Bird's Eye View
Hello Larries Community,
Welcome the June “Bird’s Eye View”! Thank you for checking out our district newsletter each month. We continue to connect our great community with the students, staff, and programs that are here to help maximize our students’ futures.
I want to personally thank everyone that came out to vote on our 2025-2026 school budget. Our community continually realizes that the school district is the “central hub” to so much of what our kids need in order to learn and grow. Without our school’s ability to continue to improve our educational programs, facilities, and contact with outside county and state agencies, our community would falter for sure. The taxpayers of our district truly understand the importance of continuing to support our public school, despite the fact that some of you may not currently have children in our district. Again, I would like to say Thank You for all the support we are given as we continue to build not only a solid educational community but one in which “all students can attain their maximum potential in the future"!
Reminders of Important Educational Dates:
- June 5 - Middle School Awards Ceremony
- June 13 & 16 - Middle and High School In-Class Final Exam Days
- June 16 - Last Day of Regular Classes for Grades 7-12 (Regents are Scheduled from There)
- June 19 - Juneteenth, No School on this Day
- June 25 - Pre-K Graduation
- June 26 - 4th Grade Awards Ceremony
- June 27 - High School Graduation
Shoutouts and Reminders:
Congratulations to all those that have been recognized in this June issue for the outstanding work you are doing both here and at BOCES.
During the month of May, SLC worked with local social media specialists and created two more short videos to help show “What special things go on inside SLC”. We hope you will enjoy the upcoming videos as each one showcases some of our great programs in the elementary, middle, and high schools along with our students and staff that make the programs a success. Please look for them to be shared this summer and fall.
Congratulations to all of our 3-12 Band and Chorus members and teachers on some great performances held during the month of May.
Congratulations to all our Spring Sport Scholar Athlete Award winners, with a special shoutout to both our varsity softball and varsity baseball teams for earning the Scholar Athlete Team Award. Thank you to Coach Dow for all his years of coaching here at SLC…enjoy retirement from the sidelines!
We would like to thank the Alcoa Foundation for supporting various upcoming summer camps and school year assemblies for our district over the next two years! We would not be able to have these activities without their support. This foundation has helped our community in so many ways over the years, and now SLC will also be a beneficiary.
We would like to congratulate our SLC Senior Class Valedictorian, Hope McDonald, and our Senior Class Salutatorian, Jennah Strawser on their wonderful achievements throughout high school. Both students are great representatives of SLC!
High School Graduation will again be on our turf field on June 27th. As of today, audience numbers will not be limited unless we need to move the ceremony inside.
Please consider sharing this edition with any neighbors, relatives, friends, or alumni that would like to keep updated on what goes on at SLC.
Thank you for your continued support of our great district!
Christopher Rose
Superintendent
Hello SLC Community:
We are sending this message again so you can have all of the information regarding end of the year events in one location. Below you will find some important information related to HS Final Exams, Regents Exams and Summer School 2025 information. As always, please feel free to connect with us at the high school if you or your student have any questions.
LOCKER CLEAN-OUT:
All lockers must be cleaned out and locks returned no later than Thursday, June 12th, 2025. This applies to both lockers in the hall as well as gym and team room locks. No materials will be stored for the summer and anything remaining will be thrown in the garbage during summer cleaning.
FINAL EXAMS:
Final Exams are scheduled for all HS students on Friday, June 13th and Monday, June 16th. Final Exams are a culmination of the skills and knowledge that students have gained throughout the school year. Teachers have been actively working on developing these assessments to assess student knowledge and communicating with students about the expectations of these exams specific to their courses. It is imperative that all students are present in school on these dates to be provided with the exams. Make-up exams will not be given. Final Exams count towards 16% of a student’s overall course average.
REGENTS EXAMS:
New York State requires that students enrolled in coursework ending in a Local, Regents or Advanced Regents Diploma sit and pass the Regents Exams. Though there has been a lot of information surrounding changing graduation requirements, this will not impact students presently enrolled in courses and is not projected to take effect for a few years. All students currently enrolled in these courses must satisfy the Regents Exam requirements. Regents Exams are required for students enrolled in Living Environment, Earth Science, Chemistry, Physics, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, ELA 11, Global Studies II, and US History. Please see the dates and times below for your child’s exam. Students should arrive 15 minutes prior to their exam time to sign in and be escorted to their seat. Students should make sure they have all required materials for their exam prior to signing in (i.e. pencils, pens, highlighters, etc.). Teachers will share the required materials for the exam in each class.
If you are coming to school for any reason during Regents days, all students must enter through the main office to sign in to your destination. You can only be in the building for school-related reasons (i.e. Senior Seminars for ELA, Review, etc.). You are to only be with the teacher you have signed in to be with and must remain there through your time in the building.
