Author: christine.carpenter

A welcome-back message for Jr./Sr. High School families from Principal Nicholas Comproski:

Dear Jr./Sr. High School Families,

I hope this letter finds you well, and that your summer has been filled with time well spent. I look forward to beginning the new school year and supporting everyone to develop and grow academically, socially, and emotionally.

The mission at Fort Plain Central School District is to provide each student with the opportunity to develop intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically in a safe, orderly and positive environment. Our goal is to prepare every student for success beyond graduation.

Success looks different for every student and we are here to ensure every individual has our maximum level of support to attain that goal. To improve student learning outcomes, we have added new elective courses based on student interest and embedded additional forms of interventions in the master schedule.

2024-25 schedules

The first day of school for students is Sept. 4. The doors will open at 7:30 a.m. and we offer free breakfast from 7:30 until 8 a.m. The instructional day begins at 7:55 a.m. and the school day ends at 2:38 p.m. with dismissal directly after the last bell.

Students should have received their schedule in the mail by now. If they have not received it, please contact the Guidance Office at 518-993-4000, ext. 2128. On the first day of school, students will also receive a finalized paper copy of their schedule.

Transportation

If you have questions, or are experiencing an issue with school transportation, please contact the Transportation Department at 518-993-4000, ext. 4000.

Clubs, extracurriculars and athletics

This fall, we plan to host an extracurricular activities fair during school hours to introduce students to the many ways they can engage with the school community beyond the instructional day. Students will have opportunities to explore many different college and career pathways in the 21st century and they will have numerous opportunities to become involved in community service.

Please check out the expansive list of club and extracurricular options and athletics on the school website.

Cell phones in school

To connect with current research and with guidelines from the New York State Education Department (NYSED), we revised the Code of Conduct to include new terms for the acceptable use of cell phones and updated the disciplinary outcomes associated with violations.

View the new Fort Plain CSD New Cell Phone Policy

Class ranking policy

The Fort Plain CSD Board of Education has adopted a newly revised Class Rankings Policy.

View the new Class Rank Policy

Attendance Matters!

Please remember that regular school attendance matters. Students who are absent should provide a written excuse such as a doctor’s note upon their return to school. Students who miss more than 10% of school days (18 or more days missed) are considered chronically absent. There is statistical, national research that shows that those who are chronically absent have lower grades and a lower chance of graduating on time.

I am very honored and excited to be your new Jr./Sr. High School Principal. I look forward to getting to know and work with everyone. Please reach out at any time with questions you may have.

I wish you a happy end to the summer months. See you soon!

Nicholas P. Comproski

Principal, Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School

A welcome-back message for Harry Hoag Elementary School families from Acting Principal Amy Bartholomew:

Dear Hilltopper Families,

It is my pleasure and honor to welcome you back to the 2024 – 25 school year here at Harry Hoag Elementary! I hope you have had a fun and relaxing summer and are looking forward to coming back to school.

I would like to take this time to introduce myself as Harry Hoag’s new Acting Principal for this coming school year. Many of you already know me, as I have been a teacher in our district for 18 years, as well as being born and raised in Fort Plain as a Hilltopper myself! This is my 23rd year in education and I am unbelievably excited to step into this new role and get to know all of our new and returning students. Fort Plain is a community unlike any other, filled with caring families and an exceptionally talented faculty and staff that provide incredible experiences for students each day.

Below you will find a summary of information that will be helpful when planning ahead for the coming school year. Please note: the first day of school for students will be Wednesday, September 4th.

School schedule

Arrival:

7:30 a.m. – Bus drop-off

7:30 – 7:50 a.m. – Parent drop-off and walkers

Instructional day for students:

7:50 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – students are marked tardy after 8:05 a.m.

Dismissal:

2:30 p.m. – Bus dismissal
2:35 p.m. – Parent pick-up begins

Bus riders

Please be sure to review the Ride with Pride and Code of Conduct documents with your children before the first day of school. An electronic copy is at the end of this letter.

