By Ashleigh Livingston
When it comes to lodging in the Adirondacks, travelers are given a number of options depending on the experience and level of accommodations they desire. There is everything from roadside motels and quaint bed and breakfasts to rustic lodges and lavish resorts. Depending on which destination is chosen, guests may expect no more than a bed, a shower, and a colored TV; or no less than a valet, a room with a view, and a complimentary bottle of champagne. There are some hotels in the Adirondacks, however, that have been known to provide guests with something they may not have expected—a run in with a ghost.
One such hotel is the Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing, N.Y. Originally opened in 1883 and reconstructed in 1930 due to fire damage, the Sagamore rests on Green Island, surrounded by Lake George. The resort’s promotional Web site boasts the Sagamore’s, “luxury accommodations, extraordinary dining [and] superb fitness and spa facilities.”
But what the Web site does not boast is the resort’s reputation for being haunted.
“The hotel is built on a cemetery from the Indians,” says Hans Visscher, who worked at the resort in the past. “There’re [supposedly] a lot of ghosts around there.”
Visscher, who worked as a captain in the resort’s Trillium Dining Room, which has since been converted into guest rooms, says that guests and employees of the Sagamore repeatedly reported having had a paranormal experience or having seen a ghost in the hotel.
Both Visscher and Kevin Rosa, director of sales and marketing at the hotel, agree that two common thread ghost stories surround the hotel, although their accounts of these stories vary slightly.
According to Visscher, one story involves the ghost of a middle-aged woman wearing a blue polka-dot dress, who has been spotted running around in the hotel’s hallways.
“The people that have seen her say the same thing, so it should be true because they’ve never talked to each other,” says Visscher.
The second common story involves the ghosts of two children who have been heard giggling in the hallways, according to Rosa, though Visscher says it is the ghost of one female child in a white gown that has been seen.
Both men say that they don’t believe the sightings have left guest frightened enough not to return to the hotel; however, Visscher says that one of the hotel’s guest rooms was off limits to visitors when he worked there.
“There is one room that was never rented out, and I forgot the number,” says Visscher, “but [they never used it] because there were always noises. People heard noises at night.”
Though Rosa says that the ghost sightings at the hotel are, “not a spooky thing,” but rather just something that happens, The Sagamore chooses not to advertise its reputation for being haunted.
“[The reputation] doesn’t lose us business, but it doesn’t gain us business,” says Rosa.
Still, some hotels in the Adirondacks have made a point to highlight their supposed live-in ghosts, perhaps in hopes that those intrigued by the paranormal might be more likely to visit.
The BrightSide, for example, a small, rustic inn on Raquette Lake, is very open about its reputation for being haunted.
In fact, the BrightSide’s promotional Web site, www.brightsideonraquette.com, provides visitors with a disclaimer of sorts, which states:
“As with any old, historic building, one of the many aspects of history that always seems intriguing to people is the tales and stories of ghosts. The BrightSide in its many years of serving as a hotel has acquired quite a few over the years and also within the past couple. There have been quite a few instances where our guests, even today, insist that they saw, felt, witnessed, or simply knew that there was ‘something’ there.”
Becky Wood, training coordinator for Fiber Instrument Sales, a company that holds training classes at the BrightSide, corroborates the Web site’s statements, saying that she knows of many credible people who claim to have felt something or even had their bed shake inexplicably while at the hotel, and though she says she has never actually seen a ghost at the BrightSide, she believes they could be there.
“I have spent many nights up there, and I would say there’s something up there,” says Wood.
As for whether or not the hotel’s reputation attracts guests, Wood says, “I think they are intrigued when they come up,” though she adds that the ghost lore certainly isn’t the only reason guests visit the hotel.
Of course, there is much debate about whether ghosts exist at all, let alone whether they haunt the hallways and rooms of these hotels.
Both the Sagamore and the BrightSide have been approached by paranormal groups, hoping to stay at the hotels and investigate the possibility of ghostly presences, which is something both hotels are considering, according to Rosa and Wood respectively.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Plattsburgh Community Garden grows new life
By Kevin Eloi
Doug Butdorf, 38, has been involved in gardening since he was a child. His passion for a healthy environment is unequivocal. As a board member of the Plattsburgh Green Committee, Mr. Butdorf understands the importance of a thriving atmosphere centered on pure, healthy, and natural ways of living. “It’s important for people to start practicing good habits, especially within their own communities. Also, I want to help raise awareness and educate people on how they can help clean up the environment. I’ve been involved in green initiatives such as the Plattsburgh Community Garden for a while and it’s quite fulfilling.”
To the delight of Green Committee board members such as Mr. Butdorf, the Common Council authorized the mayor of Plattsburgh, Donald Kasprzak, to sign a 2-year renewal agreement for the Plattsburgh Community Garden. The garden is located in Melissa Penfield Park and was founded in 2009. “The city formed the Green Committee which got the ball rolling on a community garden,” said Mayor Kasprzak. “People are pursuing more green initiatives and projects like the Plattsburgh Community Garden are a consequence of hardworking people who are pushing to make a difference in their community.”
As the website, www.plattsburghcommunitygarden.org, states, The Plattsburgh Community Garden Group exists to create an allotment style community garden/s that build community, provide an enjoyable and safe place to grow crops, gather as friends, and learn the techniques of successful gardening. As a member of the Common Council that approved the community garden’s 2-year extension, Councilman Michael Kelly is a staunch advocate for all the green initiatives in Plattsburgh and provides a needed voice for the community. Councilman Kelly explained the importance of The Plattsburgh Community Garden. “The community garden helps increase the awareness of living in a healthy environment. Everyone has the opportunity to have a plot of their own. Last year, we started out with 32 plots and now it’s increased to 45. As soon as the paperwork is done, this proposal will take effect immediately.” Doug Butdorf, who is also the garden’s organizer and chief, reiterated the same notion. “Not everyone has a backyard to grow their plants or crops,” he said. “Everyone in the community now has an opportunity to have their own personal garden and at the same time practice healthy eating habits while keeping the environment clean. People have to understand that something as simple as growing your own garden could actually reduce the amount pollutants that damage the air. For instance, the community garden allows you to grow your own fruits and vegetables which mean less petroleum trucks to travel across the country polluting the air while delivering apples or oranges.” Although the garden provides a sense of leisure, that is only a microcosm of the bigger picture. The Plattsburgh Community Garden’s true objective isn’t just to give someone a hobby, but rather to promote a nutritious diet while simultaneously endorsing a green-friendly atmosphere.
