Category: Harry Hoag News
Honoring our retirees
As the school year comes to a close, Fort Plain bids farewell to 10 dedicated employees who are retiring from the district. Collectively, their time here adds up to more than 230 years of service to the school community. Staff and students alike will miss them. Congratulations and best wishes to Mike Cardamone, Nancy Cole, Jean Davis, Bonnie Hanifin, Carol Hecht, Cheryl Lamb, Mary McCall, Loren Miller, Lisa Petty, and Mary VanPatten.
Mike Cardamone joined the Fort Plain school community as a school bus driver in 2006. He has always demonstrated the highest degree of professionalism, and he takes great pride in his work. Mike has always been able to connect with students of all ages. Most particularly, he has been a positive role model for those high school students who attended HFM BOCES. Mike has delayed his plan to retire for the past several years now, mostly because he didn’t want to leave the students. However, the time has now come. In his retirement he will focus on his personal business and his family.
Nancy Cole has over 30 years of experience working in the cleaning industry. She has served Fort Plain Central School District since 2017. Nancy is known for her high cleaning standards and team leadership and for her outgoing personality. She has been a wonderful co-worker and friend to many members of the school community. Retirement will not slow her down. She plans to continue working for the town office, engaging in outdoor adventures and spending time with her family. Her positive attitude and high energy will be greatly missed here at Fort Plain.
Jean Davis is a Fort Plain graduate who has worked in the school for 30 years. Friendly, kind and always willing to help, Jean is the one who will try new recipes with the students in Mrs. Petty’s Life Skills class. She is best known for her creativity, whether it is making treats in the classroom or decorating the hallway with festive colorful displays. While Jean is a self-proclaimed homebody who enjoys gardening, she and her husband, Bob, recently bought a trailer. Their travel plans include some trips to Maine to visit their son and his family.
Bonnie Hanifin is retiring after serving Harry Hoag Elementary School for over two decades. Bonnie is an outstanding educator whose contributions to the school community will never be forgotten. Most recently, she served as an interventionist in the area of mathematics. She worked with students of all ages to develop deeper understanding of math concepts and collaborated with her peers to integrate hands-on learning experiences into every classroom. Harry Hoag will miss Bonnie deeply, and we wish her health and happiness in retirement!
Carol Hecht has been with her Fort Plain family for 12 years. She started in food service, then became the friendly face that greeted everyone when they entered the building at the junior-senior high school. Her kind words, shy smile, patience and willingness to help everyone will be missed. Carol does not have a concrete retirement plan. Long term, she will probably sell her house. She has six children and figures she can stay with each of them for a while. Short term, she wants to visit her son, Joe, who is stationed in Maryland. Carol knew she had to make a change, and she says this is her start.
Cheryl Lamb is a Fort Plain graduate who has served the Fort Plan Central School District for more than 23 years. She has been a jack-of-all-trades working in the library, classroom, study hall, cafeteria and distance learning lab. Two years ago, Cheryl moved to Caroga Lake where she enjoys the beach life. She says she is still young enough to enjoy herself, and that is exactly what she plans to do. On her first day of retirement, Cheryl plans to take her coffee and chair by the water, dig her toes in the sand and simply enjoy the peace and quiet.
Mary McCall has been a teacher for 33 years. Besides teaching English, Mary is fluent and certified to teach Russian. We are glad she stuck with English because she has fostered a love of reading in her students, but the biggest lessons the students learn do not come from the books they read, but from the life lessons she instills in all of them. Mary teaches with kindness, wisdom and positivity. While Mary says she loves, loves, loves the kids, the COVID-19 pandemic did her in. She is ready for her next journey . . . which includes getting back to writing. Mary is a novelist, publishing her first book, “Secret Vows,” in 2001. She has written eight novels and already has ideas for her next book. Besides writing, Mary and her husband plan to move closer to Delmar to be near her precious granddaughters.
As a 28-year veteran, Loren Miller has served Fort Plain with great pride and honor. He has received several letters over the years commending him for his excellent work, safe driving skills and his ability to respond quickly and professionally in any situation. Not only has Loren built many relationships with Fort Plain students, after spending several years driving a school bus that traveled among various Amish school buildings, he is highly respected by the Amish community. In addition to being a school bus driver, Loren spent 15 years working as a member of the building and grounds team. Loren is known for his high cleaning standards and painting skills. In retirement he will enjoy spending time with his partner Sharon and their family.
