Bird's Eye View

Hello Larrie Community,

Thanks for checking out our February issue of the Bird’s Eye View. It has been great to see more of you slowly getting back “in person” to events, conferences, meetings, and other activities on campus. Each month's edition of Bird’s Eye View will continue to give you small snapshots of the great things that are happening here at SLC, along with things we may need to ask for a little help with. Our hope is you will continue to follow us every month, so we can continue to connect our great community with the people and programs that are here to help maximize our kids' futures.

Our ARP ESSER (Federal Grant $$) and NYS American Rescue Plan (NYS Grant $$) have both finally been approved this past week. We have moved forward with smaller ticket items throughout the year, but now that money will “officially” be coming in, we can start looking into the bigger ticket items. As promised, we will continue to update you on the specifics both on our website and in this monthly update. Those that have completed past surveys, on how to use this money, will begin seeing how your suggestions were taken. Again, thank you to those who took the time and put the thought into how to do this for our students and staff.

• Congratulations to all those that have been recognized for the outstanding work you are doing!

• Ticket information for the Drama Club's performance of The Man Who Came to Dinner, will be out shortly. The show dates are March 4 and 5.

• Athletics: February will be playoff month for all of our winter Varsity Athletic Teams, final competitions for Cheerleading, and final games for JV and modified teams. Please enjoy all of these events.

Thank you for following and have a great February!

St. Lawrence Central School students in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 participated in a Prevention Needs Survey on October 30th, 2021 in classes. The Prevention Needs Survey is conducted through our participation through our collaboration with Seaway Valley Prevention Council. The Prevention Needs Survey asks for student responses on a variety of topics including thoughts on school, tobacco use, alcohol use, drug use, etc. I thought that this information was important for parents to know for a variety of reasons- most notably due to the increase in discipline related offenses for vaping and marijuana related reasons at both the middle and high school levels. This remains concerning due to the fact that if we are seeing a rise in discipline, we know that we are experiencing an overall increase in use.

Statistically speaking, we know that SLC is not alone in this increase. Through my participation on the St. Lawrence County Principals’ meetings, all principals in each district within our region have noted this increase as well. Anecdotally, many students have indicated that they increased their use of tobacco products, drugs and alcohol due to the unstructured nature and stress of the pandemic. This appears to be a national trend as evidenced by several articles I have researched. I have included a few national links below for your information. Here is some information from one of our partners, Chelsea Dodd, Program Director for Seaway Prevention Council:

Some interesting data points to consider that was collected from St. Lawrence County:

• St. Lawrence County youth, grades 6th – 12th, report parents and parties as the largest source of alcohol with over 34% of youth report getting alcohol from home with their parent’s permission.

• Home is the most common place for St. Lawrence County youth to drink alcohol with 46.5% reporting drinking at home with their parent’s permission and 33.2% reporting drinking at someone else’s home with their parent’s permission.

• Less than 50% of 6th-grade students in St. Lawrence County reported family attachment as a protective factor, almost 15% lower than the Bach Harrison norm.

• Almost 55% of 6th-grade students in St. Lawrence County reported family conflict as a risk factor, over 17% higher than the Bach Harrison norm.

• Perceived risk of drug use among St. Lawrence County youth, grades 6th – 12th, is significantly higher than the Bach Harrison norm with 70.4% of St. Lawrence County students reporting high perceived risk compared to 54.5%.

• St. Lawrence County students reported depressive symptoms at a rate of 53.4%, 15.9% higher than the Bach Harrison norm.

• The average age of first substance use for all substances is 12-13 years old.

• Only 57% of St. Lawrence County students reported that their parents have talked with them about the dangers of underage drinking.

• The most common vape product among St. Lawrence County youth continues to be juice containing nicotine.

Though this issue often starts as a discipline issue at school, we want our families to know that our hearts lie in prevention and helping our children form positive habits. Our students had a presentation from Seaway Valley on the first day of school. Due to the results of the survey, we will be increasing our efforts on sharing these dangers with our students via presentations, mailings, etc. Additionally, we will be working with the Council to bring back counseling programs for students who either self-refer or are caught with such products in school. Please be on the lookout for ways for you to talk to your child about these things. If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or your child’s counselor. We are always here to help!

