Bird's Eye View

Hello Larries Community,

Welcome the March “Bird’s Eye View”! Each month we will:

1. Give you small snapshots of the great things that are happening here at SLC.

2. We may ask for a little help with some things to make our school community the most productive possible.

Our hope is you will read our newsletter each month, so we can continue to connect our great community with the students, staff, and programs that are here to help maximize our students’ futures.

Budget creation season is here. We have spent the past few months collecting data on both projected expenses and revenues for the next school year. More and more information will be shared over the next few months.

Updates and Important Educational Dates:

• February 24th marked the beginning of Kindergarten Registration for the 2025-26 school year. Please contact the District Office (315-389-5131 ex. 29108) for more information.
• Thursday, March 6th: UPK will have an Information Night at 5:30 pm at the Elementary School. Please be aware that the selection process for full vs. half day slots must be done by “lottery”. More specifics on this and other information will be available at this time.
• Thursday, March 20: Half Staff Development Day for all Pre-K-12 Staff. Students 5-12 will be sent home at 11:30 am and all Pre-K-4 students will be sent home at 12:30 pm.
• Friday, March 21: Full Day Regional Staff Development Day. This means no school for students, as staff will be off around the county and in-house working to better themselves in their profession.

Shout-outs and Reminders:

• Congratulations to all those that have been recognized, in this March issue, for the outstanding work you are doing both here at SLC and at BOCES.
• Ticket information for this Spring’s Drama Club presentation of The Lightning Thief is located within this newsletter (QR code provided). Production nights are March 7th and 8th.
• To our student-athletes & coaches: We appreciate the efforts you all made in the month of February and during the winter playoff season. Congratulations to our Section X Class D winning Cheerleading team and good luck as they now prepare this week for state competition in Binghamton, NY. Shout out to our girls varsity basketball team for making it to the Class B Championship game. High praise to all students, coaches and teams that received team and/or individual academic, sportsmanship, and athletic awards at the end of the season. Dates and times for the upcoming Spring sporting events can be found on our district website and the BFCSD app.
• Again, a reminder to all families with a “little one” getting to be school age. Both Pre-K and Kindergarten registrations are now open. Please be on the lookout for the information and get your child(ren) registered sooner than later please. (315-389-5131 ex. 29018)

Thank you for your continued support of our great district!

Christopher Rose

Superintendent

Dear Larries,

We wanted to share some items that we have been working on with our middle and high school students, so your child is having the highest level of success. We have also had some parents asking about how they can help their child’s success from home, so here are some tips.

Parent Help:

Basic Skills-

• Check your child’s agenda daily to make sure they are keeping track of their assignments.

• Review your child’s Schooltool assignments with them to look for any 0’s.

• If your child is not performing well in classes and needs extra help, please encourage them to make appointments to utilize activity period with their teachers. This is a great opportunity for them to get extra help.

• Encourage your child to use their study halls well, and complete their homework there.

Literacy skills-

Are you concerned about your child’s reading level? Becoming a better reader/writer are skills that can be improved with practice. Small things at home can really help!

• Encourage your child to do independent reading at home. They have access to the school library for books, and we have a great library right in town. Students also have access to Sora (online books) through our school library.

• Read aloud with your child, or even listen to audio books together (my daughter and I find books we both like and listen to them together in the car.)

• Encourage your child to tell you about what they are reading/listening to. Summarizing or being able to answer questions helps build skills.

• Encourage your child to write! They could write about what they are reading, journal, write letters/emails to family members and friends… When they are writing, they are also reinforcing simple grammar, capitalization and punctuation which are all important skills.

MS Counseling Changes:

Middle School parents/guardians should have received an email from Mrs. LaBarge with some important information including some changes to our counseling staff. Please be sure to check your email if you missed that. If you did not receive it, and want to confirm your email address with us, we encourage you to call the Middle School Office. We want to be sure that you are getting all the important information about your child.

Thank you for your partnership!

Mrs. LaBarge and Mrs. Zender

St. Lawrence Central School’s Drama Club is excited to present The Lightning Thief, the Percy Jackson Musical on March 7th and 8th, 2025 at 7:00 pm! The musical features a plot based on the famous book by Rick Riordan with dialogue by Joe Tracz and Music and Lyrics by Rob Rokici.

This show features rock and roll style music, exciting battle scenes, and high-energy dance numbers. The students have been working hard and you definitely won’t want to miss it!

Tickets will be open for public sale beginning at 8:00 am on Monday, February 17th at https://cur8.com/2134/project/129853

Ticket Pricing:
Adults - $12
Seniors (55+)/ Students - $10

Congratulations to Carl Moore, a Senior at SLC, for his amazing efforts in Culinary at BOCES this year!

