Bird's Eye View

Hello Larries Community,

Welcome to this jam packed second edition of the 2024-25 school year's “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 be asking for a little help with some things to make our school and community the most productive we can be.

Our hope is you will continue read our newsletter every 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.

We need staff, students, parents and the community's help with attendance throughout the year.

• Attendance concerns from the Office of the New York State Comptroller (DiNapoli): “Chronic absenteeism has been linked to lower grades, lower standardized test scores, and increased risk of dropout. Students who chronically miss classroom time often fall behind. Reducing chronic absenteeism will be essential for turning around pandemic-era learning loss. School districts need to engage students, families, and their communities to address this troubling issue.”

Chronic absenteeism is defined by the U.S. Department of Education as the share of students who miss at least 10% of days (typically 18) in a school year for any reason, excused, unexcused, or for disciplinary reasons. Please see the chart shared in the October 2024 Birds’ Eye View.

A few reminders of important educational dates:

• Parent/Teacher conferences are set for November 25 and 26 in the elementary school and November 18th in the middle/high school. Please know that face to face interaction with your child(s) teachers only builds a stronger relationship with you and the teachers as well as an increased positive relationship between your child and their teacher.

• Best of luck to the cast, crew, and directors of the upcoming Fall Play. Performances will be November 15th and 16th here in the HS/MS auditorium.

A few shout outs and reminders:

• A very large thank you to all the first responder units that came and gave of their time on “First Responders Day”. The elementary staff and students had a great time visiting all the stations that were set up for the day. Also, please thank all of the staff that put in numerous hours to organize this for our kids!

• Congratulations to all of our fall athletes and coaches for a very entertaining fall season! A special congratulations to our girls and boys soccer teams that both reached the finals of the Class C Championship games.

• Congratulations to all those that have been recognized, in this November issue, for the outstanding work you are doing.

• One final shout out goes to all those who currently serve in our United States Military Armed Forces, along with those VETERANS in our community, we owe so much to you.

• 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.

Please have a safe and healthy November. Thank you for your continued support of our great district!

Christopher Rose

Superintendent

Several Northern New York schools were recently recognized by U.S. News and World Report in its annual national rankings of schools. This report places emphasis on college readiness and EQUITY, and in doing so, they look at:

• College readiness - students earning qualifying scores on AP exams

• State Assessment Proficiency - Regents scores

• State Assessment Performance - scores and expectations for students who are Black, Hispanic, and from low-income households.

• Graduation Rate

According to U.S. News and World Report, the methodology aims to provide a comprehensive picture of school district quality by focusing on factors that are directly relevant to students’ college readiness, and success. By emphasizing equity and underserved student performance, the rankings also seek to highlight schools that are effectively serving all students, regardless of their background.

Where did SLC fall in the rankings?:

• SLC was Top 4 of 18 in St. Lawrence County (top quarter-22%)

• SLC was Top 7 of 33 schools in St. Lawrence, Jefferson, and Lewis counties (top quarter-21%)

• SLC was ranked number 410 of 1,279 schools in NY State (top third-32%)

• SLC was ranked number 4,704 of 17,655 schools in the United States (almost top quarter-26%)

As a district, we often are spending so much time working on how to “get better” that we don’t take the time to look at how we are doing in the big picture. I can promise that we will always continue to strive for further improvement. At this moment, our SLC staff and community should be very proud of the fact that WE get our students to a place where they need to be by the time they graduate. Give us a unified 13/14 years here at SLC, and we will have our/your kids in a much better place than if they had not ever been here with us at all.

Congratulations to everyone that has played a part, and here is to continuing to work to make SLC one of the best little schools around!

Christopher Rose

Superintendent

Dear Middle and High School Parents,

We were able to end October on a great note with recognizing students and having our fall Pep Rally and spirit week. We look forward to inviting more parents in to celebrate our successful students, and also having more fun events throughout the year.

Upcoming Events:

• Staff Day November 8

• Term 1 Ends November 8
• Veteran’s Day November 11
• Parent Teacher Conferences November 18 from 1-3pm and 6-8pm
• Middle School Junior National Honor Society Induction November 18 at 5:00pm
• Thanksgiving Break November 27-28

We hope to see you at Parent Teacher Conferences. Term 1 report cards will be available for pick up that day. In order for your child to be successful, that open communication between home and school is very important. If your child needs assistance, or you have concerns, this is the opportunity for you and your child to discuss this with the teacher(s) and set a plan for the remainder of the year. We want to be proactive and help them to get on track now.

Please contact us with any concerns or questions you may have.

