And just like that, the Ballston Spa Central School District is entering into the second half of their year. School will be closed on Monday, January 16 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Ballston Spa Educators Awarded Fall 2022 Grants
The Ballston Spa Education Foundation (BSEF) recently presented $5,694.24 in Fall 2022 grant awards to educators in the Ballston Spa Central School District for educational enrichment projects in the schools. The recent fall cycle included the following grants: $1420 for Prevocational Kits in the Speech Department at Ballston Spa Middle School (BSMS), $1825 to purchase Gaga Ball equipment for use in the Physical Education Department at BSMS, $449.24 to purchase Yoga Mats for use in the Health Department at BSMS, and $2,000 for Coping Kits to use in the Counseling Office at Ballston Spa High School.
With these latest grant awards, the BSEF has, since its inception in 1996, funded over $428,402.76 in enrichment grants to the school district. The Ballston Spa Education Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with an all-volunteer board made up of community members whose mission is to raise and distribute resources for educational enrichment opportunities outside the realm of the daily operational needs of the Ballston Spa Central School District.
For more information, please contact the BSEF at P.O. Box 276, Ballston Spa, NY 12020, or visit the website at https://www.bspaedfoundation.com.
Master Teachers Recognized by Ballston Spa Board of Education
Several teachers from the Ballston Spa Central School District received praise and recognition from the Ballston Spa CSD Board of Education and school administrators after being selected for the New York State Master Teacher Program. The program is offered by the NYS Education Department to the highest performing science, technology, engineering and math teachers (STEM).
Recognized for being inducted this fall were Ballston Spa Middle School teachers Colin Klepetar and Christina Bisceglia as well as previously selected Middle School instructor Jeff Gargano. These teachers join the ranks of other previously selected Master Teachers from Ballston Spa including John Balet, Katie Calhoun, Shannon Hansen, Judith Selig, Ankie Meuwissen, Matt Glogowski, Katie Miller and Andrew Ferrone.
“We are proud of these instructors as well as our other NYS Master Teacher recipients for their dedication and commitment to continuously improving their skills as a teacher and learner.” indicated Dr. Gianleo Duca, Interim Superintendent of the Ballston Spa Central School District. Further, “It is important for us to help create environments where teachers are comfortable and confident in exploring ways to continuously improve their craft. Supporting the NYS Master Teacher program is one way we can do this.”
The program creates a network of teachers and offers a number of professional development experiences to deepen teachers’ understanding of STEM content and the best methods of teaching their students in their particular communities. One of the duties of a Master Teacher is to share what they learn with colleagues here at Ballston Spa so they can enrich the learning of as many students as possible. The ultimate goal of the program is to attract students to STEM related careers.
Please visit the NYS Master Teacher Program website at https://www.suny.edu/masterteacher/cohort/capital-region/ for additional information.
