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2026 Board of Education Candidates

The 2026-27 school budget vote will be held on May 19, 2026, from noon to 8 p.m. in the Harry Hoag Elementary School Library. At that time, district residents will also vote to fill three open seats on the school board.

The elected board members will each serve a three-year term beginning July 1, 2026.

The Fort Plain Board of Education is empowered to develop policies, rules and regulations for the operation of our school district and for the education and well-being of our students.

Learn more about the responsibilities and characteristics of a board of education member.

2026 Board of Education Candidates

The candidates for the 2026 Board of Education election were asked to share their background information and a statement about why they wish to serve on the Fort Plain Board of Education. Here are their answers:

Janine Brown

Janine Brown is running for a three-year term on the Fort Plain Board of Education.

Janine Brown is a longtime Fort Plain resident and a graduate of Fort Plain schools.

Why I am running for the Fort Plain Board of Education:

“Upon graduating from college, I chose to come back and raise a family here with my husband. My child and extended family attend Fort Plain schools, so I care deeply about our district’s future.

I have served as a youth sports coach and currently work as a school counselor, with prior experience at Montgomery County Youth Services. Through these roles I gained firsthand insight into the needs of students, families and schools. I am committed to improving student outcomes, supporting all learners and listening to community perspectives through open, respectful dialogue.”

David Briggs

David Briggs has served as a member of the Fort Plain CSD Board of Education during the 2025-26 school year by appointment of the board. He is running for his first three-year term on the Fort Plain Board of Education.

David Briggs has been a resident of the Village of Fort Plain since 1964 and is a graduate of Fort Plain Schools.

Briggs is a licensed life, property and casualty insurance agent.

He is also a community volunteer, serving on such school district committees as the FPCSD CDEP team and the FPCSD safety committee. He is president of the Yerdon Foundation and board member of the Scholarship Association of Fort Plain. He is also the past president of the Fort Plain Little League and past treasurer of Fort Plain Biddy Basketball.

Why I am running for the Fort Plain Board of Education:

“I have always been interested in serving as a volunteer in our school and overall community and appreciate the opportunity to continue as a member of the Fort Plain Board of Education, if elected by the voters in our district.”

David Przestrzelski

David Przestrzelski is running for a fifth three-year term on the Fort Plain Board of Education.

Why I am running for the Fort Plain Board of Education:

“I am running for the Board of Education because I like to do things for our community. I believe that our children are our future and I want to do all I can for them. I also like being involved with the district’s budget process and watching our spending and making sure that things are done as efficiently as possible.”

Anthony Crouse

Anthony Crouse is running for a second three-year term on the Fort Plain Board of Education.

He has been a resident of the Village of Fort Plain for the past six years.

Why I am running for the Fort Plain Board of Education:

“I have been a lifelong resident of the Mohawk Valley and understand the unique obstacles that rural schools have to face each year.

I would love to continue working to make Fort Plain the best school in Montgomery County.  With your vote, you will have a board member with 33 years of accounting experience (FYE Inc.) who understands the complexities of a budget and forecasting for the future.

Over the next few months, there will be a lot of tough decisions for the school district (with or without the merger). Having family and friends who are students and employees of the school, I have a vested interest in the success of Fort Plain Central School District. I am committed to using my first three years of experience on the Board to continue making excellent choices for the future of Fort Plain.”

Public hearing on 2026-27 budget and Board of Education meeting – May 6

The Fort Plain Board of Education will hold its regular meeting on May 6, 2026 following the public hearing on the proposed 2026-27 school year budget, which begins at 6 p.m.

The public hearing and regular board meeting will take place in the Ronald H. Thibodeau Conference Room in the District Office, 25 High Street, Fort Plain.

View the FPCSD Board of Education – May 6, 2026 meeting agenda.

2026 Board of Education vacancies and election

Three seats on the Fort Plain Board of Education will be up for election this May to fill vacancies for terms expiring on June 30, 2026. The three-year terms will run from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.

Regular elections for Board of Education seats are held each year on the third Tuesday in May, the same date residents vote on the school budget. This year’s vote date is Tuesday, May 19.

Petitions to run for the board must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 20, 2026.

For information on how to be placed on the ballot, contact Becky Smith, District Clerk, at becky.smith@fortplain.org or (518) 993-4000, ext. 1000.

Any U.S. citizen who is a resident of Fort Plain Central School District for 30 days prior to the vote may run for a seat on the Board.

Serving as a School Board Member

What does a Board of Education/school board member do? Why volunteer to serve on the Board? Here’s some helpful information from the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA).

Responsibilities of a Board Member

With school children always their ultimate focus, school board members act officially at the board table, working with other board members to serve students and accomplish the following:

  • Create a shared vision for the future of education.
  • Set the direction of the school district to achieve the highest student performance.
  • Provide rigorous accountability for student achievement results.
  • Develop a budget and present it to the community, aligning district resources to improve achievement.
  • Support a healthy school district culture for work and learning.
  • Create strategic partnerships with the community stakeholders.
  • Build the district’s progress through continuous improvement.
  • Adopt and maintain current policies.
  • Hire and evaluate the superintendent.
  • Ratify collective bargaining agreements.
  • Maintain strong ethical standards.