Mrs. LaBarge, MS Principal

Mrs. Zender, HS Principal

Hello Students and Families,

As we wrap up senior meetings this month, we're excited to kick off our junior meetings very soon. Letters with meeting dates and times have already been sent home, and we encourage families to attend these sessions. It’s a great opportunity to discuss your student's future plans, academic goals, and to get support on their path forward.

Looking ahead, mark your calendars for our FAFSA Night on January 9th, from 5-7 pm in the High School Library. This evening is designed to make the financial aid process smooth and clear—whether you're a first-timer or need a refresher, we’re here to guide you!

A Few Helpful Tips:

• For our juniors and seniors especially, keep your grades up and stay involved! Admissions officers and future employers notice consistent effort.
• Set aside time each week for college or career prep, like exploring colleges, preparing applications, or practicing interview skills.
• Don’t forget to reach out with any questions! We’re here to help every step of the way.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Ms. Eve Ruddy (A-K)

Ms. Michaela Bethel (L-Z)

Congratulations to the following students who were recognized as Students of the Month for September and October! The character traits were Politeness and Respect.

Kollin Cartin, Brynn Hewlett, Kamdyn Coughlin, Abe Snell, Trevor Phillips, Alexis Larabay, Ayden Beach, Trinity Jacobs, Jacob Evans, Adam Kohl, Andrew Crump, Jr., Brian Eggleston, Austin Giles, Alaquin O'Hara, Kadence Murray, and Deziree Golden

Michael Snyder, a 10th-grade student, proudly displays his wooden pumpkin project from his CREATE class at Norwood-Norfolk Central School. CREATE is a pre-vocational program aimed at helping students explore various trades and prepare for classes at the BOCES Tech Center. This year, five students from Brasher Falls are participating in the program.

Students from Ms. LaRock's Chemistry Concepts class and Mr. Barse's Computer Programming classes took part in the 2024 St. Lawrence County Manufacturing Day. The purpose of the day was a collaboration between local districts and the SLC manufacturing industry! Our students toured Structural Wood and Upstate Doors in Waddington, NY in the morning where they learned about the process of making trusses from design, to manufacturing, to delivery, and the garage door business. In the afternoon, they toured ALCOA and learned about aluminum smelting, and casting. The Massena plant is the world’s oldest continuously operating smelter.

Shown are students at Alcoa in their PPE before the tour, students learning about the design of trusses at Structural Wood, and group shots at each location.

Mrs. Bissonette and Ms. LaRock's IMPETUS students had a great time at their October visit to Clarkson. They learned about probability and using data to make predictions using M&M's. A few students won Stewart's gift cards for their great predictions, and one student won a party pack of snacks for the group to enjoy at their next meeting!

The IMPETUS students also recently went and visited the Jefferson Community College Campus and then went to the MOST (Museum of Science & Technology) in Syracuse, NY.

The students in High School Robotics had the opportunity to go to St. Lawrence University to learn about e-waste. They had a great time learning about how it is disposed of, and what gets thrown out! A special thanks to Mr. Aaron Hoyt for setting this trip up for us.

In Mr. Brown’s Studio In Art classes there are many exciting things going on. Students build their own sketchbook that they use throughout the year for a variety of things these are designed as a collage of themselves. Students then spent some time doing pencil drawing and creating the illusion of depth with a holes and layers drawing. The last project they just finished up were pen and ink drawings using a technique called stippling, which is a lot of very small dots.

Coach Chamberlain and the girls varsity soccer team would like to thank all of the teachers and staff members that attended the teacher/staff appreciation soccer game. Each athlete chose two staff members that have made an impact on them during their time at SLC. Thank you for taking time out of your evening to spend it with us! We truly appreciate you!

Congratulations to our Trap Team on a successful season. They ended up finishing out the fall season in 3rd place in their conference. They had 5 students in the top 25 of the conference with Mike Adams in 2nd, John Boyce in 9th, Vincent Pontius and Colby Griffith tied for eleventh, and Evan Dumers at 18th.

Fall sports are winding down. Congratulations to both the boys and girls soccer teams and coaches for making it to the Class C Championship games, both teams had great seasons! Swim Sectionals are at Maxcy Hall on Sunday, November 10th at 1pm.

Winter sports will be getting underway this month. Varsity Basketball, Hockey, and Cheer will start on Monday, November 18th. Times to be determined. Modified Basketball will start on Monday, November 25th at 3:45pm. If your child is signed up for a winter sport, you are required to be at that team's parent meeting. You will be notified by the coach or your child as to where and when the meeting will be held. Also, please look for updates on our Facebook page "SLC Athletics and Athletic Hall of Fame".

