The BPMS Cooking Club got to spend time with author and chef Jodie Fitz during their after-school meeting as part of the Market 32 Kid’s Cooking Club. Ms. Fitz travels around the country working with students to teach them about cooking and making “real food fast.”

Ms. Fitz worked with sixth and seventh grade students to make a gluten, nut, and dairy-free corn salsa recipe. The activity was very hands-on for the students in the club, and students were able to incorporate a lot of cooking skills during the activity.

Ms. Fitz has written a book called “Fidget Grows a Pizza”. You can find more information about her here. The Market 32 Kid’s Cooking Club was designed to promote a love of food and cooking at an early age by encouraging creativity in younger cooks. You can find more information about the program here.

The Broadalbin-Perth boys and girls basketball teams will collect gently used, clean winter clothing 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 18 in the lobby of the high school gymnasium.

Coats, jackets, snow pants, boots, hats and gloves of all sizes will be accepted.

The B-P Odyssey of the Mind program will host its annual chicken parm dinner fundraiser 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28 at Raindancer. Tickets cost $12 apiece. Each meal includes chicken parm and pasta. Dinners are take-out only.

Tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door – cash or check only. Checks can be made out to B-P OM. To purchase tickets in advance, contact Tammy Staie (staiet@bpcsd.org) or Amy Wurz (wurza@bpcsd.org).

(From L to R) Albert Zierak, 8th grade; Emily Ratajczak, 6th grade; Ben Canary, 7th grade; Sierra Chipp, 6th grade.

Congratulations to the middle school Students of the Month for November! The word used to pick the students this month was “Responsibility”.

This spring, some Broadalbin-Perth student-athletes will be wearing purple for the first time as the Greater Amsterdam School District welcomes them to try out for the Rams’ boys and girls lacrosse teams. The opportunity is a result of an intermunicipal agreement approved by both districts’ boards of education during the week of Dec. 16.

“When we adopted our strategic plan, ‘Innovate,’ we made a commitment to finding creative ways to expand opportunities for our students,” said Stephen Tomlinson, superintendent of schools. “This is an outstanding opportunity for B-P students in grades 7-12 to experience a new interscholastic sport that they’ve told us they’re interested in.”

In 2015, Broadalbin-Perth surveyed middle and high school students to learn what academic, extracurricular and athletic opportunities students were most interested in. On that survey, 245 students said they would be interested in participating in lacrosse.

Under the agreement for the 2020 season, both boys and girls lacrosse programs at the modified, JV and varsity levels will play under Amsterdam’s name wearing Amsterdam uniforms. However, practices and games may take place at either Amsterdam or B-P: When Patriot Field was resurfaced as part of the 2016 capital project, lines for both boys and girls lacrosse were added to the turf.

There is no cost to Broadalbin-Perth for B-P students to participate in the Amsterdam program. If the 2020 pilot season is successful, the agreement is expected to continue in future years. Tomlinson said B-P will also annually assess the arrangement to determine if or when Broadalbin-Perth may be able to sustain its own lacrosse program.

“I want to emphasize that we are committed to maintaining and supporting the success of our current spring athletic programs – baseball, softball, and track and field,” Tomlinson said. “But with so many of our students expressing an interest in lacrosse, we couldn’t let such a great opportunity pass us by.”

Tucker Gifford, B-P’s director of health, physical education, athletics and nursing, is working with Amsterdam’s director of athletics to plan a parent information night in the new year.

Broadalbin-Perth Middle School hosted the 32nd annual Holly Jolly Volleyball tournament Friday, marking the official start of the holiday break for students.

“This is our Christmas present to the kids,” Superintendent of Schools Stephen Tomlinson said. “Students look forward to it, and I think it’s one of their favorite days of the year. It’s definitely one of my favorites.”

The tradition dates back to the late 1980s, and Tomlinson used to coordinate the tournament when he was a physical education teacher at BPMS in the early 1990s. Today, Tomlinson played on a team with his daughter, Haley, who is in eighth grade.

The tournament marks the culmination of a physical education unit on volleyball. Students form teams, each with a faculty captain, and many teams come up with creative names and coordinating t-shirts and accessories that add to the festive atmosphere.

Broadalbin-Perth students and teachers are holding two separate winter clothing drives to help those less fortunate in our community.

Warm Hands, Warm Hearts

This is the 7th year for the 5th grade community service project Warm Hands, Warm Hearts. At the end of the drive, all items will be distributed to local organizations to benefit children, men, and women right here in our community.