Characteristics of a Board Member

Below are attributes that all effective board members should possess:

  • Effective Communicator: Can describe what they want and describe what others want; a good listener.
  • Consensus Builder: Capable of working toward decisions that all can support and willing to compromise to achieve goals.
  • Community Participant: Enjoys meeting a variety of people, can identify the community’s key communicators and reaches out to the community.
  • Decision Maker: Is comfortable making decisions and can support group decision-making.
  • Information Processor: Can organize priorities and schedules to handle large amounts of verbal and written information.
  • Leader: Willing to take risks, be supportive of board colleagues, district staff and community.
  • Team Player: Helps promote the board’s vision and goals.

Fort Plain and Canajoharie boards agree to continue to pursue potential merger

Dear Families,

We would like to share an important update regarding the future of our school community. After careful discussion and collaboration, both the Fort Plain and the Canajoharie Central School District Boards of Education have agreed to continue their pursuit of a potential district merger. After receiving further clarification from NYSED, we learned our recent merger study is still in effect. Looming fiscal constraints from the state and federal governments, continued loss of programming and challenges in attracting qualified applicants for employment, coupled with the close vote in both districts last spring, guided the decision of the CFP Development Panel and Boards of Education.

As part of this process, both Boards will move forward with holding a straw poll vote in each community. This non-binding vote will give residents the opportunity to express their opinion on whether the merger should proceed to a binding public referendum.

We understand that this is a significant decision for our districts, and we are committed to ensuring that families, staff, and community members are well-informed every step of the way. Your voice and involvement are essential as we explore what is best for the future of our students and communities. We encourage you to stay engaged, ask questions, and participate in upcoming conversations.

Thank you for your continued support of the Fort Plain and Canajoharie Central School Districts. You will be hearing from us soon regarding the next steps in the process.

Sincerely,

Dr. Karen Geelan
Interim Superintendent of Schools, Fort Plain Central School District

Dr. Nick Fitzgerald
Superintendent of Schools, Canajoharie Central School District

Joint Board of Education meeting, regular meeting to follow – Sept. 17

The Fort Plain and Canajoharie CSD Boards of Education will hold a joint meeting on Sept. 17, 2025 beginning at 6 p.m. The regular meeting of the Fort Plain Board of Education will immediately follow.

The joint board meeting will take place in the Jr./Sr. High School School Auditorium, 1 West Street, Fort Plain, NY.

View the FPCSD Board of Education – Sept. 17, 2025 meeting agenda.

Applications being accepted to fill Board of Education vacancy

The Fort Plain Board of Education is seeking to fill an opening on the board through June 30, 2026. The individual filling this vacancy could then run for a full, three-year term of service during the regular Board of Education election held in May 2026.

Interested individuals should contact Becky Smith, District Clerk, at becky.smith@fortplain.org by Sept. 9 at 2 p.m. to request an in-person interview with the board and district administration.

Board of Education responsibilities and eligibility

The Fort Plain Board of Education develops policies, rules and regulations for the operation of the school district and for the education and well-being of the district’s students.

Any U.S. citizen who has been a resident of the Fort Plain Central School District for 30 days or more is eligible to apply for this seat on the board.

Learn more about the responsibilities and characteristics of a board of education member.

Fort Plain CSD Announces Interim Superintendent – Dr. Karen Geelan

The Fort Plain Central School District Board of Education is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Karen Geelan as Interim Superintendent of Schools, effective Aug. 15, 2025.

Dr. Geelan brings a wealth of experience in educational leadership as an elementary principal, high school principal and as a superintendent of schools. Since retiring, Dr. Geelan has successfully served as interim superintendent in both the Olean City School District and the Greater Johnstown School District.

“Dr. Geelan is adept at leading school communities through periods of transition,” commented David Ziskin, HFM BOCES District Superintendent. “Students are her top priority and she is deeply committed to staff collaboration and community engagement. Dr. Geelan is familiar with our region. During her time in Johnstown, she was a valuable contributor to our regional leadership team as we collectively struggled with the uncertain conditions created by the pandemic.”

As the district transitions following the departure of Superintendent Lauren Crisman, who will be leaving in late August to become the superintendent in the Mount Markham Central School District, the FPCSD Board of Education sought a steady, resolute leader.

“The Board is confident that Karen Geelan’s expertise and thoughtful approach will support our students, staff and families during this important time,” stated Fort Plain Board of Education President Sara McDuffee.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Geelan to the Fort Plain community.

Brenna Kirkpatrick appointed as Director of Special Education

Fort Plain Director of Special Education, Brenna Kirkpatrick, who has long blond hair and is wearing blue jacket and white, patterned blouse, looks at and smiles for the camera.
Fort Plain Director of Special Education Brenna Kirkpatrick

In a special meeting on Monday, July 21, 2025, the Fort Plain Board of Education voted to appoint Brenna Kirkpatrick as the district’s new Director of Special Education.

Prior to this vote, the board accepted Ms. Kirkpatrick’s resignation from the Board of Education, on which she had served since 2023.

Brenna Kirkpatrick, a life-long resident of Fort Plain and graduate of our schools, has worked for the past 14 years as an elementary school and an academic intervention teacher at Herkimer Elementary School/Herkimer CSD. She holds an advanced degree in literacy from UNC-Pembroke, and an advanced certificate in educational leadership from SUNY Fredonia.

“Fort Plain has always been home, and returning to serve as Director of Special Education feels like coming full circle,” said Brenna Kirkpatrick. “As a 2004 graduate and life-long member of this community, I’m honored to take on a role that allows me to give back in such a meaningful way. This opportunity is both personal and professional, a chance to work alongside families and staff to ensure every student is supported, valued and given every opportunity to thrive. I’m excited for the work ahead and committed to helping all learners reach their full potential.”

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