Category: Archive

Related information

• Back to School Parent Information Guide for Harry Hoag Elementary
• Harry Hoag Elementary School Supply Lists

The Board of Education will meet in special session on July 23 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Harry Hoag Elementary School.

Note: The survey was closed July 27.

Please share your feedback with the FPCS Reopening Task Force. Complete the following brief survey about school reopening.

Take the survey at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhyn_Q12I8TzhO_qaiqFuMzzIt7wLECp5KMLxIIfdxv3x5-A/viewform?usp=sf_link

Each district in New York State is required to submit a plan to reopen in September. The district plans must reflect in person, at home and blended learning models. The feedback from the survey will be helpful in developing the plans to open the schools in Fort Plain.

Kindly submit feedback by Monday, July 27 at 9 a.m. Thank you in advance for participating.

The Fort Plain Central School District Board of Education will hold its annual reorganizational and regular meeting on Tuesday, July 7 at 6 p.m. in the Harry Hoag Elementary School. The meeting will be held in-person and is open to the public. Social distancing guidelines and safety precautions will be adhered to, including the wearing of masks. 

The global pandemic resulted in school buildings throughout New York State being closed since mid March. This required schools and families to quickly adapt to a new way of teaching and learning.

As a school district, we are committed to using this experience to learn and grow. Kindly take a few minutes to provide feedback regarding your families experience with remote learning. We will use the information to guide future planning. The survey will be open until Friday. 

Note: The following is a regional statement from HFM BOCES District Superintendent and Fort Plain Acting Superintendent David Ziskin regarding June Regents Exams and course credit. Fort Plain CSD will release additional information about third quarter report cards, and how all students will be evaluated and graded during the fourth quarter.

Due to the ongoing statewide closure of schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the New York State Education Department has announced the cancellation of all June 2020 Regents Examinations and adjusted requirements students must meet to earn diplomas and other credentials. 

As a result of the cancellation, students will be exempt from taking the June Regents but will receive Regents diploma credit if they pass, or have previously passed, the course associated with the exam. 

Students also have the option of attending summer school to pass the course without being required to take the Regents. These modifications apply to all students currently enrolled in grades 7-12 who were planning to take one or more of the June exams. Generally, students must pass five Regents to earn a high school diploma. Read the NYSED announcement concerning the Regents and NYSED Frequently Asked Questions document. 

“Throughout our region, school districts have been working during this crisis to provide continuity of instruction as required by Gov. Cuomo’s Executive Order,” HFM BOCES District Superintendent and Fort Plain Acting Superintendent David Ziskin said. “Teachers have reached out to students in a variety of ways such as providing material on district websites, using Google Classroom and other software, and providing work directly to families. I encourage families to continue to work with their teachers and complete their at-home learning to ensure students receive the credit they’ve worked all year to earn. We realize this is a hardship for many families, but by working together we will get through this challenging time.” 

Ziskin said that due to the extended closure, schools may not be able to provide the full unit of study in Regents classes by the end of the school year. However, students who meet the standards assessed in the provided coursework will be granted diploma credit by their home districts. 

At this time, the state Education Department has yet to make a decision about the August 2020 Regents Examinations and will issue a separate announcement when such a decision is made. 

On March 20, New York State Board of Regents and the state Education Department announced that the elementary- and intermediate-level state assessments for grades 3-8 have been suspended for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. 

Note: John Bishop was appointed superintendent of the Fort Plain Central School District on March 20 during a special Board of Education meeting.

Dear Parents, Guardians, Employees and Community Members:

It is with great enthusiasm that I join the Fort Plain school district to serve as Superintendent of Schools. With an official start date of May 1, I am eager to begin my work.

I am honored and overjoyed to have the opportunity to guide the educational mission at Fort Plain CSD. As your superintendent, I am committed to being student centered, learner focused, results oriented and community connected.

My philosophy places high value on cultivating systems for communication, collaboration and supporting an academic culture that is focused on teaching and learning. I believe every child can learn and achieve at high levels. Our schools will work to support all students, meet the needs of all learners, and ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed.

Over the next month I will be working with Dr. David Ziskin to ensure a smooth transition to the district. My plan is to begin connecting with the school board, administration, faculty, staff and community members, to the greatest extent possible, in the weeks to come.

