Broadalbin-Perth Intermediate and Middle School students gave tableside service to area veterans at the annual Veterans Day breakfast on Wednesday, Nov. 8. Students extended their show of appreciation with musical performances, patriotic poetry readings, small gifts and handmade cards as each veteran was recognized by name.

Benjamin Huckans, president of the Broadalbin-Perth Middle School National Junior Honor Society, gave the keynote address.

“Thank you for fighting for our freedom. You gave up your freedom so we don’t have to,” Huckans said. “You are the definition of heroes.”

Huckans also led the crowd in a moment of silence to recognize the veterans who have passed away, and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

“We cannot thank you enough for protecting our country,” Huckans said.

More event highlights:

• Members of the National Junior Honor Society, the Intermediate School Student Council and Character Kids Club led the Pledge of Allegiance.
• Students Niko Minkler and William Ribar did poetry readings.
• The middle school Concert Chorus performed the National Anthem and the middle school Concert Band performed five musical selections.

Would you ever guess young children would scream in excitement about reading? If you answered no, check out the above video of the Learning Community’s first Pick a Reading Partner celebration of the year on Friday, Nov. 3. Students could not contain their excitement after learning they met their schoolwide reading goal for the month: 84 percent of TLC students read at least six books with their reading partners during October.

TLC tracks its progress toward its monthly reading goals by filling a cylinder with ping pong balls that represent books read by students. The cylinder is decorated like a beanstalk, as this year’s PARP theme is “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Friday was the school’s first check-in, and teachers took turns filling the cylinder with ping pong balls. As the beanstalk “grew,” so did the energy of the crowd.

“Almost every student and staff member in TLC wore their PARP T-shirts and we filled our beanstalk on stage,” Tammy Staie of the TLC Media Center said. “It looked amazing to see the sea of white shirts. The kids were over-the-top excited to watch the ping pong balls go into the beanstalk, especially as we got closer and closer to reaching our goal.”

TLC Principal Bradley Strait says the goal is to have all TLC students read six or more books with their reading partner every month. Students should keep track of their reading on their PARP sheets and return them to school by the monthly due date.

In the past, the PARP program has provided individualized incentives for students who meet their reading goals. This year, the program has changed to provide incentives for the entire school. If at least 75 percent of the school’s students can meet their reading goals every month, they will enjoy perks such as Pajama Day or extra recess time. If at least 90 percent of the students meet their reading goals, the rewards may include a bounce house, a movie day or having Mr. Strait dress as a giant to read stories.

“We are still going to reward students who reach the 250, 500 and 1,000 book levels. But by providing incentives for the whole school, it shows we’re working together as a team,” Strait said.

Research shows that reading to your child just 15 minutes a day outside of the regular school day can go a long way in supporting their education. Students’ reading partners can model expression and pronunciation, and it gives students opportunities to learn new vocabulary and ask questions for reading comprehension.

Children can check books out of the media center and can take books home as part of the 1,000 Book Club, which has been fully restocked for this school year.

Throughout the month of November, the Intermediate School will be collecting non-perishable food items to donate to the Broadalbin food pantry. BPIS students last year came up with some helpful suggestions for what you can donate. Check it out!

Audition Permission Slip

Students in grades K-5 at The Learning Community and B-P Intermediate School are invited to audition for the Missoula Children’s Theatre production of “Cinderella,” which will be staged at noon on Saturday, Dec. 2. Auditions are scheduled for 3:30-5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 27, in the Margaret Robin Blowers Auditorium at BPHS, and the first rehearsal will begin as soon as auditions are complete.

Between 50 and 60 students will be cast in the show. Cast members will rehearse throughout the week, between 3:15 and 7:45 p.m. each day. No acting experience is necessary, but interested students must pre-register by turning in a completed permission slip by Friday, Nov. 17.