As always, some very handy sites to follow to stay on top of sports in Section X are www.sections710.org, www.sectionxboces.org, www.northcountrysports.net and you can add the "rSchoolToday" APP to your phone.

Hello Middle School Families,

October has been a busy month in middle school counseling! Social media issues have increased, so Mrs. Roldan and Mr. Niles held discussions with students about being mindful online. Negative behavior on social media can disrupt our school environment and affect students’ mental health. Many students have shared feelings of stress, sadness, and helplessness, so we’re emphasizing the importance of respectful communication and avoiding harmful conversations online. If your child encounters negative behaviors online, please encourage them to take action by saving screenshots, reporting and blocking accounts, and reaching out to a trusted adult. We’re here to support them and can connect you with additional resources if needed. We also ask parents and guardians to stay involved with their child’s social media use, helping them practice safe and responsible behavior.

We recently held an informative session for all students on personal and online safety. Following our Pep Rally and in anticipation of Halloween, Mrs. Roldan and Mr. Niles met with 5th-8th graders to share important trick-or-treating safety tips. The session also covered both the positive aspects of social media and potential concerns, including safe communication practices, recognizing safety risks, understanding digital footprints, and the impact of social media on mental health. For more details on our presentation, please take a look here: Personal Safety Presentation.

Additionally this month, all 8th graders attended the Seaway Tech field trip, where they explored potential career paths and trades. To help students prepare for high school, we also led a lesson on the transition, and we’re kicking off individual 8th grade meetings starting on November 4. These sessions will help students select high school courses, electives, and understand NYSED High School requirements. Parents and guardians are welcome to attend; please contact your child’s counselor if you’d like to join. We’ve also mailed letters with details about these meetings, so please keep an eye out for them.

Please take a look at our 8th to 9th grade presentation as well as NYSED Diploma Requirements. Here is the presentation we used: 8th Grade HS Requirements Presentation

For your information regarding diploma requirements and the different pathways, please take a look at this handout from NYSED (New York State Education Department): New York State Graduation Requirements.

All the best,

Mr. Niles nniles@bfcsd.org (Students A-K)

Mrs. Roldan rroldan@bfcsd.org (Students L-Z)

Congratulations to our Middle School students who were recognized for our monthly traits and for Larrie Limelight awards: Kaylee French, Jenesia Stephenson, Gett Clary, Parker Beach, Levi VanSleet, Mia Peryer, Ayla Goodrich, Jailyn Golden, Irelynn Soller, Jordyn Miner, Blain Brothers, and Peyton Dihrberg.

We had an arts in education presentation for Middle School called "Flight Crew" which is a group of 4 jump rope professionals from around the United States. Some students participated jumping ropes as well! Everyone had a great time!

We are very happy to report that the students are using the Comfort Closet! We are in desperate need of deodorant. Donations can be dropped off at the main office. Thank you so much!

Students in Mrs. Adams' Adapted Physical Education class enjoyed activities in the gym and pool this past month. The pool picture is of Zayden Chase and Mr. Adams enjoying a swim. The gym picture is Olivia Bell, Emmalyn LaShomb, Skylee Rust, Roman Flannery, and Jackson Charleson playing with hula-hoops.

8th Grade students in Mrs. Phelix's ELA class submitted their own original stories for a creative writing competition called "Fright Club". Students had to write an eerie, suspenseful story in 100 words or fewer. The kids shared their stories around a "campfire" in class.

The 5th grade students have started the year out making sketchbooks. They then started creating pumpkins and hand zendoodle drawings.

The 6th graders have started the year out making sketchbooks. They then learned about Mandalas, their purpose, radial symmetry, and finally started to create one.

7th grade students created their sketchbooks and then learned about the artist, Tim Burton, and his style of creating. They created their own Tim Burton inspired portraits.

The 8th grade students received their own sketchbooks this year. They learned about various street artists around the world, created their own tag using a graffiti style, and then created a collage of magazine cut outs to create a final sketchbook cover that represents them. After this project, they learned about still life drawings and how to draw pumpkins.

The Extended Day Program went to Applewood Orchard in October. They all enjoyed the beautiful fall weather and yummy apples and donuts!

Hello SLC Families,

Thanks to all who joined us for our annual Halloween parade! The weather was cooperative and it is always nice to bring our families in to celebrate with us.

