Category: Archive
Walk indoors this season: Fort Plain Pacers Program sign up
Again this season, the Fort Plain Central School District is inviting district residents to walk indoors at Harry Hoag Elementary School, Nov. 17 through April 30.
Residents can walk during the hours of 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. on days school is in session. The cost to participate is $5.00 for those who do not already have a Pacers Program Card.
Sign up for the Pacers Program by contacting Becky Smith in the District Office at 518-993-4000 ext. 1000 or becky.smith@fortplain.org.
Board of Education Meeting – Nov. 19
The Fort Plain Board of Education will hold its regular meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025 beginning at 6 p.m.
The meeting will take place in the Ronald H. Thibodeau Conference Room in the District Office, 25 High Street, Fort Plain, N.Y.
View the FPCSD Board of Education – Nov. 19, 2025 meeting agenda.
NHS Thanksgiving food drive – through Nov. 21
Again this year, the Fort Plain chapter of the National Honor Society is holding a Thanksgiving food drive.
Food collected will provide holiday meals for area families.
Items being collected include:
- Boxed stuffing mix
- Canned corn
- Canned green beans
- Instant mashed potatoes
- Canned cranberry sauce
- Cornbread mix
- Pie crust and fillings
- Turkeys
Donations can be made at Room 204 of the Jr./Sr. High School or Room 5 at Harry Hoag Elementary, now through Friday, Nov. 21.
Questions? Want to arrange for drop off of food items? Please reach out to NHS Advisor Kolbe Gray.
Dinner’s ready! Class of 2027 Brooks BBQ fundraiser
The Fort Plain Class of 2027 has partnered with Brooks BBQ for a chicken dinner fundraiser on Tuesday, Nov. 25.
Tickets are $15 for a complete meal including a 1/2 chicken, baked potato, macaroni salad and roll.
Drive through pick up will be at the Fort Plain CSD Bus Garage from 3 – 6 p.m.
For more information or to purchase tickets please contact class advisor Kolbe Gray.
Staff Spotlight: Meet Student Support Liaison Will Ryan
Join us in shining a spotlight on Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School Teacher and new Student Support Liaison, Will Ryan.
“The Fort Plain Central School District is proud to recognize Will Ryan’s many years of dedication as a teacher, mentor and advocate for our teaching team,” said Interim Superintendent Dr. Karen Geelan. “Will is known for the meaningful connections he builds and the impact he’s had with the students in his classroom. We are grateful to have him in this new role, where he will be able to continue this important work on a larger scale—throughout the school and with our many students.”
For more than 25 years, Will Ryan has been an active member of our school community: teaching social studies and University in the High School (UHS) psychology and sociology courses through UAlbany, serving as director for 14 years of the FP-Canjo Drama Club and its spring musical, and leading the Fort Plain Teachers Association as president for seven years.
Through it all, Ryan says he’s had the opportunity to grow as an educator while forming strong, lasting connections with students, their families (some of whom were once his students themselves!) and his colleagues.
This school year, Ryan has taken on a new role as Student Support Liaison at the Jr./Sr. High School—a position for which he feels his years of experience as a teacher and community volunteer have uniquely prepared him.
Building Bridges and Creating Connections
As Student Support Liaison, Ryan focuses on building trusting relationships with all students—in the halls, the lunchroom and the classroom—but especially with those who may feel disconnected or need extra support.
He emphasizes the importance of curiosity and compassion in understanding students: shifting the question from “What’s wrong with you?” when they misstep to “What’s going on for you?”
While part of his role involves assisting administrators with disciplinary procedures, Ryan knows that being a trusted adult—someone students know believes in them—can make all the difference during challenging times.
This summer, Ryan completed training in restorative practices, an approach that emphasizes accountability and helps students repair relationships with peers and staff when harm has been caused. He uses these strategies with his own students and is helping model them for teachers and staff across the school.
“The biggest thing I’ve learned as a teacher—and in life—is that how we treat others matters,” said Ryan, “We always have a choice in how we react to a situation or setback. Sometimes these are skills we already know; other times, we need someone to teach us. I hope I can help both our students and our school team learn and practice those skills together.”
2nd Annual Veterans Day Reception and Assembly – Nov. 7
Harry Hoag Elementary will host a reception and assembly on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in honor of the veterans in our Fort Plain community.
Those who have served our country and are connected to our students, staff and community are invited to attend this reception beginning at 7:45 a.m. and to stay for an assembly in their honor. This event will take place at 8:10 a.m. in the Harry Hoag Elementary School Library and Gym.
