Bird's Eye View
Hello Larries Community,
Each month, the Bird’s Eye View will give you a window into the life of SLC—where students are learning, creating, and growing together. We’re proud of what’s happening in our classrooms, fields, and stages, and we’re grateful to share it with the community that supports us so well. Thank you for continuing to be part of our story!
Reminder of Important Educational Dates:
- January 13th and 14th will be Midterm Exam days for students in grades 7-12.
- January 19th school will not be in session as our nation celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- January 20th-23rd will be mid-year NYS Regents Exams.
- January 26th will be a Half Staff Development Day for all staff grades PreK-12. MS/HS will be dismissed at 11:30 AM and ES will be dismissed at 12:30 PM.
- February 6th the Elementary will be dismissed at 11:30 for Parent Teacher Conferences in the afternoon. Teachers will reach out to schedule these conferences.
Shout Outs and Reminders:
- Congratulations to all those that have been recognized, in this January issue, for the outstanding work you are doing.
- Congratulations to our music department for the wonderful concerts they provided our community during this past holiday season. It is always great to see so many faces we don’t get to see often. Please continue to support our SLC students and staff during these events.
- Our student athletes continue to show great efforts during this winter season. Dates and times for events can be found on our district website and App.
- This month is National School Board Appreciation Month. All students, staff, and community members owe these volunteers a big thank you for all the time they put into these very important positions.Thank you to the following Board Members for their continued service:
We hope that this message finds you well. We wanted to reach out as a high school staff to let you know about some academic upcoming dates and times that you should be aware of for your planning purposes.
On Tuesday, January 13th and Wednesday, January 14th we will administer mid-term exams for all students in the high school. From a high school building perspective, the purpose of administering mid-term exams is to assess how our students are progressing with the curriculum and learning standards from the first half of the school year and to inform us of what information we need to emphasize, reteach or spiral into future lessons. From a student perspective, we have noticed a decline in academic stamina when it comes to higher stakes testing and how our students can independently work through a longer exam. We would like to give our students practice with learning how to take these tests without breaks and short prompts from teachers.
The exams will be conducted during the regular school day. However, we will be adjusting our schedule to double periods (approximately 82 minutes) on these dates. For those students in grades 10, 11 and 12, they will notice that this is how our final exams are offered every June. For students in grade 9, this will be a similar experience to the NYS testing period blocks for grades 3-8. The exams will be weighted higher in the teacher’s standards-based grading system and teachers will reach out to students in their classes to let them know “how much this exam counts.”
No make up dates will be offered to students for these exams, thus, it is important that your family plans ahead to the greatest degree possible. We understand that sickness happens. Students who miss exams will be required to show proof of absence from a medical professional to retake and make-up exams at a later date.
Seaway Tech students should expect the following disruptions to these days at the Tech Center:
Special Education students will remain back in home district to ensure they have enough time for their extended time needs with their special education teachers.
BOCES AM students will be picked up at 10:30 AM to be back at SLC for their 11:00 AM exams.
BOCES PM students will see no schedule changes on these days.
Please note: These absences from the tech center do not count towards absences from their programs and are coded as “Home School Excused.”
If you have any questions on specific classes, please reach out to the teacher of that course. Any additional questions or concerns can be directed to the High School Counseling Office or High School Main Office.
Thank you,
Kristen Zender
High School Principal
Hello, students and families!
We hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday break 🎄. As we begin the new year, the Guidance Department would like to share a few updates along with reminders to help students stay balanced, supported, and successful during this busy time.
Sophomore Grade-Level Meetings 🎓
We are excited to begin Sophomore grade-level meetings focused on reflecting on the current school year and planning ahead for next year. Letters have been sent home to families 📬. Parents and guardians who would like to attend their child’s meeting are encouraged to call the Guidance Office.
Study Tips for Midterms & Regents Exams 📚
To help reduce stress and build confidence, encourage students to:
Start studying early and break material into smaller, manageable chunks
Create a simple study schedule and stick to it 🗓️
Review notes regularly rather than cramming the night before
Ask teachers questions and attend extra help sessions when available ✋
Study in a quiet, distraction-free space
Managing Stress & Practicing Self-Care 💙
January can be a challenging month with colder weather, shorter days, and the transition back from winter break. A few reminders to support student wellness:
Maintain consistent sleep routines 😴
Eat balanced meals and stay hydrated 🥗💧
Take short movement breaks while studying 🚶♀️
Spend time outside when possible to boost mood and energy ☀️
Practice calming strategies such as deep breathing or mindfulness 🌬️
Remind students that feeling nervous before exams is normal—and that preparation, effort, and self-care truly make a difference 🌟.