Click here to watch his video.

Congratulations to Hope McDonald, a Senior at SLC, on being a 7 News Academic All-Star!

Click here to watch her video.

The Seaway Career & Technical Education Center is pleased to announce Madison (Mia) Henry as the Rev. William R. & Crystal E. Cuthbert Vocational Excellence Award for February 2025 sponsored by Brookfield Renewable US. Madison is in the Health Careers Program. She is from the Brasher Falls Central School District and is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Henry.

Health Careers is a two-year program where students prepare for current and emerging careers in the healthcare industry. The program combines crucial elements of science, technical skills and interpersonal skills while students learn basic nursing skills, medical terminology, communication skills and introduction to anatomy and physiology. In addition to 324 hours of classroom theory, students complete 108 hours of clinical experience at United Helpers Maplewood campus where they apply the skills learned to assist residents with activities of daily living such as feeding, bathing and ambulation.

Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to sit for the New York State Nurse Aide Exam. College opportunities are also offered.

Madison has been accepted at North Country Community College where she will continue in healthcare in the nursing program this fall.

Mrs. Joanne Carkner, Instructor, has said the following about Madison: “Madison is a hardworking, caring and compassionate young lady with the willingness to learn new things. She demonstrates leadership skills as evident by her role as a student leader for the past two years. She is respectful to peers, staff and residents in the clinical setting. She arrives on time and is ready to start her day. Her ability to take classroom theory into the clinical setting is exceptional. She is dedicated to helping others and demonstrated this when she completed medical shadowing through the MASH Program. Madison is a pleasure to have in class”.

Congratulations, Madison, on all of your hard work in your Health Careers BOCES Program!

In Mr. Brown's high school art courses, there are a bunch of different things going on; coil pots, clay whistles, and self portraits just to name a few! The clay whistles are designed by combining two different animals to create a new one like a bat and a rabbit. They are funky to look at, and they actually whistle. The coil pots are done to demonstrate the concept of movement in line design. The self portraits were done with an artist in mind, but the students put their own personality into the painting.

Mrs. Bissonette's Earth Science lab students had fun working with the new state lab; the Ripple Effect Lab. They conducted fun experiments on erosion and deposition.

The Physics students gathered data about an object in circular motion. They swung cups of full water above their heads. Only the student teacher got wet, not bad!

Students in Ms. LaRock's Regents Chemistry Lab had fun exploring different types of chemical reactions. They burned Magnesium ribbon in a synthesis reaction, and tested for the "whoop" sound Hydrogen gas makes as a product of a single replacement reaction!

Congratulations to our Cheer Team on an outstanding season! In the four competitions leading up to Sectionals, SLC won all four!! They also took first place in the Small Division at Sectionals last week and now advance to states! They will compete in Binghamton, NY on Saturday, March 8th. Best of luck ladies!! 🎉

Girls Basketball had a great winter season! They ended their season in a hard fought battle losing to Canton while playing in the Class B Championship game last weekend. Congratulations to the team on being our lone Scholar Athlete Team for the Winter Season.

Congratulations to our merged Girls Hockey players. Potsdam won the overall Sectional Championship over Canton! They then lost to Beekmantown in a Regional Final.

Congratulations to Boys Varsity Basketball on winning The Glenn Bissell Team Sportsmanship Award for the 8th time in the last 13 seasons.

Lastly, a shout-out to two of our basketball standouts!

• Ayden Beach for breaking the basketball all-time scoring record finishing with 1402 points for his career.
• Courtney Moreau for joining the 1000 point club!

A reminder that spring athletes needing physicals can receive one in district on Tuesday, March 4th. Spring sports will begin Monday, March 17th for Varsity and JV teams and Monday, March 24th for Modified teams.

Dear Middle School Families,

As we welcome March, we’d like to share some important updates and helpful tips to support our students through this time of year.

Counseling Transition Update:

We want to take a moment to thank Mrs. Roldan for her dedication to our students. Her last day with us was February 28, 2025, and while we will miss her, we are excited for her as she begins a new journey as the K-12 Counselor at her alma mater, Parishville-Hopkinton.

We are also excited to welcome Ms. White to the Middle School counseling team! Students with last names L-Z will now meet with Ms. White, except for those who meet with Mr. Clookey or receive CSE counseling.

Counselor Availability & Appointments:

• Ms. White will be available daily until 7th/8th grade lunch.

• Mr. Clookey will be available in the afternoons for emergencies only.

• In an emergency, students should go to the Middle School office, where a counselor will be available to assist them.