Helpful Links:

• Youth E-cigarette Use Remains Serious Public Health Concern Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

• More than 2 million US teens use e-cigarettes, a quarter of them daily, CDC and FDA find

• As New York moves toward marijuana legalization, experts warn it may lead to more overdoses in kids

Mrs. Zender

The “Golden Apple” Award is a special recognition of a High School staff member who goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Jerusha Chapman-Hirsch was the "Golden Apple" Award Winner for the Month of January.

She was nominated by one of her colleagues: I would like to nominate Jerusha Chapman-Hirsch for the Golden Apple award. Even before school started in September my son was trying to figure out how to get into the Greenhouse everyday first period. His excitement and green thumb has not stopped this year. Just over break I received three new plants. One is dying! Dylan already has informed me of his plan to propagate a new plant from the leaves of the surviving two plants.

Also, I am so impressed with another student and his great work ethic and presence when he is doing his Greenhouse work. He often comes into the science office to take care of the plants in quarantine. If I did not know he was a high school student, I might mistake him for a school employee.

This is all possible because of Jerusha's guidance.

Would you like to recognize a staff member? Stop in and see Mrs. Zender or email at kzender@bfcsd.org

Congratulations, Rachel Major! Seaway Tech's choice for a Channel 7 Career-Tech All-Star! We are so proud of you and all of your accomplishments!

High School PE students work together using an "Omni Ball" during their last day of volleyball. The OMNIKIN ball incorporates an ultra-lightweight and non-threatening 48" diameter KIN-BALL sport ball. Students learn to strategize as they work together to keep the ball from hitting the ground.

The High School PE classes went skating at the Tri-Town arena prior to Christmas break.

Congratulations to Zorah Barse, Kierra Benway, Mary-Cate Dow, and Brionna Foster who have been selected as participants in the Frederic Remington Art Museum's 25th Annual Art Show that will be showcased this year!

The show can be viewed virtually as well as in person! Virtual Show Link

Great job artists!

Students in English 12 recently completed a unit on Writing for Employment. As part of that unit, students participated in mock job interviews with local business representatives. Thank you to Lauren Hughes from ACCES-VR and Steffaney Jabaut from Upstone Materials for helping to make this a successful experience for our seniors.

Ever wondered what it would be like to have a celebrity in your house? If so, come see the St. Lawrence Central production of The Man Who Came to Dinner.

The cross-country lecture tour of famous radio personality Sheridan Whiteside has been interrupted by a fractured hip, stranding him in the small town of Mesalia, Ohio. His hosts are initially overjoyed, but soon learn why you should never meet your heroes, as the cantankerous Mr. Whiteside's presence brings chaos into their living room, not to mention penguins, ancient Egyptian artifacts, and a parade of the most celebrated figures of the 1930s.

Kauffman & Hart's zany and hilarious comedy will keep you laughing from start to finish! Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. on March 4th and 5th; tickets are $8 and will be available for the in-person performance as well as a livestream.

Winter Sports is moving along and we are in the home stretch. As of right now, even though we've had struggles, all teams are on pace to finish their season on time. The first playoff games as of now should be, Boys Hoops on Feb 17th, Girls Hoops on Feb 18th, and Boys Hockey on Feb 22nd. Cheer's location and date are still being finalized.

All six levels of our basketball program participated in our Annual Coaches vs Cancer battle with Brushton-Moira Central on January 22nd. The day was a huge success raising around $3000 for people in our community battling cancer! The Cup was won by SLC by winning four out of the six games played.

Congratulations to the SLC Cheer team who had a strong second place finish in the Ogdensburg Competition during the last week of January.

At this point, spring sports sign ups have been completed. Spring sports don't start until March 14th for Varsity and March 21st for Modified. If anyone missed sign ups, you can send Mr. Reome an email (jreome@bfcsd.org) and let him know that you would like to participate. With doctors' offices as busy as ever, it is imperative that when the district offers spring sport physicals at school, and your child needs one, that they get it done. Without an up-to-date physical on file with the school nurse, the district cannot let a child practice.