Student drop-off and pick-up

After the buses depart, Parent Pick Up will begin. If you are early for Drop Off or Parent Pick Up, please park along the road to Wiles Park. For Parent Drop Off and Pick Up, please remain in your car and a staff member will guide traffic through the bus loop to the main entry. A staff member will greet you at both times. If you pick up your child on foot, please report to the Main Entry.

Technology

Pre-K and K students – will receive iPads that will remain in the classroom

Students in Grades 1-6  – will receive a Chromebook that can go to and from school

Caregivers and students (Gr 1 and above) will be asked to sign a Technology User Agreement.

Parent Communications

Please be sure to have an updated cell phone number and email address to receive information via our ParentSquare messaging system. Also, remember to visit our website and social media platforms regularly for current news and upcoming events.

Student information forms

Please update and return any student information forms that have been sent home.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel to reach me in the Main Office at 518-993-4000 or via email at amy.bartholomew@fortplain.org.

We hope you enjoy the rest of your summer and look forward to seeing you on September 4th!

Mrs. Bartholomew, Acting Principal

Harry Hoag Elementary School

A welcome-back message for Harry Hoag Elementary School pre-kindergarten families from Acting Principal Amy Bartholomew:

Welcome Families!

Harry Hoag is very excited to welcome your children as members of our pre-kindergarten program!

I would like to take this time to introduce myself as Harry Hoag’s new Acting Principal for this coming school year. Some of you already know me, as I have been a teacher in our district for 18 years, as well as being born and raised in Fort Plain as a Hilltopper myself!

This is my 23rd year in education and I am unbelievably excited to step into this new role and get to know all of our new and returning students. Fort Plain is a community unlike any other, filled with caring families and an exceptionally talented faculty and staff that provide incredible experiences for students each day.

Our Pre-kindergarten program is truly special, and aims to support the students to develop school readiness skills. Your child will be in an environment that is supportive, nurturing and rich in hands-on learning experiences.

The first day of school for the Pre-kindergarten program is Thursday, September 5.  We will host a Pre-kindergarten Visitation Day on Wednesday, September 4. The visitation is meant to be a casual experience and typically lasts about 15 minutes. During the visitation, students can drop off their school supplies, view the classroom and meet the teacher.

Students with last names beginning with the letters A-K are invited to visit anytime between 9-9:30 a.m. Students with last names beginning with the letters L-Z are invited to visit anytime from 9:30-10 a.m.

View and download a copy of the 2024-25 Pre-Kindergarten Handbook.

Preparing your child for a successful start to school

• Please be sure to establish a reasonable bedtime routine the last week of August.
• Talk to your child about what to expect in order to support them with the separation.
• Develop a routine to check for notes, papers and communications daily.

School schedule

7:30-7:40 a.m — Bus rider drop-off .

7:30-7:50 a.m. — Parent drop-off and walkers are welcome.

7:50 a.m. -2:30 p.m. — Instructional day.

2:30 p.m. — Bus  rider dismissal.

2:35 p.m. — Dismissal for student with parent pick-up.

For morning arrival, you are welcome to park in the parking lot to walk your child into the building. You are also able to drive through the parent drop-off line to drop your child off. To drop off and pick up, please remain in your car. A staff member will be out in the parking lot to guide traffic and to let your child know when it is safe to cross. If you are early for drop-off or pick-up, please park along the road to Wiles Park. If you pick up your child on foot, please also report to the Main Entry.

Transportation to and from school will be provided by the school bus for any students who are 4 years of age. If your child begins the school year as a 3-year-old, he/she must be transported by an adult until he/she comes of age to be eligible to ride the bus per NYS Law.

Supply List

Please label clothes, blanket and backpack with your child’s name.

• Backpack large enough to hold a folder
• Blanket for naptime
• Labeled baggie with 2 sets of clothes (it can be helpful to have one set for warm weather and one set for colder weather)
• Optional items to donate to the classroom: tissues, paper towels, glue sticks, dry-erase markers

I look forward to meeting our youngest learners soon. They will have the best time with the most loving teachers!

Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Mrs. Bartholomew, Acting Principal

Harry Hoag Elementary