• For non-emergency appointments, students should email or speak with their counselor to schedule a time to meet: Last names A-K: Email Mr. Niles at nniles@bfcsd.org. Last names L-Z: Email Ms. White at cwhite@bfcsd.org.

We appreciate your support in helping make this transition as smooth as possible!

Surviving and Thriving Through March!

March can feel like a long month—no major breaks, unpredictable weather, and the excitement of spring just out of reach. Here are some tips to help students stay motivated and manage stress:

✅ Stick to a Routine – Keeping a consistent sleep, study, and activity schedule helps students stay focused and reduce stress.

✅ Stay Organized – Using a planner or calendar to track assignments and deadlines can prevent last-minute stress.

✅ Take Breaks – Short mental breaks during study sessions improve focus and productivity.

✅ Stay Active – Even if it’s cold outside, movement is key! A short walk, stretching, or indoor exercise can boost energy and mood.

✅ Ask for Help – If your child is feeling overwhelmed, remind them that teachers, counselors, and staff are here to support them.

✅ Look Forward to Something – Whether it’s a weekend activity, an upcoming school event, or a personal goal, having something positive on the horizon can boost motivation.

Thank you for your continued support! If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Middle School Counseling Team

Mrs. Adams' Adapted Physical Education class had an unforgettable experience visiting the ice castle in Saranac Lake. The students enjoyed exploring the castle, playing the ice piano, and even spotting frozen fish! After their adventure, they had a delicious lunch at McDonald's, generously funded by Mrs. LaVigne and her husband, Doug.

The students who attended included Olivia Bell, Skylee Rust, Jackson Charlson, Levi Charlson, Gabe Flannery, Roman Flannery, Emmalyn LaShomb, and Zayden Chase. Additionally, service learners Carl Moore, Mia Snyder, and Merrick Frary joined in, along with Mr. LaFave, Ms. Taylor, Mrs. Adams, and Mrs. Waite.

Recently, Mrs. Adams' Middle School Physical Education classes engaged in snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The students enjoyed exploring the nature trails and fields. For many, it was their first time participating in these winter activities, making the experience even more memorable!

The middle school art room is off to an exciting start this year, bursting with creativity and hands-on projects! Our 7th graders have been busy designing their own sketchbooks, while 8th graders are putting the finishing touches on their clay mugs. Meanwhile, 5th graders are diving into the world of digital art, and 6th graders are exploring color and technique through painting. It’s been a fantastic start to the year, and we can't wait to see what these talented young artists create next!

5th graders designed "All About Me" digital artwork using Canva.com, exploring various styles and creative tools to bring their personalities to life!

6th graders designed watercolor animal paintings, enhancing them with intricate zen patterns for added detail and creativity.

With the start of the new term, the art room welcomes a fresh group of 7th graders! They have been collaborating on an "All About Me" tessellation project while also designing unique covers for their sketchbooks.

8th graders have completed their clay mugs and are now focused on honing their skills through various sketchbook assignments.

Hello SLC Families,

Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten registration is now open! Now is the time 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. Pre-kindergarten information night will be held on Thursday, March 6 at 5:30 in the elementary library. Per NYS regulations, we are required to hold a lottery to determine placements if we don't have enough spots of any given option (half or full day). Our lottery will take place on June 2, so any registrations that are not complete, with all necessary documentation turned in, by May 30 will not be included in the lottery.

Thanks to those who joined us for our winter family night! Our next one will take place on Wednesday, March 19. Stay tuned for more information!

As a reminder, “Erin’s Law” requires that all public schools in each state implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program. Our school partner’s with Renewal House, who sends an educator into schools throughout the county to deliver the required curriculum to our students. This takes place on an annual basis. More information about Erin’s Law can be found here. Additional information about Renewal House can be found here.

The NYS Assessment Schedule at SLC Elementary is as Follows:

• Grade 4 ELA - May 1 & 2
• Grade 3 ELA - May 6 & 7
• Grade 4 Math - May 8 & 9
• Grade 3 Math - May 13 & 14

Dates to Know:

• Spring pictures will take place on Monday, March 17.
• On Thursday, March 20 there will be a 12:30 dismissal for staff development. Friday, March 21 there is NO SCHOOL, due to regional staff development. Please plan accordingly for both days.
• Spring break will be from Friday, April 18 through Friday, April 25. Please plan accordingly, as there will be no school.

Respectfully,

Mrs. Colterman

Hello Larries,

Spring is on its way, and March is a great time to focus on perseverance—our character trait of the month! Perseverance means not giving up, even when things are hard. This important skill helps children learn, grow, and overcome challenges with confidence.

