Bird's Eye View
December 2023
Hello Larries Community,
Welcome to the third edition of this year’s community digital newsletter. Each month we will continue to:
Give you small snapshots of the great things that are happening here at SLC.
Ask for a little help with some things to make our school and commuity the most productive we can be.
Our hope is you will continue to follow us every month so we can connect our great community with the students, staff, and programs that are here to help maximize our students’ futures.
Capital Project Reminder:
Our Capital Improvement Project Vote is set for December 13 from 12:00 - 8:00 pm in the Middle School Gym. The details of the proposed updates, repairs, and improvements were sent home to all community residents in October, and a public hearing was held in November.
A reminder to all: this proposal has NO additional tax burden on our local school district community. Please consider coming to vote.
A few shout outs and reminders:
Congratulations to all those that have been recognized, in this December issue, for the outstanding work you are doing.
Thank you to all the parents and guardians that attended our Parent Teacher conferences in November. If you were unable to attend, but feel a meeting would be beneficial, please contact your child's counselor to lead you in the right direction.
Our athletes and music departments have been working very hard to provide some great upcoming entertainment at sporting events and concerts in December. Dates and times for events can be found on our BFCSD Website and App. We hope to see you out supporting the great efforts our students and staff have been putting in.
I would like to thank and congratulate the cast, crew, and directors of the fall play, Murder’s in the Heir that was performed last weekend, for letting me get a sneak peak on Thursday night. Great job everyone!
Each year we have a number of families, staff, and community members that contribute to great scholarships for our SLC seniors. On behalf of this year's senior class and SLC staff, I would like to thank the multiple Lalonde family alums for starting our newest scholarship (further details below).
It is that time of year when we are again asking for anyone wishing to substitute (teachers, aids, cafeteria workers, cleaners) in our district to please reach out to 315-389-5131 ext. 29108 for more information.
Please consider sharing this edition with any neighbors, relatives, friends, or alumni you may know that would like to keep updated on what goes on here at SLC.
Thank you for following us and have a great Holiday Season!
Christopher Rose
Superintendent
Dear High School Parents and Guardians,
Throughout the last two weeks of December, the SLC High School faculty will be hosting a “High School Course and Elective Awareness” campaign throughout student classes and on the daily announcements to showcase all of the course offerings and clubs that students have to choose from. Students in grades 8 and 10 have had the opportunity previously to visit the Technical Center to learn about those programs and likewise, the high school will be showcasing all of our offerings for all. This will serve as our official kickoff to the scheduling season where our guidance counselors will begin to meet one on one with every student in the high school to develop a plan to meet their unique needs and interests. Parents and guardians should be on the lookout for notification from Mrs. Jenkinson about your child’s individual meetings and connect with your guidance counselor, if you have any questions about dates and times. Students with the last name A-K have Ms. Rachael Huntley as their school counselor, and students with the last name L-Z have Ms. Michaela Bethel.
Additionally, on January 29th, SLC High School will have an early dismissal for staff development. Students will be dismissed at 11:30 am. Morning Seaway Tech students will be released early from the Tech Center to arrive on time for bus dismissal, and afternoon Seaway Tech students are excused from their programming for the day.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me as needed!
Enjoy the holiday season and see you all in 2024!
Mrs. Zender
Happy December, Larries!
Congratulations to our six seniors who were accepted into SUNY Potsdam during our instant admit day: Cheyenne Sova, Gabrielle Goodspeed, Gabriella Razis, Jocelyn Moreau, Ayden LaBaff, and Kailee LaBier. We are SO proud of you!
The FAFSA is anticipated to open in January. We have scheduled our FAFSA workshop for parents on January 18th, 2024, from 5 to 7 pm. Stay tuned for more details.
In other news, we will begin junior meetings in December. If you would like to attend your child’s
meeting, please contact the Guidance Office.
We hope you have a great holiday season with your families!
Rachael Huntley (A-K) & Michaela Bethel (L-Z)
This month students practiced wiring electrical breadboards with Emmanuel, the Clarkson IMPETUS graduate student. Most students were given their IMPETUS sweatshirts, while the rest of the sweatshirts were still on order. Our next trip to Clarkson is on December 6, 2023.
The students also went to dinner and a hockey game on Friday, November 17, 2023. After enjoying dinner with students from other schools, the students cheered on the Clarkson Women’s hockey team as they played against Brown University. It was a very good game that ended in a tie with a score of 3-3. Some of the students were able to go into the control room where the televised hockey game was being produced and sent to ESPN+. SLC alumni, Logan Wultsch-Fuller, works in the television control room. He took time out of his evening to show some of the IMPETUS students around. Our students were also happy to see another SLC alumni, Jace Dutch, who was working as one of the game announcers that evening. The following students attended the dinner and hockey game with Mrs. Bissonette: Ruby Passon, Andrew Crump Jr., Deziree Golden, Andrew Parker, Malachi Besaw, Aysha Bunnell, Griffon Bunnell, Zackery Joubert, Gabriella Razis, and Olivia Richards.
