages Club and a literary magazine.  Putnam Valley High School has chapters of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (Mathematics Honor Society), Tri-M (Music Honor Society), the National Spanish Honor Society and the National French Honor Society.