Category: Jr./Sr. High News
Talented athletes Troy Butler and Sarah Paradiso celebrating signing
They practiced, they competed, they shared their hard work on the baseball diamond and volleyball court with college representatives, and it all paid off. Talented Fort Plain senior athletes Troy Butler and Sarah Paradiso celebrated signing with Binghamton University and Keuka College at a December 15 ceremony at their high school.
The signing ceremony was postponed from its original date in early November due to Fort Plain’s temporary transition to remote learning. Troy and Sarah decided to wait to have their ceremony until school reopened, rather than celebrate virtually.
At the afternoon event, which was covered by the Daily Gazette, Troy and Sarah talked about how they connected with college recruiters despite a pandemic and attending a relatively small high school.
Troy chose to play baseball at Division I Binghamton over Siena, UAlbany, Rutgers, UMass, Maine and University of Maryland. He said he increased his exposure to recruiters by participating in college showcases and playing near and far with the Capital Region Renegades baseball travel team.
“We were all over this side of the country, all summer,” he told the Gazette reporter at the signing ceremony. “I had to get out, had to get my name out there first before they could start coming to me. I went to as many showcases as I could. After that, the phone started ringing.”
Troy noted that Binghamton liked him and he liked Binghamton. The university met his goals of playing at a Division 1 school that offers strong academic and athletic programs. He encouraged other student-athletes to pursue their dreams by putting in hard work and effort.
Sarah Paradiso shines on the court
Sarah has been a standout player on Fort Plain’s volleyball team. She played at a number of college showcases last year, and her skill on the court caught the eye of Keuka College coach Quinn Wright. Keuka is a Division III College located southeast of Rochester, in New York’s Finger Lakes Region.
After that showcase, Sarah received an email from Wright and met with him via Zoom. She told the Gazette reporter, “I did some research on my own, took a virtual tour, it had to be virtual my first time, and then I verbally committed our second or third meeting after talking to another player. It just felt right.”
Looking beyond college, perhaps Fort Plain’s hallways and volleyball court will see Sarah return to share her knowledge and experience: she plans to major in education at Keuka College.
“Sarah and Troy are outstanding students, outstanding athletes and true leaders,” said Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School Principal Dr. Deborah Larrabee. “I have watched them on the playing fields. They stand tall with their teammates and coaches. They never make excuses; they just play and they play hard.
“We share in their happiness as National Signing Day marks the end of one journey and the beginning of the next,” Dr. Larrabee added. “Keuka and Binghamton are so very fortunate to have these athletes, and we look forward to what the future holds for Sarah and Troy.”
Congratulations to Sarah and Troy. Go Hilltoppers!
In the photo above: In the back row, Coach Brad Niles, Coach Lisa Trembley, Sarah’s brother, Anthony Paradiso, and Coach John Fureno. In the front row, Sarah and her parents.
In the photo above: In the back row, Coach Craig Phillips, Coach John Fureno. In the front row, Troy and his parents.
HS picture retakes are Dec. 21 & 22
Lifetouch school picture retakes for Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School will be on Monday, Dec. 21 (grades 10, 11, 12) and Tuesday, Dec. 22 (Grades 7, 8, 9). Order envelopes are available in the high school main office. To order online, go to mylifetouch.com and use picture day ID: EVTGP423P
Please contact Mrs. Linda Cole in the high school with any questions at linda.cole@fortplain.org.
Canajoharie Moose Lodge donates $1,000 to Snack Bag program
Each week at Snack Bag time, Lisa Petty’s Life Skills classroom in Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School is a whir of activity as students organize and count, assemble and package, and decorate dozens of bags of meals and snacks to be sent home on Thursdays and Fridays with students in need.
Thanks to the generosity of the Canajoharie Loyal Order of Moose Lodge, the Snack Bags will continue to head home each weekend. On December 9, Doc Davis of the Moose Lodge visited the high school to present a $1,000 donation check to Principal Dr. Deborah Larrabee, Life Skills teacher Lisa Petty and Life Skills teacher assistant Lori Shults. The Moose Lodge is a charity organization, and their donation to the Snack Bag program is just one of the ways they have shown their commitment to the community.
“We are so grateful to Doc Davis and the Moose for their generous support of the Snack Bag program,” Dr. Larrabee said. “Their donation helps us continue a program that serves 19 high school students and 25 elementary school students, helping them with meals and snacks each weekend. The program is also an important instructional activity for our Life Skills class.”
“Our students enjoy getting the Snack Bags weekly,” said Harry Hoag Principal Lauren Crisman. “Each bag is decorated by a member of Mrs. Petty’s class. The students look forward to seeing the unique designs, and they always show appreciation for the delivery. We are grateful for the partnership.”
In addition to preparing the Snack Bags, the Life Skills class delivers them to the elementary school, walking them there when the weather permits.
Prior to the pandemic, the Life Skills students were assisted in preparing the Snack Bags in their classroom by visiting clients from Liberty ARC. Lori Shults, who previously worked with Liberty, praised the partnership. “Many of the clients formed friendships with the Life Skills students and would specifically ask for the Snack Bag assignment.”