IMPETUS Coaches are Ms. LaRock and Mrs. Bissonette
The following high school students attended the Healthy Water Technology camp with Mrs. Bissonette at Clarkson University on November 18, 2023: Leeia Deibew, Rex (Rachel) Hoyt, Olivia Richards, Gabriella Razis, and Kyle Pelkey. Along with students from Ogdensburg, they learned about microplastics. The students interacted with different size microplastics and learned how to detect and measure them. They also were able to pilot an underwater drone in the Raquette River at Sandstone Park.
Spanish Club members and Spanish 2 students celebrated Día de los Muertos by decorating the Spanish hallway with calaveras (sugar skulls; a common symbol of Día de los Muertos), painting calavera pumpkins and decorating calavera cookies.
In addition, students learned about the holiday celebrated in parts of Mexico, other parts of Latin America and parts of the United States. Día de los Muertos or "Day of the Dead" in English, is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, and is a time where families celebrate their deceased loved ones by creating ofrendas (altars) for them filled with food, photos, marigolds, and symbols of their lives. This is a celebratory time for families where they believe that on these days, the spirits of their loved ones will make the journey to be back with them and celebrate with them as they gather in their homes, or at the cemetery.
On Saturday, November 11, 2023, members of the girls varsity softball program and their coaches continued the tradition of helping the American Legion Auxiliary Post 514 in Winthrop serve meals to the veterans in the area who attend their luncheon. The softball program has been helping out with the luncheon since 2011. Pictured are Coach Tim Brown, Kalissa Young, Sawyer Francis, Morgan Francis, Hope McDonald, Annica Ramsdell, Jennah Strawser, and Coach Julia Goodman.
Congratulations to Girls Varsity Swim and Girls Varsity Soccer teams on being named NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Teams for the Fall!
Winter sports is underway with games starting soon. Remember you can keep up with rosters/scores and schedule changes at sections710.org and download the rSchoolToday App on your phone. The website can also be accessed from the district website at www.bfcsd.org and the district app. Click on Menu then Athletic Schedules.
Thanks to all in the community that came out for the Missy West presentation on November 15th; she was outstanding.
Thanks to the Lalonde Family for their creation of a family scholarship that will begin with the Class of 2024. Seniors should check in with the High School Guidance Office for applications. Applications need to be returned by January 5th.
Hello Middle School Family!
We are really excited that we have made it to December. We are looking forward to winter concerts and sports, and I hope to see some of you at these events.
It was nice to see many parents at our conference night, and we want to continue to ask that if you have concerns about your child, that you contact us at school. If teachers requested a conference and you were unable to attend, please contact those teachers to discuss your child. If there is one thing you could do to help your child be successful, please encourage them to hand in all of their assignments and check for 0's on Schooltool assignments. 0's on coursework really hurts averages and makes it difficult to pass.
On the same night as conferences, we had the ability to honor our new and existing Junior High Honor Society members with our induction ceremony. Congratulations to our new inductees and continuing members! We are proud of the achievements of our students who are excelling academically and serving as positive role models for the others.
Thank you to Mr. Reome and the athletic department for sponsoring two assemblies in November. We had wonderful speakers Missy West and Rich Johns come to share with our community. Their webpages are below if you wish to check them out. You will also find some photos from Act with Respect in this newsletter.
We also had Sweethearts and Heroes return in November. Mr. Niles and Mrs. Roldan have been doing monthly lessons with our students and enjoyed having Pat Fish from S&H join them in doing Gratitude circles with students.
I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. Thank you to so many of you for your continued support at home.
Mrs. LaBarge
Middle School Principal
This month we have worked with students in grades 5-8 discussing our monthly theme of gratitude. It was amazing to see all of our students take the time to reflect on the experiences, people, and things in their lives that they are grateful for. Giving thanks and expressing gratitude are some of the ways in which we can learn to manage the anxiety and depression that sometimes comes during the changing of the seasons and with the holidays. We would like to thank Mrs. Thayer, Mrs. Martin, Ms. Aldrich and Mrs. Grant for welcoming us into their classrooms this month for circles. If you are interested in learning more about how gratitude can help check, out this article.
