Category: District News
Students’ hard work revives HS garden and greenhouse
Thanks to the hard work of students in the Internship program and School Store, the FPHS greenhouse was put back into action and the community garden space is once again clean, green and productive.
“The community garden had been resting for several years and needed a lift,” said business teacher Wendy Stokna. “The students worked to clean the space and decided to donate proceeds from store activities to install a fresh weed barrier, a cedar raised bed and compost bin.
“These students hope that future students can get their hands a little dirty, learn about teamwork and gain the endless skill and knowledge that come from involvement in the management of the community garden.
“The special project also involved planting, growing and labeling plants and hosting a small plant sale,” she added. “The students worked very hard on all aspects of the garden project, pushing its completion to beyond the end of the school year. Thank you to all in our school community for your support.”
Celebrating the Class of 2023!
On June 24, members of the Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School Class of 2023 received their diplomas, turned their tassels and walked across the graduation stage to the next exciting chapter in their lives.
We celebrate the Class of 2023 with our graduation photo album, Top 10 Students video, which premiered at graduation and may be viewed below, and Senior Spotlight, which was displayed in the high school lobby, shared with our families, highlighted on morning announcements and shared on social media.
Congratulations to all of our seniors. We’re proud of you, Hilltoppers!
View our graduation photo album on Facebook!
We celebrated our top 10 seniors with a video shown during graduation. View it below.
Congratulations to all of our seniors! Here’s our Senior Spotlight
[Posted 5/22/23; reposted 6/8; updated 6/23 & 6/26/23]
Congratulations to our Class of 2023 Top 10 students
Fort Plain High School has named the top 10 students of the Class of 2023. Congratulations to the seniors posted below.
To learn more about them, visit our Senior Spotlight webpage.
1. Alex Rivkowich, Valedictorian
2. Ethan Kilmartin, Salutatorian
3. Rylee Herron
4. Natalie Thibodeau
5. Anthony Paradiso
6. Stephen Gray
7. Joseph Stinebrickner III
8. Americus Cotton
9. Cameron David
10. Kristin Sanders
View our Top 10 video, first shown during graduation.
[Posted 6/8/23; reposted 6/23/23; updated 6/26/23]
Harnessing solar and wind energy to cook and race
Meagan Heiser’s fourth grade students at Harry Hoag School recently learned about using the sun’s energy by creating a solar oven and using it to roast s’mores.
“We also learned about energy in motion by creating balloon-powered cars and raced them down the hallway,” Heiser said.
Students have been involved in lots of innovative learning projects this year in our schools.
Free summer meals for all students in our community
Free breakfast and lunch will be available for students through age 18 Mondays through Thursdays this summer at Fort Plain schools.
Meals will be available from June 28 through Aug. 10 at Harry Hoag Elementary School, and from July 10 through Aug. 3 at Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School.
Both sites are open to all area children and teens.
Breakfast will be available at Harry Hoag from 7:45-9:15 a.m., and at FPHS from 7:30-9 a.m.
Lunch will be available at Harry Hoag and FPHS from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Join us for nutritious and free meals. Just stop in!
To view more USDA free summer meal sites, visit
https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids
[posted 6/12/23; reposted 6/23/23]
Digital Fluency students celebrate great gains
Students in Wendy Stokna’s Digital Fluency class at Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School are celebrating great gains.
Student progress in keyboarding was tracked by looking at the Net Words Per Minute (NWPM) that adjusts speed for accuracy. Collectively the classes started the school year averaging 17 NWPM with a range of 1 to 53 NWPM, and they finished the year averaging 40 NWPM with a range of 21 to 83 NWPM!
“That is an average growth of 23 Net Words Per Minute in one year!” Stokna said. “In each class, students start with a small amount of time using best practices in keyboarding, most importantly trying not to look at their hands and developing muscle memory.
“Just the practice of 10 minutes per class every other day created this amazing result. I want to express to my students how proud I am of their growth of this necessary 21st Century skill!”
6th grade students scope out FPHS
Fort Plain’s 6th grade students enjoyed a preview of their upcoming junior/senior high school days when they toured and explored FPHS on June 14. Their insider’s view came with lunch and a Q&A session with upperclassmen.
Grades 7-9 school counselor Mrs. Kayla Mahoney coordinated the event to support the students’ transition to junior high school in the fall. Grades 10-12 school counselor Elliott Cohen also guided students at the event.
Eleventh grade students volunteered as tour guides and panel participants. Tour stops included each 7th grade core classroom as well as the cafeteria, auditorium, library, gym and various offices in the high school.
“The students also practiced what their lunchtime routine would be like and enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by the high school cafeteria staff,” Mahoney said.
“In the auditorium, students heard from Mr. Bertram, athletic director, about opportunities in athletics at the 7th grade level. Then, they had the opportunity to ask questions about 7th grade and the junior/senior high school to the panel of juniors.”
Welcome to FPHS, rising seventh graders!
Fort Plain grad, published author and microbiologist shares with students
Fort Plain Class of 2011 graduate Chelsea Koch Ross is a microbiologist by day, but at night and in her free time, she writes – and gets published. The author of “Creatures Most Vile,” a novel for young adults, Chelsea recently shared her experiences with fifth and sixth grade students.
Chelsea writes under the pen name Chelsea Lauren. She met with the students at Harry Hoag School to talk about being a writer and having her novel published.
“The students were given the opportunity to ask questions. They were very excited to hear about her book and the experience she had writing it,” said Eileen Kretser, guided reading teaching assistant. “She writes as a hobby, and is a microbiologist with New York State.”
Chelsea has also shared her knowledge and experiences with high school students. Last school year, she visited with English classes at FPHS, including the English 11 Honors class where she once was a student.
After graduating from Fort Plain, Chelsea attended Hartwick College in Oneonta, where she double-majored in biology and chemistry. Chelsea developed her love for writing after taking a college creative writing course.
Fort Plain partners with Montgomery County’s “Pastport” to History program
Fort Plain Central School District is proud to partner with Montgomery County Tourism for the “Pastport” to History program, a fun and engaging way for students and their families to learn and explore our extraordinary past.
“The ‘Pastport’ is a gateway to 17 historic sites, all located right here in our own community and perfect for a family-friendly, fun experience,” said Montgomery County Executive Mattew L. Ossenfort. “Through this special program, every child that brings their ‘Pastport’ to a Mongomery County historic site will receive FREE admission and a special ‘entry stamp.’ Students who collect at least 10 stamps will be entered in a special contest to receive a historic Montgomery County prize pack.”
The “Pastport” will be available in the elementary and high school entrance kiosks, or may be downloaded as a pdf here.
The county historian will be visiting schools next year to hear what students learned while exploring Montgomery County and to talk about the county’s rich history.
Gr. 9-12 exams and Chromebook collection schedule
The following grades 9-12 June 2023 exams and Chromebook collection schedule has been shared via ParentSquare with high school families. Best of luck to all of our students on your exams and thank you for returning your Chromebooks.
