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Harry Hoag first quarter honor roll and principal’s list

Harry Hoag Elementary School is proud to announce the 2023-24 first quarter Honor Roll and Principal’s List. The Honor Roll and Principal’s List recognize outstanding achievement and effort.

Congratulations to the following students:

Honor Roll

Grade 5

  • Zachary Alkinburgh
  • Kaylee Becker
  • Jacob Dolly
  • Nauni Fink
  • Kyleigh Harris
  • Isabella Shibley
  • Caine Suiter
  • Hunter Wallett
  • Kiernan Welch

Grade 6

  • Jailynn Benjamin
  • Jaxon Best
  • Riley Cionek
  • Olivia Jones
  • Carl Morrell
  • Julian President
  • Amaya Rivera
  • Kayden Rouse
  • Elijah Shostek
  • Kaden Welch

Principal’s List

Grade 5

  • Isabelle Allen
  • Aiden Bunker
  • Kyle Christman
  • KataLenah Clapper
  • Tori Compton
  • Lleyton Emrick
  • Audrina Gomez
  • Rystara Handy
  • Quinn Hisert
  • Roy Johnson IV
  • Christian Jones
  • Serenity Leverock
  • Lilly Mang
  • IvyKate McGuire
  • Andres Medina
  • Elaena Minarich
  • Wesley Moshier
  • Oliver Parkinson
  • Danyel Rankin
  • Willow Richards
  • Isley Ruszkowski
  • Beverly Sherwood
  • Prestyn Spraker
  • Kayden Trumbull
  • Addison Weaver

Grade 6

  • Angela Abe-Callan
  • Fiona Brown
  • Brantlee Brownell
  • Alana Candido
  • Owen Charboneau
  • Aubree Childs
  • Milo Clark
  • Christopher Compton Jr.
  • Christopher Cook
  • Bently Dodson
  • Sienna Dean
  • Arianna Eells
  • Ziva Dimon
  • Laura Flynn
  • Jake Fountain
  • Raelynn Fournier
  • Laylah Hardnett
  • Isabella Hearn
  • Amarha Herring
  • Timothy Keane
  • Piper Kretser
  • Jacob LaQuee
  • Russhell Leverock
  • Claudia Maring
  • MaeLyn Meddaugh
  • Aishwarya Murray
  • Isabella Palmeri
    Mara Poultney
  • Kaydence Robellard
  • Ethan Shostek
  • Noah Smith
  • Gavin Smith
  • Rosabella Smith
  • Joseph Sweet II
  • Booker Tarica
  • Kendrik Thackrah
  • Adalay Webb
  • McKenzie Jones

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. 13 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.

Service and work-based learning—a win for students and the school community

A high school student, who has long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and is wearing eyeglasses and a short sleeved black t-shirt, works to fill a shopping bag with food items from a table. The student has turned and looks at and is smiling for the camera.
Students in our Jr./Sr. High School Life Skills program gain important life and work-ready skills while taking part in activities that support and enhance our school community.

Kevin Bogus Memorial Garden beautified – check. Weekend snack bags prepped for peers – check. Coffee served and Kristy’s Closet stocked – check and check.

Thanks for these and many other activities that support and enhance our school community go out to the learners in the Jr./Sr. High School Life Skills classroom of Dorene Goodwin.

“Our curriculum is designed to support the students in gaining essential academics and life skills. With all the activities we do throughout the school and to support the community, the students are learning by doing,” explained Goodwin.

Consider an activity such as preparing weekend snack bags for peers. Steps such as taking inventory, grocery shopping for essentials, preparing and then delivering the completed bags to each school site further the weekly project. They also offer students hands-on practice with subjects such as math and English Language Arts (ELA) and with practical life and workplace skills such as problem solving, teamwork, collaboration, customer service, perseverance and much more.

“What I like about the students participating in all of these projects around the school, is that it gives them a chance to build their own skills. It also allows them to give back to our community in ways that really matter,” Goodwin said.