If your child needs transportation for a Regents Exam, you must call the transportation office to ensure the bus stops for your child with the exception of Geometry as that exam is offered during the school day. Please see the below message from our Director of Transportation, Mr. Redmond for additional information and reach out to him if needed related to transportation.
Greetings from the High School Guidance Office!
As we head into the summer months, we want to remind all high school students and families to stay on track for a strong start to the new school year! Summer is a great time to rest and recharge, but it’s also important to make sure you’re ready for what’s ahead—whether that’s preparing for Regents exams, completing summer assignments, or reviewing your graduation requirements.
Summer School Notifications:
Families of students who are recommended for summer school will be receiving notifications soon. If your child needs to attend summer school to stay on track for graduation, or to be eligible for Seaway Tech, please be sure to follow all instructions included in the notice.
Important Reminder for Juniors and Seniors Interested in Attending Seaway Tech:
To be eligible to attend Seaway Tech, students must be on track for graduation. This includes successfully passing required Regents exams. Students who are not meeting these requirements may not be approved for Seaway Tech enrollment in the fall.
If you have any questions about your child’s academic progress, summer school, or future plans, please don’t hesitate to contact their school counselor. We’re here to help!
Wishing you all a safe, restful, and productive summer!
Ms. Ruddy (A-K) & Miss Bethel (L-Z)
On May 14th, female students from College Biology, Regents Chemistry, Regents Physics and the Liberty Partnership Program attended the Women in Engineering all day event at SUNY Canton. The students learned soldering skills, saponification, and compu coding to name just a few of the hands on activities that students were able to take. Madeline Derouchie, a SLC alumni, was there guiding our students with the soldering irons!
The Social Studies Department at SLC has been hard at work in preparing for some upcoming changes to the New York State graduation requirements. They are excited to announce the approval of the NYS Seal of Civic Readiness. In addition to receiving a regents diploma, students will be able to achieve certain “Seals” in different subjects, which highlight student academic accomplishment and willingness to learn. As far as Social Studies is concerned, they are able to offer the Seal of Civic Readiness, which will be visually added to your New York State Regents Diploma upon completion. The Seal of Civic Readiness is a prestigious award that lets colleges and employers know that you have demonstrated the knowledge, mindsets and skills that will promote a successful democratic society. Students who earn this Seal will have the Seal added to their high school diploma and may include it on college applications and resumes. SLC will be offering the Seal of Civic Readiness starting in the 2025-2026 school year.
Why earn the Seal of Civic Readiness?
- Employers and colleges are looking for students that demonstrate the mindsets of civic readiness applicants.
- The seal demonstrates a commitment to respecting the rights of others and promoting and honoring diverse viewpoints and perspectives.
- The seal enhances applications for college, grants and scholarships.
- This distinction prepares you with the 21st century skills desired by many employers.
- Earning the Seal of Civic Readiness demonstrates your own commitment to maintaining and promoting participation in a democratic society.
Who may apply for the NYSSCR?
Any student in the St. Lawrence Central School District may apply for the Seal of Civic Readiness. Projects and learning experiences leading toward meeting the requirements of the Seal will be embedded into middle and high school social studies courses. High school counselors and social studies teachers will assist students who are eligible to apply for this seal of distinction. School counselors will ensure that all necessary courses are in the student’s course load to achieve the seal.
Thank you for your continued support, we look forward to hearing from you!
~SLC Social Studies Department
During Spring Break, 18 SLC Spanish Club students travelled to Costa Rica. The students had an incredibly enriching cultural experience that expanded their horizons and views of the world. They tried new foods, used their Spanish language to converse with locals, went on amazing adventures such as ziplining, white-water rafting and hiking to a volcano (to name a few). They were immersed in Spanish language and culture the entire time, as well as science, while exploring the rich biodiversity of the country. If you ask any student who went, they will tell you that the trip was life-changing.
This experience would not have been possible without the support of our wonderful community. Students engaged in many fundraising opportunities to make this trip happen. Thank you to everyone who donated and supported our students! We had a great turnout at our annual taco night dinner in March and can't wait to see everyone again next year. 🌮 We will be supporting the next group of students with their 2027 trip to a Spanish-Speaking country. ¡Gracias!
Any student in grades 9-12 can join the SLC Spanish Club. In addition to travelling to a Spanish-speaking destination every 2 years, we host monthly meetings in which students are engaged in culturally enriching activities such as cooking authentic Hispanic dishes, or making crafts to honor Hispanic holidays. We welcome anyone to join who is interested in travel or just wants additional cultural experiences. Please contact Mrs. M. Arquitt for more information: marquitt@bfcsd.org.
¡Pura Vida!
Congratulations to Varsity Softball and Varsity Baseball for being named NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Teams for the Spring season. Congratulations also to Coach Dow on his Section X Baseball Coach of the Year honor.
The Athletic Department would like to say thank you and enjoy your retirement from coaching, to Coach Chris Dow. We appreciate all the years of giving back to SLC.
Fall sports signups are completed and emails have been sent to those that are in need of a physical to be able to start practice on time this fall. Physicals are always a major problem with fall sports. Players will not have enough practices in and will miss a game or two due to not having a physical on file with the nurse or a summer vacation that causes the player to miss practices.
We will be adding a JV Girls Soccer team this fall due to the amount of interest.
Start dates for fall sports are as follows:
- Varsity and JV - Monday, August 18th
- Modified - Monday, August 25th
As we get closer, Mr. Reome will post exact start times and locations on the school website and the Athletic Facebook page.
Lastly, rSchoolToday was bought out by a company named Arbiter. During the summer, our schedules and rosters will be transitioning to the new system. Hopefully, it will be seamless and we are being told most things should remain the same. You can still go to sections710.org online and Arbiter will also have an app.
Dear MS Larries,
MS AWARDS CEREMONY:
June 5 at 6:00 PM
Invitations were mailed in May to families of students who are being recognized. Please call the middle school office with any questions. We will not share what award(s) the students will receive ahead of time.
MS SUMMER SCHOOL will be held from July 7 through July 25 from 8:30-11:30. Breakfast will be served at 8:00 and lunch will be served at 11:30. Parents will be contacted in June regarding summer school. If your child is failing courses, they may be required to attend summer school in order to pass.
FINAL EXAMS:
Final Exams are occurring for all MS students in June. Final Exams are a culmination of the skills and knowledge that students have gained throughout the school year. Teachers have been actively working on developing these assessments to assess student knowledge and communicating with students about the expectations of these exams specific to their courses. It is imperative that all students are present in school on these dates to be provided with the exams.
REGENTS EXAMS:
Please note for our accelerated students, all exams at SLC HS will begin at 8:15 AM for morning exams and 12:15 PM for afternoon exams in place of the standard times indicated on the New York State schedule. Please email your child’s teacher directly, a school counselor or myself if you have specific questions pertaining to your child.
LOCKER CLEAN-OUT:
All lockers must be cleaned out and locks returned no later than Thursday, June 12th, 2025 for 7th and 8th grades and June 23rd for 5th and 6th grades. This applies to both lockers in the hall as well as gym lockers. No materials will be stored for the summer and anything remaining will be thrown in the garbage during summer cleaning.
CHROMEBOOK RETURN:
Grades 7 and 8 will return their Chromebooks, Covers, and Chargers to their 8th period teachers on June 16th.
Grades 5 and 6 will return their Chromebooks, Covers and Chargers to their homeroom teachers on June 20th.
END OF YEAR DATES:
Last day for grades 7 and 8: Monday, June 16th
Last day for grades 5 and 6: Thursday, June 26th (June 25 and 26 are half days)
Respectfully,
Mrs. LaBarge
Middle School Principal
Hello Middle School Families,
We can’t believe it — June is already here! We want to take a moment to say thank you for your continued support as we’ve navigated this school year together. It has meant so much to work as a team with students, staff, and families!
A Few Important Updates:
- 📚 Summer School: For students who are invited to enroll in summer school, counselors will be reaching out individually with more information in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for those phone calls.
- 💻 Keep Checking Schooltool: Please continue to log in and monitor your child’s progress. This is a great way to stay on top of missing assignments, upcoming deadlines, and any end-of-year grading updates.
- 📅 Scheduling for Next Year: Our middle school counselors are hard at work preparing student schedules for next year. Final schedules will be completed over the summer. If you have any questions in the meantime, please reach out to the Middle School Office or Mr. Niles. Thank you for your patience and partnership!
Tips for Taking Care of Yourself This Summer: 🌞
Summer break is a great time to rest, recharge, and stay mentally and physically healthy! Here are a few ideas to help:
Stay active – Go for walks, ride your bike, or play outside.
Keep a routine – Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day.
Get creative – Draw, paint, build something, or try a new hobby.
Spend time with others – Hang out with friends and family in safe, fun ways.
Limit screen time – Make time each day to unplug and do something away from a screen.
Read something fun – Find a book, magazine, or comic that interests you.
Practice mindfulness – Try deep breathing, journaling, or just taking a few quiet minutes to relax.
Take care of your body – Drink plenty of water, try some new foods, and wear sunscreen!
Wishing you all a safe, healthy, and fun-filled summer!
Middle School Counselors
The SLC Lego Larries traveled to Jersey City to compete in the FLL Challenge Invitational at the Liberty Science Center. Throughout the event, students experienced moments of excitement, such as when they thought they had resolved all their coding challenges, and moments of panic, as their robot occasionally veered off course instead of completing its tasks as intended. Despite the ups and downs, the team embraced this incredible opportunity to showcase their skills and connect with students from across the United States. The crew also was able to present their deep sea explorer drone concept to another group of judges and answer many challenging questions.