The community garden stems from the Plattsburgh Green Committee. As Mayor Kasprzak stated before, the Green Committee initiated all ecofriendly endeavors. The committee’s agenda concentrated on environmental sustainability. Although the Plattsburgh Community Garden is an independent group, the Plattsburgh Green Committee acts as its consultant. “Each organization has its own specific mission,” said Marcia Wolosz, Vice-chairman of the Green Committee. “We have a much broader goal and we focus on different aspects of the community. Our job is to inform the elected officials on the sustainability of the city. Also, we’ve started a program called ‘Green Scarring’ where we evaluate the businesses of Plattsburgh based on how green they are and we encourage businesses to adopt more environment-friendly principles if they have yet to do so.”
A Brooklyn native, Marcia Wolosz is a passionate devotee of all green initiatives. She has been living in Plattsburgh for 26 years and deeply feels the pulse of the city. “I have a day-to-day consciousness about how we impact the environment,” she said. “I always want to educate myself as much as I can on environmental issues, whether through research or other people. With the election of President Obama, the political landscape on climate issues has changed for the better. Groups like our green committee now have leeway to push forward on all sorts of climate-based projects like the community garden. Our group is an evolving group and we desperately want to get the word out.” Aside from the Plattsburgh Community Garden, the Green Committee has been involved in other projects. “We’ve participated in the Earth Day celebration this past year and have worked with groups such as Casella,” said Sarah Cronk, Secretary of the Plattsburgh Green Committee. “We’ve also started a green survey to get a scope on what the community has been doing as far as environmental matters.” The Plattsburgh Community Garden group also held their annual Local Food and Spring Gardening Kick-off on March 20, 2010. The website has more detailed information on the event.
The Garden is fairly young, but it has steadfast become apart of the community’s consciousness. It continues to grow and expand with the help of the people of Plattsburgh. It acts as a beacon to other communities hoping to establish their own organizations and groups to create projects such as the Plattsburgh Community Garden. Groups like the Plattsburgh Green Committee understand their role in regards to the community. "The Plattsburgh Green Committee consists of community members who share the common interest in developing Plattsburgh and its surrounding areas into a more localized, sustainable, and environmentally just region."
Doug Butdorf, 38, has been involved in gardening since he was a child. His passion for a healthy environment is unequivocal. As a board member of the Plattsburgh Green Committee, Mr. Butdorf understands the importance of a thriving atmosphere centered on pure, healthy, and natural ways of living. “It’s important for people to start practicing good habits, especially within their own communities. Also, I want to help raise awareness and educate people on how they can help clean up the environment. I’ve been involved in green initiatives such as the Plattsburgh Community Garden for a while and it’s quite fulfilling.”
To the delight of Green Committee board members such as Mr. Butdorf, the Common Council authorized the mayor of Plattsburgh, Donald Kasprzak, to sign a 2-year renewal agreement for the Plattsburgh Community Garden. The garden is located in Melissa Penfield Park and was founded in 2009. “The city formed the Green Committee which got the ball rolling on a community garden,” said Mayor Kasprzak. “People are pursuing more green initiatives and projects like the Plattsburgh Community Garden are a consequence of hardworking people who are pushing to make a difference in their community.”
As the website, www.plattsburghcommunitygarden.org, states, The Plattsburgh Community Garden Group exists to create an allotment style community garden/s that build community, provide an enjoyable and safe place to grow crops, gather as friends, and learn the techniques of successful gardening. As a member of the Common Council that approved the community garden’s 2-year extension, Councilman Michael Kelly is a staunch advocate for all the green initiatives in Plattsburgh and provides a needed voice for the community. Councilman Kelly explained the importance of The Plattsburgh Community Garden. “The community garden helps increase the awareness of living in a healthy environment. Everyone has the opportunity to have a plot of their own. Last year, we started out with 32 plots and now it’s increased to 45. As soon as the paperwork is done, this proposal will take effect immediately.” Doug Butdorf, who is also the garden’s organizer and chief, reiterated the same notion. “Not everyone has a backyard to grow their plants or crops,” he said. “Everyone in the community now has an opportunity to have their own personal garden and at the same time practice healthy eating habits while keeping the environment clean. People have to understand that something as simple as growing your own garden could actually reduce the amount pollutants that damage the air. For instance, the community garden allows you to grow your own fruits and vegetables which mean less petroleum trucks to travel across the country polluting the air while delivering apples or oranges.” Although the garden provides a sense of leisure, that is only a microcosm of the bigger picture. The Plattsburgh Community Garden’s true objective isn’t just to give someone a hobby, but rather to promote a nutritious diet while simultaneously endorsing a green-friendly atmosphere.
The community garden stems from the Plattsburgh Green Committee. As Mayor Kasprzak stated before, the Green Committee initiated all ecofriendly endeavors. The committee’s agenda concentrated on environmental sustainability. Although the Plattsburgh Community Garden is an independent group, the Plattsburgh Green Committee acts as its consultant. “Each organization has its own specific mission,” said Marcia Wolosz, Vice-chairman of the Green Committee. “We have a much broader goal and we focus on different aspects of the community. Our job is to inform the elected officials on the sustainability of the city. Also, we’ve started a program called ‘Green Scarring’ where we evaluate the businesses of Plattsburgh based on how green they are and we encourage businesses to adopt more environment-friendly principles if they have yet to do so.”