Veterans: Please RSVP by Friday, Oct. 31 by calling 518-993-4000, emailing jennifer.ruszkowski@fortplain.org or to your child’s teacher.
Veterans who are unable to attend this celebration are invited to message us with their name and branch of service so we may include them in our Hall of Heroes display.
FPN News kicks off a new season
Fort Plain Network (FPN) is back and better than ever.
This bi-weekly news show, created by high school students in our Multimedia class led by teacher Rachel Heroth, provides information and announcements about upcoming events and highlights noteworthy celebrations. Each episode is written, filmed and edited by the students, giving them hands-on experience in media production while keeping the school community informed and entertained.
New this school year
This year, the Multimedia program has expanded into two sections, giving more students the opportunity to take the course. The FPN News team now includes both returning students who are building on their previous experience and new students eager to learn the ropes.
Another exciting change this year is a partnership with teacher Tracy Yurkewecz’s Sports Journalism class. Students in this class will be producing dedicated sports segments, highlighting and celebrating Fort Plain’s athletes and teams.
The FPN team will also be adding more educational and historical pieces to support students’ civic readiness.
Watch FPN News
The 2025-26 FPN News season is now live. Watch FPN News and follow along on our FPN YouTube channel to stay in the know and watch as our students grow their skills this school year.
Board of Education meeting – Oct. 15
The Fort Plain Board of Education will hold its regular meeting on Oct. 15, 2025 beginning at 6 p.m.
The meeting will take place in the Ronald H. Thibodeau Conference Room in the District Office, 25 High Street, Fort Plain, N.Y.
View the agenda for the Oct. 15 meeting of the FPCSD Board of Education.
Fort Plain mourns the passing of Jean Watkins
Fort Plain Central School District mourns the passing of Jean Watkins, a Fort Plain alumnus, beloved educator and dedicated Fort Plain elementary school teacher for nearly four decades.
Our thoughts are with her family and friends.
View the tribute to Jean Watkins and learn about her many interests and life experiences.
Staff Spotlight: Meet Mary Simons – teacher and science researcher
Join us in shining a spotlight on Fort Plain High School biology and chemistry teacher Mary Simons. Simons spent this past summer researching some very tiny beings that live in our rivers and now has some really big ideas to share with our students.
“The Fort Plain Central School District is proud to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of our high school science teacher, Mary Simons. Participation with the Cary Institute’s BioRETS program has not only strengthened her expertise, but also enriches the opportunities available to our students,” said Interim Superintendent Dr. Karen Geelan.
This summer while school was out, Fort Plain High School biology and chemistry teacher Mary Simons was still in the classroom—and in love with what she was learning as part of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies’ BioRETS program (Biology Research Experience for Teachers.)
Through six weeks of intensive ecology instruction and field work, Simons and teachers from around the state developed their research skills by investigating a parasite’s effects on zooplankton that play an important role in Hudson River fisheries. The teachers were guided in this research by Cary Institute’s aquatic disease ecologist Dr. Tara Stewart Merrill.
The program also offered the teachers tools for turning complex scientific and research skills and processes into unique learning experiences for their students.
Simons and her research teammates presented their scientific findings and curriculum innovations at the Cary Institute in early August. Over the coming school year, Simons will work with BioRETS program managers to fine-tune her new lesson plans.
The [BioRETS program] was so incredibly satisfying and made me want to go back to school again,” said Simons. “I was treated like a scientist and given an enormous amount of scientific support that I am excited to share in the classroom with our students.”
Science in and outside our schools
Building a scientific research program for the students at Fort Plain has been a goal for Simons since she joined the district three years ago.
With the learning, support and connections to the scientific community she received this summer, Simons plans to create more ways for students to develop their own questions and dig for answers.
As a start, Simon’s biology students will be nature journaling around campus this fall – spending time each week in the same location and taking note of what they see, hear, smell and feel, and how things change over time.
“They will be asking lots and lots of questions,” said Simons, “which will generate ideas for science projects in the future.”
Simons is also launching a science club this year for students who are curious about their world and have questions the scientific process can help them answer.
Ultimately, Simons would like to launch a course in scientific research with experiences that allow students to contribute to the Cary Institute’s RAD lab (research of aquatic diseases) project by surveying the health of the Mohawk River and its tiny inhabitants.
“I want to give our students some unique and meaningful experiences in learning that they love and want to do more of once they leave school, in college and for their careers,” Simons said.