Friday, 06 December 2019 09:55

Education Briefs: Dec. 6-12, 2019

Photos provided.

Ballston Spa Schools to Host Qualifying FLL Tournament

BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa High School’s FIRST Robotics Team 3044 will be hosting a Hudson Valley FLL Qualifying tournament on December 14, 2019. There will be nine FIRST LEGO League (FLL) teams representing area schools competing in the tournament. The top teams have the opportunity to advance on to a Championship Tournament at Dutchess Community College on February 8, 2020. This year’s FLL challenge, City Shaper, requires students to design a LEGO robot that can be programmed to operate independently on the competition table and accomplish several space-related tasks. The teams will be judged based on the robot’s performance, design, core values and on a project. The theme of this year’s project asks students to think like architects, engineers, and construction workers to identify a problem with a building or public space in their community and design a solution to the problem. Through the donations of corporate sponsors, the Ballston Spa Central School District has fielded five FLL teams for the 2019 season. Teams from Gordon Creek Elementary, Milton Terrace Elementary, Wood Road Elementary and the Ballston Spa Middle School will be participating in the competition. The tournament is funded by Hudson Valley FLL, Dutchess Community College and their Foundation, IBM, and NY Tech Valley FIRST. FIRST programs are growing in New York Tech Valley as a result of the overwhelming support of industry sponsors to engage more students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and develop the needed workforce to support their businesses. Sponsors for New York Tech Valley include GLOBALFOUNDRIES, GE, ASML, National Grid, KLATencor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Lam Research, Applied Materials, AMD, Turner Construction, SCREEN USA, infrastructure, Edwards, Regeneron, Pickett Family Foundation, Acumetra, Tokyo Electron and Westerwood Global.

Fun for All Ages at Galway's Hour of Code

GALWAY — Galway Central School District invites the entire Galway School Community to its second annual Hour of Code on Monday, December 9 from 6-7:30 p.m. All ages are welcome. Participants can expect to have fun and learn about computer coding, play with robots and drones and experience Virtual Reality travels, and more! The Robotics Club will be selling food and baked goods in the High School Cafeteria.

Children's Programs at Saratoga Arts are Back!

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Arts is again offering art programs for kids during school breaks. There will be varying programs for ages five through 14. Imagination Rules for five to seven-year-old children, and Camp Creativity for eight to 14-year olds. Both programs will run December 26-27 and January 2-3. To learn more or register, visit www. saratoga-arts.org/education/ school-break-summer-camp.

Essay Contest for Capital Region High School Students

SARATOGA SPRINGS/ ALBANY — Capital Region high school students are eligible to enter “How Our Veterans Protect Our Constitution and Why” essay contest, which is being sponsored by Capital Region Patriot Flight. Patriot Flight is a hub of the National Honor Flight Network that provides World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and Cold War veterans with a free one-day excursion to visit war monuments and other historic sites in Washington, D.C. Patriot Flight participants fly to and from the Albany International Airport. The writers of the two best essays will win a one-day all expense paid trip to visit memorials and historic sites along with the veterans in Washington, D.C. Deadline to submit an application and a 300 to 500-word essay is Jan. 30, 2020. Applications are available at schools or can be downloaded from Patriot Honor Flight website at www.patriotflight. org or contact Lois Wilson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 518-732-2793. Winners will be announced on March 20, 2020 at the Gateway Diner in Albany

The Kindness Closet

SOUTH GLENS FALLS — The South Glens Falls (SGF) Kindness Closet will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 9 a.m. The Kindness Closet, started by Tanglewood Elementary School teacher Jamie Metivier in the building a few years ago, was initially created to address the changing socio-economic dynamics at Tanglewood. But last fall, Metivier won a $100,000 grant from Farmers Insurance through their Thank America’s Teachers® Dream Big Teacher Challenge® to expand the Kindness Closet for all families in the district. The money was used to build a freestanding structure for supplies and will enable the district to offer household items to families who need them. Families in need are invited monthly to shop at the closet for the items they need, no questions asked. Items include everything from gently used clothing to household supplies. In addition to household items, the Dec. 7 Grand Opening will include toys for holiday gifts. Anyone interested in donating to the SGF Kindness Closet can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

“The Kindness Closet is a perfect example of the lessons we are trying to teach our children on a regular basis.