Lisa Petty has been a special education teacher in our school for 25 years. Educators run in her family. In fact, this will be the first time in 54 years that there will not be a Petty (Stortecky) working in our district. Lisa’s influence on our school community has been profound. She and the students in her Life Skills classroom have taught us all valuable lessons of acceptance, kindness and giving. Upon retirement, Lisa wants to try to find a hobby, but if she doesn’t that is okay. She will be busy travelling, visiting her boys (especially her grandson) in Houston, Phoenix and Buffalo . . . and hopefully still baking us cookies! Lisa will enjoy her summer with family in South Carolina. She is a season ticketholder for St. Bonaventure athletics and, post pandemic, she is looking forward to going to some games.
Mary VanPatten has been our librarian for the past 21 years. Books have been her passion. Whenever anyone needed a book recommendation, Mary was always ready. Through Battle of the Books, she encouraged kids to not only read good books, but win a trophy or two along the way. Mary has created a welcoming, comfortable atmosphere for students, making the library feel like home. She also worked with teachers to create some amazing projects. While Mary does not have grand retirement plans, she is looking forward to quilting, gardening, sleeping late and spoiling her seven grandchildren. She also has 25 years of clutter to get rid of, so keep an eye on eBay for some bargains.
Important dates for Harry Hoag families
Dear Harry Hoag families,
Below is a list of dates for important events to be held in June and a schedule for the final week of school.
Save the Dates:
- Field Day will be held on June 11 (Rain date on June 15).
- Prek Playground Promotion Parties will be held on June 21 and June 22. (More information to come.)
- Grade 6 Moving Up Ceremony will be held on June 25 at 8:30 am. (More information to come.)
- Moving Up Day for all students will be held on June 25. (Students will have the chance to meet their teachers for the next year.)
Final Week Schedule:
- Monday, 6/21, Full Day
- Tuesday- Thursday, 6/22-6/24, 11:30 Dismissal
- Friday, 6/25, 10:00 am Dismissal LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
I hope you each enjoy a restful Memorial Day weekend!
Best,
Mrs. Crisman
Principal
Creativity, comedy and cool new skills – welcome to Team Tech
Creativity, comedy and cool new skills: sixth graders in Matt Heiser’s Team Tech group present all of this in their Tech Team video production.
The video is part newscast, complete with a wild weather forecast; interview show, featuring Mr. Heiser and fellow Harry Hoag Elementary teacher Rob Jenks; and variety show with skits, jokes and how-to segments.
The students wrote, designed, directed, performed, filmed and produced the Hidden Talents video as a project for Team Tech, an activity where the requirements to participate include being creative, learning and using technology, applying themselves, being open to ideas, and getting their other school work done.
In past years, students may have produced a printed newspaper instead of a Team Tech video production. Today’s digital tools, however, provide them with even greater opportunity for expression, skill-building and fun.
District residents approve proposed budget and bus proposition, elect 2 to Board of Education
Fort Plain Central School District residents approved a proposed $21.8 million budget for the 2021-22 school year by a vote of 126 to 15 on May 18, 2021.
They also approved a proposition by a vote of 125 to 16 authorizing the district to acquire school vehicles at a maximum cost of $275,000, with the funds to be drawn from the Bus Purchase Reserve Fund.
Voters also elected Kimberly Keane (126 votes) and Teresa Karker (121 votes) to serve on the Board of Education for three-year terms running from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2024.
The approved 2021-22 budget maintains all academic programming with no increase in the tax levy. The approved school vehicle purchase proposition also will not have an impact on the tax levy, and it will allow the district to replace aging buses and minimize maintenance costs.
“Thank you to all who came out to vote,” said John Bishop, Fort Plain superintendent of schools. “We’re proud of our instructional programs and the services and opportunities we are able to offer our students. We appreciate the community’s support.”
Reminder: No school on May 27 & 28
Reminder: Per the emergency days guidance on the board-approved one-page calendar, Fort Plain Schools will be closed on May 27 and 28 because the district did not use all of our snow days. Enjoy the long Memorial Day weekend!
Grade 4 presents “Fables,” a readers’ theatre production
Every picture might tell a story, but a fable teaches a life lesson. Harry Hoag fourth graders recently capped off their study of traditional literature with a focus on fables. Students were asked to develop a readers’ theatre production to demonstrate their comprehension of the genre.
They presented live to their peers, and we videoed their work to share with families at home. Fables feature talking animals who tell a story that teaches a life lesson. After learning about different fables and their morals, the fourth graders created staging with colorful sets, backgrounds and props, along with puppet-like characters for each tale. The students worked hard to author and perform the productions.
