plainedgeschools.org

If you go to a Long Island Ducks game this summer, you might see a familiar face on Duckvision, math teacher Chris Formisano. Mr. Formisano recorded an ad for Long Island Teachers highlighting the math that is involved in baseball, including figuring out batting averages, on-base percentage, and "the Moneyball of them all...OPS!"

Click the image above to watch Mr. Formisano's video and Lets Go Ducks!

Mr. Lichenstein demonstrating the pinch pull method in his "Say it With Clay" class for students in grades 2-4. Students are eager to construct their birdbath sculptures using this method! Stay up-to-date with the district by liking our Facebook page and following us on Instagram.

Catherine Flanagan, resident of Plainedge since 1992, was elected to the Plainedge Board of Education in 2005. Mrs. Flanagan served as Vice President of the School Board and has been the Board President for multiple years. Mrs. Flanagan, a staunch advocate for the children and taxpayers of Plainedge, continues to bring tax stability to the district while delivering a quality education.

Our teacher spotlight for this newsletter is our longtime high school science teacher, Mr. Perry Fuchs. Mr. Fuchs began his career at Plainedge in the fall of 2000, after completing a BA and MAT in Biology at Binghamton University. Even at the beginning, Mr. Fuchs was very active outside of the classroom, advising the Science Club and coaching the Plainedge Roller Hockey Club. Throughout his twenty-plus years in Plainedge, Mr. Fuchs has taught an incredibly wide variety of classes at the high school, including biology, honors biology, environmental science, forensics, Earth science, astronomy, and even SAT math. When asked about his favorite, Mr. Fuchs replied, “By far my favorite class has been astronomy. I had the privilege to create the curriculum for the class many years ago, and I’ve been slowly but steadily improving the class over the last fifteen years. It’s probably my favorite because I consider myself an amateur astronomer, and at its heart, astronomy is the study of all sciences in an attempt to understand the entire picture of our universe.”

In addition to teaching science to our children, Mr. Fuchs has also been a long-time leader in the Plainedge Federation of Teachers, the union that represents all of our teachers and teaching assistants. According to Mr. Fuchs, “I started out as a high school building representative about a decade ago and rose through the ranks to become the President of our union.” In his capacity as the President of our teacher’s union, Mr. Fuchs has made sure that our teachers are very active in the Plainedge community. “It’s important that our teachers understand that they are more than just educators; they are part of the Plainedge family.” To that effect, under Mr. Fuchs’ leadership, our teachers have spent an enormous amount of time and effort organizing events for our community, such as the incredibly popular Wizards Fundraiser and our annual We Make a Difference Awards Ceremony. Beyond hard work inside the classroom, Mr. Fuchs also encourages our educators to be an important part of Plainedge Pride Day, The Brian Moore Memorial Golf Outing, and most recently, the Holiday Tree Lighting Spectacular at our BMAC Center. “I couldn't be prouder to lead such a dedicated group of educators who care so deeply about our Plainedge community,” said Mr. Fuchs when asked about the importance of the PFT’s role in the success of our school district.

As if teaching science in the high school and leading the PFT weren’t enough, over the last two years, Mr. Fuchs has become an important part of our Plainedge STEAM team by creating the role of “Professor Planet”. Under the guise of Professor Planet, Mr. Fuchs has had the opportunity to enrich the STEAM classes with engaging science lessons, such as “Alien DNA Lab” and “Water Rocket Challenge”. All of Mr. Fuchs’ lessons at the elementary schools are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and designed to excite children about learning science! This year, Mr. Fuchs realized he could not go the entire summer without working with children, so he is spending the summer teaching Solar Bots and Breakout EDU classes at our Plainedge Summer Enrichment Camp. There is little doubt that Mr. Fuchs has a tremendous amount of Plainedge Pride!

Beyond the classroom, Mr. Fuchs likes to spend most of his time with his beautiful wife Eden and five-year-old daughter Paige. His interests outside of the classroom include plenty of reading, visiting museums, traveling, and being with his friends. When asked about where he sees himself in the future, Mr. Fuchs responded, “Right now I am very focused on my family and career in Plainedge. The Plainedge community has given me the opportunity to grow as an educator and a person, and I’m eternally grateful for all that the community has done for me. I look forward to finishing the last third of my career with just as much enthusiasm and energy as I had at the beginning.”