Throughout the week, members of the cast will work with adult professionals from the Missoula Children’s Theatre to prepare for the performance. The Missoula Children’s Theatre is a non-profit organization based in Missoula, Mont. The program’s residency at B-P is made possible by the Broadalbin-Perth PTO and HFM BOCES Arts in Education.

For more information about the audition process, contact Genienne Bakuzonis at gbakuzonis@gmail.com or Kelly Hanson at hansonk@bpcsd.org. Paper copies of the audition permission slip are available in the TLC and BPIS main offices.

“REMEMBER the Fallen. HONOR those who Serve. TEACH our children the value of Freedom.”

BPHS is participating in the Wreaths Across America fundraising event now through November 27. The annual tribute aims to place wreaths on the gravestones of veterans at more than 1,200 locations across the country.

To sponsor a wreath, visit BPHS’s donation page

There’s also a need for high school student-volunteers to donate their time to help lay wreaths on Dec. 16 at Saratoga National Cemetery. Interested students should see Mrs. Simonson or Ms. Vincent.

Wreaths Across America encourages every volunteer who places a wreath on a veteran’s grave to say that veteran’s name aloud and take a moment to thank them for their service to our country. It’s a small act that goes a long way toward keeping the memory of our veterans alive.

Broadalbin-Perth High School teachers and administrators on November 9 were honored with a “thank you breakfast” for their time spent writing letters of recommendation for their students’ college applications.

“Our teachers spend countless hours helping our students apply for college,” guidance counselor Jennifer Grimmick said. “Colleges are taking a holistic approach for admissions, so they want to know what kind of people they are beyond just their test scores.”

The number of recommendations written varies by teacher, but one wrote 15 letters.

“The recommendations can highlight a student’s work ethic, values, goals, personality, and devotion to their school and community,” Grimmick said.

Presenting the 1st Quarter Successories winners: From the left are Jessica Sargalis, physical therapist at TLC, Jennifer Platt, teaching assistant at TLC, Jon Aery, art teacher at the intermediate school, Ana Ventre, math teacher at the middle school, and Lori Reed, food service worker at the Broadalbin campus.

Jessica Sargalis of TLC wins the day off

Gift cards to be awarded to Jen Platt (TLC), Jon Aery (IS), Ana Ventre (MS) & Lori Reed (HS)

The power of teamwork was the resounding theme of the 1st Quarter nominations. In fact, the parent of a pre-kindergarten student who nominated Sargalis submitted multiple nominations because she was so impressed with the administration, faculty and staff.

Until enrolling her at child at B-P, “we were so used to feeling like we have a horrible child and people throwing their hands up at her,” the parent said in TLC Principal Brad Strait’s nomination. But that’s drastically changed. Throughout all of nominations submitted by this parent, she sang the praises of B-P’s staff and talked about the remarkable progress she’s seen in her daughter.

This anecdote sums it up best: In recalling a conversation with Strait, the parent remembers him saying, “You’re at the right place.” Her response? “Yes. Yes we are!!!”

Parent to Sargalis: ‘Thank you for expressing your love for our child, because we do not hear that often’

Jess Sargalis

Jess Sargalis is the physical therapist at TLC by day and a modified soccer coach by night. While coaching a game, Sargalis stopped the parent of a player to share love for her younger pre-k student.

“Thank you for stopping to show me the interactions you are having with my daughter,” the parent said in Sargalis’ nomination. “It seems that the methods you are using are really helping her get through the day. I have been so excited about the ‘out-of-the-box’ interactions and observations being made that I share it with everyone I meet. Thank you for expressing your love for our child, because we do not see or hear that often. I loved hearing she was ‘your best friend’ and how you loved her hugs. I love learning about what happens in your room. We are very optimistic about the rest of the year.”

Sargalis said it was very special to have been nominated by a parent.

“A lot of the time, what we do here isn’t always shared at home. So, it’s nice to know the child is having a positive experience, and that a parent felt we are really helping her daughter just by interacting with her, talking to her and making her feel special.”