Harry Hoag Principal Mrs. Crisman said, “Our fourth graders did a beautiful job with the fable performance tradition. It was clear that all students contributed to the group project. I was most impressed with the performances! It is not easy to speak publicly in front of peers, let alone perform. Great job by all! ”
“This is a highlight of our fourth grade year!” said teacher Libby Arndt. “It is not only a great activity to end our traditional literature unit, but a great opportunity for students to work together. They write the screenplay, decorate the set, and build the puppets and props as a group. They are so nervous and excited to perform, and then get up in front of their friends and do such a great job! I’m always so proud of their efforts.”
View their video and learn the moral of their stories!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1am2aUBdP-30fyzgObvxK1S1UgHDGziW8/view?usp=sharing
The fables include:
“The Fox and Leopard”
“The Frog and the Mouse”
“The Owl and the Grasshopper”
“The Dog and His Reflection”
“King Lion and the Beetle”
“The Fox and the Stork”
“The Fox and the Goat”
“The Ant and the Dove”
The Donkey, the Rooster and the Lion
“The Baboon’s Umbrella”
“A Raven and a Swan”
“The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf”
Glow Day lights up learning excitement
Who said that getting ready for state testing had to be boring?
As children across the state have been preparing for the NYS ELA assessments that will take place this week, the students in Mrs. Amy Bartholomew’s 6th grade English Language Arts classes have been doing the same . . . sort of.
Students spent all last week in her class reading incredibly challenging text passages and then analyzing and answering multiple choice questions. But since she was asking for so much effort and focus from them, Mrs. Bartholomew decided to reward her students and their hard work by making the experience as fun as possible.
They call these days “Glow Day,” and students spend their ELA class in complete darkness with blacklights, glowsticks, glow in the dark balloons, and highlighters to light their way as they work. When students completed test questions accurately, they were allowed to play glow-in-the-dark bowling, ring toss, tic-tac-toe, and basketball as a reward.
It is one of the most fun weeks in 6th grade ELA and students were actually THANKING her for their week of test prep! Mrs. Bartholomew shared that she is incredibly proud of her 6th graders and all of the hard work they’ve put in this past week, as well as throughout this entire school year.
Student-crafted Kachina Masks display learning, creativity
While some masks obscure things, those crafted by students in Patrick Hanifin’s 5th grade social studies class at Harry Hoag School provide a big, bright display – of learning, knowledge and creativity.
The students recently studied the Pueblo people. Then, each of the students created a Kachina Mask.
“The Hopi tribe used Kachina Masks in dance ceremonies to become the spirit their mask represents,” Mr. Hanifin said. “The students were very creative with their mask designs.”
He added, “The Hopi, native to Arizona, look to the Kachina spirits to renew the land each year and guarantee water for another season. Ceremonies honoring the Kachina take place from the winter solstice until July.”
Harry Hoag grades 1-6 to move to full-day, in-person instruction March 8; half-days on Feb. 23 & March 2 will allow school to prepare
At their meeting on February 10, the Fort Plain Board of Education approved plans to resume full-day, in-person instruction for grades 1-6 at Harry Hoag School, beginning on March 8. A remote-only option will remain available for families who need it.
“Our plan to resume full-day, in-person instruction at Harry Hoag aligns with our district’s Reopening Schools Guiding Principles,” said Superintendent of Schools John Bishop. “Those principles are to: Keep health & safety as a top priority. Maximize student – teacher contact time. Collect feedback from stakeholder groups. Use data to inform decisions.
“The revised reopening plan follows the guiding principles to: Engage through outreach to stakeholder groups, Inform by sharing current data and collected information, and Evolve by revising our instructional plan.”
The district has scheduled half-days of school at Harry Hoag for February 23, an A day, and March 2, a B day, to provide time for teacher and building preparation. The superintendent noted that the half-days were scheduled on an A and a B day to have the least impact on Harry Hoag families. Buses will depart at 12 p.m. on these days.
Fort Plain engaged Harry Hoag stakeholders by reaching out through a building survey, a hybrid learning feedback form, and faculty workshops and stakeholder meetings, all for the purpose of listening, learning, soliciting perspective and targeting areas for growth.
“We value and appreciate the partnership of our parents, families, faculty, staff and the community in our decision-making process, allowing us to provide this opportunity now that COVID-19 positivity rates are declining in our region,” said Bishop. “We look forward to bringing our Harry Hoag grades 1-6 students back together for the second half of the school year.”
