Author: monique.jacobs
VFW honors winning student essay authors, teachers
VFW Post 3275 Commander Thomas Elwood recently visited FPHS to honor the winners of the VFW’s annual Patriot’s Pen and Voices of Democracy essay contests. Commander Elwood also presented two Teacher of the Year awards to Fort Plain educators.
Congratulations to our student essay winners:
Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest- Theme: My Pledge to Our Veterans
1st place – Lilly Lapi
2nd place – Levi Hext
3rd place – Silas Smith
(All are 8th grade students)
Voices of Democracy Essay Contest – Theme: Why is the Veteran Important?
1st place – Alex Smith (11th grade)
The winning essay writers read their essays in front of the entire 8th grade.
Kolbe Gray was honored as the 6th-8th grade VFW Teacher of the Year, and Casey Russom was honored as the 9th-12th grade VFW Teacher of the Year.
Congratulations to all!
5k fun for Girls on the Run
Our Girls on the Run team finished their 10-week program with a fun-filled 5K race in Oneonta on Sunday, June 4. It was a beautiful day, and the venue was filled with music, prizes, fun activities and lots of camaraderie.
“It was a day overflowing with girl empowerment!” said Girls on the Run volunteer Meagan Heiser. “We’re looking forward to another exciting season of learning and growing next spring with GOTR. Great job girls! We are so proud of you!”
See how our Girls on the Run program is about much more than miles.
Read about how our team helped others and supported each other.
Girls on the Run is a twice-weekly, afterschool program for 5th and 6th grade students where trained volunteers lead girls through interactive lessons and movement activities, that culminates in a celebratory 5K in June.
HS yearbooks available
There are still some high school yearbooks available for purchase, beginning the week of June 12.
The books are $40. To purchase, see Mrs. Summerfield or Mrs. Cole in the high school.
A positive learning paws when Cooper comes to campus
Harry Hoag students had a few very special guests at their recent Morning Program. Therapy dog Cooper and Detective PJ and Lieutenant Ryan from the Schenectady Police Department presented to students in the gym and also visited some of their classrooms.
Cooper is a two-year-old labradoodle who was donated to the Schenectady Police Department. He began training as a puppy to become a therapy dog. Cooper provides people with affection, comfort and support. On the job, he helps police officers, community members and children cope with stress, anxiety and other big emotions.
Cooper is nonjudgmental and assists people in recognizing their own fears and issues. He creates a more relaxed environment where both children and adults feel more comfortable sharing their feelings.
A therapy dog has positive effects on a person’s mental and physical health by:
- Lowering heart rate
- Reducing anxiety
- Increasing self-esteem
- Helping regulate emotions and behavior
- Helping form healthy relationships
- Decreasing distractibility
- Improving appropriate tone of voice
- Lowing behavioral, emotional and verbal distress
After working with Detective PJ during the day, Cooper is part of his family at home.
Race horses provide lessons, opportunity to help
Students in Kolbe Gray’s and Lucas Santiago’s History of Sports/Sports Statistics class culminated their study of horse racing with a field trip in May to Saratoga Springs to learn more about the horse racing industry, horse breeding and thoroughbred retirement.
At the Oklahoma Training Track in Saratoga Springs, the students watched practice sessions, learning about the different exercises and workouts performed by horses based on their racing schedule.
During a barn visit, the students got a behind-the-scenes look at where workers and horses stay and live when they are not working. They met a pony rider, Mary Keiser, who has worked for many years at the Oklahoma Track, and learned about ponies and their role at the track. Santiago noted, “The students were able to get up close with some of the horses and even got to feed them!”
At Sugar Plum Farm, the students saw where the process all begins. They learned about the breeding industry and a typical day in the life of a breeding farm worker.
At the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, the students were given a guided tour of the history of horse racing as it pertains to American history. They also had a special guest appearance by famed jockey Ramon Dominguez, who has ridden more than 21,000 horses, won close to 5,000 races and made almost $200,000,000 in his career.
At 18 Karat Farm, as a culminating activity, the students learned about the start of the charity, Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, or TRF. TRF helps owners of thoroughbred horses, providing a farm where retired racehorses can live out their rest of their lives.
The students had the following thoughts about their field trip:
Stephen Gray said, “The Oklahoma Track was my favorite place because we got to actually see them run. It was cool to see the future of the sport at the beginning of their racing careers and we also got to see some pretty good trainers. I didn’t know that they had a logo type on their silks to identify the trainer of the horse.”
Ezekiel Brown added, “It was awesome to see the horses and the jockeys warm up. I have never seen an animal run that fast in my life. It was awesome. There’s a lot of rich history behind the Oklahoma Track and the history we learned that was behind Saratoga was also awesome.”
Vivian Nunez said, “I enjoyed hearing the story of how the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm came to be. The walk throughout the horse paddocks and getting to pet the horses was really fun. They were so sweet.”
Anthony Paradiso added, “I really enjoyed the breeding farm to see how the racing bloodline is done. I think it is always nice to see the origin of where everyone’s stories begin. Personally, that is why it was my favorite because it’s the start of something amazing. Some of those horses can be future winners.”
Alex Smith said, “I enjoyed the museum tour and the video that was played in the theater box. It was a very cool video with very fun presentation. It was very informative and interesting.”
“On the behalf of our class and Fort Plain School District, we want to thank our hosts at TRF and NYRA – Kim Weir, Sharon Dominguez, Maude Walsh, Keith McCalmont, Stephanie Cowser and Stephen Geissler – for making this field trip possible and giving our students a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Santiago and Gray. “Our class was able to donate $500 to the TRF as a thank you for hosting us!”
At the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame with jockey Ramon Dominguez
Learning about horses, barns and the racing industry
Group photo!