Sargalis said the work of her office is a team effort between occupational and physical therapy assistants Kristen Miller and Megan Sherman, and, of course, teachers and staff members.

“Students and parents see big changes because everyone works together and we make great connections,” Sargalis said.

Jen Platt (TLC)

Jen Platt

Jen Platt is a teaching assistant at The Learning Community. Platt was nominated by a colleague and parent who was grateful for the extra attention Platt gave her child during a particular morning program.

“Thank you for making my child feel comfortable and safe during morning program,” the nomination says. “You always go out of your way to help him when he is having a rough morning. The little things matter.”

It took a moment for Platt recall the situation because she didn’t think twice about it at the time.

“He came in crying that day, so I comforted him,” Platt said. “It’s just what I do. I enjoy my job. If kids need a little extra love, that’s what they get.”

Jon Aery (IS)

Jon Aery

Jon Aery is the art teacher at the intermediate school, though Principal Casey and others will tell you that’s a limited title considering all that he does at the IS. Aery is also the district’s mentor/coordinator for the First Lego League, a global Lego robotics program.

Aery was nominated by a first-year Lego coach. Aery said the demanding program requires coaches “to jump in with two-feet and wade through a huge world as they learn about programming, building and engineering.”

“Mr. Aery’s genuine regard and respect for the kids and the parents is profound,” the nomination said. “Mr. Aery has logged a lot of hours and gracious support to me and the team in order for all to go well. He has a way of explaining key concepts to fourth graders and ensuring that the ownership is ultimately upon them; this is a hallmark of all excellent teachers.”

Aery was humble in accepting the nomination.

“I’m so grateful. It’s a nice feeling that the coaches are finding value in any feedback that I give them,” Aery said. “I’m very appreciative, but I’d like to send the gratitude back to the volunteers. They take on a huge role in an important program for these kids.”

Ana Ventre (MS)

Ana Ventre

Ana Ventre is a new math teacher at the middle school who started this year. She was nominated by her mentor, who was moved by Ventre’s collaboration with her coworkers and her dedication to her students.

“She helps make learning fun by teaching the students songs that she has made up to help them remember different math rules,” the nomination said. “The other morning before school, she had three math teachers, one English, one social studies and one Spanish teacher trying to help her come up with a song. Although I don’t think we helped her very much, it was great to have all of us engaged.”

“She also is great at chasing kids down, holding them accountable but doing it in a way that is loving and supportive,” the nomination continued. “We are very lucky to have her as an addition to our faculty this year.”

Ventre said she was surprised and honored by the nomination, and expressed her appreciation for the Successories program.

“To be recognized by someone who’s been teaching for 30 years is a great honor,” Ventre said. “Time is short, and people have so much to do. The fact that she took time out of her day to do that was so thoughtful.”

Lori Reed (HS)

Lori Reed

Lori Reed is a food service worker at the Broadalbin campus. She was nominated on behalf of a high school student in recognition of Reed’s generous spirit and nurturing character.

“I realize the extra care Lori puts into taking care of the kids’ needs and feeding them at school,” the nomination said. “She is always there to listen to the kids if they need to talk, and she makes sure their needs are always met, even if it comes out of her own pocket.”

Reed said she has a “Band-Aid fund” of loose change that she is happy to pull out anytime a student doesn’t have enough money for the food on their trays.

“It’s nice to know the kids appreciate it,” Reed said. “I hate to deny them anything. Sometimes, school lunch is the only decent meal they get during the day.”

TLC will host a Scholastic Book Fair, Dec. 4-9, in the media center.

The book fair will be open to the public 12:30-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6 during parent/teacher conferences, and 8 a.m.-noon Saturday, Dec. 9 during Breakfast with Santa.

Students will visit the book fair with their classes on their media center day during the week of Dec. 4.

Parents who send a check to school with their children should make the check payable to Broadalbin-Perth Central School District – and be sure to include 8 percent sales tax.

All proceeds from the book fair will go toward purchasing books and technology for TLC classrooms.