The district informed stakeholders by sharing feedback about remote learning, both what has been working well for children, and challenges such as internet connectivity and parent schedules; data related to COVID-19 infection rates and concerns; and how to maintain a safe school environment that also maximizes the time students spend with teachers.
“When we examine our Reopening Plan and how we will educate our students for the balance of this school year and into the future, the decisions are guided by the Board-adopted improvement levers,” Bishop said. “They include safety and student social-emotional developmental health; family and community engagement; curriculum development and support; use of data to inform and improve instruction; and fiscal resources.
“We do this all to fulfill our mission: To prepare every student for success beyond graduation.”
Fort Plain bids farewell to retirees
Fort Plain Central School bid farewell to three long-time employees who are retiring this week from decades of serving the district. Staff and students alike extended their congratulations and best wishes to John Fureno, Dawn Surnear and Philip Thibodeau.
John Fureno is retiring from teaching fifth grade math at Harry Hoag School. He has served Fort Plain for several decades as a general education teacher for multiple grades and as an athletic coach.
“John is a role model for us all, always smiling, always embracing the day with a positive, can-do attitude,” said Lauren Crisman, Harry Hoag principal. “In addition to teaching, John has been a valuable member of the FPCSD athletics department. He has served as a multi-season coach, investing in our young athletes by coaching the sports of golf, bowling and baseball.
“Colleagues and students alike regard John as one of the most kind, endearing and caring faculty members to ever walk the hallways of Harry Hoag Elementary School. He will be deeply missed by all.”
In bidding goodbye to a dedicated teacher, coach and colleague, Fort Plain wishes John all the best in his retirement.
Proud dad: John is at left in the photo below, taken at his son’s graduation from Fort Plain.
Dawn Surnear is retiring from her position as head cook in the Harry Hoag School kitchen. She began working for the district in 1999, and has served more than 21 dedicated years in the food service department. Dawn joined the Fort Plain staff because the school hours worked well with her own children’s schedules, and because she enjoys cooking and working with children. She worked her way up from a part-time position to full time and then to head cook.
“Throughout her career, Dawn has enjoyed trying new recipes and helping kids to try new things,” said Lauri Broady, school nutrition director. “She is known for her creativity and the kitchen decorations that have brought joy to students for many years. Dawn has always been a person to step up in a time of crisis, helping in the district in times of everything from floods to COVID. Her dedication to our school community has been admirable, and she will be missed by all.
“Please join us in wishing Dawn well in her well-deserved retirement and her plans to do more traveling, enjoy projects around the house, and continue her love of creating painting, crafts and gifts of all kinds,” Broady added. “Congratulations, Dawn!”
In the photo below, Dawn on the job and at a retirement celebration. Note her shirt: Lunch Ladies Rock!
Philip Thibodeau is retiring from teaching health and physical education (PE) at the junior/senior high school. He has taught in the district for 24 years. In addition to teaching, Phil has coached the Hilltoppers in a variety of sports including varsity and modified girls basketball, junior varsity softball, modified soccer and modified, junior varsity and varsity baseball. In 2016, his coaching abilities helped the varsity baseball team become the Class D NYSPHSAA state champions.
“Phil is a quiet force, for good, as a teacher, a coach and a colleague,” said Dr. Deborah Larrabee, Jr./Sr. High School principal. “His uncommon empathy for his students makes him an educator who will long be remembered by those whose lives he has touched.
“He is witty, quick to laugh, and just as quick to say the thing that will get others laughing – often at their own behaviors,” Dr. Larrabee continued. “Phil graduated from Fort Plain in 1983, and returned to his alma mater to help the young people of the community he loves and dedicated himself to. He will be missed, but forever remembered. Thank you, Phil Thibodeau.”
Charlie Karker, athletic director, has known Phil as a Fort Plain student and a colleague. He said, “Phil was known to be very diligent and determined to accomplish what needed to be done in order to become what he wanted to be as an adult and a human being. The same can be said of Phil, the athlete. He was very coachable, did what was asked, and led by example – qualities every coach wants from their athletes.”
Karker quoted football coach, Lou Houltz, to summarize Phil’s philosophy of teaching and coaching. “Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”
Phil helped foster students’ abilities, attitudes and motivation to help them succeed in school, in sports and in life. Fort Plain will not be the same without him. Fort Plain wishes him a retirement filled with health, fun and happiness.
Farewell to Phil: Philip Thibodeau on the job at Fort Plain, photoed shortly before his retirement.