For more photos, visit our Facebook album.
Girls on the Run support others – and each other
Fort Plain’s Girls on the Run team’s theme on Friday, May 19, was supporting others in the community. In view of this theme, they created cheerful and colorful placemats for an area nursing home.
Girls on the Run members also participated in a team-building activity (pictured below) that showed how they support one another.
How did it go? Watch this video:
Participants and volunteers agree: Girls on the Run is so much fun!
Girls on the Run is a twice-weekly, afterschool program for 5th and 6th grade students where trained volunteers lead girls through interactive lessons and movement activities, culminating in a celebratory 5K in June.
Congratulations to our 2023 National Honor Society inductees
Five Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School students were inducted into the National Honor Society at a May 17 ceremony, in recognition of their scholarship, leadership, service and character.
Congratulations to the following students on their induction:
- Madeline Heroth
- Ethan Hubbard
- Brady Keane
- Monika Kuczynski
- Matthew Paul
Senior National Honor Society Members for 2023 are:
- Americus Cotton
- Andra Fuhs
- Stephen Gray
- Rylee Herron
- Ethan Kilmartin
- Anthony Paradiso
- Natalie Thibodeau
The chapter’s officers and senior members led the ceremony, for which National Honor Society advisor Kolbe Gray provided an introduction.
Serving as this year’s National Honor Society officers are Anthony Paradiso, president; Stephen Gray, vice president; Ethan Kilmartin, treasurer; Andra Fuhs, secretary; and Natalie Thibodeau, public relations.
Fort Plain’s chapter of the National Honor Society was chartered in 1954.
Water testing update
May 17, 2023
Dear Members of the Fort Plain Community,
On Sept. 6, 2016, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law that requires public schools in New York State to test for lead in all water outlets currently or potentially used for drinking or cooking.
On March 23, I informed you of the results of water testing completed at FPCSD. At that time, I shared that several faucets and fountains failed to meet the standards. We worked closely with governing agencies and followed the prescribed intervention steps to address the failed tests. We recently retested the equipment that failed the first test and found that some of the water access points have been fixed; however, there are a few areas that still show signs of contamination.
Visit our health services webpage for information about the risks associated with lead, as well as complete test results.
Please be assured that all outlets that tested above the state’s level have been taken out of service, or marked with appropriate signage, and will remain so until the remediation and retesting are completed. The District is going to replace the fountains, faucets, and/or piping in the persistent areas of concern.
We take these findings very seriously and will work with all governing agencies and consultants to ensure that we address the areas properly and efficiently.
If you have any questions, please contact my office at 993-4000, #1000.
Sincerely,
Lauren Crisman
Superintendent of Schools
A positive, wellness-centered approach to mental health awareness
Just like physical health, promoting one’s emotional well-being takes skill, resources and knowledge. Fort Plain Central School is observing Mental Health Awareness Month in May with a proactive approach to support community wellness.
At Harry Hoag, students and staff are observing Mental Health Awareness Week from May 15-19 with themed days that offer positive coping tips and tools.
- Mellow Monday’s tip was to wear your pajamas to relieve stress. The hallways were colorful and relaxing!
- Twin Tuesday advised students and staff to team up against stress by dressing like a friend or someone in their house, because they are not alone.
- Be Someone’s Superhero Wednesday encouraged dressing like a superhero, because in someone’s eyes you are their hero.
- Tie Dye Thursday will have students and staff wearing tie-dye colors to represent a range of emotions, and it’s okay to feel them.
- On Friday, all are encouraged to wear green for mental health awareness.
The Jr./Sr. High School has been observing Mental Health Awareness Month using a host of daily activities meant to deepen each student’s personal set of skills. Each week features Mindfulness Monday, Thankful Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday, Thursday Tips and Feel Good Friday. Activities range from learning about self-care tips and sleep resources, to practicing mindfulness and deep breathing, understanding the importance of developing resilience and relationships, and many other exploratory activities aimed to deepen our understanding of how to promote mental health.
The Jr./Sr. High School Counseling Office offers daily tips during announcements and coordinates each day’s activities. Students can participate in activities during their lunch periods and via the Counseling Office’s Google Classroom links to reliable resources.
The Montgomery County Public Health Department teamed up with the school on a mental-health-themed poster contest and the lunch-time activity on May 25 will feature visits and information by community partners including Catholic Charities, Family Counseling, Domestic Violence/Human Trafficking Prevention, the Mental Health Alliance and the HFM Prevention Council.
District residents approve budget and transportation proposition, elect 3 to Board of Education
Fort Plain Central School District residents voted to approve a proposed $23,320,000 budget for the 2023-24 school year by a vote of 88 to 21 on May 16, 2023.
They also approved a referendum by a vote of 90 to 17 authorizing the district to acquire three school vehicles at a maximum cost of $450,000 with the funds to be drawn from the Bus Purchase/Capital Reserve Fund. The purchase will have no impact on the tax levy and will allow the district to replace aging buses and minimize maintenance costs.
Voters elected three members of the Board of Education to fill vacancies for three-year terms running from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026. The elected candidates are Brenna Kirkpatrick (96 votes), Anthony Crouse (86 votes) and David Przestrzelski (84 votes). Write-in candidate Justin Smith received one vote.
The 2023-24 budget preserves the district’s academic programming and services designed to meet student needs. It shows an increase of $800,000, or 3.55%, over the current-year budget, with a 1.20% tax levy increase.
“The district’s goal is to prepare a responsible budget that supports all learners to have a positive, productive school experience,” Superintendent Lauren Crisman said. “The budget will achieve the goal by securing the staffing required to offer quality, relevant educational programs to all students; supporting student development by maintaining a robust social emotional support system at all developmental levels; and ensuring athletic and extracurricular programming continue.”