When: Thursday, January 9 – Friday, January 17
Who: BPIS 5th grade community service project
What: Collecting brand new hats, gloves, mittens, and socks for children and adults in our community
Where: Donations will be collected from classrooms at BPIS. If you are outside BPIS and wish to donate, please contact Mrs. Hamill at hamilla@bpcsd.org.

B-P Basketball Winter Clothing Drive

While we warm up on the court, help us warm up those in our local community!

When: Saturday, January 11 & Saturday, January 18, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Where: BPHS Gym Lobby
What: B-P basketball teams are collecting gently used, clean winter clothing. Coats/jackets, snow pants, boots, hats, gloves

Accepting all sizes – kids & adults.

LifeReady Community Forum Series
Register for the College Admissions Panel Discussion

For the first time in more than 30 years, educators at the Broadalbin-Perth Central School District are working to update the district’s graduation requirements to reflect what today’s students need to know to be successful after high school. And district leaders are inviting members of the community to join the conversation during a series of forums.

For more than a year, teachers and administrators from every school have met to review research, brainstorm, and discuss what skills and knowledge students need to be successful after high school. They’ve also examined current trends in college admissions; local, regional, and national job markets; and traits employers look for in potential employees.

“School districts around the country are looking at how the nature of work is evolving and how they can align students’ educational experiences more closely with the needs of the modern workforce,” said Stephen Tomlinson, superintendent of schools. “But this effort goes beyond college and careers to look at everything students need to lead successful, fulfilling lives — which is something we all want for our children.”

Tomlinson said Broadalbin-Perth has been using national resources to guide its work, including Portrait of a Graduate and LifeReady resources from the National School Boards Association.

Broadalbin-Perth’s LifeReady community forum series begins with a college admissions panel discussion, co-hosted by the Greater Johnstown School District. Representatives from colleges throughout New York state will discuss what college admissions counselors really look for when considering applications. Community members are encouraged to RSVP for the event and submit questions to the panel through the online form. The event begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22 in the Margaret Robin Blowers Auditorium at BPHS.

One topic that will be presented during the panel discussion is the role class rank plays in student admissions. Broadalbin-Perth currently ranks members of a graduating class according to GPA and publicly recognizes the district’s top 10 students. One of the changes the district is considering, however, would replace the class ranking system with the Latin honors system that is used at many colleges and universities — i.e., cum laude (with honor), magna cum laude (with great honor), and summa cum laude (with highest honor) — in an effort to recognize the achievements of a greater number of students.

A brochure with more information about the LifeReady Community Forum Series, which includes some of the changes district leaders are considering, is being mailed to all district residents. Additional information about the forum series is available on the district website.

The Broadalbin-Perth Elementary Drama Club is inviting all its FRIENDS to its second annual Coffeehouse Open Mic Night starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 20 in the middle school gymnasium. Tickets cost $5 and may be purchased at the door.

Members of the B-P community – including students, staff and family members from throughout the district – are encouraged to share their talents! Sign up by Feb. 14 to perform. Suggested acts include song, monologue, poetry readings, comedy, duets, musical instruments, magic, staged readings, etc. Hurry – only the first 15 acts to sign up will be accepted into the show!

Eleven BPIS students in grades 4 and 5 competed through 19 rounds of vexing vocabulary to crown a winner who will represent the school at the regional spelling bee at Proctors. Fifth grader Ben Faboskay triumphed at the end of the competition, spelling “organist” correctly for his winning word.

It’s not an unfamiliar feeling for Ben, who won grade-wide spelling bees in second and third grade before failing to make the school-wide stage last year. “It’s pretty awesome to be back here,” said Ben after the win. “A lot of studying went into it.”

Ben said he studied the sheets that were given to the classroom winners to prepare for the school-wide bee. He says he plans to do the same before the regional bee at Proctors in February.

“Spelling is fun,” Ben said. “It can teach you a lot of things and help you learn.”

Five BPHS students have been selected for the Annual All Stars High School Exhibition at the Saratoga Arts Gallery in Saratoga Springs.

Congratulations to ninth grader Dean Smith, 10th graders Haleigh Hayes, Lena Minkler and Greta Spilken, 11th grader Isaiah Blackmon and their art teacher, Wendy Carroll.

The teacher-selected exhibition, which runs from Jan. 11 through Feb. 8, 2020, features artwork by high school students in Saratoga, Fulton and Montgomery counties. The gallery is located at 320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs.