This Month’s Book: The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

This wonderful story follows a young girl who sets out to create something amazing, but faces many obstacles along the way. She becomes frustrated, but with determination and perseverance, she finds a way to succeed. This book teaches children that mistakes and setbacks are a normal part of learning and growing.

How to Build Perseverance at Home:

• Praise effort, not just results – Celebrate when your child tries hard, even if they don’t succeed right away.

• Encourage a growth mindset – Teach your child to say, “I can’t do this yet,” instead of “I can’t do this.”

• Model perseverance – Share stories about times you faced challenges and how you kept going.

• Break big tasks into small steps – Help your child set small goals to build confidence and success.

Third Graders Take on a Team Building Challenge

Some third graders recently participated in a hands-on team-building exercise where they built a bridge using only tape and newspaper. Working together, they had to beat the clock and meet specific bridge requirements. Some of the bridges were even strong enough to successfully hold a 10-pound kettlebell! This activity helped students practice perseverance, teamwork, and creative problem-solving while having fun.

Just like perseverance helps children push through challenges, healthy sleep habits support their ability to focus, learn, and grow. A well-rested child is better able to handle obstacles and setbacks with a positive mindset.

National Sleep Awareness Week (March 9-15)

Healthy sleep is essential for learning, mood, and overall well-being. Elementary students need 9-12 hours of sleep each night to feel their best.

Tips for Healthy Sleep Habits:

• Set a consistent bedtime – Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps regulate sleep patterns.

• Create a calming bedtime routine – Reading a book, listening to soft music, or taking deep breaths can help kids wind down.

• Limit screens before bed – Encourage at least 30 minutes of screen-free time before bedtime.

• Make the bedroom sleep-friendly – A cool, dark, and quiet room promotes restful sleep.

• Encourage daily exercise – Physical activity helps children sleep better at night.

By focusing on perseverance and healthy sleep this month, we can help our children grow into strong, resilient learners. Thank you for your partnership in supporting their success!

Mrs. McFarland & Ms. White

The Larries Spotlight Award was created to recognize Elementary Staff who demonstrate a specific trait each quarter. This award is voted upon by peers who want to give a shout-out to one of their colleagues for doing an outstanding job!

Liz Belt was the Larries Spotlight Award winner for the Second Quarter! The quarter’s trait was Bravery. Mrs. Belt received the award from her peers based on her willingness to try new strategies and techniques with her students. She is also never afraid to speak her mind in any situation. The final reason is Mrs. Belt showed her true bravery by changing school districts and becoming a great addition to the SLC family!

Thank you, Mrs. Belt, for always being open to trying something new and for speaking your mind!

A huge thank you to all the families who joined us for the SLC SEL Family Night! It was such a fun evening, and we loved seeing everyone get creative while making calming and sensory items to take home. We hope these tools bring a little extra peace and relaxation to your homes. Your support means so much, and we’re grateful to have such a wonderful community!

We’d love to see all our families for the Healthy Way Family Night on March 19th!

Our Pre-K classes have held a family hour each month. In February, we had different agencies and small businesses come in to demonstrate. We are very thankful to Christina McCarthy From TTK Daycare, Katie LaBarge from Truly Chiropractic, Seaway Prevention Council, Mrs. McFarland, Mrs. Hahn, Mrs. Tuper, Kim Haplin from the Community Health Program and our Pre-Kindergarten staff for making this day happen. The families had so much fun participating in all of these activities.

Our friends at Neptune Navigate recently sent out following alert on how to protect yourself from phishing scams. Please stay vigilant before using any apps.

Phishing scams have moved beyond emails and are now targeting Android users through malicious apps. In 2024, Malwarebytes detected over 22,800 phishing apps on Android, 5,200 capable of stealing multifactor authentication (MFA) codes by accessing text messages, and another 4,800 capable of reading notifications for the same purpose.

How These Apps Work:

• Disguise themselves as legitimate apps like TikTok, Spotify, or WhatsApp.
• Trick users into entering their real login credentials on fake screens.
• Sell stolen usernames and passwords on the dark web.
• Exploit security loopholes to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA).

How to Stay Safe:

• Download apps only from the Google Play Store. Avoid third-party app stores.
• Check app reviews. A low number of reviews may signal a fake app.
• Use mobile security software to detect and block phishing apps.
• Enable MFA on financial, email, social media, and government accounts—but avoid SMS-based MFA if possible.
• Use a password manager to generate unique passwords for every account.

Cybercriminals are evolving their tactics, but awareness and good security practices can keep your accounts safe. Stay vigilant and share these tips with family and friends. For more information, click here.

As always, if you have any questions, you can contact Mr. Welsh the district's Data Protection Officer via email at kwelsh@bfcdsd.org, or call the technology department at (315) 389-5131 ext. 29250.

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