Category: Archive

Join us in shining a spotlight on the district’s Technology Integration Specialist and grade 7-12 teacher Rachel Heroth.

“Rachel Heroth exemplifies what it means to be an engaged and student-centered educational leader,” said Interim Superintendent Karen Geelan.

“Her experience as a former Director of Technology brings tremendous knowledge and leadership to our district, but what truly sets Rachel apart is her unwavering commitment to people. Whether she is organizing student events, supporting staff or troubleshooting a technology issue at a moment’s notice, Rachel consistently goes above and beyond. Her energy, compassion and willingness to help anyone at any time make her an invaluable part of the Jr./Sr. High School and the entire Fort Plain school community.” 

On any given day, you might find Rachel Heroth teaching her seventh graders to write code, troubleshooting a Chromebook that just won’t start, leading our teachers in a deep dive into the state’s computer science standards or helping students launch that week’s edition of FPN News. Or she may be handling something entirely different, but equally essential to our students’ learning and school success.

As the district’s Technology Integration Specialist and teacher of such tech-related coursework as computer science, multimedia and video production, Heroth is an on-the-go and go-to member of our team.

Now in her seventeenth year in k-12 education, and a member of the Fort Plain team since 2021, Rachel says that she wanted to work in education because she loves spending time with kids and watching them develop new ideas and create new things. She also gets a lot of satisfaction from helping people learn.

“I feel happy when I am around the students—they bring a special kind of energy,” Heroth said.

“I think there is so much value in project-based learning and assignments that mean something and are approachable,” she continued. “I loved creating things that were tangible when I was studying business in college. I went into education with the desire to show the kids that this is what education could mean for them, too.”

An example of this sort of learning—and a project Heroth counts as a highlight of her career to date—is the student produced FPN News program.

Since its launch as a school club and subsequent expansion into a for-credit high school course in 2022, FPN News has provided students with hands-on opportunities to report, write, film, direct, and deliver the school’s weekly news and event updates. Along the way, students get to build their communication, design and digital media skills as well as skills such as teamwork, problem solving and time management. It also helps them feel more confident, creative, accepted and part of something bigger than themselves.

“[FPN News] has evolved into something bigger and much more creative than I could have imagined. It has brought so much to our school,” Heroth said. “I have seen so many kids come ‘out of their shells’ in this class and express skills and strengths they haven’t shown in any of their other classes. I didn’t predict this would be what this class would mean for the students.”

“Rachel Heroth is an outstanding educator whose impact can be felt throughout every part of the Fort Plain school community. She is a creative, energetic and innovative leader who consistently goes above and beyond for both students and staff,” said Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School Principal Katrina Canallatos. “Rachel has a special ability to build strong relationships with students, making them feel connected, supported and excited to be involved in school. We are incredibly fortunate to have someone with her talent, leadership and commitment serving our students each day.”