Capital Project vote to be held Dec. 13

On Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, the Fort Plain community will vote on a $18,655,000 capital improvement project. If approved, the project will fund needed repairs and improvements inside and out of both Harry Hoag Elementary School and the Jr./Sr. High School. It will also enhance some of our well-used gathering spaces such as the outdoor playground and athletic facilities.

Every learner and community member or organization that uses our facilities will benefit from these improvements.

This project would be funded in part by the district’s capital reserves and with reimbursable bond borrowing at no additional impact on local taxpayers.

The vote will be held at Harry Hoag Elementary School (polling in the school library) on Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“Our teachers and school district leaders believe in the promise of education. We feel strongly about creating a learning environment that guarantees each student the opportunity to get what they need from us in order to pursue a life filled with success and enduring happiness,” said Fort Plain District Superintendent Lauren Crisman.

“In creating this project, we have been both fiscally responsible and purposeful about what needs to be done to build a more safe and enriching learning environment that will support students now and help prepare them for their futures.”

Zero tax impact with the use of reserves and bonding

Funding for the cost of this project will be paid for using the district’s reserve fund and bond borrowing (reimbursable through New York State Education Department/NYSED building aid) at no additional impact on local taxpayers.

Breakdown of funding for this project:

  • Proposed Capital Project Cost: $18,655,000
  • Total from Capital Reserve Fund: $2,780,000
  • Bond Borrowing: $15,875,000

Cost to taxpayers: No additional cost to taxpayers. Projections assume a zero tax levy impact.

Proposed project scope

This project contains both needed repairs to enhance the safety and usability of our facilities for all and improvements that will, most directly, impact the learning experience for students and the staff who support them. All items included in the project proposal are based on the recommendations of the district’s Building Condition Survey and additional stakeholder surveys.

The New York State Education Department requires schools to complete a Building Condition Survey every five years in collaboration with a licensed architect. The most recent survey identified a number of immediate repairs to improve the general conditions of our campus.

These and other enhancements, include, but are not limited to:

  • Renovations to the circa 1970 Grade 1-3 wing of Harry Hoag Elementary School.
  • Renovation/repurposing of the atrium and auditorium spaces at the Jr./Sr. High School.
  • Paving of access road to athletic fields and track/regrade ball field.
  • Resurfacing of the playground spaces at Harry Hoag Elementary School.
  • Repairs to the Jr./Sr. High School fitness room roof/ skylight, public address/alarm systems and heating-ventilation-air conditioning (HVAC) system.
  • Replacement of the Jr./Sr. High School kitchen walk-in cooler.
  • Repair the West Street stairs leading to the Jr./Sr. High School.
  • Upgrade the master clock systems for both Harry Hoag Elementary School and the Jr./Sr. High School.
  • Repairs and upgrades to wash bays and carbon monoxide system at the Bus Garage to improve safety and efficiency.

Project timeline

If approved, the design portion of this project work would begin in late winter/early spring 2024 with a goal of having bids for the work approved by late 2024. Planned renovations and construction would begin in 2025.

Voting information

The vote on this Capital Project, including the use of funds from the district’s Capital Reserve Fund to help pay for this project, will be held at Harry Hoag Elementary School on Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the school library.

To vote, you must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen and a resident of the Fort Plain Central School District for at least 30 days prior to the vote and not otherwise ineligible.

Absentee ballots

Absentee ballots are available for the Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023 Capital Project vote.

Absentee ballots will be issued upon request to residents who will be out of town or unable to vote at the polls due to illness or disability.

Request an absentee ballot by contacting District Clerk Becky Smith at 518-993-4000 ext. 1000.

Absentee ballots that are returned by mail must be received by the district clerk at least seven days before the vote – by Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 5 p.m.

Absentee ballots may be picked up and submitted in-person at our District Office until the day before the vote – Tuesday, Dec. 12 by 5 p.m.

Resources

View the presentation by Superintendent of Schools Lauren Crisman from the Nov. 15, 2023 public hearing on the Capital Improvement Project.  If you are unable to access this document or the information it contains, please contact our District Communications Office. 

View the legal notice on the Dec. 13. 2023 Capital Improvement Project vote.

