Pictured: Superintendent Stephen Tomlinson
Broadalbin-Perth: Where strong traditions and bright futures go hand-in-hand.
As any history teacher will tell you, it’s important to know where you come from. And as any modern educator will tell you, it’s equally important to know where you’re going. For our students at Broadalbin-Perth, we strive to instill in them a sense of pride in community as well as help them develop a vision for their personal futures.
As many of you who are parents already know, our community is a wonderful place to raise a family. Not only do we enjoy the majestic beauty of the Adirondack Mountains and the Great Sacandaga Lake and all the recreational opportunities that come with them, we also enjoy the cultural and economic benefits of living within an hour’s drive of our state capital. But even more valuable than our geographical resources is the character of the people who live in our community: Their generosity of spirit reminds me on a daily basis why I have chosen to raise my own family in the same town where I spent my childhood.
Throughout the year, our students are given the opportunity to develop the same community spirit that I see in my neighbors. Our students serve their community through blood drives and clean-up projects, mentoring and coaching their younger peers, spending time getting to know our senior citizens, and sharing their talents with all of us through concerts, plays and art shows. They celebrate the history and traditions of the Broadalbin-Perth school district – as well as the Broadalbin and Perth school districts that came before it – during annual homecoming festivities and school spirit opportunities.
At the same time, our faculty and staff are working with each and every student to prepare them for life after high school – and believe me when I say that this is no easy feat. Gone are the days when reading, writing and ‘rithmatic are all that is needed to secure a good job with steady pay. Today’s employers are looking for problem solvers, creative thinkers and team players. While the three Rs will always be an integral part of a solid education, our students are now learning the essential skills they will need to succeed in both college and career.
From day one, our youngest students are learning valuable interpersonal skills that will last them a lifetime. Children at The Learning Community learn to greet others with a smile and a wave or a handshake, speak in front of both small and large groups, and respect the feelings of others. At the Intermediate School, our older elementary students learn to work effectively with their classmates to pursue a common goal. During the middle school years, our students are taught to seek positive resolutions to conflicts, and learn the value of fair play through participation in modified sports.
Students will need to have learned all of these lessons by the time they get to high school, where they have just four short years to make choices that will affect the rest of their lives: Will they take advanced courses for college credit? Will they hone their athletic skills on the sports fields? Will they explore their interests outside the core subjects by participating in extracurricular activities, taking elective courses at Broadalbin-Perth or FMCC, or pursuing opportunities at the Career and Technical Education Center? I am proud to be a part of a school district that is able to give our students all of these options – options that will help them succeed no matter what they choose.
This year’s calendar, which features images from our past and present, is designed to remind you of all that we are fortunate to have here at Broadalbin-Perth – strong traditions that date back more than 100 years, as well as the resources, opportunities and dedicated staff to offer all of our students a bright future. As you turn the page each month, I hope you take some time to reflect on your own past and find some inspiration for you and your children’s futures.
After 13 years of education at Broadalbin-Perth schools, some of our students will leave our community to go to college or pursue a career. Others, I hope, will choose to remain in the area to attend any of the fine two- and four-year colleges and universities in the Capital Region, or to take advantage of the many and varied job opportunities our area offers. But no matter where they go in life, it is my sincere desire that every student who passes through our doors will be proud to call Broadalbin-Perth home.