A total of 52 teams gathered to compete in robot missions, present innovative ideas to explore or protect our oceans, and demonstrate the league’s core values. The SLC Lego Larries extend their gratitude to the parents for their invaluable support in preparing students for the trip and making the journey possible, as well as to the SLC Board of Education for granting them the opportunity to participate in such a rewarding experience.
Favorite quotes and comments from the crew:
- Nadia Cootware-”This is chaos!”
- Nathan Crump- “I liked the Swaminarayan Akshardham!”
- Claire Todd-”I enjoyed looking at other teams tables and working through the challenges on the table with the team.”
- Makala Richards-”I enjoyed how our team worked together through the challenges and tasks we faced in the two days we were there.”
- Brantley Warner-”Who is Larry?”
- Sophia Shippee-”A girl named Larry”
- Alyiss Wells-Stevenson-”I enjoyed exploring the city.”
- Jake LaBier-”My favorite part was exploring the Liberty Science Center!”
Hello SLC Families,
Ten months ago June seemed so far away, yet here we are, bringing another school year to a close.
On May 20 we had a schoolwide assembly, "ZOOKEEPER’S IN THE HOUSE!" This presentation incorporates STEAM-Based learning with a jungle beat. Roger Day, a two-time Parent’s Choice© Gold Award winner, uses his trademark “wit, whimsy and wordplay” - to celebrate the unsung heroes that make the zoo a fascinating place for children to learn. The Zookeepers! From veterinarians to wildlife biologists there’s a whole team of people who work together to keep animals at the zoo healthy and safe. Through interactive, energetic songs like “It’s a No No to Kiss a Rhino” and “Rumble in the Jungle” Roger will encourage young audience members to “observe, reflect, question and decide” as they not only learn about the amazing animals at the zoo – what they eat, where they’re from, what’s their habitat – but also the dedicated team of scientists who take care of them everyday. Everyone enjoyed Roger's visit!
May has been a full and exciting month! From field trips to classroom projects and outdoor fun, our students have been busy learning and growing. As we look ahead to the final month of school, we continue supporting students in managing emotions, staying focused, and building strong relationships.
This month’s character trait was Forgiveness. We read Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes, a story that reminded us that everyone makes mistakes—and that saying sorry, forgiving others, and making things right are important parts of being a good friend and classmate. Ask your child what Lilly did to make things better after she acted out in class!
As the weather warms up and kids are spending more time outside, here are a few simple mindfulness and routine tips to keep things smooth at home and school:
Mindful Outdoor Moments: Invite your child to stop and notice the sights, sounds, and smells around them during outdoor play. A short pause can help them feel calm and present.
Breathe Together: Try a few slow, deep breaths together—pretend you're blowing bubbles or flowers in the wind.
Keep a Routine: As the school year winds down, keeping a steady bedtime and daily routine can help kids stay focused and feel secure through the transition.
Let’s finish the school year strong! Thank you for your continued support in helping our students grow socially and emotionally.
We can’t wait for all the fun that June will bring!
- Mrs. McFarland & Ms. White
No problem—we have a limited number of extra copies available!
If you’d like to purchase one, please contact Lisa Warner at pto@bfcsd.org with your child’s name, grade, and teacher. Yearbooks are $20 and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
As members of the SLC community, including students, parents, and staff, many of you have likely noticed several alerts and articles in the Birds Eye View discussing dangerous TikTok challenges over the past few months. The district believes it is crucial to inform our students and staff about these dangers, while also making parents aware, so they can engage in conversations with their children about the risks involved.
Without detailing the specific challenges we've addressed in our emails, we want to remind everyone that these challenges can impact anyone. TikTok is a widely used app where millions share short videos, and many students enjoy participating in TikTok challenges. These challenges are fun activities or trends that users attempt and then share online. However, some TikTok challenges can pose significant dangers.
The Dangers of TikTok Challenges: What Every Student Should Know
Risk of Injury: Some challenges involve risky stunts, like jumping from high places, putting things in your mouth that can choke you, or doing moves that can hurt your body. These can cause serious injuries or even hospital visits.
Peer Pressure: It can be hard to say no when friends or people online are doing these challenges. Sometimes, students feel pressured to join in just to fit in or get likes and followers. But it’s important to think about your safety first.
Breaking Rules or Laws: Some challenges encourage behavior that is against school rules or even the law. For example, vandalism or bullying challenges can get you into serious trouble.
Privacy and Reputation: Once you post a video online, it can be there forever. A risky or embarrassing video can affect how teachers, family, or future schools see you. Protect your reputation by thinking before you post.
We encourage open discussions between parents and children about the implications of these challenges to ensure a safe and positive experience on social media.
Contact Information
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