B-P is now accepting requests for pre-K and kindergarten registration packets.

For pre-K registration, call our pre-K parent advocate, Sarah Gabriel, to receive a packet. You can reach her at (518) 954-2654 or via email.

For more pre-K information and important dates visit our site.

For kindergarten registration, please contact Sue Manell in the main office at 518-954-2650. If you already have a child in Broadalbin-Perth pre-K, paperwork has been sent home.

The Broadalbin-Perth Music Department will host a talent show 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 18 in the Margaret Robin Blowers Auditorium to raise money for its spring trip to the Trills and Thrills Adjudication Festival. Admission is $5 at the door, and kids age 5 and younger will receive free admission.

BPIS is holding a Salvation Army Toy Drive to stuff a school bus full of toys through December 13!

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The Nut Jobs team and coaches Jill (lower left) and Rob (lower right) Becker.

Congratulations to the Nut Jobs, Broadalbin-Perth High School’s robotics team, which took home the Motivate Award at its first tournament of the season, held Dec. 14 at Kingston High School.

Competing against 19 other teams, the Nut Jobs also won second place in the Connect Award category. Their next tournament will be Jan. 18 at Albany Academy for Girls, where they hope to do well enough to advance to regionals.

“We are in a new region this year, and the competition is high,” Nut Jobs coach (and first-grade teacher at The Learning Community) Jill Becker said. “But we think we have a good chance.”

Established in 2014, the Nut Jobs are part of FIRST Tech Challenge, an organization that challenges its members to design, build, program and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge in an alliance format.

Guided by adult coaches and mentors, students develop STEM skills and practice engineering principles while learning about innovation and teamwork.

The Motivate Award celebrates the team that “represents the essence of the FIRST Tech Challenge competition through gracious professionalism and general enthusiasm for the overall philosophy of FIRST and what it means to be a FIRST Tech Challenge Team,” according to the FIRST game manual. The Connect Award is given to the team that most connects with their local science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) community.

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Many of us had a dog or a cat when we were younger. Some might have even had a frog or fish for a class pet. But what about a robot?

Students in Mrs. Renda’s computer class at BPIS met Meccanoid, their new “class pet” on Thursday. Mrs. Renda got Meccanoid over the holidays and spent the break getting his basic programming in order. “Every year I try and find a new technology thing to bring in an share with the kids,” said Mrs. Renda.

The robot is a continuation of the many hands-on activities in the classroom, including coding, engineering, and opportunities outside of Google classroom. Meccanoid can be programmed to do complex activities through his app with code, and can also teach students about how he works with his servos and motors. Students will participate in the coding of Meccanoid throughout the year.

“I was really excited to show the kids how he functions, his servos,” said Mrs. Renda. “The simple functions of his brain. When the kids get to see him move and talk and come to life, it’s a whole new ballgame.”

Meccanoid will live in Mrs. Renda’s classroom throughout the rest of the year.

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Teams and clubs are selling these sponsor cards to raise money for Rise Against Hunger.

The time draws near for B-P students to search between couch cushions, under car seats and deep in every pocket for spare change — as the annual Rise Against Hunger fundraiser revs into gear.

Rise Against Hunger is an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable children and families. The group’s goal? End hunger by 2030.

More than 820 million people around the globe are considered hungry, and 2 billion worldwide experience moderate or severe food insecurity, according to a 2019 report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

Last year, the Broadalbin-Perth community funded and packed more than 40,000 meals that were delivered to Malawi in southeast Africa, according to Jessica Sargalis, the B-P physical therapist who also oversees the local Rise Against Hunger initiative, along with community member (and Sargalis’ father) Samuel Jackling.

“A lot of meals go to schools, which gives hungry kids an extra incentive to attend,” Sargalis said. “That’s where we saw a good connection. Kids helping kids. From our little corner of the world to theirs.”

Thirty-three cents buys one meal, consisting of a rice packet, soy, dried vegetables and a vitamin pack. And the amount of money B-P students raise Jan. 27-31 determines how many meals volunteers will pack on Feb. 9.

“It’s a really fun day,” Sargalis said. “We hit a big gong for every 1,000 meals packed. There’s music. And everybody is working together.”

To drum up as many pennies as possible (nickels, dimes and quarters also gratefully accepted), Sargalis provides assorted incentives. For students in grades pre-K through 5, every classroom that raises $33 (100 meals), will earn an extra recess. Those who raise $75 get an extra recess and a movie. A class that collects $150 or more earns an extra recess, movie and sledding party.