November menus, new Fresh Bar option

This week, Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School debuted its new Fresh Bar. Now, along with our daily lunch offerings, Jr./Sr. High School students can build-their-own-lunch from the Fresh Bar items.

With lighter options such as sandwiches and salad, yogurt, hummus, veggies, fruit and more, this addition to our jr/sr. high school lunch offering is already a big hit with students!

View the November breakfast and lunch menus for all students, k-12. 

Enriching student learning—in and outside our classrooms

A group of Fort Plain first graders and teachers sit together in a wooden wagon at Bellinger's apple orchard. They are gathered close together and all look at and smile for the camera. It is a clear, sunny fall day and green grass, trees and mountains appear in the background.
Fun field trips such as the one Harry Hoag Elementary School first graders took this fall to Bellinger’s Apple Orchard help bring classroom learning to life.

Throughout the school year, a host of fun field trips and enrichment activities help deepen our students’ learning. These hands-on and multi-sensory (learning with all the senses) experiences help bring classroom lessons to life… and may even inspire a passion or future career path!

Here are just a few fun examples of the enriched learning happening for students this fall:

  • Kindergarteners recently donned their own helmets and climbed aboard a big red Fort Plain fire truck to learn about fire safety and the important job firefighters play in our community. This annual visit from the fire company helped mark Fire Safety Awareness Month and is just one of many ways our first responders and community helpers expand students’ learning throughout the year.
  • Fall wouldn’t be the same without a trip to the orchard for apples and a wagon ride. After learning about the season and how apples grow, first graders visited Bellinger’s Apple Orchard for some apple picking, tasting and lots of other seasonal fun.
  • The sweet smell of pumpkin spice filled the air as learners in our third-grade classrooms made (and got to sample!) fresh butter, pumpkin pie and homemade whipped cream. Thank you educator Wendy Richardson and the Cornell Cooperative Extension/Herkimer County for leading us in this fun and delicious culinary exploration.
Dozens of Fort Plain High School students sit in plush, dark red seats at Proctor's Theatre in Schenectady before a producation of Mrs. Doubtfire. All are looking at and smiling for the camera.
“[The trip to Proctors Theatre to see Mrs. Doubtfire] was a cool opportunity for students who would not otherwise get to see these shows. It is important for students to be exposed to these cultural events.” – Fort Plain High School Junior Jasmine Lapi
  • Meanwhile at the high school, youth participating in the OK2XL gifted and talented program shared lots of laughs and took in the beauty of the historic Proctors Theatre in Schenectady while watching the stage production of Mrs. Doubtfire. “This was a cool opportunity for students who would not otherwise get to see these shows,” said High School Junior Jasmine Lapi. “It is important for students to be exposed to these cultural events.” District and grant funding makes these and other types of dance, music, drama, media and visual arts experiences a possibility for students across the grades, in and outside of our classrooms.

We are so grateful for our many community partners, educators and area venues that help expand our students’ learning and help them grow in new and creative ways by sharing their knowledge and expertise.

Help Fort Plain NHS build a Field of Flags

Fly a flag, honor a veteran

The Fort Plain chapter of the National Honor Society is hosting  a fundraiser in honor of our veterans.

For a $10 donation, your flag will be added to the Fort Plain Field of Flags, on display at the Jr./Sr. High School from Nov. 10 – 17, 2023.

Each flag dispalyed will represent one veteran—and our school community’s unwavering commitment to honoring those who have served our country.

Visit this site to donate a flag.

Questions about this fundraiser? Please email NHS & NJHS Advisor Kolbe Gray at kolbe.gray@fortplain.org.

Thank you!

Fifth grade team climbs to new heights on annual ADK trek

A group photograph taken from above of the fifth grade team at Harry Hoag Elementary. Students and teachers are all wearing hiking clothing and standing on bright green grass with rocky patches.
The annual Harry Hoag fifth grade trip to Kane Mountain in the Adirondacks is a tradition that has been making fond memories students for nearly 50 years.

This September, Harry Hoag fifth graders took their turn with an annual outing to Kane Mountain/Kane Mountain Fire Observation Station in Caroga N.Y.  This nearly 50 year old district tradition was, by all accounts, a fan-favorite for the fifth graders new to the trek and for our teaching team who lead this hike each year.

