Category: District News
A note to the community from Mrs. Crisman
February 17, 2023
Greetings Fort Plain School Community Members,
Over the past several months, the school team has worked tirelessly to support social, emotional and academic development of our students. We have seen the students thrive in many ways both in, and outside, of the classroom as observed by their academic achievements and participation in extracurricular and athletic programming.
As we prepare the budget for the 2023 – 2024 school year, we are focused on the future. The board developed five enduring goals that will guide our planning and preparation.
The goals:
- Improve safety in our schools.
- Improve student learning outcomes.
- Build and maintain trusting relationships with students and their families.
- Support social and emotional wellness for all school community members.
- Ensure responsible and strategic use of fiscal and human resources to best support the needs of our students.
The District’s budget planning and development procedures are outlined in Board Policy No. 5010. As indicated in the policy, several stakeholder groups will be consulted regarding their recommendations for how we can best support, improve or expand upon our current academic programs, student support systems and student experiences.
Please watch this website for further information regarding budget development for the 2023-2024 school year.
Wishing you each a wonderful February vacation!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Crisman
Superintendent
Winter teams achieve Scholar-Athlete status
Congratulations to Fort Plain’s boys and girls basketball, girls bowling, and cheerleading teams for being honored as NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Teams. Each team needs to have 75% of its team’s roster receive a total GPA of 90 or above. A total of 32 FPHS students achieved a 90 or better GPA during winter sports. #TopperPride!
Honoring a teacher superhero
“As I walk into school, I can see it through the doors, and it’s a great way to remember Kevin.” What Fort Plain High School Principal Dr. Deborah Larrabee sees is a large banner hanging in the school lobby memorializing beloved teacher Kevin Bogus, who passed away in May 2022.
Designed by high school teacher Linda Cole, the banner features an image of an original painting created in Kevin’s memory by fellow teacher, ninja athlete, and trainer, and close friend Geoff Snyder, who unveiled the banner at a Feb. 2 ceremony. The painting depicts Kevin during ninja training, gripping strongly with both hands while the rest of his body is airborne, wearing a shirt that says, “Get A Grip.”
“I’m an artist and an art teacher and wanted to remember Kevin through the painting,” Snyder said. “It’s hanging in our Albany Ninja Lab, where Kevin was beloved by everybody.” Snyder, who is a co-owner of the gym, competed on season 9 of American Ninja Warrior in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2017, and became discouraged after applying repeatedly to compete again.
“I was bummed and was going to give up,” he said. “Kevin talked me into applying again last year. ‘You can’t quit,’ he told me. ‘You gotta keep trying; you’re not a quitter’. So, I tried again, making Kevin’s story part of my application video. I was accepted to compete this spring in Los Angeles. I had a less than one percent chance of being picked, so being picked twice is like a dream come true.”
The Kevin Bogus memorial banner also features a quote by Thor, “A victory has more meaning when it is not won by the force of your own arms, yet the ingenuity of your own brain!”
“The quote was part of Kevin’s email signature at school,” said Dr. Larrabee. “He loved Marvel Entertainment. The painting, quote and the banner are a great way to honor him. We think Kevin was watching the unveiling from above and approved.”
School superintendents meet with state legislators
Fort Plain Central School District Superintendent Lauren Crisman joined with local school leaders in meeting with state legislators last week to discuss a range of important issues and initiatives supporting students and their families.
The meetings, conducted virtually, addressed priorities including mental health services and student health and safety, school district workforce shortages and employment procedures, and education funding and mandates.
Mental health services and student health and safety
In their discussions with lawmakers, the superintendents advocated for lawmakers to:
- Address the shortages of mental health providers and the increased need for ongoing, coordinated care, as well as the need for increased access to preventive services for family systems
- Collaborate with counties and other organizations to develop a stronger continuum of care
- Address challenges surrounding the management of and access to, medication and other health supplies
- Promote universal access to school meals and the need to expand support for community meal programs
“The lack of adequate regional mental health support has a direct and adverse impact on the students and families in Montgomery County,” Superintendent Crisman said. “The lack of regional options for mental health therapy and medication management under the care of qualified professionals is a significant challenge for many families.”
School district workforce shortages
To address critical workforce shortages, the superintendents discussed streamlining the teacher certification process and expanding recruitment efforts by encouraging lawmakers to promote more reciprocity with other states regarding teacher certification and also by continuing to support well developed retirement plans. The school leaders requested that the state review and revise the requirements associated with APPR regulations. All of the leaders strongly advocated for reform with civil service. The current processes associated with civil service employment are overly complex and inefficient.
“Schools across the state are grappling with workforce shortages; there is a decline in those planning to become teachers and administrators in the future, and a civil service process that can prove to be unnecessarily complex and time-consuming,” Crisman noted.
Education funding and mandates
In the areas of instruction and finance, the region’s superintendents and state lawmakers discussed increasing funding streams for career and technical education (CTE) programs and collaborating with the Board of Regents to establish an alternative funding procedure. The superintendents also noted the need to streamline state reporting and planning requirements for schools, including duplicative mandates, and they discussed the impacts of retirement costs and the state’s electric vehicle mandate upon districts.
“For schools to move forward in educating students and preparing them for success now and in the future, support from state lawmakers, leaders and policymakers is critical. We appreciated meeting with our state legislators and their staffs last week, and look forward to continuing an open, constructive dialog, for the benefit of our students, schools and the communities that we serve,” Crisman said.
Fort Plain mourns the passing of Ron Pettit
Fort Plain Central School mourns the passing of Ronald J. Pettit (Sr.), who had been a long-time school bus driver for the district. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
Ron was beloved member of the FPCSD community. As noted in his obituary, “Ron also drove school bus for Fort Plain Central School for over 30 years and was known for his kindness and friendly demeanor as a driver. Until his death, many, children whom he drove – now grown – would stop him in town to express how much he meant to them.”
For the full obituary and information on arrangements, visit https://houghtalingandsmith.com/tribute/details/4966/Ronald-Pettit/obituary.html.
Congratulations All County performers!
Congratulations to our talented elementary chorus members Claudia, Piper and Isabella, pictured above, and high school chorus members Ian Burns and Bailie Richardson, pictured below, for their recent performances at the All County Music Festival, and to music teacher Julieanne Sincavage.
All County Band
Congratulations to our talented band members Jasmine Lapi (10th grade flute) and Natalie Thibodeau (12th grade percussionist), who performed three pieces with the Senior All County Band, and to music teacher Dalton Burrello.
The songs were: “Shenandoah” by Claude T. Smith, “Spitfire!” by Gary P. Gilmore, and “Fate of the Gods” by Steven Reineke.
“The students rehearsed from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the day of the festival, and then put on a wonderful concert in the evening,” Burrello said. “They had the opportunity to rehearse, practice, eat lunch, and perform extremely challenging music with talented students from schools across the county (Fonda, Canajoharie, Amsterdam, etc.)
“They also worked with guest conductors from different areas of New York State, which created a very professional atmosphere and required a very high level of musicianship from each student. It was a great experience to be able to come all together and perform such high quality, challenging pieces of music, and I am grateful that they had the opportunity to be a part of that.”
Harry Hoag Student Council holds food & personal items drive for Senior Center
February is the month when we celebrate Valentine’s Day, and the Harry Hoag Student Council is showing their love for their community. Through Feb. 17th, the Council is collecting non-perishable food and personal care items for the Fort Plain Senior Center. Donations may be sent to an elementary student’s homeroom or dropped off during school hours at the Harry Hoag School entry kiosk.
Student Council members said they wanted to give back to their community. They decided to hold a drive to benefit the Senior Center after enjoying a visit there, they wanted to help seniors who access the center. To add some fun to the drive, the Council is holding a competition to see which grade donates the most items.
“The Student Council and all of Harry Hoag School appreciates any donations to the drive,” Elementary Principal Jodi Coppolo said. “February is a month when we emphasize the importance of kindness – although we talk about it all year long at Harry Hoag School – and a kind action or word can make someone’s day. We continue to encourage these random and intentional acts. Thank you to all in our school community for supporting our efforts.”
In the photos:
At top: Harry Hoag students start counting and collecting donations for the Senior Center drive.
At bottom: A collection bag outside a classroom
Delving deeply into science
Hands-on, project-based learning and a deeper understanding of science concepts, practices and key ideas are at the heart of the plan to transition Fort Plain students to be successful with new learning expectations related to the updated New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards.
Patty Sweet, a retired Harry Hoag Elementary teacher, is working with the district’s teachers on strategies to implement a successful transition with teaching to the state’s new benchmarks. “She dedicates two hours each day that she is contracted to be here to each grade level, diving deeper into the meaning of the standards and practices that will allow students to demonstrate understanding of them,” said Harry Hoag Principal Jodi Coppolo.
“Ms. Sweet has been working with our teachers on preparing for the transition of the related NYS Science Assessment. Formerly, students took a paper-based test in grades 4 and 8. Now, with these newer standards, students will be asked to sit for an exam in grade 5 and 8. In addition, in grades 3-8, students will need to complete a required Investigation (a learning lab).
“The Investigations are aligned to grade-level standards and require many supplies. The district needed to purchase the new supplies in preparation to offer students the lab experiences. Some of the supplies are consumable, so we are planning thoughtfully to adjust our budget expenses to ensure yearly preparation.”
The district is using American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to cover professional development expenses associated with this transition work.
The NYS P-12 Science Learning Standards were revised to reflect practices associated with Next Generation Learning. The standards give local educators the flexibility to design classroom learning experiences that stimulate students’ interests in science and prepare them for college, careers, and citizenship.
Proud to be a Hilltopper: Brad Bowers, Class of 2008 & owner of Bowterra Farm
Hilltopper pride is strong in Fort Plain. Our Topper Pride video series explores the many reasons members of the Fort Plain school community, including students, alumni, faculty, staff and administrators, are proud of the experiences, knowledge and friendships they gained here.
Proud to be a Topper: Brad Bowers, Class of 2008 & owner of Bowterra Farm
FPHS Class of 2008 graduate Brad Bowers earned degrees in environmental science, worked in the field, and now owns Bowterra Farm, which offers several varieties of mushrooms among other crops, to customers both local and afar. View our video below to learn why Brad is proud to be a Hilltopper. #TopperPride!
Hedgehogs help little learners build literacy skills and more
Joanne Kennedy’s Pre-Kindergarten students are exploring winter through literacy, and they’ve also learned some cosmic yoga skills, all thanks to hedgehogs.
“In Pre-K we read the story, ‘The Hat’ by Jan Brett,” said Kennedy. “My students fell in love with the character Hedgie. Of course, they also love Sonic the Hedgehog. So ‘A Cosmic Kids Yoga Adventure with Sonic the Hedgehog’ was a perfect match for our Fun Friday activity.”
On Jan. 13, Sonic and his friend Jamie led the students through a fun yoga practice via video. “Pre-K students have so much power and energy like Sonic, but they also learned the importance of rest to balance it all out to be the best they can be,” Kennedy said. “What a fun adventure with Sonic the Hedgehog!”
