Category: District News
Board of Education adopts proposed 2023-24 budget
The Fort Plain Board of Education adopted a proposed $23,320,000 budget for the 2023-24 school year at their March 15, 2023 meeting.
The proposed budget shows an increase of $800,000, or 3.55%, over the current-year budget, with a 1.20% tax levy increase. The proposed budget would maintain the district’s academic programming and services designed to support all student needs.
Fort Plain residents will vote on the proposed budget on Tuesday, May 16, from 1-9 p.m. in the Harry Hoag gym. When residents vote on the proposed budget, they will also consider approving or disapproving a referendum authorizing the district to acquire three school vehicles at a maximum cost of $450,000 with the funds to be drawn from the Bus Purchase/Capital Reserve Fund. The purchase would have no impact on the tax levy. Purchase approval will allow the district to replace aging buses and minimize maintenance costs.
On May 16, voters will also elect three members of the Board of Education to fill vacancies for three-year terms running from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2026.
Anthony Paradiso inducted into National Football Foundation Hall of Fame
Anthony Paradiso, an FPHS senior and member of the Canajoharie-Fort Plain football team, has been inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, Capital District Chapter, a first for Fort Plain.
Anthony received his Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Award at the Hall of Fame’s 34th Annual Awards Dinner at the Polish Community Center in Albany on Sunday, March 12.
The following is inscribed on Anthony’s award plaque: “The Capital District Chapter of the National Football Foundation grants Anthony Paradiso of Canajoharie-Fort Plain High Schools this certificate in recognition of being voted as outstanding in Academic Achievement, School & Community Leadership, and football performance, in the territory of this chapter.”
Anthony is an accomplished student-athlete who’s involved in many activities at school. His football days go back to his younger years. “I started playing football in 4th grade with Canajoharie Youth Football with Coach Kevin Suits and Brian Congdon,” Anthony said.
“In school I also play baseball. On my own, I do a lot of bowling in Junior Leagues/Tournaments, and I have played travel baseball in the past. I have also joined my sister in volleyball leagues/events during the summer.” [Anthony’s sister, Sarah, is a Class of 2021 alumna and who signed with Keuka College.]
As for academics, Anthony’s favorite subjects are math and science. At FPHS, he serves as Class Vice President and is involved in SADD, Student Council, Drama Club, National Honor Society and Yearbook Committee.
After graduation, Anthony plans to attend Lasell University in Newton, MA, to study Athletic Training/Exercise Science.
While the college gridiron is not in his future plans, Anthony will always enjoy football and other sports. “Unfortunately, due to the course load and sports offered by the school, furthering my athletic career in football is not possible, however, I do plan to stay around the sport of football with the help of my career and love for the game.
“As for other sports, right now, I am not committed to furthering my athletic career, however, I will still continue to stay active in the sports I love as best possible and even try other sports through intramurals and clubs, like volleyball.”
Anthony’s mom, Stephanie Paradiso, co-teaches second grade at Harry Hoag School. “Each school in Section II is given the opportunity to nominate one student for the National Football Hall of Fame honor, based not only on their work on the football field over the years, but also their achievements in and out of the classroom,” she said.
“Not only did Anthony receive this honor, but it is extra special because he is the first student from Fort Plain to ever receive it! Anthony received a beautiful plaque and a shirt. His name will also be put on the wall in the College Hall of Fame in Georgia for the next year!”
In addition to being honored for football, Anthony was recently named a Bowling First Team All-Star by the Western Athletic Conference.
Congratulations Anthony!
FPHS alumna author Allyson Dahlin shares experiences
By Tariyka Chaulk, Jr./Sr. High School librarian
Early Tuesday morning, March 7, Lisa Trembley’s 12th grade English classes gathered at the back of the Jr./Sr. High School Library to meet an author who once sat in those same seats. Published author and Fort Plain Class of 2008 alum, Allyson Dahlin, visited Mrs. Trembley’s college English and 12th grade classes, as well as Emma DiDonna’s 10th grade Honors English class.
Dahlin’s young adult book “Cake Eater” is a futuristic retelling of the story of Marie Antoinette. Students viewed a short presentation about Dahlin and her first published work, then spent the rest of the time asking questions about Dahlin’s process, how the publishing world works, and what stories Dahlin has in store for us in the future.
“Allyson did an excellent job interacting with our students today. It was truly a pleasure to hear her present part of her novel and to see the way she interacted with our students as she handled their many questions. She truly is a role model, and I am very proud of her. I cannot wait to read her next novel!” Mrs. Trembley commented on the visit.
Dahlin currently works in digital marketing but uses her spare time to write. The novel “Cake Eater” was written as part of the National Novel Writing Month challenge. During November, writers around the world set a goal and devote the month of November to writing a novel. Dahlin was able to do just that, with a literary agent and a publishing contract to follow. Her debut novel is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard book. During its debut month, it was listed as an Amazon Best Book and was recently added to the Hal Clement Notable Young Adult Book List, which lists the best science fiction books for young adults published throughout the year.