Another important reminder, as of right now, guidance states that if a child has tested positive for Covid-19, that they must be cleared to play by the school doctor or their personal doctor. A visit to the ER or a Clinic does not suffice. This can keep a child on the sidelines for a long time with the limited availability of doctors right now, so please be aware of this should your child test positive.

Dear SLC Community,

It is hard to believe that we are now in the 2nd half of our school year. We really want to see all of our students have success and reach their goals for the year. Our counselors and teachers are happy to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.

We are putting a lot of focus on student interactions and relationships this marking period. We have noticed an increase in students who struggle with conflict resolution and positive relationships with their peers. In March, we have Renewal House visiting to do presentations on healthy relationships for students.

Emphasis will also be put on THINK- Before you speak! T-is it true? H-is it helpful? I-is it inspiring? N-is it needed? K-is it KIND? Students have a lot of social media influences and other influences that focus a lot on negative behaviors, and we hope that sharing THINK will help students focus on being leaders with positivity and kindness.

As always, please stay in touch if you have any concerns, or questions regarding your child.

Mrs. LaBarge

Students from Ms. Rutledge's Reading class enjoyed some letter writing practice by writing to Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones is their former teacher in the elementary school. The students loved hearing back from her!

Students in Mrs. Ramie’s fifth grade ELA classes enjoyed a Poetry Slam day. “I AM” poems were written by all then shared out. Included with the poems were figurative language ‘selfies’ to showcase their understanding of similes and metaphors. It was a terrific way for students to get creative!

Ryder VanSleet earned the opportunity to pie Mrs. Ramie in the face one Friday afternoon. Ryder filled up his iReady punch card and was able to spin the wheel for a prize. His prize was to choose a coupon and the coupon he picked happened to be the only one in the envelope that read “PIE TEACHER IN FACE”.

Congratulations Ryder!

(and Mrs. Ramie thanks you for being gentle!)

What new service, club, or event might the Badenhausen Reading Room offer to the community that would be popular with, and beneficial to, people living in the Tri-Town area?

This is the question that was posed in Ms. Phelix’s 8th grade ELA class this winter. In response, students learned about the history of the Brasher Badenhausen Library (now known as the Badenhausen Reading Room), and they created a survey to get feedback from Tri-Town community members. After analyzing the data, students conducted online research to hone their ideas. Then, each team chose one innovative idea that they thought would be best, and developed an action plan and budget, before formally presenting it in detail. The result was a variety of innovative ideas that were shared with the Badenhausen Reading Room Board of Trustees for their consideration. Perhaps we will see a few of the students’ ideas become a reality at our local Reading Room in downtown Brasher!

Mr. Niles A-K

Mrs. LaVoie L-Z

Beating the Winter Blues

It’s that time of year where we are sadder than normal, colder than normal, and just tired of the cold dark days of winter! If you can relate, you are not alone! Here are some suggestions to help get us through:

Attitude Adjustment - Embrace the Season (Mrs. LaVoie and Mr. Niles both have a hard time with this one). Get out and enjoy the snow. Skate, snowmobile, walk, build in the snow. Snow molds are fun to create cute shapes like little snowmen, penguins, and more.

Vitamin D - Our bodies get vitamin D from sunlight. Less sunlight in the winter = less vitamin D. This can really affect our mood and health. Vitamin D helps to regulate our mood, maintains good blood sugar levels and boosts our immune system (more important now than ever!). If you don’t take vitamins, eat foods rich in vitamin D such as:

• Salmon

• Swordfish

• Tuna fish

• Orange juice fortified with vitamin D

• Dairy and plant milks fortified with vitamin D

• Sardines

• Beef liver

• Egg yolk

• Fortified cereals

Exercise - This is SO important! Exercise can have a huge impact on your mood and your mental health. As a bonus it can help with weight control, and improve your physical health.

Music - Another mood booster. Play your favorite playlist and you can combine that with exercise for a double dose of good mood booster.