A group of Broadalbin-Perth fifth graders had the chance to shine on the small screen while being featured by Spectrum News on Monday. The students are members of teacher Jon Aery’s Think Tank, which produces a weekly school news segment known as “It’s Monday, Broadalbin-Perth!” News personality JoDee Kenney interviewed the students about their work in the clip below.

Check out the most recent taping of “It’s morning, Broadalbin-Perth!”

Prekindergarten students in Chrissy Plunkett’s and Megan Floyd’s classes recently enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast and learned about traditions. The children helped prepare all of the food, including corn muffins with homemade butter, applesauce, fruit and mini apple pies. Floyd used a flannel board and cutouts to teach the story of the pilgrims, and then the children created bracelets with beads to symbolize the Thanksgiving story. The two classes joined together to learn about Thanksgiving and share the food they prepared and enjoy each others company.

Broadalbin-Perth Intermediate School students and staff collected a total of 1,306 items for their 2017 holiday food drive. That number eclipses last year’s total by more than 100 items, which are donated to the Broadalbin Ecumenical Food Pantry.

A special thank you to Loretta Hoyt and Lorenzo Ortiz for bringing the donations to the pantry, located in the Broadalbin United Methodist Church on Main Street.

Nearly 60 students in grades K-5 at The Learning Community and B-P Intermediate School are partnering with the Missoula Children’s Theatre to present a production of “Cinderella” at noon on Saturday, Dec. 2 in the Margaret Robin Blowers Auditorium at BPHS.

Cast members are rehearsing throughout this week, working with adult professionals from the Missoula Children’s Theatre to prepare for the performance. The Missoula Children’s Theatre is a non-profit organization based in Missoula, Mont. The program’s residency at B-P is made possible by the Broadalbin-Perth PTO and HFM BOCES Arts in Education.

Tickets to Saturday’s show will be available for purchase at the door. Tickets cost $7 each, and kids age three and younger will be admitted free of charge.

For more information, contact Genienne Bakuzonis at gbakuzonis@gmail.com or Kelly Hanson at hansonk@bpcsd.org.

B-P’s hand chime choir rang in the holiday season with a performance for the Broadalbin Senior Citizens on Wednesday, Nov. 29.

The B-P Ringers traveled to the Broadalbin Presbyterian Church on Main Street to perform for the senior group. The Ringers are comprised of 30 fourth and fifth graders under the direction of music teacher Mary Rasefske and pre-k teacher Chrissy Plunkett.

“It’s such an honor to be part of the Ringers,” fifth grader Devon Oakden said. “I love it. It’s a good opportunity for me to get better at using musical instruments.”

Members of the senior group said they were thrilled to hear the students’ performance. They baked cookies for the children and served them punch.

“We were thrilled to have them here,” Judy Rosenweig said. She is the program director for the Broadalbin Senior Citizens. “We’ve been looking forward to it.”

Toni Hallenbeck, president of the seniors group, said these events are a great example of the importance of community partnerships and connections across younger and older generations.

“It’s important for young people to know that older people care about what they do,” she said. “And it’s important for us to realize that the children work hard for this. It doesn’t just happen. They have to practice and work for it.”

Plunkett said the students meet to practice on Fridays after school.

“They bring the enthusiasm, even after a long week,” Plunkett said. “This is a great enrichment experience for them. Playing a hand chime is really hard. They’re reading music, counting beats and ringing at the same time. It’s not easy, but they work so hard and I’m really proud of them.”

Special thanks to the Broadalbin-Perth PTO, the Education Foundation and community supporters who have provided the resources to make this extracurricular activity possible.