Miss Bethel & Ms. Ruddy
Mikayla Tobin
Autumn Leaves - Oil Pastel
Alyvia LaBier
Pencil Drawing
Sahara Burnett
Pencil Drawing
Madison Newtown
Pencil Drawing
Nadia Cootware
Colored Pencil Drawing
Chris George
Pencil Drawing
Kylee Vatter
Marker Drawing
Ryelee Shorette
RAVEN - Pencil Drawing
Aleah Phillips
Ceiling Tile in Acrylic
Emmelia Ward
Raccoon in Coffee
Our athletic teams are in the middle of the winter season right now. Here are a few reminders to keep in mind for this month.
Spring sports sign-ups will be January 26-30 with your child's PE teacher. Spring sports physicals will be on Tuesday, March 3rd.
The deadline for senior athletes to apply for the Lalonde Family Initiative Scholarships is Friday, January 30th. The Lalonde Family Initiative will be awarding $60,000 in scholarship money this spring. Seniors, don't miss out on this great opportunity! The application is available in the high school guidance office.
Saturday, January 31st will be the 15th Annual Coaches versus Cancer basketball day. The SLC basketball teams will be taking on Brushton-Moira. Come out and watch six games of basketball from our Boys and Girls Modified, JV and Varsity Teams and help raise money for a great cause. All money raised stays in our local communities. There will be a concession stand all day, raffles and 50/50's along with an optional donation at the door. For further information, you can contact Coach Randy Todd and his wife, Beth.
You can find all schedules at https://www.arbiterlive.com/Teams?entityId=20061 or on our district website and app.
Dear SLC,
We are almost at the end of our first semester of this school year! This is a great time to be reflecting on your child’s progress and communicating with teachers if there are any concerns regarding their academic performance. Students should all currently be studying and preparing for their upcoming midterm exams. We have a half day for Staff Development on January 26th, and Friday January 30th is the last day of the 2nd marking period.
Middle school students will have their annual Erin’s Law assembly this month. In August 2019, New York State became the 37th state to sign Erin’s Law into legislation. New York State’s law, (Chapter 187 of the Laws of 2019) - known as Erin's Law - requires public schools to teach child sexual abuse and exploitation prevention classes to students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Erin's Law is named for Erin Merryn, an abuse survivor and activist against child sexual abuse who has advocated for similar laws nationwide for over a decade. Erin’s Law is intended to help children, teachers, and parents in New York State schools identify sexual abuse, and to provide awareness, assistance, referral, or resource information for children and families who are victims of child sexual abuse. For more information regarding Erin’s Law visit https://www.erinslaw.org. Assemblies will be split between grades 5-6 and 7-8. If you have any concerns or questions about your child attending this assembly, please contact their counselor. We also use this time to talk to students about healthy relationships, setting personal boundaries, and some internet safety tips.
Congratulations to our middle school musicians on their December concerts and our athletes on the start of our winter sports season.
Mrs. LaBarge
Middle School Principal
Happy New Year, Middle School Families!
The Middle School Counseling team has been busy supporting students and families as we start 2026.
Eighth Grade Meetings:
All 8th grade counseling meetings are wrapping up. During these meetings, we talked about:
Academic progress this year
Social-emotional growth and goals
High school course selections
Future plans
Thank you to all families who participated! Your support is appreciated during this important transition year.
Seventh Grade Meetings Coming Soon:
We are starting 7th grade counseling meetings. These meetings focus on:
Social-emotional check-ins and goal setting
Academic progress and support
Choosing tech courses for next year
If you would like to attend your child’s meeting, please contact your child’s counselor to schedule a time.
Classroom & Advisory Support:
Our counselors are also working in advisory and health classes, supporting our Student of the Quarter character trait: Communication. Students are learning:
How to express thoughts and feelings in healthy ways
How to communicate respectfully with peers and adults
We are excited to welcome a guest speaker later this month to talk about healthy relationships and boundaries.
Helping Students Through the Winter Months:
Winter can feel long, and students may have lower energy or motivation. Families can help by:
Keeping regular routines and sleep schedules
Getting outside when possible—even short walks help
Staying connected with friends, family, and school activities
Checking in often and encouraging open conversations
Reaching out for support if you notice changes in mood or behavior
As always, we are here to help! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s counselor.
Mr. Niles nniles@bfcsd.org (Students A-K)
Mr. Clookey dclookey@bfcsd.org (Students L-Z)
Hello SLC Families,
Happy 2026! I hope your year is off to a great start. We closed out 2025 at school with some holiday dance parties! Since our return, teachers have been working with students on settling back into our routines. The end of this month will also mark the end of the second quarter. It blows my mind to think that the school year is almost half over!
Our school will be celebrating Global School Play Day on Wednesday, February 4th. More information about this day can be found here. Please also expect to receive more information about this day at SLC from your child's teacher.
As a reminder, with the temperatures getting colder, please be sure your child is properly dressed for the weather. In the winter, boots are always a good idea, but students should also bring their sneakers to school to wear inside the building and for PE class. If you have a need for appropriate winter wear, please reach out and we may be able to help.