Cook - Cook your favorite meal and enjoy it with your family.

Cozy Up By the Fire - with a good book or other activity you enjoy (drawing, coloring, puzzle, listening to music, petting your dog)

Keep Up Your Sleep Routine - Go to bed early and wake up at the same time every day, sleep in a cool, dark room (turn off those electronics!)

Yoga and Meditation - There are lots of apps and videos out there to help with this one.

The Liberty Partnerships Program here at SLC would like to send a huge thank you out to Mrs. Deno for the donation of scrapbooking and craft supplies. We have been busy making all sorts of cards, journals, notebooks, and more! This was a huge help and we are looking forward to making lots of crafts in the upcoming year.

I encourage you to take a moment and check out the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES Parent Newsletter for the month of February. We will share these each month, as they are made available to us. They have some great information in them.

Reminder: Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten registration will be taking place at the end of February and beginning of March. When you see the advertisements, please do not wait to register your child. Spots are limited in UPK and much of our planning for kindergarten hinges on numbers. In order to best prepare for your child's kindergarten experience, we request that you register them sooner than later.

Dates to Know:

• On Friday, February 11 there will be an 11:30 dismissal (elementary only) for parent-teacher conferences. Please plan accordingly.
• SLC Elementary will have a "Fun Friday" on Friday, February 18. Students and staff are encouraged to wear their pajamas.
• Mid-winter break will be from Monday, February 21 through Friday, February 25. Please plan accordingly, as there will be no school.

Mrs. Colterman

The fourth grade Extended Day students had fun playing "The Floor is Lava". The kids had fun while working on planning skills, following directions, and sportsmanship.

Twas’ the last day for Ms. Thompson in first grade,

all the first graders were reading the stories they made.

The students were sitting and listening with care,

to the stories that the Perry’s Pals had written to share.

Some stories about how to catch an elf or a gingerbread man,

and some about what animals would go inside of their mitten.

Some stories about how to disguise a turkey just right,

and some about what they think snowmen might do at night.

With the students, Mrs. Claus and Mrs. Perry,

there were feelings of wonder, excitement and merry.

This day was a blessing, for all to read and gather,

One last reading, and time all together.

Importance in Submitting a Response to the Digital Equity Survey

We are quickly approaching the two year anniversary of the day schools across the country had to make a dramatic change in education overnight. This change highlighted the lack of equity in the provision of technology resources across New York State. As a resource for the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to help work towards equity in providing all students with appropriate technological resources, NYSED is requiring all schools to obtain certain information on the technological resources availability for ALL students and to report this information back to the state. This information is reported to NYSED through our Student Information System (Schooltool), and is not reported out to any other agencies.

Brasher Falls Central School District has distributed this survey through electronic distribution, emails, and paper copies several times throughout the school year. A huge thank you to those of you who have already completed the survey! As of January 21, 2022, the district still lacks this information for about one third of our students. We ask those who have not responded to please fill out the survey that will be included in the second quarter report cards and to return it to the school with your child.

As previously reported in an earlier submission to the Bird's Eye View, I described how the information collected by NYSED has benefited the district. As a result of previous information presented to the state from our Spring of 2020 survey, and the early data collected in this year's survey, the district has received funding for several projects.

Through the data collected, the district was able to apply for and receive free hotspots to be provided to families without internet, receive funding to replace aging student Chromebooks, and receive a grant that funds a one year after school program where a staff member can assist families with internet access issues.

If you have any questions on how to complete the survey, please feel free to contact your students' school building office or contact the technology office at 315-389-5131 extension 29250. Thank you in advance for your time in assisting us in completing this process, so that we can continue to receive assistance in providing the families of our district with more equitable access to technology resources.

Catch up with the latest student stories, events, and news updates. It’s everything Brasher Falls Central School District, in your pocket. Download the app on Android or iPhone it is the best way to get notifications of school closings, delays, and cancellations.

Email: crose@bfcsd.org
Website: www.bfcsd.org
Location: 1039 State Highway 11C, Brasher Falls, NY 13613
Phone: 315-389-5131
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrasherFallsCSD