Author: monique.jacobs

When you think about Paul Van Avery, it’s hard to determine whether the Fort Plain Central School District is at the center of his heart, or whether he is the heart of the district. Paul has been part of the school community from kindergarten through his entire career, beginning as a cleaner and advancing to Director of Facilities III, a position from which he will soon retire.

Humble, hardworking and dedicated, Paul will be dearly missed, and often thought of, as he embarks upon his life’s next chapter.

At their Feb. 15 meeting, the Fort Plain Board of Education accepted Paul’s request to retire on April 28. “Mr. Van Avery has proudly served our district for 46 years,” the Board noted. “His wealth of knowledge of all things buildings and grounds, as well as the history of our district, will be greatly missed.”

“I have been a member of the Fort Plain Central School from kindergarten through graduation in 1976, with a short stint as a farmhand (that is where you learn about work), and then started my career in January 1977 as a cleaner, in the custodial family, under my second father, Harry Hoag,” Paul wrote in his retirement letter.

“[Harry Hoag] took me under his wing and taught me much about the job and the district and our fierce loyalty, ‘Do or die for Fort Plain High’,” Paul said. He subbed for Harry when Harry was ill and he credited past superintendent John Matello and business official Carl Rockefeller – his “third father” – as well as the district’s veteran staff, for supporting, training and preparing him early on for success. “I have been on deck since then trying to maintain the long tradition of excellence established by Harry and his father, with the help of all,” Paul said.

He noted that he has “served with many superintendents, board members, principals, faculty, staff, taxpayers and mostly the students, with duty and honor which I was taught by all of my fathers, especially my number one father, Alfred Van Avery, Jr., and mother, Virginia Van Avery, who are also my heroes, with an assist from my role model John Wayne.

“My loyalty and life belong to the Fort Plain Central School District, we are one,” Paul said. “I have enjoyed and relished my time with the Fort Plain Central School District and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Time to do my John Wayne Cavalry routine and ride off into the sunset. Thank you all for the opportunity to serve.”

Thank you, Mr. Van Avery!

February 17, 2023

Greetings Fort Plain School Community Members,

Over the past several months, the school team has worked tirelessly to support social, emotional and academic development of our students. We have seen the students thrive in many ways both in, and outside, of the classroom as observed by their academic achievements and participation in extracurricular and athletic programming.

As we prepare the budget for the 2023 – 2024 school year, we are focused on the future. The board developed five enduring goals that will guide our planning and preparation.

The goals:

• Improve safety in our schools.
• Improve student learning outcomes.
• Build and maintain trusting relationships with students and their families.
• Support social and emotional wellness for all school community members.
• Ensure responsible and strategic use of fiscal and human resources to best support the needs of our students.

The District’s budget planning and development procedures are outlined in Board Policy No. 5010. As indicated in the policy, several stakeholder groups will be consulted regarding their recommendations for how we can best support, improve or expand upon our current academic programs, student support systems and student experiences.

Please watch this website for further information regarding budget development for the 2023-2024 school year.

Wishing you each a wonderful February vacation!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Crisman
Superintendent

Fort Plain Central School District Superintendent Lauren Crisman joined with local school leaders in meeting with state legislators last week to discuss a range of important issues and initiatives supporting students and their families.

The meetings, conducted virtually, addressed priorities including mental health services and student health and safety, school district workforce shortages and employment procedures, and education funding and mandates.

Mental health services and student health and safety

In their discussions with lawmakers, the superintendents advocated for lawmakers to:

• Address the shortages of mental health providers and the increased need for ongoing, coordinated care, as well as the need for increased access to preventive services for family systems
• Collaborate with counties and other organizations to develop a stronger continuum of care
• Address challenges surrounding the management of and access to, medication and other health supplies
• Promote universal access to school meals and the need to expand support for community meal programs

“The lack of adequate regional mental health support has a direct and adverse impact on the students and families in Montgomery County,” Superintendent Crisman said. “The lack of regional options for mental health therapy and medication management under the care of qualified professionals is a significant challenge for many families.”

School district workforce shortages

To address critical workforce shortages, the superintendents discussed streamlining the teacher certification process and expanding recruitment efforts by encouraging lawmakers to promote more reciprocity with other states regarding teacher certification and also by continuing to support well developed retirement plans. The school leaders requested that the state review and revise the requirements associated with APPR regulations. All of the leaders strongly advocated for reform with civil service. The current processes associated with civil service employment are overly complex and inefficient.

“Schools across the state are grappling with workforce shortages; there is a decline in those planning to become teachers and administrators in the future, and a civil service process that can prove to be unnecessarily complex and time-consuming,” Crisman noted.

Education funding and mandates

In the areas of instruction and finance, the region’s superintendents and state lawmakers discussed increasing funding streams for career and technical education (CTE) programs and collaborating with the Board of Regents to establish an alternative funding procedure. The superintendents also noted the need to streamline state reporting and planning requirements for schools, including duplicative mandates, and they discussed the impacts of retirement costs and the state’s electric vehicle mandate upon districts.

“For schools to move forward in educating students and preparing them for success now and in the future, support from state lawmakers, leaders and policymakers is critical. We appreciated meeting with our state legislators and their staffs last week, and look forward to continuing an open, constructive dialog, for the benefit of our students, schools and the communities that we serve,” Crisman said.

Fort Plain Central School mourns the passing of Ronald J. Pettit (Sr.), who had been a long-time school bus driver for the district. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

Ron was beloved member of the FPCSD community. As noted in his obituary, “Ron also drove school bus for Fort Plain Central School for over 30 years and was known for his kindness and friendly demeanor as a driver. Until his death, many, children whom he drove – now grown – would stop him in town to express how much he meant to them.”

For the full obituary and information on arrangements, visit https://houghtalingandsmith.com/tribute/details/4966/Ronald-Pettit/obituary.html.