“Without the help from Liberty this year,” said Lisa Petty, “our class has risen to the challenge on their own, filling 44 bags each week with tasty fare such as ravioli, cereal, applesauce and pudding, and fun items like goldfish crackers and cookies. We are very grateful to the Moose Lodge for their donation to help us continue the Snack Bag program.”
In addition to recognizing the Canajoharie Moose, Dr. Larrabee noted that Fort Plain faculty and staff have also been very generous in assisting the Snack Bag program and thanked them for their ongoing support.
Photo information
In the photo at top: Doc Davis of the Canajoharie Moose Lodge (third from left) presents a $1,000 check to Life Skills teacher assistant Lori Shults, as Life Skills teacher Lisa Petty (far left) and Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School Principal Dr. Deborah Larrabee (far right) look on during a Dec. 9, 2020 donation ceremony at the school.
In the photo below, Life Skills students and their teacher Lisa Petty pack Snack Bags in their classroom.
Virtual HS Open House/Meet the Teachers – Part IV
What do you do when you can’t bring families into school for fall open house and meet the teachers night? You bring the event to them!
Presenting Part IV of Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School’s Fall 2020 Virtual Open House/Meet the Teachers. Our faculty and staff welcome you to virtually visit their classrooms and work spaces and share in their students’ experiences through videos they created just for this event.
We have been highlighting a few departments each week. For this final part of our series, view our videos from our Math, Spanish, Counseling and Academic Coaching Center departments.
Math Department Video (Laurie Capece, Sue Summerfield, Deb Waner, Lucas Santiago)
Spanish Department Video (Melanie Pombrio & Patti Jarabek)
Counseling with Kayla Mahoney
Academic Coaching Center
Denise Smith
View Mrs. Smith’s tour of the Academic Coaching Center
View a video about Apex Learning
Visit the Academic Coaching Center webpage
Academic Coaching Center
Kristy McFee
Winter sports sign-ups
Attention Fort Plain High School students:
Please complete the Google Form linked below if you are a student in grades 9 thru 12 and are interested in participating in a winter sport. Low and moderate risk sports (bowling and swimming) are scheduled to begin on December 14. High Risk sports are tentatively scheduled to begin on January 4.
Link to Google Form to sign up for a winter sport:
https://forms.gle/vrMoTrymAFtRKKGs7
Superintendent’s message: Staying safe during the spread of COVID-19
Dear Members of the Fort Plain School Community:
I hope you had a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Given the rising number of positive COVID-19 cases in our state and region, it is important that we reconnect about how we can work together to keep our schools open and our students learning and growing.
Schools have been recognized by Governor Cuomo and nationally for successfully taking precautions to help control the spread of the virus, and your partnership in these efforts is most appreciated. Thank you.
State and local guidance
I’d like to share information about new guidance from the state on tracking and slowing COVID-19 infection that could potentially impact our school community.
As part of its Micro-Cluster Initiative and Cluster Action Initiative to slow the spread of the virus, New York State is designating certain geographic areas as Yellow, Orange or Red zones. The zones are based on the prevalence of COVID-19 and take into account multiple factors including numbers of positive tests, hospital capacity, etc. The zones come with certain restrictions and protocols aimed at limiting the spread of the virus, including school-based COVID testing.
While our community is not currently within one of these zones, it is helpful to be aware of this information should it be designated in the future. Our school district continues to work with the Montgomery County Public Health Department and HFM BOCES to stay informed of the guidance and how it affects our students, staff and community.
A proactive partnership
We also continue to work proactively to prevent and limit exposure to the virus in our schools. As I noted earlier, your partnership in this effort is invaluable.
We can all help to promote health and safety in our schools and community by:
- Wearing masks, practicing social distancing and frequently washing our hands.
- Adhering to guidelines for sizes of family and social gatherings. (In his Nov. 30 news conference, Governor Cuomo noted that 65% of recent COVID-19 cases have been attributed to small gatherings).
- Observing updated travel regulations, including quarantine and/or testing requirements.
- Staying home when we don’t feel well or are having symptoms, and keeping our children home when they are experiencing the same.
Our number one goal in Fort Plain is to provide the safest possible environment for teaching and learning, in order to keep our schools open.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
John Bishop
Superintendent of Schools
HS names 1st Q Honor Roll & Principal’s List
Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School is proud to announce that 67 students have been named to the Honor Roll and 94 students have been named to the Principal’s List for the first quarter of the 2020-21 school year. Congratulations to the following students for their achievement and hard work :
Honor Roll
Grade 7
Klayton Bailey
Logan Burgess
Emma Cook
Rachel Kamp
Kimberly Kirby
Rah’maya Lucas
Grace McFee
Kyera Murray
Constance Narzymski
Liberty Pipero
Allyson Rathbun
Bradley Rumrill
Summer Trumbull
Grade 8
Gabriella Calhoun
Dakota Cooper
Mariah Deese
Yunus Demir
Alexander Ellis
Cheyenne Ellis
Adeline Handy
JulieAnn Kirby
Damien Massie
Jorge Medina
Nevaeh Rivers
Emily Rood
Chase Tyler
Grade 9
Carter Baldwin
Kassidy Hogan
Kierstan Horender
Michael Palmeri
Anand Ragoo
Gracelynn Rice
Delana Tracki
Devin Wagner
Marissa Wilder
Grade 10
Mekayla Aney
Alexis Euler
Ryleigh Hart
Brianna Krutz
Rob Rogers
Emily Russell
Grade 11
McKenzie Battisti
Nicholas Blowers
Brandon Dygert
Michael Harris Jr.