Ballston Spa Students Present Annual Winter Concerts

BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa Central School District Music Department is presenting several winter concerts during the upcoming weeks. The concerts are free, and members of the community are welcome at all venues. The High School Winter Concert series began with performances by the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Orchestra on Thursday, Dec. 5. The series continues with performances by the Concert Band and Orchestra on Monday, Dec. 9. The final concert features the High School Choirs and Jazz Bands and will be held on Thursday, Dec. 19. All performances begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. and will be held in the Ballston Spa High School Auditorium at 220 Ballston Ave. The Middle School Winter Concerts will begin on Tuesday, Dec. 3, featuring the 7th Grade Band, Chorus and Orchestra. On Tuesday, Dec. 10, the 8th Grade Band, Chorus and Orchestra will perform. The middle school concerts conclude with the 6th Grade Band, Chorus and Orchestra performing on Monday, Dec. 16. All middle school concerts begin at 7 p.m. and are held in the High School Auditorium. The Milton Terrace Elementary School will host a Winter Concert featuring the Orchestra, Band and Chorus on Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. in the Cafetorium, 200 Wood Rd. The Gordon Creek Elementary School will host their annual Winter Concert featuring the Orchestra, Band and Chorus in the Gymatorium, 50 Wood Rd. on Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. The Wood Road Elementary School will host a Winter Concert featuring the Orchestra, Band and Chorus on Jan. 9, 2020 at 7 p.m. in the school’s Cafetorium, 300 Wood Rd. The students from Malta Avenue Elementary School will present a Winter Concert on Jan. 14, 2020 at 7 p.m. in the Malta Ave. Auditorium at 70 Malta Ave.

Parent University Programs at Saratoga Springs CSD

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs Central School District (SSCSD) puts on Parent University programs, a series of free, informative topics yearly, beginning in the fall of the school year and merging into the new year. Programs generally benefit the parenting adult, but teenagers may find some of the programs beneficial as well. These programs are open to all community members, district staff, and teachers. SSCSD is also open to suggestions for any university topics you’d like to see and they can be sent to Maura Manny at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. There are five classes left and they are as follows:

Thursday, January 23: “Being the Grownup: Love, Limits, and the Natural Authority of Parenthood” with Author Adelia Moore. In partnership with Northshire Bookstore, Clinical Psychologist and author Adelia Moore will discuss her book Being the Grownup in the Maple Avenue Middle School Large Group Instruction room at 6:30 p.m. If you are a parent, it is your job to provide shelter and safety, to make decisions about education, childcare, health and nourishment, and to create the habitat that is the context of family life. The book helps parents translate their determination to care for and Photo provided. protect their children into the clarity they need to communicate authority with a firm confidence, whether for bedtime, screen-time or mealtime. Just as she would in a clinical conversation, the author shifts the focus away from disciplinary strategies and back to the core of parenthood, the relationship between parents and children as it evolves, moment to-moment, from the dependence of infancy to the autonomy of young adulthood.

Monday, February 3: Managing Technology: presented by Dr. Randy Cale.

Thursday, March 5: "Battling an Eating Disorder: An 11 Year Old’s Journey to Recovery" with Flutters of Hope Inc. This program will be held in the Maple Avenue Middle School Large Group Instruction room at 6:30 p.m. A current SSCSD student will share her journey through an eating disorder, how she recovered, and the tools she used to do it. Her mother will discuss the myths of eating disorders and the tools she used as a parent. Both speakers will share how hard it was to overcome, but that recovery is possible and that there is hope.

Tuesday, March 31: A Discussion about Anxiety and Depression with Jaimen McMillan. This program will be held in the Maple Avenue Middle School Large Group Instruction room at 7 p.m. Depression is not about being sad. Depression paralyzes the will. Sufferers feel powerless…hopeless…and see no possibility of moving on. Anxiety is gripping a growing number of children who instead of joy and wonder, experience unfounded fear and trepidation. Among the many factors involved in depression and anxiety, perhaps the most overlooked component is the element of space. The prevailing definition of the human being is so narrow and confining that its delineation is a likely cause of depression. This lecture on Depression and Anxiety will expand this constricting concept. We will experiment with Spacial Dynamics® exercises and experience that the human being is meant to be a free individual who can learn to live in many different spaces. Each space allows for opportunities and possibilities that the others do not. Depression and anxiety do not know age-barriers. Children, teens, and adults all suffer from these afflictions. They share the complaint of feeling trapped. It is for those who want to create and establish new spaces and dynamics that allow for healthy choice, wholesome human interaction, and ultimately, to unrestricted use of their own wills.

Tuesday, April 28: "Talking about Consent" presented by Wellspring. This program will be held in the Saratoga Springs High School Library from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. This program is designed for parents and guardians of graduating seniors going to college on how to talk to them about consent. The program provides participants with an understanding of consent as a concept and provides context as to why having discussions with young people about consent is crucial. Facilitators will provide information on when and how to have these discussions.

 

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