B-P faculty and staff return for opening day of the 2024-25 school year

Broadalbin-Perth faculty and staff gathered in the Margaret Robin Blowers Auditorium Tuesday morning for the start of the 2024-25 school year. In addition to familiar remarks, employees were energized by a special guest speaker and a surprise activity to start their year with some lighthearted fun.

Board of Education President Chad Egan welcomed them with some brief remarks, and then Superintendent of Schools Stephen Tomlinson energized the crowd by asking them to share celebrations and good news from their summer breaks. New employees introduced themselves to their new colleagues, and then Tomlinson reviewed some priorities for the coming school year, including the Board of Education's proposed "bell to bell, no cell" policy and school safety and security updates.

Guest speaker Dylan Lane then took the stage with inspirational words about what people carry with them — both seen and unseen — every day. Lane is a parent of two Broadalbin-Perth students, an engineer specializing in wind energy at General Electric, and host of "Chain Reaction" on the Game Show Network. In his remarks, Lane reflected on the lessons he still carries with him to this day from some of the most influential teachers he has had in his life. He then asked the educators in the audience to think about the lessons they will impart on their students this coming school year and how far they will carry those lessons through their life journeys.

Lane then treated the staff to a live version of "Chain Reaction," featuring contestants selected from the audience. Four teams of three faced off in two semifinal rounds, then the winning teams competed head-to-head with the winning team members each winning a free personal day as their prize.

After the game, it was Tomlinson's turn to inspire as he reflected on Jim Collins' classic leadership book, "Good to Great," and how the district is planning for the future. Tomlinson left staff with a video message about the jar of life, reminding them to prioritize the "big rocks" of family, health, and the pursuit of dreams and passions.

Faculty and staff are continuing to prepare to welcome students back to school on Thursday, Sept. 5 with meetings, trainings, and classroom setup through Wednesday.