Leadership, compassion and the drive to succeed were among the qualities used to describe students who were nominated for Broadalbin-Perth High School’s 1st Quarter Patriot Pride Awards. The nominees are:

• Brodryk Benton
• Noah Cernak
• Katie Cromer
• Rayna Frasier
• Aileen Halloran
• Emily Igler
• Alex Loucks
• Shane Mayer
• Hayley McDougall
• Kiara Nembhard
• Nolen Neznek
• Jordan Perna

“In school, recognition is often focused on students’ grades, so this recognition focuses on the great things that our students do in a wide variety of ways,” Principal Mark Brooks said. “These stories show us why Broadalbin-Perth is an exceptional place. I couldn’t be prouder.”

The students were nominated by faculty members and recognized at a ceremony with their families on Nov. 20. Faculty members read their nomination forms and the students were given $10 gift cards funded by the school store.

“The students of Broadalbin-Perth are the best I’ve encountered, and this isn’t me selling a bill of goods,” Brooks said. “The cream of the crop is sitting in front of us. They are the reasons why all of us are here, and they are the people who all of us think about when we get up in the morning. They make our profession worthwhile.”

Brodryk Benton

Benton was nominated by his football coaches, with recognition presented by Jim Pelneau.

“Brodryk is a great example of a student athlete at B-P,” Pelneau said. “He works hard on the field and off. He is a captain of our team and great example for younger kids. He broke two school records for passing yards in a season and passing touchdowns in a season, all while coming back in less than a year from a broken leg.”

Noah Cernak

Cernak was nominated by Dave Newvine.

“Noah was an easy choice,” Newvine said. “He’s one of those students who is easy to have in the classroom. He’s hardworking, conscientious, responsible and accountable. I could go on and on, but the real reason I nominated him is because he cares. He sits in the front and asks great questions. We have nice conversations before and after class. He’s just everything you would want your student to be. He’s a model for everyone in the room, and class goes a lot better because he’s in it. I’m thankful to be his teacher.”

Katie Cromer

Cromer was nominated by CJ Vincent.

“I have the honor of having Katie as my right-hand lady,” Vincent said. “Katie is one of those students who has the grades, but I nominated her for her compassion and how helpful she is with everyone and anyone. I was out of school for a conference one day, and I came back to school with notes from the substitute that said Katie helped her find the things she needed, and helped keep students on task. That’s the stuff you can’t teach kids. That’s the stuff you come to class with that just wows us. She has a natural ability to lead others kindly and respectfully, and she truly cares for people. I’m grateful to have her in my classroom.”

Rayna Frasier

Frasier was nominated by Michael Hills.

“I nominated Rayna for her willingness to step up during our advisory period,” Hills said. “Our class won the door decorating contest against the other 10th grade advisories, in large part because of Rayna. She organized what we were going to do and led students towards the completion. She also purchased the items for the door (after collecting money from a few classmates). She was nominated by her advisory to do the pep rally challenge and accepted without hesitation. She is always willing to help me out when needed.”

Aileen Halloran

Halloran was nominated by Rachel Shrome.

“Aileen is a natural leader,” Shrome said. “She led the class in door decorating for the advisory contest and chooses to spend extra time leading activities.”

This represents Halloran’s second Patriot Pride nomination.

“The fact that two separate teachers think so highly of you to go out of their way and make those nominations really speaks to who you are, so keep it up,” Brooks said.

Emily Igler

Igler was nominated by Alicia Dobyns.

“Emily is a leader in my earth science class, and she has stepped up outside of my class,” Dobyns said. “I’ve noticed her in the school store. She stepped up to help with the Haunted House. She has joined my Cooking Club, and she’s a leader in that. I see her not only as a part of the school community, but she really shines as a patriot.”

Alex Loucks

Loucks was nominated by Billy Eipp.

“Alex is in the STEM-related classes that I teach, including my AP computer science class,” Eipp said. “He is an assistant in my cyber-security class, which he asked to do in the beginning of the school year. I wasn’t sure how it would work out, but now, I couldn’t do the class without him. He proposed a Computer Club that is going to start later this year. All of these things really speak to Alex’s, path and it’s very impressive to see someone finding their niche. He has great potential for the future in this path. That’s why I nominated him for the award, because I want to support that.”