The visit was organized by Jr./Sr. High School Librarian, Tariyka Chaulk, for what she hopes will become a regular thing.
“I think these visits have such an impact because it makes a writer more real. Instead of a name on a cover, students see a real person in front of them. While the author is presenting, they might find commonalities between the author and themselves. Students might think, ‘That person’s just like me. They read books and wrote a novel. Maybe that’s something I can do.’”
Research suggests that students who participate in regular author visits are more likely to have high reading scores, and more likely to read and write for pleasure.
Congratulations All-Stars!
The Western Athletic Conference has honored several FPHS student-athletes as All-Stars.
Congratulations to:
- Amelia Gallagher for being named to the Western Athletic Conference Cheerleading All-Star Team
- Marissa Wilder for being named a Western Athletic Conference Basketball Second Team All-Star
- Stephen Gray for being named a Western Athletic Conference Basketball First Team All-Star
- Anthony Paradiso for being named a Western Athletic Conference Bowling First Team All-Star
- Alex Smith for being named a Western Athletic Conference Wrestling All-Star
- Austin Van Gorder for being awarded a Western Athletic Conference Basketball All-Star Honorable Mention
- Kaedence David for being named a Western Athletic Conference First Team All-Star
- Brianna Krutz for being named a Western Athletic Conference Second Team All-Star
FPHS is well represented at leadership conference
Fort Plain High School juniors Brady Keane, Jasmine Fonda, Courtney Euler, Marissa Wilder, Kaeden David, Monika Kulczynski, Coach John Fureno and Director of Student Engagement & Athletics David Bertram were among 300 student-athletes and coaches who participated in “Positive Leadership is Powerful Leadership: Diversity & Inclusion,” the 2023 Student-Athlete Leadership Conference, at the Clark Sports Center and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum on March 3 in Cooperstown.
They and their peers, representing nearly 50 school districts from throughout central New York, spent the day learning, exploring and building leadership skills.
According to Monica Wolfe, Cooperstown CSD leadership training for athletes advisor, “The leadership conference exists to foster a positive atmosphere and serve as a platform for student-athletes to recognize how leadership application in athletics affects their daily lives. In turn, that creates a ripple effect to be applied through the student-athlete’s life and shared with their teams/teammates, their schools and their community.”
The conference featured several workshops and speakers including SUNY Polytechnic Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator Dr. Mark Montgomery, Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch and Hall of Fame Director of Education Stephanie Hazzard.
Conference sponsors include the Center State Conference, Section III Athletics, NYSPHSAA, NYS AHPERD, Nimey’s New Generation, Advantage Sport and Fitness, Community Bank, American Dairy Association, Gates Cole Insurance, USA Racing, NYPC/Upstate/Bocca, NYCM, Leatherstocking Region FCU, Chobani, Stewart’s Shops, the Clark Sports Center and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Students talk to lawmaker’s staff about taking a Reality Check
Reality Check representatives from Montgomery County Grace Dawson (above, far left) and LuAnn Santabarbara (far right), and FPHS students Trinity Belliveau and Zander Nemeth traveled to Albany to meet with Assemblymember Angelo Santabarbara’s staff about funding and actions to cut tobacco use in NYS.
Trinity and Zander participated because they have seen the toll tobacco can take on families and communities and wanted to share their experiences with legislators.
Fort Plain mourns the passing of Michael Lee Gifford
Fort Plain Central School mourns the passing of Michael Lee Gifford, who taught elementary physical education from 1969-1996, when he retired from the district.
Many in the Fort Plain School community enjoyed having Mr. G as a gym teacher when they were children. He also coached several sports.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
For the full obituary, including details of Mr. Gifford’s many interests and life experiences, visit:
https://www.kilmerfuneralhome.com/memorials/michael-gifford/5150282/index.php
Thank you, Mr. Van Avery!
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!
100th day is a great time to count on math
The 100th day of school was a great time for Harry Hoag students to celebrate what they’ve learned so far this year and to focus on numbers, counting and math skills.
Some of our kindergartners made special hats that demonstrated 10-groups. They also explored building with 100 objects such as cups, Legos, marshmallows, pattern blocks and cubes.
Book Speed Dating event fosters a love of literature
Students in Mrs. Bartholomew’s 6th Grade English Language Arts classes had an opportunity to fall in love with new books during a Book Speed Dating event on Valentine’s Day.
“Students walked into a magically transformed room on Valentine’s Day,” Bartholomew said. “They each had chosen their favorite book that they’ve read this year and spent the class convincing classmates why they should read that book, too!”
The students were paired up for four minutes at a time, asking questions such as, “Tell me about yourself. What are your character’s character traits? What is one thing that really makes you stand out from all the other books on the shelf?”
“Students rotated through the room, meeting many new books,” Bartholomew said. “At the end, they voted on the book they were most interested in reading next for independent reading, and the winners won a prize!
“All of the conversations between students were filled with incredibly rich literary analysis. It was a great day filled with fun and learning. Great job 6th grade ELA!”