I look forward to a time when we can return to normal routines and meet face-to-face. Until then, I wish good health to you and your families.

Warmest regards,

John Bishop

The Fort Plain Central School District Board of Education has announced its selection for the district’s next superintendent of schools.

John Bishop, the current principal of the Poestenkill Elementary School in the Averill Park Central School District, was appointed as the new Fort Plain superintendent during a special Board of Education meeting Friday, March 20.

Bishop will assume the superintendent’s position in Fort Plain beginning May 1, with a three-year contract.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to lead the educational mission at Fort Plain,” Bishop said. “I look forward to serving a school community that is learner focused and committed to a holistic approach that develops the whole child.”

Bishop has worked nearly 26 years in Averill Park beginning as a special education teacher at the West Sand Lake Elementary School in 1994. He also worked as a special education teacher at Averill Park High School before being appointed assistant middle school principal. He continued his administrative career in Averill Park serving as the district’s athletic director and then the assistant high school principal before being named as an elementary principal in 2016. Bishop also coached for several years including varsity football, varsity and JV girls lacrosse, freshmen girls basketball and JV golf.

He’s also been president of the Averill Park principals union for two years and has been a varsity soccer official for 10. Before beginning his career in Averill Park, he was a special education teacher at the Wildwood Programs for two years.

Bishop will replace Acting Superintendent David Ziskin, who is the former Fort Plain superintendent and current district superintendent of HFM BOCES. Ziskin assumed the role of superintendent in February after former Interim Superintendent Kathy Dougherty resigned due to a family responsibility.

As the BOCES district superintendent, Ziskin worked with the Fort Plain Board of Education as a consultant during the search process.

“The Fort Plain superintendent’s position attracted a strong and talented pool of candidates, and Mr. Bishop quickly rose to the top,” Ziskin said. “He’s a dedicated educator and administrator who believes that collaborative practices, strong community connections and a primary focus on teaching and learning builds successful schools.”

An East Greenbush native, Bishop graduated Columbia High School and received a bachelor’s degree in special education from the College of St. Rose. He earned his master’s degrees in educational psychology from the State University of New York at Albany and his educational administration certification from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

He lives in Niskayuna with his wife, who is a middle school teacher in South Colonie. They have two children, a son, who is a senior in high school, and a daughter attending college.

Students in the Life Skills class recently celebrated 100 days of school. Life Skills teacher Lisa Petty and math teacher Sue Summerfield organized activities for the students. They read “The 100 Hats Of The Cat In The Hat,” counted 100 items on a mat, made the number 100 out of cheese sticks and grapes, and enjoyed cupcakes. Students and teachers brought items from home and chose items from the classroom that were meaningful to them for the mat activity. 

For the past 65 years, the Montgomery County Music Festival has celebrated the talented student musicians from school districts in Fort Plain, Canajoharie, Fonda-Fultonville and Amsterdam.

At this year’s event on Feb. 29 in Canajoharie, it was also time to celebrate outgoing Montgomery County Music Association President Pete DiBiase. He is retiring from Fort Plain this year, capping 25 years of service to the association, its beloved festival and the school district he’s called home for 32 years. 

The nod to DiBiase was a surprise coordinated by counterpart band directors at the county’s school districts. As the audience was welcomed during the opening speech, the festival was paused to honor DiBiase with a plaque.

When asked to reflect on the experience, DiBiase humbly referred to his students and their performances.

“It was memorable,” he said. “It was a great day of music and a great day of kids.”

It couldn’t have been a more fitting time to honor DiBiase, as March is Music in our Schools Month.

Music in Our Schools Month is annually held in March to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children, and to remind citizens that school is where children should have access to music. It was established by The National Association for Music Education.

The Montgomery County Music Festival is an ultimate celebration of music in schools, preceded by months of preparation. DiBiase says it’s rewarding to see the students bring the teacher-selected musical pieces to life as a  unit. But even better, all the hard work is for a good cause.

“The importance of the festival is not only the concert and the work and preparation that goes into it, but also the scholarships,” DiBiase said. The nominal admission fee to the festival supports scholarships awarded to students in the participating school districts.