Jaden Hillsgrove
Hailey Hogan
Shantel Kretser
Ella Logan
Braeden Mosher
Bradyn Myers
Lawrence Sinisi
Haley Smith
Tyson Thackrah
Grade 12
Manley Baker III
Jonathan Carter
Rebecca Ellis
Krzysztof Kulczynski II
Ethan Leach
Joseph LeMoine
Martin Nemecek III
Justin Schumacher
Landen Van Alstine
Eja VanDycke
Josh Wilder
Zackarie Young
Rachel Zuppardi
Principal’s List
Grade 7
Ian Burns
Josephia Carcasole
Owen Castellano
Reanna Germond
Koby Herron
McKenna Karker
Dylan Keane
Daniel Lancaster
Taylor Potter
Bailie Richardson
Morgan Stock
Dawson Tracki
Grade 8
Zachary Briggs
Jordan Brown
Samantha Darrow
James Douglas
Kaylie Field
Hannah French
Ashlynn Hart
Vienna Jackson
Serenity Johnson
Payton Landry
Jasmine Lapi
Asaiah Muha
Adriyanna Rouse
Dustin Welch
Grade 9
Mariah Aney
Mason Cook
Courtney Euler
Aidan Guile
Ethan Hubbard
Brady Keane
Monika Kulczynski
Devan Sanders
Payton Skiffington
Alex Smith
Breanna Steinhauer
Marionna Stephens
Vandwane Tulabing
Austin VanGorder
Grade 10
Americus Cotton
Cameron David
Madison Delgado
Andra Fuhs
Stephen Gray
Nura Handy
Rylee Herron
Ethan Kilmartin
Vivian Nunez
Anthony Paradiso
Raul Rivera III
Alex Rivkowich
Kristin Sanders
Joseph Stinebrickner III
Natalie Thibodeau
Savonna Tyler
Jeffrey Wilday
Grade 11
Bryce Anderson
Dakota Cresong
Erin Crouse
Jacob Curtis
Sarah Florian
Keagen Ford
Robert Jordan
Griffin MaGinnis
Talia Narzymski
Noah Norton
Emma Oldick
Seth Rivkowich
Estee Smith
Levi Thomas
Grade 12
Zavia Allen
Hailie Anderson
Molli Bates
Hannah Briggs
Troy Butler
Kristopher Clapper
Kyle Cook
Evan Crouse
Sinem Demir
Fredrick Hanford
Tiffany Hazzard
Grace Hoffman
Howie Kelley
Sarah LaComb
Branden LaMont
Sarah Paradiso
Jose Pipero
Richard Spicci Jr.
Megan Telfer
Matthew Travis
Sarah Vanasse
Seth Wintermute
Damien Young
Virtual HS Open House/Meet the Teachers – Part III
What do you do when you can’t bring families into school for fall open house and meet the teachers night? You bring the event to them!
Presenting Part III of Fort Plain Jr./Sr. High School’s Fall 2020 Virtual Open House/Meet the Teachers. Our faculty and staff welcome you to virtually visit their classrooms and work spaces and share in their students’ experiences through videos they created just for this event.
We are highlighting a few departments each week. View our videos below from our Social Studies and Fine Arts departments.
Social Studies Videos
Kolbe Gray
Brad Niles
Will Ryan
Katie Sacco
Art with Bob Stemmle
Art with Geoff Snyder
Physical Education & Health (Phil Thibodeau & Casey Russom)
Early release drill rescheduled to Dec. 11
Fort Plain Schools’ annual early release drill, which was originally scheduled for Nov. 24, will be held on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. This is a change from the printed calendar sent in late summer.
2020-21 Fort Plain winter sports start dates
Fort Plain Schools would like to inform families that low/moderate risk winter sports, including bowling and swimming, will begin December 14. Students may sign up for these sports and are reminded that they must have a sports physical prior to the season if they have not had one in the past 12 months.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) made the announcement about low/moderate risk sports on November 17, noting the decision is in line with guidance from Gov. Cuomo and the New York State Department of Health (DOH). High risk sports, including girls and boys basketball and wrestling, are tentatively scheduled to start January 4, but still require approval from the state DOH.
The winter sports season will run through February 28 and focus on regular season play, primarily with league competition. Reduced and condensed sectional competition will only take place if the NYSPHSAA State Championships are offered. If there are no State Championships, leagues and schools may schedule culminating events, which must conclude by February 28.