A Brooklyn native, Marcia Wolosz is a passionate devotee of all green initiatives. She has been living in Plattsburgh for 26 years and deeply feels the pulse of the city. “I have a day-to-day consciousness about how we impact the environment,” she said. “I always want to educate myself as much as I can on environmental issues, whether through research or other people. With the election of President Obama, the political landscape on climate issues has changed for the better. Groups like our green committee now have leeway to push forward on all sorts of climate-based projects like the community garden. Our group is an evolving group and we desperately want to get the word out.” Aside from the Plattsburgh Community Garden, the Green Committee has been involved in other projects. “We’ve participated in the Earth Day celebration this past year and have worked with groups such as Casella,” said Sarah Cronk, Secretary of the Plattsburgh Green Committee. “We’ve also started a green survey to get a scope on what the community has been doing as far as environmental matters.” The Plattsburgh Community Garden group also held their annual Local Food and Spring Gardening Kick-off on March 20, 2010. The website has more detailed information on the event.
The Garden is fairly young, but it has steadfast become apart of the community’s consciousness. It continues to grow and expand with the help of the people of Plattsburgh. It acts as a beacon to other communities hoping to establish their own organizations and groups to create projects such as the Plattsburgh Community Garden. Groups like the Plattsburgh Green Committee understand their role in regards to the community. "The Plattsburgh Green Committee consists of community members who share the common interest in developing Plattsburgh and its surrounding areas into a more localized, sustainable, and environmentally just region."
Unique programs salvaged while others downsize in school board meeting
By Amanda Sivan Kaufman
As the Plattsburgh City School Board sat in Duken Elementary at their March 11 meeting listening to several smiling kids talk about their beloved after school program Biz Kids, they were reminded only of the hot topic to follow—budget and finance.
The 7:30 p.m. meeting started with an introduction by three students to the program based on a popular PBS education series that teaches how to balance and make money.
After the presentation the school board started facing ideas on how to handle their budget gap of $2.8 million, deciding that a strong possibility of both program cuts and tax increase.
”If we have activities that they can find someplace else then we should probably be dropping those,” School Board President Clayton Morris said. “I think from here on in we are really going to struggle to do everything for everyone.”
Superintendent James Short reported that with the recent “favorable” movement of 15 teachers resigning one third of the district’s budget gap has decreased, leaving approximately $1.9 million to solve.
The school board agreed not to cut any programs from the district that are unique to the community such as the Odyssey program and Biz Kids, but other areas such as summer school might have to take a hiatus in order to save money.
No single area such as music or sports will be cut completely, but may have to be downsized according to Morris.
The largest issue the board had with cutting sports was the fear of causing “socio-economic issues” within the community if a sport gets cut, separating kids whose families who have money from being able to play from kids whose families cannot afford a private sport.
The district has the largest sports program that attracts the most kids in a “very vulnerable time in their life,” according to the school board, and cutting the proposed 25 percent from the sports budget would be “earth shattering” for the students.
A possible slight tax increase was discussed, with concern to the local economy and job market. The board agreed that no more than a 2% increase would take place.
As the Plattsburgh City School Board sat in Duken Elementary at their March 11 meeting listening to several smiling kids talk about their beloved after school program Biz Kids, they were reminded only of the hot topic to follow—budget and finance.
The 7:30 p.m. meeting started with an introduction by three students to the program based on a popular PBS education series that teaches how to balance and make money.
After the presentation the school board started facing ideas on how to handle their budget gap of $2.8 million, deciding that a strong possibility of both program cuts and tax increase.
”If we have activities that they can find someplace else then we should probably be dropping those,” School Board President Clayton Morris said. “I think from here on in we are really going to struggle to do everything for everyone.”
Superintendent James Short reported that with the recent “favorable” movement of 15 teachers resigning one third of the district’s budget gap has decreased, leaving approximately $1.9 million to solve.
The school board agreed not to cut any programs from the district that are unique to the community such as the Odyssey program and Biz Kids, but other areas such as summer school might have to take a hiatus in order to save money.
No single area such as music or sports will be cut completely, but may have to be downsized according to Morris.
The largest issue the board had with cutting sports was the fear of causing “socio-economic issues” within the community if a sport gets cut, separating kids whose families who have money from being able to play from kids whose families cannot afford a private sport.
The district has the largest sports program that attracts the most kids in a “very vulnerable time in their life,” according to the school board, and cutting the proposed 25 percent from the sports budget would be “earth shattering” for the students.
A possible slight tax increase was discussed, with concern to the local economy and job market. The board agreed that no more than a 2% increase would take place.
City school district left searching for answers
By Bryan Foti
No one knew what to expect when they filed into the Duken Elementary School for the Plattsburgh City School District Board Meeting. The people soon found out. The plan was to begin to discuss the up-coming budget for the 2010-2011 school year.
The Plattsburgh School District, which was founded in 1811 and has over 1,800 students enrolled with 237 teachers employed. Superintendent James Short opened the meeting with a startling statement saying that New York State would cut state aid to the district. The State has taken away 1.2 million dollars in funding and this leaves the Plattsburgh City School District with about a 2.8 million dollar budget gap. The room irrupted with noise.
After people settled down Short offered a good start to counteract the deficit; he said that 15 teachers will retire at the end of this school year and it will save the school 843,000 dollars and this sum eliminates about one-third of the budget gap. Short then started asking the school board members what they thought was the best way to counteract the deficit. Many different opinions were voiced from raising taxes, cutting programs to possible layoffs.
School Board President Clayton Morris seemed to have his priorities in order because he came with a list that was designed with no teacher layoffs. Morris then expressed his desire to keep class size the same and to keep the current curriculum including engineering and calculus that other districts do not offer.
Assistant Superintendent for Business Jay Lebrun threw out an idea suggesting the district tap into their reserve funds. He suggested that no more than 600,000 dollars be taken out of the reserve. The board members decided that it was safe to take 400,000 dollars out of the fund and they will use that money towards this upcoming budget.
The meeting then moved toward the possibility of sports cuts. Board members then asked Plattsburgh Athletic Director Clifford “Joe” Staves what it would be like if they were to cut 25 percent of the sports department. Staves said that the school would probably lose 6 to 8 sports teams.
The meeting concluded with a lot of confusion and left the school board and the administrative staff with big decisions to make.
The big deficit has left many question marks for the board and the administrative staff to answer. The first question would be weather the community is willing to raise taxes. Short said “if you wanted to complete the budget with just tax raises you would have to increase by about 10.5 percent.” Clearly, that is not going to happen. Short then posed the question to the board “how much would they be willing to raise taxes?” Many board members did not think that raising taxes would be the best way to go. Morris said he would vote for a zero percent raise while others said they go to a one or two percent increase. Two was the highest.
Another question for the board is the possibility of layoffs of teachers. This has already started in the sports department when the school board voted that the school will not pay for assistant coaches and they instead will be volunteers this year. Teachers however are very valuable and according to Short, “we will likely be reducing to 224-229 due to budget effects.” Morris is not in favor of cutting teachers his reasoning is “every person you cut means less people coming into our community. It really puts a loss of young people coming in and working here.”
If the district does decide to layoff some teachers that may lead people to ask whether the size of the class will grow and what will happen to teachers on lower levels will they up to the middle school or high school? Will teachers be teaching more than one subject?
Another question is how the district is going to get the money to make up for the deficit. The retirement from the 15 teachers at the end of the year will help. Morris said at the end of the meeting he would try to personally thank those 15 teachers for helping the district in a time where they need all the help they can get. The reserve fund is another big way the school can get some money.
Lebrun thinks the reserve can help with the upcoming budget. “That is why they are there to be used for times like this.” Lebrun thinks the district can safely take out about 600,000 dollars without hurting the reserves. However the board felt it would be safer to take out 400,000 dollars instead. This still leaves the district searching for answers on how to erase the budget gap.
Patricia Bentley is a member on the school board and she says by far this has been the most difficult budget she has seen. “No question. The deficit is large by any standard and begs a huge array of questions about programs, staff and why we serve.” Short seems to agree with Bentley “I’ve been a Superintendent for over 11 years in two school districts – I would say this year is in the top two of most difficult budgets. This is the most difficult budget Plattsburgh has seen in a long time.”
Sacrifice seems to be the theme that the Plattsburgh district has take en route to creating this budget “we have to pick our spots” Morris says this about making cuts. Morris knows things are going to be cut he states “I take a different approach to it. My approach is how many students it will affect. If I have a two programs that cost the same but one has 20 students involved in it and the other has 100 students involved I would have to cut the program with 20 students because it is more cost effective.”
It seems that Short and Morris get along very well together which should make it easier for a budget to be created. Morris was asked what the hardest part about working with the administrative staff and the rest of his board he responded “there is no hard pat we all work very well together and have a good relationship.” This should be beneficial when Short and Morris finally come up with a proposed budget. It is a very tough time for the Plattsburgh District there will be a lot of tough decisions being made within the next few weeks but all and all the board and the administrative staff feel they will be able to get a budget created that will continue to bring good quality education to the students of the Plattsburgh Community. The next problem will be to get it approved.
No one knew what to expect when they filed into the Duken Elementary School for the Plattsburgh City School District Board Meeting. The people soon found out. The plan was to begin to discuss the up-coming budget for the 2010-2011 school year.
The Plattsburgh School District, which was founded in 1811 and has over 1,800 students enrolled with 237 teachers employed. Superintendent James Short opened the meeting with a startling statement saying that New York State would cut state aid to the district. The State has taken away 1.2 million dollars in funding and this leaves the Plattsburgh City School District with about a 2.8 million dollar budget gap. The room irrupted with noise.
After people settled down Short offered a good start to counteract the deficit; he said that 15 teachers will retire at the end of this school year and it will save the school 843,000 dollars and this sum eliminates about one-third of the budget gap. Short then started asking the school board members what they thought was the best way to counteract the deficit. Many different opinions were voiced from raising taxes, cutting programs to possible layoffs.
School Board President Clayton Morris seemed to have his priorities in order because he came with a list that was designed with no teacher layoffs. Morris then expressed his desire to keep class size the same and to keep the current curriculum including engineering and calculus that other districts do not offer.
Assistant Superintendent for Business Jay Lebrun threw out an idea suggesting the district tap into their reserve funds. He suggested that no more than 600,000 dollars be taken out of the reserve. The board members decided that it was safe to take 400,000 dollars out of the fund and they will use that money towards this upcoming budget.
The meeting then moved toward the possibility of sports cuts. Board members then asked Plattsburgh Athletic Director Clifford “Joe” Staves what it would be like if they were to cut 25 percent of the sports department. Staves said that the school would probably lose 6 to 8 sports teams.
The meeting concluded with a lot of confusion and left the school board and the administrative staff with big decisions to make.
The big deficit has left many question marks for the board and the administrative staff to answer. The first question would be weather the community is willing to raise taxes. Short said “if you wanted to complete the budget with just tax raises you would have to increase by about 10.5 percent.” Clearly, that is not going to happen. Short then posed the question to the board “how much would they be willing to raise taxes?” Many board members did not think that raising taxes would be the best way to go. Morris said he would vote for a zero percent raise while others said they go to a one or two percent increase. Two was the highest.
Another question for the board is the possibility of layoffs of teachers. This has already started in the sports department when the school board voted that the school will not pay for assistant coaches and they instead will be volunteers this year. Teachers however are very valuable and according to Short, “we will likely be reducing to 224-229 due to budget effects.” Morris is not in favor of cutting teachers his reasoning is “every person you cut means less people coming into our community. It really puts a loss of young people coming in and working here.”
If the district does decide to layoff some teachers that may lead people to ask whether the size of the class will grow and what will happen to teachers on lower levels will they up to the middle school or high school? Will teachers be teaching more than one subject?
Another question is how the district is going to get the money to make up for the deficit. The retirement from the 15 teachers at the end of the year will help. Morris said at the end of the meeting he would try to personally thank those 15 teachers for helping the district in a time where they need all the help they can get. The reserve fund is another big way the school can get some money.
Lebrun thinks the reserve can help with the upcoming budget. “That is why they are there to be used for times like this.” Lebrun thinks the district can safely take out about 600,000 dollars without hurting the reserves. However the board felt it would be safer to take out 400,000 dollars instead. This still leaves the district searching for answers on how to erase the budget gap.