Shane Mayer

Mayer was nominated by Erica Johnson.

“The amount of growth that I’ve seen out of Shane since freshman year is incredible,” Johnson said. “Freshman year, I couldn’t really get him to speak during class, he kept to himself and he lost his homework here and there. This year, every assignment is turned in, he’s the first person to raise his hand and he’s flying through Spanish. It’s super impressive because he’s challenging himself with a college-level course. The most impressive thing is he does not let anyone influence how he works in class. He is so hardworking.”

Hayley McDougall

McDougall was nominated by Kristina Marshall.

“Hayley is a star student, but the reason I nominated her is because she is in my advisory and she is like another teacher in the classroom,” Marshall said. “I have a large advisory, and she takes charge. I depend on her, so I wanted to recognize her for that because she is such a crucial component in my advisory.”

Kiara Nembhard

Nembhard was nominated by Diane Sollecito-Campos.

“When we think of words like kind, sincere, nice and cooperative, several students may come to mind, however, for me, there is one student who exemplifies those words,” Campos said. “That student is Kiara Nembhard. I have had Kiara as a student since sixth grade and she is a pleasure to have in class. Kiara is always willing to help other students and actively engages in all classroom activities. She is a conscientious, diligent, hardworking and thorough student.”

Nolen Neznek

Neznek was nominated by Wendy Carroll.

“I have a relative who has autism,” Carroll said. “I often see that people do not engage with people with special needs. Nolen has students with special needs who sit at his table. He always talks to them like people and that’s so important. I know a classmate who looks up to Nolen so much, and he’s making a huge difference in his life. Thank you for that.”

Jordan Perna

Perna was nominated by Rachel Shrome.

“Jordan balances everything,” Shrome said. “He’s figured it out when he’s feeling the heat, and he knows where to go if he needs a boost. He’s the first to say hello to everyone, and he’s just great. There’s no other way to explain it. He found a way to balance athletics, his emotions and school, and I think he’s doing a really great job.”

A group of 25 middle school students went bowling on Friday, Dec. 1 as a quarterly incentive for the Positive Behavioral Incentives & Supports (PBIS) Program. PBIS is a program that is implemented throughout the district to promote safe, respectful and responsible behavior.

“We reward the students who are doing the right thing and who set a good example for their fellow classmates,” middle school counselor Jen Steele said. “At the middle school, we have incentives every five weeks so that’s a total of eight incentives during the school year.”

The students’ names were randomly chosen at the middle school town meeting because they received “gotcha” tickets for being safe, respectful and responsible. They went to Kelly’s Imperial Bowling Center, where they bowled two games and also had pizza and soda. 

6th Grade

• Mica Barbaro
• Albert Zierak
• Preston Candela
• Chris Gardener
• Owen Compani
• Kole Dominique
• Logan Aery
• Blaine Herrick
• Jocelyn Raponi
• Josalyn Savoie-Opalka
• Brooke Taylor
• Railey Taylor
• Emaleigh Brace
• Isabella Cowan
• Trinity Nourse

7th Grade

• Ryan Savoie
• Jose Berrocales
• Lillian Faulkner
• Cheryl Ribar
• Hollie Wilson

8th Grade

• Shane Presley
• Diya Shah
• Greta Spilken

The Nut Jobs, Broadalbin-Perth High School’s FIRST Tech Challenge robotics team, had its most successful competition to date at the Sauquoit FIRST Tech Challenge Qualifier on Sunday, Dec. 3.

FIRST Tech Challenge teams are challenged to design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge in an alliance format. The Nut Jobs finished the Sauquoit qualifying round in 9th place out of 24 teams, winning three out of five matches. It was chosen by the third place team to join its alliance in the final rounds.

“This is the highest finish we have had in a tournament in the four years we have been a team, and the first time we have been chosen to be an alliance partner,” team mentor Jill Becker said. “Unfortunately, we were knocked out in the semifinal round, but we learned a lot about the game and the amount of space we have to move with all of the robots on the field.”