Heading into December, we will be working with students on our monthly topic of coping skills. Stress has many different forms and sources, and learning different strategies can help students to manage these times more effectively. Our focus will be on teaching students different positive coping skills to help them to manage stress as it arises. We will also be starting our 7th grade meetings on Monday, December 11 to work with students to identify their elective choices for next year, set goals for this year, and identify how their year has been going so far. Parents are welcome to attend. If you are interested in attending, please contact your child’s middle school counselor.
Mr. Niles (last names A-K) - nniles@bfcsd.org or (315) 389-5131 ext. 29510
Mrs. Roldan (last names L-Z) - rroldan@bfcsd.org or (315) 389-5131 ext. 29511
Hello SLC Family,
The first quarter has come to an end and we'd like to thank all those who joined us (in person, virtually, or over the phone) for parent-teacher conferences. We value the relationships we have with our SLC families and appreciate that you also recognize the importance of this relationship in your child's academic and personal growth.
With the end of the first quarter, we also celebrated our Character Ed Awards. This year we have added two new class awards to these quarterly celebrations. The first award is "The Silver Spoon Award", which goes to a class that consistently demonstrates responsibility and respect while they are in the cafeteria, by picking up after themselves and using their manners. The second new award is "The Golden Trash Can Award". This award goes to the class who maintains a tidy and organized classroom, as a reminder that we all have the responsibility to care for our school environment. Congratulations to all of our individual award winners and the first recipients of these two new class awards:
- The Silver Spoon Award - Mrs. Evan's First Grade Class
- The Golden Trash Can Award - Mrs. Perry's First Grade Class
As the temperatures are getting colder, please be sure your child is properly dressed for the weather. In the winter, boots are always a good idea, but they should also bring their sneakers to school to wear inside the building and for PE class. If you have a need for appropriate winter wear, please reach out and we may be able to help.
There will be no school on Friday, December 22nd. This will begin our holiday break. School will resume on Tuesday, January 2nd, and it will be a Day 5.
The holiday season is upon us, and we will be into the new year before we know it! I wish all of our SLC families all the best this holiday season!
Respectfully,
Mrs. Colterman
The Larries Spotlight Award was created to recognize Elementary Staff who demonstrate a specific trait each month! This award is voted upon by peers who want to give a shout out to one of their colleagues for doing an outstanding job!
Wendy Dishaw was the Larries Spotlight Award winner for the month of October. October’s trait was self-control, and Mrs. Dishaw got the award from her peers based on her ability to show her professional demeanor in any situation which sets the tone for the office and school. Wendy is constantly under pressure with the demands of the office, and she handles it all with poise and a good attitude. It does not matter what is coming at her, she is always there to solve the problem of the day because Mrs. Dishaw is known to be calm, cool, and collected.
Thank you, Mrs. Dishaw, for showing your self-control each day!
SHARING THE LOVE OF READING
Thanks to the generosity of some community members who want to pass on the love of reading, Perry’s Pals have each received three Scholastic Sponsor books so far this year!
In September, we read The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds which he says “... is about getting started — getting unstuck.” October introduced us to The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson which taught us important lessons about courage, wit, and the power of friendship. We’re all familiar with the song There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly! November’s book was one in a series of spin offs titled There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey by Lucille Colandro and Jared Lee.
Each month for the remainder of the school year, every Perry’s Pal will receive his/her own copy of a book to keep in his/her bookbox in the classroom, so it can be read as many times as desired!
📚💙Thank you to all of our generous Scholastic Book Sponsors!!! 📚💙
Hello again from the Technology Office!
We would like to extend an early happy holidays greeting and provide some information to keep both you and your children safe online during this busy season.
As you are aware, we have been providing tips for online safety monthly for the past few years, and continue to have conversations with students when we notice unsafe internet usage. As we have been doing this, we have been searching for a way to teach our students the importance of digital citizenship to help them not only be safe online, but also how to react to uncomfortable situations that they may encounter while on the internet.
This topic was so important to the district's technology committee that when completing and submitting the district's three year Technology Plan in 2022, one of the goals was to implement a digital citizenship program within the next couple of years. We are excited to announce that on November 9th we rolled out to the staff an extensive digital citizenship program developed by Neptune Navigate that teaches students in grades k-12 about topics such as digital citizenship in general, cyberbullying, your digital footprint, social media (digital work basics), medial literacy, privacy, and tech law/age appropriateness.
Over the next few months, we will provide you with parent overview videos of this program, and the outcomes you and your children should learn about each of the topics mentioned above. To access this month's video, please use the following link Digital Citizenship: Continue the Conversation, once you have the page open, click on the start course button. The entire process will take you about five minutes to complete.
Next month, the topic will be cyberbullying.
As always, if you have any questions, you can contact me via email at kwelsh@bfcdsd.org, or call the technology department at (315) 389-5131 ext. 29250.
Contact Information
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