Patricia Bentley is a member on the school board and she says by far this has been the most difficult budget she has seen. “No question. The deficit is large by any standard and begs a huge array of questions about programs, staff and why we serve.” Short seems to agree with Bentley “I’ve been a Superintendent for over 11 years in two school districts – I would say this year is in the top two of most difficult budgets. This is the most difficult budget Plattsburgh has seen in a long time.”
Sacrifice seems to be the theme that the Plattsburgh district has take en route to creating this budget “we have to pick our spots” Morris says this about making cuts. Morris knows things are going to be cut he states “I take a different approach to it. My approach is how many students it will affect. If I have a two programs that cost the same but one has 20 students involved in it and the other has 100 students involved I would have to cut the program with 20 students because it is more cost effective.”
It seems that Short and Morris get along very well together which should make it easier for a budget to be created. Morris was asked what the hardest part about working with the administrative staff and the rest of his board he responded “there is no hard pat we all work very well together and have a good relationship.” This should be beneficial when Short and Morris finally come up with a proposed budget. It is a very tough time for the Plattsburgh District there will be a lot of tough decisions being made within the next few weeks but all and all the board and the administrative staff feel they will be able to get a budget created that will continue to bring good quality education to the students of the Plattsburgh Community. The next problem will be to get it approved.
Plattsburgh High School striving for fitness
By Caitlin Fitzpatrick
Plattsburgh High School has been improving the general fitness of their students and staff ever since the physical education department opened its fitness center in 2008.
The center offers students and staff an outlet to develop their fitness goals, while also offering a comfortable and fun environment.
According to Plattsburgh City School District web site, students currently have several different options for exercise while at the center, including walking on the track. The school also offers exercise alternatives such as Dance Dance Revolution for students who do not favor traditional workouts, though individualized fitness programs are still the most popular form of using the center.
“Most of what we do is individualized. We design a program for them,” Lori Latremore, a certified teacher at the fitness center, says.
The center has definitely had a positive impact on students and staff at the school.
Several students have gained confidence by using the facilities and improving their fitness, Mike Bordeau, another certified teacher at the fitness center, says. He also says that by using the center students can prepare for life after high school by learning to make healthy choices.
“It’s another opportunity for students to help learn lifelong fitness,” Latremore adds.
The center also has made it a priority to make fitness an importance in the life of the staff at Plattsburgh High School. In a program called “Commit to be Fit,” staff and faculty meet four times a week to improve fitness and health by using the center.
“A lot of our faculty and staff has made it part of their everyday routine” Bordeau says.
The center provides a good alternative for staff that want to remain fit but don’t have the time or the money for a private gym.
“It’s easily accessible and free and we have some really good equipment,” Latremore says.
The environment between the staff and the students in the center is one that is comfortable and positive as well.
“We have a good environment between faculty and students,” Bordeau says.
The fitness center is open for students and faculty on a daily basis, after school until 4:30. The certified teachers themselves even use the center for their personal fitness routine.
“We both use it,” Latremore says.
“About 40 to 50 percent of people who work here are involved in using the center,” Bordeau adds.
New York state is required to provide kindergarten through grade 12 physical education to students. Although physical education is not required daily, it is a requirement for students in order to graduate.
Plattsburgh High School offers a traditional physical education program to students as well as outside opportunities such as the center and team sports.
In past years the high school had offered primarily team sports as the only opportunity for fitness outside of physical education, but since opening the center more students have been able to participate in exercise programs.
“Not everyone can do that,” Latremore says referring to team sports. “This offers more opportunities to be active.”
Jason Lehmbeck, president of the New York Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, says there is mounting evidence and research that supports physical education and fitness benefits.
“Students that are physically fit achieve more in the classroom and in general have better energy and happier lives than those who are not fit,” he says.
Melissa Olster, a personal trainer at the Plattsburgh State University Fitness Center, also says that fitness is an important part of life and helps increase ones overall health in the long-run.
Lehmbeck says specific benefits for young adults and children from fitness also include less illness and better self-confidence.
“Bottom line, we feel very passionate that what we do has an opportunity to impact how we feel everyday of our lives,” Lehmbeck says. “We are committed to improving the quality of life for all kids, not just athletes and we are always seeking better ways of doing that.”
Plattsburgh High School has been improving the general fitness of their students and staff ever since the physical education department opened its fitness center in 2008.
The center offers students and staff an outlet to develop their fitness goals, while also offering a comfortable and fun environment.
According to Plattsburgh City School District web site, students currently have several different options for exercise while at the center, including walking on the track. The school also offers exercise alternatives such as Dance Dance Revolution for students who do not favor traditional workouts, though individualized fitness programs are still the most popular form of using the center.
“Most of what we do is individualized. We design a program for them,” Lori Latremore, a certified teacher at the fitness center, says.
The center has definitely had a positive impact on students and staff at the school.
Several students have gained confidence by using the facilities and improving their fitness, Mike Bordeau, another certified teacher at the fitness center, says. He also says that by using the center students can prepare for life after high school by learning to make healthy choices.
“It’s another opportunity for students to help learn lifelong fitness,” Latremore adds.
The center also has made it a priority to make fitness an importance in the life of the staff at Plattsburgh High School. In a program called “Commit to be Fit,” staff and faculty meet four times a week to improve fitness and health by using the center.
“A lot of our faculty and staff has made it part of their everyday routine” Bordeau says.
The center provides a good alternative for staff that want to remain fit but don’t have the time or the money for a private gym.
“It’s easily accessible and free and we have some really good equipment,” Latremore says.
The environment between the staff and the students in the center is one that is comfortable and positive as well.
“We have a good environment between faculty and students,” Bordeau says.
The fitness center is open for students and faculty on a daily basis, after school until 4:30. The certified teachers themselves even use the center for their personal fitness routine.
“We both use it,” Latremore says.
“About 40 to 50 percent of people who work here are involved in using the center,” Bordeau adds.
New York state is required to provide kindergarten through grade 12 physical education to students. Although physical education is not required daily, it is a requirement for students in order to graduate.
Plattsburgh High School offers a traditional physical education program to students as well as outside opportunities such as the center and team sports.
In past years the high school had offered primarily team sports as the only opportunity for fitness outside of physical education, but since opening the center more students have been able to participate in exercise programs.
“Not everyone can do that,” Latremore says referring to team sports. “This offers more opportunities to be active.”
Jason Lehmbeck, president of the New York Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, says there is mounting evidence and research that supports physical education and fitness benefits.
“Students that are physically fit achieve more in the classroom and in general have better energy and happier lives than those who are not fit,” he says.
Melissa Olster, a personal trainer at the Plattsburgh State University Fitness Center, also says that fitness is an important part of life and helps increase ones overall health in the long-run.
Lehmbeck says specific benefits for young adults and children from fitness also include less illness and better self-confidence.
“Bottom line, we feel very passionate that what we do has an opportunity to impact how we feel everyday of our lives,” Lehmbeck says. “We are committed to improving the quality of life for all kids, not just athletes and we are always seeking better ways of doing that.”
Plattsburgh refusing recess reform
By Melissa Erny
Playworks, a California-based nonprofit organization, is hiring more and more coaches for schools all across the country just for recess periods. These aren’t regular coaches, though. They aren’t there for a young sports team – they’re there to make sure kids do activities that are scheduled out during their free time rather than doing what they want.
Will these changes be coming to Plattsburgh elementary schools any time soon? Local principals say no.
The program is run by what they call a recess coach. They put together physical activities and supervise children as they perform them as a substitute to free time recess. Activities include anything from running around an obstacle course set up by the coach to simply running laps. With this program in place, children must do the instructed activities or they receive disciplinary actions. The level of supervision helps lower the amount of injury occurring on the playground. In a study at the University Heights Charter School in Newark students who work with the program have shown to perform better socially and are less likely to bully.
Carrie Zales, principal of the Oak Street Elementary School, says that recess is already monitored as much as it needs to be. The school doesn’t plan for recess to be run by a coach anytime soon. The school has other programs put into place to correct bullying and they do not feel that more measures are necessary. “We educate our students with the programs: Steps to Respect and Second Step.” These programs already do the job of a structured recess and teach children not to bully and get along with others. “We act on individual cases of challenge with reteaching and consequences.”
Bailey Avenue Elementary School and Momot Elementary School agree with these teachings and neither plan on asking for a recess coach. None of these schools reflect enough problems with bullying for this to be necessary. Children who do bully receive treatment immediately.
There are some who think there could be benefits to a structured recess. Dr. Raymond Havlicek, a Lake Placid psychologist who has dealt with children in the past, thinks the program could be very beneficial and is almost necessary. He doesn’t think that recess is necessary and that this program could benefit in many ways.
“The idea of adding additional structure may be positive for kids,” he says. “The reason is the poor performance.” Though the National Center for Education Statistics listed that the enrollment of children into elementary school has gone up 1% between 2001 and 2006, Dr. Havlicek says students are performing worse than ever. He believes that this additional structure in recess could help them do better in school as well as socially. He says that if children were made to play together then it could be very positive to their peer-structure. Fewer kids would be left out because everyone would be included.
He also says that there would be no detrimental effects on a child’s psyche from the structure a coach may provide. “Children are very robust.” He believes that it will help relieve any stress that children may be facing during recess and would have a positive impact on decreasing bullying in school.
However, parents of children across the country whose schools have already taken on a recess coach are crying out. They say that children need to rest during the day and this makes them come home tired and worn out. In The New York Times, Maria Costa, a mother of three children, says she couldn’t imagine going a whole day without having a break as an adult or a child. Since then recess has now been restored at her daughter’s school. “It’s just not natural.”
Playworks, a California-based nonprofit organization, is hiring more and more coaches for schools all across the country just for recess periods. These aren’t regular coaches, though. They aren’t there for a young sports team – they’re there to make sure kids do activities that are scheduled out during their free time rather than doing what they want.
Will these changes be coming to Plattsburgh elementary schools any time soon? Local principals say no.
The program is run by what they call a recess coach. They put together physical activities and supervise children as they perform them as a substitute to free time recess. Activities include anything from running around an obstacle course set up by the coach to simply running laps. With this program in place, children must do the instructed activities or they receive disciplinary actions. The level of supervision helps lower the amount of injury occurring on the playground. In a study at the University Heights Charter School in Newark students who work with the program have shown to perform better socially and are less likely to bully.
Carrie Zales, principal of the Oak Street Elementary School, says that recess is already monitored as much as it needs to be. The school doesn’t plan for recess to be run by a coach anytime soon. The school has other programs put into place to correct bullying and they do not feel that more measures are necessary. “We educate our students with the programs: Steps to Respect and Second Step.” These programs already do the job of a structured recess and teach children not to bully and get along with others. “We act on individual cases of challenge with reteaching and consequences.”
Bailey Avenue Elementary School and Momot Elementary School agree with these teachings and neither plan on asking for a recess coach. None of these schools reflect enough problems with bullying for this to be necessary. Children who do bully receive treatment immediately.
There are some who think there could be benefits to a structured recess. Dr. Raymond Havlicek, a Lake Placid psychologist who has dealt with children in the past, thinks the program could be very beneficial and is almost necessary. He doesn’t think that recess is necessary and that this program could benefit in many ways.
“The idea of adding additional structure may be positive for kids,” he says. “The reason is the poor performance.” Though the National Center for Education Statistics listed that the enrollment of children into elementary school has gone up 1% between 2001 and 2006, Dr. Havlicek says students are performing worse than ever. He believes that this additional structure in recess could help them do better in school as well as socially. He says that if children were made to play together then it could be very positive to their peer-structure. Fewer kids would be left out because everyone would be included.
He also says that there would be no detrimental effects on a child’s psyche from the structure a coach may provide. “Children are very robust.” He believes that it will help relieve any stress that children may be facing during recess and would have a positive impact on decreasing bullying in school.
However, parents of children across the country whose schools have already taken on a recess coach are crying out. They say that children need to rest during the day and this makes them come home tired and worn out. In The New York Times, Maria Costa, a mother of three children, says she couldn’t imagine going a whole day without having a break as an adult or a child. Since then recess has now been restored at her daughter’s school. “It’s just not natural.”