At the beginning of October we celebrated fire safety week, which culminated with "First Responder Day." This is an awesome event, which exposes our students to the many jobs first responders perform. First Responder Friday was a success! Thanks to all of our staff and volunteers who made this day happen! We even had one lucky student win a ride home from school in a fire truck! Congratulations Kashten Moerlins!

Another highlight of this week was that we had a student initiated fundraiser in support of our Community Christmas Basket Program. Sylvie Villnave, Ellie Fredenburg, and Sawyer Clark are the three fourth graders who initiated this fundraiser. They raised over $350 for our Community Christmas Basket Program! Excellent work, girls!

On Thursday, November 7th St. Lawrence Central will be holding our mandated Evacuation Crisis Drill at dismissal. All elementary staff and students will participate in the on-site evacuation drill, which will begin with a fire drill. We appreciate your patience and understanding with these drills, as they help staff and students better prepare for emergency situations. If your child is a permanent parent pick-up or needs to be picked up for an afternoon appointment, you are asked to pick up your child before 1:00. You will need to sign out your child at the Elementary Office. There will not be any announcements this day. Students will not be allowed to leave once the evacuation drill has begun and will be put on a bus. If you have any questions concerning the drill, please call the office at (315)389-5131 ext. 29300.

There will be no school on Friday, November 8th for staff development. There will be no school on Monday, November 11th in honor of Veterans' Day. School will resume on Tuesday, November 12th and it will be a Day 4.

We will be holding parent-teacher conferences on Monday and Tuesday, November 25th and 26th, with dismissal at 11:30 for elementary students. After the first quarter we like to meet with each child's parent/guardian. Please be on the lookout for information regarding scheduling your conference from your child's teacher. Many of you may have already scheduled your appointments. We look forward to meeting with you!

There will be no school on Wednesday, November 27th through Friday, November 29th, in honor of Thanksgiving. School will resume on Monday, December 2nd and it will be a Day 3.

I cannot believe how quickly the first couple months of school have come and gone. With everything going on in November, it is sure to fly by just as quickly.

Respectfully,

Mrs. Colterman

Our 6th annual First Responder day went off with a bell! The elementary school kicked off our day with an active fire drill with BWFD responding and doing a building check as if it were the real thing. Students screamed and roared with excitement to see the trucks arriving with sirens and lights on. In the morning, all students got to cycle through seeing the NY State Police drone, car and officers, the NYS Border Patrol and their K9, and the NYS DEC and their K9. In the afternoon, our local fire departments ran presentations such as squirting a water cannon (to mimic a fire extinguisher), exploring the New York State Police Scuba boat, practice CPR and using an AED, crawling through the smoke room, and a fan favorite of touch a truck!

A big heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers: West Stockholm Fire Department, North Lawrence Fire Department, Lawrenceville Fire Department, Brasher–Winthrop Fire Department, New York State Troopers, New York State Troopers Scuba Team, U.S. Border Patrol, New York State Forest Rangers, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Congratulations to Kashten Morelins in first grade for completing his Junior Firefighter homework, and winning a ride home from school in a firetruck!

October Highlights from Your Elementary School Counselors:

What a fantastic month it has been! We've continued building character by focusing on Self-Control, with students enjoying the book Too Loud Lily by Sofie Laguna. This is a fun story about learning self-regulation. Our youngest students (Pre-K and Kindergarten) also had the chance to meet guest speakers from Cerebral Palsy, who shared valuable lessons on acceptance, inclusion, and disability awareness. It was inspiring to see students engage so thoughtfully and embrace these important topics.

Students in grades K-4 participated in the Seaway Valley Prevention Council's Too Good for Drugs program during Life Lab. This program introduces healthy decision-making skills that are vital for developing self-control and overall positive habits.

Looking Ahead to November:

Next month, we’ll explore Gratitude as our character trait, focusing on ways to recognize and appreciate the good things in our lives. We’ll be reading The Gratitude Jar by Kristin Wiens, a beautiful story that teaches children how practicing gratitude can bring joy and connection. Each classroom will also have a Gratitude Jar where students can write down something they’re thankful for. By the end of the month, we’ll celebrate by sharing some of these meaningful notes!

Counselor Tips for Families:

With fall here, routines can get busy, and a good night’s sleep is key to helping students stay engaged and ready to learn! Establishing consistent routines can help your child make the most of each school day.

Resource Corner:

This month, we’re highlighting resources to support families in developing emotional skills at home. Check out websites like Sesame Street in Communities or Second Step for activities you can try together to reinforce self-control, empathy, and other valuable traits.

Thank you for supporting our students and for making October such a memorable month! We look forward to continuing this wonderful journey of growth and learning together.