“This is such a great way for the students to get to know each other outside of the classroom early in the school year,” said fifth grade teacher Patrick Hanifin, who has been leading the outing for the past 25 years. “The experience is all about sharing the joys of hiking with the kids and being able to mix in history, geography and physical education.”

Making memories for generations of Fort Plain students

While Hanifin said he just missed the opportunity to take the hike while a student at Fort Plain (the tradition didn’t begin until he was in seventh grade), it is often mentioned fondly in graduation speeches and many of the parents and family members of current fifth graders also had their turn with the trip when they were Fort Plain students.

“It meant a lot to me to get to take this hike,” said fifth grader Colton White. “My dad went when he was in fifth grade, but he said he was too scared to go up into the fire tower. He was impressed when he found out I had climbed up into the tower!”

Along with the fire tower, students mentioned the many different types of rocks they saw along the trail (“Some were shiny, some were smooth, some were rough but they all were so pretty,” said Isabella Shibley), the great view (“It was awesome. I never saw a better view than when we went up the fire tower,” said Preston Spraker) and the icing (or ice cream!) on the cake: a stop on the way back to school for ice cream at Grannies.

“A former fifth grade colleague, Barry Kahn, who was actually my fifth grade teacher, used to say that it’s not just a great way to show the kids the many joys of hiking but to also show them how fortunate we are to live so close to the Adirondack Mountains,” said Hanifin. “His hope, and mine, too, was that after we hiked some of the families would make a return trip to Kane Mountain or explore other hiking trails. It’s certainly been my favorite field trip every year!”

NHS to host blood drive Nov. 3; sign up today

Save the date and help save lives: The Fort Plain chapter of the National Honor Society is hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023 in the high school gym, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org (sponsor code FortPlainHS), call 1-800-RED CROSS or email NHS & NJHS Advisor Kolbe Gray at kolbe.gray@fortplain.org.

Thank you!

A welcome message from Superintendent Lauren Crisman

Fort Plain Central School District Superintendent Lauren Crisman, who has long blond hair and is wearing a printed short sleeved black blouse, sits at a wooden table in an office space and is looking at and smiling for the camera.
Fort Plain Central School District Superintendent Lauren Crisman

Dear Fort Plain Central School District Community Members,

I wish to take this opportunity to warmly welcome everyone back to school for the 2023-2024 school year!

The first day of school for students kindergarten through grade 12 is Wednesday, September 6, 2023.

While you were away, the summer teams remained busy preparing for your return.  I extend a deep notion of gratitude to all summer employees.

In addition, many stakeholder groups including administrators, teachers, parents and community leaders spent time identifying the types of skills and knowledge that we believe will best prepare our students for success beyond graduation.  The summer conversations helped begin our process of long term planning. As adults, we passionately agreed that school should be a safe place where students can explore their interests and aspirations, thoroughly enjoy their school day experience, and be held accountable to display self worth and good character.  During the fall, student stakeholder groups will be consulted to learn more about their very important perspectives on these topics and more.

Last year, the Board of Education identified five enduring 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.

In alignment with our enduring goals, the leadership team has prioritized the development of a comprehensive, Multi Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Plan as a necessary project for the upcoming year.  When completed, the plan will be a resource for both professionals and parents that can be used to address questions related to academic and social-emotional intervention services.

A second priority for both buildings will be to ensure that every student attends school regularly.  We will do a comprehensive review of our local attendance policy and delve deeply into attendance data to analyze the excuses associated with high rates of absenteeism specific to Fort Plain CSD.  Students who miss more than 10 days of school are at risk for failure related to learning milestones and often become disengaged with the school process in general.  Our teachers and leaders believe in the promise of education and we feel strongly that being in school daily guarantees each student the opportunity to get what they need from us in order to pursue a life filled with success and enduring happiness.

I’m excited for what’s to come and, again, thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your children’s education and well being.

Take good care and see you soon,

Lauren Crisman

Superintendent of Schools

 

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