Figure skating science
By Amanda Delosh
For some figure skating is a way of life with hopes of fulfilling dreams of winning Olympic gold. For others it’s a form of art on ice they can watch and wonder how these jumps and spins can be done. It is not without desire, want, and persistence that figure skating would be what it is today.
Children who live in the North Country tend to be put in skates when they are able to walk, whether they are hockey skates or figure skates. As they progress with each sport injuries may be involved. These injuries can sometimes be minor or major ones. Those triple axels, spirals and spins do not come without consequences. Artistry in skating has taken a back seat to these gasping jumps unfortunately, leaving these young figure skaters fit for injury.
Like gymnastics girls peak at a young age in figure skating. It is a lot easier to throw your body into the air when you weigh 90 pounds and are only five feet tall, compared to someone of 130 pounds and is 5’6. The older you get the harder everything is. The girls on top of the podium winning gold medals at world championships are 12-15 years old; you very rarely see someone who is 30 years old.
Now, if there were a way to solve these injuries, and perfect certain jumps, would it be a good idea to bring forward and use? Today scientists are teaming up to try and accomplish this by a computer and motion sensors attached to a skater’s body. The questions are, how does this work, and will it really help a figure skaters ability to polish their jumps with less injury to their health?
This computer may help skaters but some skeptics say it will take away from the art of figure skating. However, being able to know precise movements that will help their many different moves may change the life of figure skating. This computer, according to the New York Times, “allows researchers to mimic skaters' positions during jumps and calibrate the effect of altering angles of the head, torso, arm and leg.” Imagine struggling for so long to complete one of the most rigorous jumps, and you keep falling after each attempt. Then, with the simplicity of a computer, your frustrations have been solved.
“I think that if they did use that technology it would take away the artistry of skating and the experience skaters get when they accomplish difficult things,” says Samantha DeLosh, an 18-year-old figure skater who has been skating since she was six. She has been a part of one of the best known synchronized skating teams on the Eastern Coast of the United States, The Ice Illusions. This team has skated on to many undefeated years, capturing the all around gold medal in the Eastern Synchronized Skating Championships twice.
“It would come down to, I need to start turning at this moment because science told me to do it. It’s turning into a science equation, and it’s taking away the freedom of skating,” she says. Even though she may seem like she is not for the computer she does say, “I don’t think that people should depend on it, but I think it may be something interesting to try.” She continues saying, “I think they could hold clinics for it, but I don’t think it should become a part of the training.”
But according to recent statistics from the United States Figure Skating Association, the two most common injuries are with the lower back and knee-roughly being 34% and 26%. This statistic is just two of many injuries.
DeLosh says, “Well, for the health of the skater it would be beneficial but not for the health of the sport.” She explains, “I just, I mean yeah it’d be nice, but I think if it started getting too involved and too dominate of skating and the coaching process it will just turn into a science. I think they are creating a figure skater at a scientific stand point where as not from a physical standpoint.”
For so long skating has been something either you are born to do or simply you are not at all made for. “I think it would take away from those who can’t afford it; it would add to if you can’t afford this then what are you supposed to do?” says DeLosh. “It would divide more skaters if you can’t afford the technology, you will fall behind and it would take away from the talent of skating.” Talent is the key to figure skating. Could this new technology be an easy way out to a sport that we all once knew was either pure luck or talent? “Because of this technology they may get ahead of you even if they aren’t as talented,” says DeLosh.
However with the science of skating changing, the judging system is as well. The International Judging System decided to give skaters more challenge during competitions. A couple years ago skaters were able to complete all required jumps within the first minute of their program. Now, they are to continue these powerful jumps throughout their routines. The New York Times says, “Each skill in a performance now receives specific points, requiring more focus. And skaters no longer have an incentive to perform all jumps early in a program before they tire-now, jumps done later earn extra points.”
With this, skaters train harder and a lot more to acquire the physical strength to accomplish this difficult and tiring task. Many skaters by the time they are 10 years old develop bone fractures, muscle complications, torn ligaments, and sometimes injuries that require surgery. A main one discussed earlier is knee injuries. When doing specific jumps, a landing is involved. This landing will take a strain on just one leg. Think about picking off the ice and you’re up in the air only to come back down on just one leg. Skaters tend to replay jumps over and over until they get it right. This is what causes those knee injuries due to the shock absorption occurring when landing.
Another injury in the statistic is lower back or tailbone fractures. These are definitely not a highlight of figure skating. A simple slip or wrong edge can send someone falling on the ice and of course when you fall the most commonplace would be your bottom. Wrist injuries also occur because when falling people have a tendency to put their arms out causing impact on the wrist and elbow. Another common one many skaters will have to deal with all their lives are hip injuries. This injury may not come into effect until they are older, like for example Olympic Gold medalist at the age of 14; Tara Lipinski under went hip surgery when she was 18 years old. The constant landing on one leg puts major impact and causes absorption into that whole side of the body.
These injuries may make some not want to attempt this sport; however, just like any other sport training is required. This training will help with injury if skaters know the proper way to execute jumps. “The accelerometer study is part of a flowering of research on safety and performance,” says the New York Times. They continue saying, “A year-round pursuit for competitive skaters, emphasizes athleticism and endurance more than ever before.” All skaters may not favor this computer, but for those prone to injury it may come in handy.
The research being conducted at this time could lead to new training regiments. These include, “off-ice conditioning and also limiting repetitions of jumps during a practice,” says the New York Times. These researchers look at skating as a whole meaning the physics, exercise, conditioning, and everything that comes with it. Hopefully with the knowledge they gain skating will become safer for young girls and boys, while injury will be less prone to happening.
As for an experienced skater like DeLosh, this computer sensor may be helpful she thinks, but at the same time may be taking away the artistry of skating, and the pure talent this sport is all about. “Obviously it would be good to look into if you are getting injured, then you should go look into it,” says DeLosh. However, she continues saying, “If you’re a perfectly fine skater you shouldn’t be using this to base your skating off of, use it as a rehabilitation I don’t think it should be used frequently.”
DeLosh says, “Figure skating has been around for so long, why change it now when it’s about the raw talent of practice and putting your all into something, don’t let a computer start telling you what to do.”
