Category: Jr./Sr. High News

What is colorful, creative, has a bunch of wheels and rolls to student-performed marching music? Why, the Fort Plain 8th Grade Float Parade, of course!

Before leaving for the Thanksgiving break this year, 8th grade students took part in a grade-wide project where they were asked to design and build parade floats.

The students were placed in groups based on what they considered to be their strengths in school, as well as their interests. Once their groups were formed, they began to plan and build their design. Each group was randomly assigned rolling bases that they had to use for the base of their float. These items were things that you could find in school that rolled, such as laptop carts, rolling chairs, wheelbarrow, and other items.

Students were shown a video of Macy’s Day Parade floats to gain inspiration. Once their design was drawn up and a plan was put into place, students used materials from different classrooms to construct their floats. Their finished product needed to consist of a float that rolled and also represented the category they were given.

“The day before vacation, each group lined up in the gym and paraded their float around while Mr. Burrello and members of the high school band played ‘Mickey Mouse March’,” said teacher Adam Cutspec. “Several faculty and students took the time to come down and take a look at what the 8th graders had created.

“To celebrate all that they accomplished, the entire 8th grade class had a ‘Friendsgiving’ during their lunch period. They feasted on traditional Thanksgiving food that was provided by Mrs. Cooley and her 8th grade Home and Careers classes, as well as by the cafeteria staff.

“This was a new project put together by the 8th grade team that was meant to focus on creativity, teamwork, and problem solving, and the whole team was extremely proud of what the 8th graders created.”

The High School National Honor Society requires each member to complete a community service project sometime during the school year. November was senior Stephen Gray’s month and for his project, he wanted to provide families in need with Thanksgiving dinner.

Stephen worked with fellow NHS students, faculty and staff members, and the Loaves & Fishes Pantry at the Reformed Church of Fort Plain. Stephen and the team gathered enough donations to put together Thanksgiving dinner supplies for 25 families!

Stephen thanks all of those who generously supported his project.

In the photo: Andra Fuhs, Stephen Gray and Mason Gray deliver the donations to the Loaves & Fishes Pantry in Fort Plain.

– Article and photo submitted by Will Ryan

Fort Plain student-athletes are being recognized for their performance and sportsmanship.

Several Hilltoppers have been named Western Athletic Conference (WAC) All Stars, including Landon VanGorder, Austin VanGorder, Jordan Brown and Alexis Palmeri (Golf); Natalie Thibodeau, Grace McFee and Bailie Richardson (Cross Country); Stephen Gray, Rylee Herron, Ryleigh Hart and Cameron David (Soccer); and Vivian Nunez (Volleyball).

Fort Plain football team member Anthony Paradiso was voted to play in the Section 2 Senior Game on Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. at Hudson Valley Community College.

Congratulations to all!

Family Math Night is a long-standing program at Fort Plain Central School District that encourages parents and guardians to get involved in their students’ math education.

This year, eight 8th grade students and their families participated in an evening of fun activities and competition centered around math. The goal of the evening was to have fun with math and encourage parents/guardians to relay the importance of learning math.

Math-related activities included checkers, Battleship, Connect Four, and various logic games and problem-solving activities. The families were also provided with folders and bags to take home and use for additional math practice.

Family Math Night was organized by math teachers Sue Summerfield and Adam Wilson.

Fort Plain Central School mourns the passing of Paul Christman, who was retired from the district after teaching math for many years. Our thoughts are with his wife Sandi, also a retired Fort Plain teacher, and his family and friends.

Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School’s 8th grade Home and Careers class recently competed in a tasty event that tapped their culinary and creative skills: the 2nd Annual Grilled Cheese Challenge.

“The competition and the judging were tough, but when it came to the final Meltdown, two teams produced the winning ‘wiches,” said teacher Cory Cooley.

“Brady Spaulding and Brodie Poultney spiced up the competition with a chicken, tomato and chipotle grilled cheese that melted the judges’ hearts and warmed their tastes buds.

“Mason Gray and Levi Hext incorporated breakfast into their grilled masterpiece with scrambled eggs, a seasoned hashbrown and bacon, but the clincher that really sweetened the pot and the judges’ palates was their secret ingredient…maple syrup!

“We all had a great time making an ole standby into a new masterpiece!” Cooley said.

Sing a song, read a scene, be in the cast! The Fort Plain-Canajoharie Drama Club is holding auditions for their spring production of “Mamma Mia.” Auditions are open to Canajoharie and Fort Plain students in grades 7-12 and will be held on Nov. 14 and 15 at 6:30 p.m.  at Canajoharie High School.

To sign up for one of the days to audition, contact Mrs. Lauri Broady at lauri.broady@fortplain.org or by phone at 315-867-5234. Students may also contact Mrs. Broady to sign up to be in the crew or tech team.

“Mamma Mia” will be presented at Canajoharie High School on March 24 and 25 at 7 p.m. and March 26 at 2 p.m. It is directed by Mrs. Broady and Will Ryan.

“This is considered a ‘high school’ show – we tell students it’s Modified, JV and Varsity all on one team!” said Mrs. Broady. “All are encouraged to participate.”

Brad Bowers, a Fort Plain alumnus (Class of 2008) and proprietor of Bowterra Farm on Calbet Road in Fort Plain, recently took time out to present to students in Cory Cooley’s Food Science class, Dorene Goodwin’s Life Skills class and others in the high school.

“Mr. Bower cultivates an amazing variety of mushrooms, among other products, and he shared the complex process with us,” said Cooley. “In addition, we were informed about the versatility and benefits of mushrooms and permaculture farming.

“Mr. Bower donated several beautiful mushrooms, which we cooked into an herbed chicken pasta for the students to try. It was a great success and wonderful learning experience.”

For more information about Bowterra Farms, visit their Facebook page.

Fort Plain SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), in collaboration with Catholic Charities and the Montgomery County Cares Coalition, held an event at the high school on Oct. 28 in recognition of Red Ribbon Week.

Students, faculty and staff were encouraged to wear red to school to show support for the cause. During lunch, hundreds of students chose to take the pledge to “grow up safe, healthy, and drug free.”

Students learned more about the dangers of drug use and abuse by playing a trivia game and got to walk away with pencils, bracelets and lollipops that sported the “Live Drug Free” logo.