Dear St. Regis Falls CSD Community,

As the month of February came to a close, we look back on some district highlights, keep focused on the future, and welcome the change from winter to spring.

Some updates in this newsletter include:

• Continue planning, preparing, and organizing for the upcoming budget season. While we foresee challenging situations ahead, we will work collaboratively to ensure the best possible outcomes.

• The search for a permanent superintendent is under way. The Franklin, Essex, and Hamilton (FEH) BOCES shared a ThoughtExchange for staff, students, community members, and stakeholders of the district. The results were compiled and will be distributed to the board of education, and then we can dispense the information to everyone. We will provide updates on the process, as we are able.

• Basketball season officially ended. We celebrated our seniors as well as held the winter sports banquet. In addition, the spring sports meeting was held the same night.

• We welcomed families to the school for parent and guardian/teacher conferences. It's always nice to have conversations about the work their students are doing and achievements in the classroom.

• Academic happenings in the classroom.

• Read Across America Week & 100 days of school.

• Senior carnival.

• Blue & Orange Classic basketball tournament.

• Our students enjoyed time to rest and recharge during their winter break. Before their break, students had fun participating in spirit week which culminated on Valentine's Day with sweet treats and activities.

• Sweethearts & Heroes returned to the district at the end of January.

• A memo from the lead testing of the school drinking water.

• Be sure to download the SRF Rooms app and check out the new features.

• District calendar, important upcoming events, and school & district closure reminders.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our school community. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by email at wwalbridge@stregiscsd.org or via phone at (518) 856-9421, ext. 1007. If you need to reach another member of our staff at SRF, you can always refer to this communications and escalation chart as a quick guide to connect with the right person fast.

Go Saints!

Educationally Yours,

Wayne C. Walbridge

Interim Superintendent of Schools

The budget committee will meet again on Monday, Mar. 24 at 3:30pm.

Other upcoming important dates for the budget committee and board of education include:

• Tuesday, Mar. 18 at 5pm- Board of education budget workshop & 6pm regular board of education meeting.
• Tuesday, Apr. 1 at 6pm- Board of education budget workshop.
• Tuesday, Apr. 15 at 6pm- Board of education meeting.
• Tuesday, Apr. 29 at 6pm- Special meeting, BOCES election/budget.
• Tuesday, May 13 at 6pm- Budget hearing.
• Tuesday, May 20- District annual meeting & budget vote & election. Polls open at noon. Board of education meeting at 6pm.
• Tuesday, June 17 at 6pm- Board of education meeting.

The girls varsity basketball team hosted their senior night on Thursday, Jan. 30 when they welcomed the St. Lawrence Central Larries. St. Lawrence Central took the win over the Saints 81-15.

Senior night for our boys varsity basketball team was held on Wednesday, Feb. 5 against the Tupper Lake Lumberjacks. Tupper Lake proved victorious by a score of 77-43.

Arcadi reached 1,000 points for his basketball career at St. Regis Falls during the game at Norwood-Norfolk on Saturday, Feb. 1. In accomplishing this, he helped the Saints beat the Flyers 75-36 as well as became the first boy at St. Regis Falls CSD to achieve the success. His final point total for the season was 1,124. Congratulations, Peter!

Pictured is Peter with boys varsity basketball coach Jenna Susice. Photo credit to Robert LaRue via northcountrysports.net.

The winter sports banquet was held on Wednesday, Mar. 5. Certificates and trophies were presented by the coaches to their teams along with a brief summary of their awesome seasons. Families, student-athletes, and coaches enjoyed a meal in our cafeteria before heading to the auditorium for the ceremony.

In addition, the spring sports athletic/parent meeting took place. We look forward to cheering on our Saints student-athletes during the spring sports season!

Students in Ms. Surface's class participated in some outdoor fun by creating volcanoes!

During Read Across America Week, students were read to at breakfast and throughout the day. The Places You'll Go was a favorite!

It was sponsored by the senior class and their advisor, Mr. Webster. Fun was had by all!

Five of our modified girls basketball players merged with student-athletes from Colton-Pierrepont and Parishville-Hopkinton CSD to form SRF United! 52 teams participated in the tournament. The girls went into the tournament as strangers and left as friends!

Students wanted to share their sweet treats with Mr. Walbridge!

Students participated in Circles with Pat Fish and Wyatt Hackett.

Pat Fish is the Circle and B.R.A.V.E. Youth Leadership System Specialist and also published a great book this year, Boredom School: For Those Bored in School.

B.R.A.V.E. stands for: bullies ‘are’ action-based, vulnerable, and empathetic.

B.R.A.V.E. is focused on:

1. Student empowerment.

2. Empathy activation.

3. Building the Core Human Skills to sustain healthy relationships, build stronger support networks, and have a positive impact on the social determinants of health.

• Designed to take young student leaders who can impact their school and build a culture and community of H.O.P.E. and Action through peer modeling, mentorship, and influence.

Circle

• Video.

• Built on the ancient ritual of communicating in a circle to build compassion and empathy.

• Fish says, “Circle is an opportunity for amazing stories to be shared and heard. Amazing isn’t good or bad. Some amazing stories I’ve heard are heartbreaking, others are heartwarming, and others are downright hilarious. But every single one of us has an amazing story, because we all have unique experiences. Circle allows everyone a chance to share those stories and, more importantly, practice listening so that we can learn others’ amazing stories. Also, everyone practices various social-emotional skills in Circle. What sets us apart? We make it fun! Everywhere we go, there’s a thirst for Circle from students of all ages, social groups and backgrounds. They want to connect further with people around them. Circle is a vehicle for that.”

Sweethearts & Heroes will once again be in the district on Thursday, Mar. 13 and Friday, Mar. 14. Pat Fish will be participating in the after school read aloud scheduled for Thursday afternoon, reading from his aforementioned book. In addition, Sweethearts & Heroes will also return Monday, Apr. 28 and Tuesday, Apr. 29.

Be sure to download the app to interact directly with your child(ren)'s teachers. All things SRF can be found using the app!

Check out the video below that highlights what's new!

• The spring book fair- Monday, Mar. 10-Friday, Mar. 14.
• The senior class of 2025 Billy Martin's Cole All Star Circus- Thursday, Mar. 20 at 6:30pm in the gym. Advance ticket sales are happening now! They can be purchased from any senior or Mr. Webster.

• There will be an early dismissal on Thursday, Mar. 20 at 11am.
• No school for students on Friday, Mar. 21 due to staff development.
• Two hour delay for students on Wednesday, Apr. 9.
• The district will be closed on Friday, Apr. 18 for Good Friday.

• Students and 10-month staff will be on spring break from Monday, Apr. 21, through Friday, Apr. 25. Classes will resume for all students on Monday, Apr. 28.