For middle and high school students, there are grade-level challenges. The class that collects the most money during lunch periods next week wins a sledding party.

Middle and high school students have also been raising money through their existing clubs or teams by selling sponsor cards. (Think of the cards you can buy and sign at local businesses to support a charity that are then displayed on a window or wall.) Sales at a recent basketball game brought in more than $500, Sargalis said.

Community members interested in volunteering to package meals on Feb. 9 should sign up online. Individuals can also support the community’s fundraising efforts by making a donation online. Anyone who wants to donate by check can make it payable to BPCSD, with Rise Against Hunger in the memo line, and mail or drop it off at any school or district office.

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Click here to register as a volunteer

Last week, Broadalbin-Perth students raised more than $10,000 to purchase meals Rise Against Hunger. Now it’s time to package those meals for distribution to hungry children around the world.

In all, the Broadalbin-Perth community and Broadalbin Presbyterian Church raised more than $15,000 — enough to purchase 45,576 meals. Organizers are looking for 300 volunteers to prepare the meals for shipment during the community’s annual Rise Against Hunger Meal Packaging Party, which starts at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9 in the Robert C. Munn Gymnasium at Broadalbin-Perth High School.

Adults and children as young as 4 years old can help package meals. Volunteers are encouraged to arrive no later than 1:15 on Sunday to ensure an on-time start to the event. All volunteers will need to cover their hair while packaging meals; hairnets will be provided to those who don’t bring their own hats.

Last year, the Broadalbin-Perth community funded and packed more than 40,000 meals that were later delivered to Malawi in southeast Africa. More than 300 volunteers succeeded in packaging those meals in just over an hour.

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The Broadalbin-Perth Middle School Future City team went up against middle schools from around the Capital Region this weekend and took home a slew of awards, including second place overall.

Students created a Star Wars-themed presentation of a city with a tainted water supply, and how to fix it. The team wrote an essay, built a 3D model of their city, and presented before a panel of judges. In addition to winning second place overall, the BPMS team won for Best Use of Construction Materials, Best Complete Streets Design, and Best City to Live In. The model will now be taken on the road as students will be presenting their model at Engineer Week in February and presenting at State Education Department in the Spring.

You can watch their presentation, and video from the day, below.

This is the 19th year for the Capital Region Future City competition. It was held at the Armory at The Sage Colleges of Albany.

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With the whoosh of ski blades carving a downhill path at West Mountain Ski Resort on Jan. 8, Broadalbin-Perth made good on a promise five years in the making.

By introducing its first Alpine ski team.

The eight-member varsity team, comprised of two seventh-graders and six high-schoolers, fared better than expected at the Niskayuna Invitational, according to Maggie Miller, who coaches the fledgling team with Matt O’Brien, manager of Oak Mountain Ski Center.

“For the experience level we had, and where we started, we were really impressed with how our racers did,” Miller said. “There were 233 racers, and most of our kids finished in the middle of the pack. That’s great for their first race.”

In 2015, Broadablin-Perth conducted what’s called an “interest inventory” to gauge how well it was doing in providing extracurricular activities that matched up with what students said they liked. Two activities students put at the top of their wish lists: Alpine skiing and lacrosse. Both sports opportunities were added this year.

The introduction of the team not only addresses a gap identified by the interest inventory, it also better aligns the school district with many of the goals outlined in its long-term strategic plan, including offering programs that help students identify and cultivate their innate strengths. Middle and high school students began taking an updated version of the interest inventory this week.

Sixteen students signed up for the downhill team in the fall, and the coaches divided them into modified and varsity squads. Although all had spent time on skis, only one had any racing experience. They began with off-snow training on dry land, honing their balance and agility with stair exercises and circuit workouts.

“Anything off-snow to get their muscles ready for the snow,” Miller said. “From here, we could see where they were athletically.”

For the uninitiated, Alpine is a form of downhill skiing that originated in the European Alps, as the name suggests. The B-P team competes in the slalom and the giant slalom, timed technical events that challenge the skier’s ability to maneuver over courses marked by closely spaced gates.

The initial six-member varsity team grew by two after the coaches decided to move a pair of athletes up from modified. All 16 athletes practice at Oak Mountain, but only the varsity team competes.

“They’re all good skiers,” Miller said. “The goal is to transition them from good skiers to great skiers, and get them carving all their turns in and out of the gates, make them race ready.”

The skiing tournament season runs through the second week in February, with state competition later in the month.

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