For some figure skating is a way of life with hopes of fulfilling dreams of winning Olympic gold. For others it’s a form of art on ice they can watch and wonder how these jumps and spins can be done. It is not without desire, want, and persistence that figure skating would be what it is today.
Children who live in the North Country tend to be put in skates when they are able to walk, whether they are hockey skates or figure skates. As they progress with each sport injuries may be involved. These injuries can sometimes be minor or major ones. Those triple axels, spirals and spins do not come without consequences. Artistry in skating has taken a back seat to these gasping jumps unfortunately, leaving these young figure skaters fit for injury.
Like gymnastics girls peak at a young age in figure skating. It is a lot easier to throw your body into the air when you weigh 90 pounds and are only five feet tall, compared to someone of 130 pounds and is 5’6. The older you get the harder everything is. The girls on top of the podium winning gold medals at world championships are 12-15 years old; you very rarely see someone who is 30 years old.
Now, if there were a way to solve these injuries, and perfect certain jumps, would it be a good idea to bring forward and use? Today scientists are teaming up to try and accomplish this by a computer and motion sensors attached to a skater’s body. The questions are, how does this work, and will it really help a figure skaters ability to polish their jumps with less injury to their health?
This computer may help skaters but some skeptics say it will take away from the art of figure skating. However, being able to know precise movements that will help their many different moves may change the life of figure skating. This computer, according to the New York Times, “allows researchers to mimic skaters' positions during jumps and calibrate the effect of altering angles of the head, torso, arm and leg.” Imagine struggling for so long to complete one of the most rigorous jumps, and you keep falling after each attempt. Then, with the simplicity of a computer, your frustrations have been solved.
“I think that if they did use that technology it would take away the artistry of skating and the experience skaters get when they accomplish difficult things,” says Samantha DeLosh, an 18-year-old figure skater who has been skating since she was six. She has been a part of one of the best known synchronized skating teams on the Eastern Coast of the United States, The Ice Illusions. This team has skated on to many undefeated years, capturing the all around gold medal in the Eastern Synchronized Skating Championships twice.
“It would come down to, I need to start turning at this moment because science told me to do it. It’s turning into a science equation, and it’s taking away the freedom of skating,” she says. Even though she may seem like she is not for the computer she does say, “I don’t think that people should depend on it, but I think it may be something interesting to try.” She continues saying, “I think they could hold clinics for it, but I don’t think it should become a part of the training.”
But according to recent statistics from the United States Figure Skating Association, the two most common injuries are with the lower back and knee-roughly being 34% and 26%. This statistic is just two of many injuries.
DeLosh says, “Well, for the health of the skater it would be beneficial but not for the health of the sport.” She explains, “I just, I mean yeah it’d be nice, but I think if it started getting too involved and too dominate of skating and the coaching process it will just turn into a science. I think they are creating a figure skater at a scientific stand point where as not from a physical standpoint.”
For so long skating has been something either you are born to do or simply you are not at all made for. “I think it would take away from those who can’t afford it; it would add to if you can’t afford this then what are you supposed to do?” says DeLosh. “It would divide more skaters if you can’t afford the technology, you will fall behind and it would take away from the talent of skating.” Talent is the key to figure skating. Could this new technology be an easy way out to a sport that we all once knew was either pure luck or talent? “Because of this technology they may get ahead of you even if they aren’t as talented,” says DeLosh.
However with the science of skating changing, the judging system is as well. The International Judging System decided to give skaters more challenge during competitions. A couple years ago skaters were able to complete all required jumps within the first minute of their program. Now, they are to continue these powerful jumps throughout their routines. The New York Times says, “Each skill in a performance now receives specific points, requiring more focus. And skaters no longer have an incentive to perform all jumps early in a program before they tire-now, jumps done later earn extra points.”
With this, skaters train harder and a lot more to acquire the physical strength to accomplish this difficult and tiring task. Many skaters by the time they are 10 years old develop bone fractures, muscle complications, torn ligaments, and sometimes injuries that require surgery. A main one discussed earlier is knee injuries. When doing specific jumps, a landing is involved. This landing will take a strain on just one leg. Think about picking off the ice and you’re up in the air only to come back down on just one leg. Skaters tend to replay jumps over and over until they get it right. This is what causes those knee injuries due to the shock absorption occurring when landing.
Another injury in the statistic is lower back or tailbone fractures. These are definitely not a highlight of figure skating. A simple slip or wrong edge can send someone falling on the ice and of course when you fall the most commonplace would be your bottom. Wrist injuries also occur because when falling people have a tendency to put their arms out causing impact on the wrist and elbow. Another common one many skaters will have to deal with all their lives are hip injuries. This injury may not come into effect until they are older, like for example Olympic Gold medalist at the age of 14; Tara Lipinski under went hip surgery when she was 18 years old. The constant landing on one leg puts major impact and causes absorption into that whole side of the body.
These injuries may make some not want to attempt this sport; however, just like any other sport training is required. This training will help with injury if skaters know the proper way to execute jumps. “The accelerometer study is part of a flowering of research on safety and performance,” says the New York Times. They continue saying, “A year-round pursuit for competitive skaters, emphasizes athleticism and endurance more than ever before.” All skaters may not favor this computer, but for those prone to injury it may come in handy.
The research being conducted at this time could lead to new training regiments. These include, “off-ice conditioning and also limiting repetitions of jumps during a practice,” says the New York Times. These researchers look at skating as a whole meaning the physics, exercise, conditioning, and everything that comes with it. Hopefully with the knowledge they gain skating will become safer for young girls and boys, while injury will be less prone to happening.
As for an experienced skater like DeLosh, this computer sensor may be helpful she thinks, but at the same time may be taking away the artistry of skating, and the pure talent this sport is all about. “Obviously it would be good to look into if you are getting injured, then you should go look into it,” says DeLosh. However, she continues saying, “If you’re a perfectly fine skater you shouldn’t be using this to base your skating off of, use it as a rehabilitation I don’t think it should be used frequently.”
DeLosh says, “Figure skating has been around for so long, why change it now when it’s about the raw talent of practice and putting your all into something, don’t let a computer start telling you what to do.”
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