The team’s success was foreshadowed by junior Devin Becker. Prior to the competition, he expressed confidence in the team’s robot after utilizing the advice from Automated Dynamics, a robotics company that sponsors the Nut Jobs. The team recently visited the company at its Schenectady location.

“We went and and talked to them for a few hours and they gave us a lot of tips, and because of that we’ve built the most advanced robot we’ve ever had by far,” he said.

The competitions and preparations leading up to the events can be intense and require a lot of time, dedication and resources, but the students say it’s worth it.

“It’s a lot of work, but for me, it’s more fun than anything and it’s one of my favorite things about the school,” junior Ryan Crane said. “I encourage others to seek out and join our robotics programs.”

The team’s next competition is scheduled on Dec. 17 in Red Hook. The tentative schedule for the rest of the year is:

• January 7 in Corning
• January 13th in Albany,
• Feb. 24th Essex Junction, VT.

At any of the New York tournaments, the Nut Jobs could advance to the regional competition at RPI in March.

According to Code.org, only 40 percent of schools in the U.S. teach computer science. Broadalbin-Perth is one of them.

Computer Science Education Week was celebrated districtwide this week at B-P. Twenty-four high schoolers participated in the second round of the national CyberPatriot cybersecurity challenge on Friday, and Hour of Code activities were held at The Learning Community, intermediate and middle schools this week. 

Technology education is an important part of curriculum and instruction at Broadalbin-Perth, supporting the district’s comprehensive plan and its goal to better support future-ready learning. At the high school, there are currently four computer science classes, including three classes just for teaching students how to code using a programming language.

“For our high school classes, it’s more like 40 Weeks of Code,” computer science and math teacher Billy Eipp said.

The Learning Community and Intermediate School

TLC celebrating the #HourofCode with a #Cozmo bot by @anki! You’re never too young to learn about coding! pic.twitter.com/fEPV63xP3f

— Broadalbin-Perth CSD (@BPpatriots) December 6, 2017

Algorithms, computer programs and coding for children ages 10 and younger — and all without an electronic device? You better believe it. Computer teacher Allison Renda unveiled “unplugged” coding lessons at The Learning Community and intermediate school this week.

Some people may think coding is too complicated for elementary-aged students, but Renda’s lessons showed you’re never too young to learn. So what does the Hour of Code look like in an elementary classroom? It started with Renda teaching students simple and relatable lessons about the foundations of coding, including vocabulary and how computer processes work.

“Learning coding helps students gain the skills they need in any subject area or future career,” Renda said. “It teaches them to be critical thinkers and problem solvers. They learn sequencing, cause and effect and analytical skills. The kids are having so much fun coding, they don’t even realize they are learning.”

The Hour of Code celebration will continue at TLC and the IS next week, next time with devices and games.

Middle School

Math and science teachers Ana Ventre, Michael Nacheman and Anita Stabrowski worked with all of their students on different coding programs this week. Each student had an individual account that kept track of their coding progress.

The middle school’s Hour of Code event was supported by the BPMS Coding Club members who have been coding with Ozobots and Spheros. Along with creating their own games, students and teachers are using the Ozobots and Spheros to integrate math and science lessons.

High School

Friday marked the second time in as many months that Eipp’s students have participated in CyberPatriot competition, which advances toward a national final scheduled in April.

Eipp said the qualifying rounds get more difficult as the year progresses. For Friday’s challenge, each team had to evaluate and problem-solve three different “insecure” operating systems that have issues because of either human error or because they’ve been hacked.

The students who participated in the challenge include a blend of current cybersecurity class students as well as those who have already taken the course. Eipp said some students wanted to take the course again this year because they liked it so much.

“These electives change students’ lives, whether they go into these fields or not,” Eipp said. “Advanced math and coding helps you think critically and be an innovative problem solver.”