Dates to Remember:
- There will be no school on Monday, January 19th, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- Monday, January 26th will be a 12:30 dismissal day for the elementary, for staff development.
- Friday, February 6th will be an 11:30 dismissal day, for parent teacher conferences. Teachers will be reaching out to schedule these in the next few weeks.
Respectfully,
Mrs. Colterman
Hi Larries and Families,
Happy New Year! January is a time for fresh starts, new routines, and brave choices. This month, our whole school focused on the character trait courage—trying something new, asking for help, and doing the right thing even when it feels hard.
Monthly Character Trait:
To expand on this- all students listened to the story Brave Irene by William Steig. Irene showed courage by:
Not giving up when things were difficult
Trying her best even when she was tired
Helping others even when it felt uncomfortable
Students talked about how courage doesn’t mean “not being scared”, it means trying anyway. We discussed times when they have been brave at school, such as:
Raising their hand
Making a new friend
Apologizing
Trying a hard assignment
How Families Can Help at Home:
You can support courage and goal setting by:
Praising effort (“You tried even though it was hard!”)
Talking about times you were brave
Helping your child break big goals into small steps
Keeping routines simple and predictable
Family Activity: Be Brave Together
Set aside a few minutes one evening to talk as a family about courage. Try this:
Each family member shares one thing they did that was brave this month (big or small).
Help your child choose one small goal they want to work on this month.
Write the goal down and check in at the end of the week to celebrate effort.
Tip: Remind your child that being brave doesn’t mean doing something perfectly—it means trying and not giving up.
Goal Setting & SMART Goals:
January is also a great time to talk about goals. A goal is something we are working toward. Students learned about SMART goals, which help goals feel easier and more doable:
S – Specific: What exactly do I want to do?
M – Measurable: How will I know I’m improving?
A – Achievable: Is this something I can realistically do?
R – Relevant: Why is this goal important to me?
T – Time-bound: When will I check my progress?
Example: Instead of “I want to be better at reading,” A SMART goal is: “I will read for 10 minutes each night, 4 nights a week, for one month.” Encourage your child to pick one small goal and celebrate effort—not perfection!
New Year, New Routines:
After winter break, getting back into routines can feel tricky. We talked about how routines help our brains feel calm and safe. Helpful routines include:
A consistent bedtime and morning routine
Packing backpacks the night before
Taking deep breaths when feeling overwhelmed
Asking for help when needed
Trying new routines takes courage and it’s okay if it takes time!
What are your counselors up to this month?
In January, Mrs. McFarland visited Mrs. Bryant’s third-grade classroom. Students learned about the brain and discovered whether they are more right-brain or left-brain dominant. They then practiced activities that help exercise each side of the brain, as well as the whole brain. We learned that the brain is like a muscle, so it is important to “work it out” to help it grow stronger. Some brain workouts included word and number riddles for the left side of the brain, spot-the-difference pictures for the right side, and drawing a picture with their non-dominant hand to use the whole brain.
Thank you for working together to help our students grow socially, emotionally, and academically. January reminds us that brave choices- big or small help us grow.
Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns. We are always happy to help!
Your Elementary School Counseling Team
Mrs. McFarland & Ms. LaBarge
Dear Families and Students,
As we all know Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming more and more embedded in all aspects of life including transforming education in positive ways, but it is also being misused by cybercriminals. Attackers are now using AI to make cyber threats more convincing, faster, and harder to detect. Over the next couple of months we will share the top five emerging AI-driven cyber threats that schools should be aware of, along with simple steps to stay safe.
While we strive to make our students aware of these threats, we feel it is just as important to pass this information on to all stakeholders in the district to help protect everyone from these constantly changing cyber threats. Based on the latest information here are the top two AI powered threats and what they look like and some safety tips to protect yourself.
1. AI-Generated Phishing Emails and Messages:
Cybercriminals now use AI to write highly realistic emails, texts, and messages that look like they come from legitimate previous contacts or companies.
These messages often:
Have perfect grammar and professional tone
Reference real names, job titles, or school events, or upcoming events
Urge quick action such as resetting passwords or opening attachments
Safety tip: Always verify unexpected requests—especially those asking for passwords, payments, or urgent action.
2. Deepfake Audio and Video Impersonation:
AI can now create fake voice recordings or videos that closely mimic real people, including people you may know or have done business with.
Attackers may use deepfake audio to:
Request emergency wire transfers or gift card purchases
Instruct staff to bypass normal procedures
Spread false or damaging information
Safety tip: Confirm unusual or urgent requests through a second method, such as a known phone number or in-person verification.
As always, if you have any questions, you can contact Mr. Welsh via email at kwelsh@bfcdsd.org, or call the technology department at (315) 389-5131 ext. 29250.
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