Mrs. McFarland and Ms. White

We’re excited to share a new project we're launching this year! To help build resilience, encourage leadership, and maintain a positive, welcoming environment, we’re introducing our Houses initiative. This project divides our school into four houses: Red Feathered Flyers, Blue Winged Warriors, Yellow Beak Buddies, and Green Talon Team. Each house includes students and teachers from every age group, creating diverse teams that will work together to strengthen social-emotional skills.

Throughout the year, we’ll focus on key skills like teamwork, empathy, communication, problem-solving, and leadership. Our activities will encourage students to manage emotions, build positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Inspired by the methods of the Ron Clark Academy, our goal is to foster character development, build meaningful relationships, and boost school spirit.

We want every Larrie to feel connected to a caring and supportive community, confident in their ability to navigate challenges with resilience and a positive mindset. We look forward to a year full of growth, teamwork, and fun!

Mr. Dow finished up the soccer unit with a game of Angry Birds. Students stacked up the buckets and then knocked them down with the soccer balls.

Mrs. Jones' class created their own witches' brew. Here were the steps:

• Put each cauldron side by side in a tray.
• Add about 1 heaping tablespoon of baking soda to each cauldron.
• Add in a few drops of food coloring
• Add about 1/4 cup of vinegar into each of the cauldrons
• Watch the “potion brew and overflow”!

Students had a great time with the experiment!

Mrs. Brouillette’s Kindergarten class had a great Fun Friday when Mrs. Hahn, our Technology Coach, came in to teach us to explore with Bee Bots! After hearing the story There Was an Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid of Anything, by: Linda Williams, the students were challenged to code their robots to go around the mat to get each part of the scarecrow. This was a wonderful experience for the students to learn to fail and try again until they persevered, and they all did just that!

October's Family Night was a fantastic celebration of fall-themed science activities! Students and families gathered for an engaging evening filled with hands-on experiments and learning. Students were able to explore the reactions that happen when vinegar and baking soda are mixed together and practice their skills of using a balance scale. Students were able to strengthen their observation skills on motion and stability through bottle flipping using different bottles and weights. Lastly, students worked on fine and gross motor skills with pumpkins.

Family Nights are a wonderful opportunity to bridge classroom learning with home activities. They foster a sense of community and allow families to engage in educational experiences together. Thank you to everyone who attended! Your enthusiasm made the evening a success. Stay tuned for our next Family Night this winter—more exciting activities are on the way!

This month, we would like to share a resource from our educational partner Neptune Navigate titled “Tips for Safely Sharing Photos Online.” Please review the tips outlined in this article by Ann Terese Brant, which is available in the news section of the Neptune Navigate website. These recommendations will help protect your family while sharing photos online.

Sharing snippets of our lives on social media has become second nature. From family vacations to precious moments with our little ones, it’s easy to find ourselves scrolling through endless feeds filled with other people’s kids and proudly showcasing our own. But while documenting these events, I wonder if we’ve considered the potential safety implications.

“Sharenting,” the practice of sharing pictures and information about one’s children online, is commonplace. While it allows us to connect with family and friends and often seek advice and support from online communities, it also exposes our children to many risks.

We may have control over our social media accounts, but we cannot control what happens to the content once it’s out there. Photos can be copied, shared, and even manipulated using AI tools without our consent, potentially falling into the wrong hands.

In addition, posting pictures of our children online can inadvertently provide personal information such as their location, school, or daily routines. This information, when pieced together, can compromise their safety.

Here are a few tips from cybersecurity experts at Kaspersky to help us navigate the world of sharenting more safely:

1. Review privacy settings: Ensure your posts can only be seen by family and close friends, and remove resharing permissions.

2. Discuss privacy with friends and family: Be vocal about protecting children’s privacy and set boundaries about how they can engage with posts.

3. Turn off metadata and geotagging: Not using these functions can minimize other people’s ability to track children through online photo sharing.

4. Do not include identifiable information: Whether in the photo itself or the captions, be sure not to share details that would allow others to find and track children. This can include names, birthdates, schools, places they regularly visit, or even family homes.

5. Use secure platforms: Instead of sharing photos online, use more secure platforms to show pictures of children to friends and family. For example, WhatsApp protects photos with end-to-end encryption and allows users to send photos that can only be opened once.

While sharing special moments with our friends and family can be rewarding, it’s essential to prioritize our children’s safety above all else. By being mindful of the information we share online, we can create a safer digital environment for our children.

Source: Neptune Navigate

~For additional information, please visit this link.

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.

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