The students who participated in the six hour challenge were Devin Becker, Brodryk Benton, Joe Burden, Madison Fariello, Christina Fedullo, Emily Fedullo, Eliana Fraser, Jacob Holland, Zachary Johnson, Tucker Marek, Evan Meshaw, Connor Merritt, Nicholas Myers, Jonathan Simmons, Andrew Syzdek, Jack Szumowski, Joseph Tesiero, Eric Vertorano, Chris Wagner, Tesa Brody, Jarrett Albanese, Kolby Krutz, Brooke McClarren and Alex Loucks.

Eipp said the goal has been to increase the number of girls who take his courses to address the national shortage of women in computer science fields. He said there has been marked progress: his cybersecurity class, about half of the students are girls, and there are eight girls enrolled in his other three courses.

“It used to be none,” Eipp said. “These electives let them explore the field and find out if they really like it. They usually fall in love with it.”

Here are the Broadalbin-Perth Middle School students of the month for December. From left to right, Tyler Frederick, grade 6; Brennan Dufel, grade 7; Andrew Simonds, grade 8; and Mariyah Davis, grade 7.

The word used to select these students was “honesty”.

We’d like to take this opportunity to remind parents and students about how Broadalbin-Perth communicates weather-related announcements, including closings, delays and early dismissals.

Why would school be canceled/delayed?

While snow is the reason for most school closings and delays, it’s not the only possible reason. Especially during the winter months, the regular school schedule could be disrupted because of a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with snow: Extreme wind chills, boiler failures and water main breaks have all affected schools in upstate New York during recent winters.

At what time would school be canceled/delayed?

Superintendent of Schools Stephen Tomlinson must make decisions about closing or delaying the start of the Broadalbin-Perth school day by 5 a.m. When school operates on its regular schedule, transportation personnel must report by 5:30 a.m., and buses are on the road to pick up middle and high school students by 5:45 a.m.

“When considering the possibility of closing school or delaying its start, my top priority is always the safety of our students,” Mr. Tomlinson said. “We have to make the decision before most schools in our area, so we can’t wait to see what other districts are doing. I consult with our transportation and buildings and grounds staff, and we look at road conditions, weather forecasts, temperatures and the operating conditions of our buses and school buildings when making these decisions.”

Where can I find the announcements for closings/delays?

Once the decision is made to close school or delay the start of the school day, that information is sent through a variety of ways:

• The district website;
• To parents and faculty/staff via email and SMS text message through the Patriot Portal;
• The district Facebook page;
• The district Twitter feed;
• The district’s mobile app, available to download for free on Apple and Android mobile devices;
• The district’s weather hotline (518-954-2525);
• The voicemail of the district office (518-954-2500, option 5); and
• The Capital Region School Closing Network, which informs local TV and radio stations. Note, Broadalbin-Perth does not control when or if TV and radio stations publicize school closings and delays. All school districts in the area use the Capital Region School Closing Network.

Because the decision to close or delay school is made so early in the morning, the district generally does not use its automated calling system to alert families to the delay or closure.

It is best to rely on more than one source of information when it comes to weather-related announcements. This is particularly true in situations that involve power outages. Emergency preparedness agencies have advised that residents have access to a battery-powered radio so that they can receive information if other communication channels are unavailable.

About Patriot Portal and the district’s app

Mr. Tomlinson recommends that all parents either download the district’s mobile app or make sure their contact information is up-to-date in the Patriot Portal. All parents with valid email addresses and cell phone numbers in the Patriot Portal will automatically receive email and text message alerts and users of the district’s mobile app will receive push notifications to their mobile devices whenever school is closed or delayed. When in doubt, Mr. Tomlinson recommends parents check the district website for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Parents are encouraged to update their email and cell phone (SMS text message) information in their Patriot Portal accounts at bpcsd.parentlink.net.

The PTO middle school fundraiser needs to be picked up on Thursday, Dec. 14 in the middle school cafeteria between 2-4 p.m.