THIRD EDITION
50TH ANNIVERSARY HONORS
FIRST BEAGLE SCHOLARSHIP ACTS OF KINDNESS SPRING
WELCOMEBACKALUMNI
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ACTSOFKINDNESS
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FIRSTBEAGLESCHOLARSHIP
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NYSCAPITOLHONORS
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50THANNIVERSARYGALA
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BOARDOFDIRECTORS
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DIRECTOR'SCORNER
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ALUMNISPOTLIGHT
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TEACHERS'MEMORIES
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TEACHERAPPRECIATION
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ADAYATBEAGLE
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LITTLEBEAGLE
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UPCOMINGEVENTS
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KEEPINTOUCH
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We hope the summer finds you well! Throughout the pages of this newsletter, we wanted to share the pure joy, excitement and wonder the students at The Beagle School feel every day - and perhaps bring you back to a time that you and/or your own children marveled at a new creation they made, leapt with joy over an icy treat on a hot day or felt like the most special person in the world when they walked into The Little Red Schoolhouse and saw the huge smiles of their teachers and classmates.
It's been an incredible time for The Beagle School! From the 50th Anniversary Gala at The Canfield Casino to being honored at The New York State Capitol to Random Acts of Kindness Week - one thing is for certainThe Beagle School community, as always, has a huge heart of gold!
All The Best, MaryCarlin
& The Beagle School Alumni Newsletter; Jessica Todtenhagen, Jennifer Taylor, Allison Oliver Miller, Kate Green Fitzpatrick
ONCE IN THE BEAGLE SCHOOL FAMILY, ALWAYS IN THE BEAGLE SCHOOL FAMILY
STUDENTS THANK LOCAL HEALTHCARE WORKERS, POLICE, FARMERS AND VETERINARY STAFF MEMBERS
The Beagle School celebrated Random Acts of Kindness Week in February with a goal of spreading cheer throughout Saratoga. Students gave out everything from handmade kindness cards/books to donuts to gift cards across Saratoga.
The Little Explorers class visited The Saratoga County Animal Shelter. The students were lucky enough to get to see the kitties and doggies too.
Students also visited Pitney Meadows Community Farm, presenting them with a colorful handmade card.
The Voyagers Afternoon Class visited the VCA Ballston Spa Animal Hospital. The Little Explorers Tuesday/Thursday class did their random acts of kindness at The Home of the Good Shepherd. And in March, The Home of the Good Shepherd stopped by with donuts to say thank you to the children for their random acts of kindness! They even watched them do science and sing a song.
Beagle School students also presented The Saratoga County Sheriff's Office with a handmade card to say thank you for all of their work. Thank you to everyone who helped make Random Acts of Kindness Week a huge success!
PHOTO BY: JENN MOAK PHOTOGRAPHY
Emma Furze says she has always had a passion for teaching since she was little. "I have always enjoyed spending time with kids and influencing others."
Emma said there are many teachers in her family, however, her mother was her main inspiration. "I used to go in my mom's classroom to meet her students and admire the way she teaches."
In the fall, she will be attending SUNY Oneonta and and will be majoring in Early Childhood Education.
Her goal is to teach second grade. The Beagle School Staff, Board of Directors and Alumni wish the very best of luck to Emma as she pursues her dream!
The Beagle School received recognition at The New York State Capitol in Albany in March with resolutions passed both in the Senate and the Assembly. The resolutions recognized the school's 50 years of providing outstanding early childhood education and preschool services to children in the Saratoga Springs area.
Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner and Senator James Tedisco are pictured with The Beagle School 's Director, Board President, teachers and families.
Beagle 50-Year logo used here & throughout the newsletter by: Megan Corbari / Shenendehowa High School
The Beagle School
50th Anniversary Gala
Raises More Than $40,000 for the School
Beagle School Founder Mere Witt with family and Beagle Alumni at The 50th Anniversary Gala
Beagle Alumni, current parents, board members, teachers, community members and Beagle's first director who was integral in founding the school, Mere Witt, celebrated the school's 50th Anniversary at the gala in March.
"Casino Night had something for everyone. People enjoyed the photobooth, hit the dance floor, and bet it all at the casino tables," said Beagle Board Member and Alumni Committee Chair Allison Oliver Miller.
Guests enjoyed Craps, Roulette, Triple Jack Poker, Poker and Blackjack. They also had the opportunity to bid on more than 40 silent auction items donated by local businesses and Beagle families.
"It was also really cool to be hosting a casino night in a historic Saratoga building that actually used to be a casino. There was a real sense of history. It's a beautiful event space and it looked really impressive," said Miller.
Around 200 people attended the gala at The Canfield Casino. The school is grateful for the support of its many sponsors and supporters, including The Adirondack Trust Company, Stewart's Shops, Saratoga Eagle Sales and Service, and Saratoga Springs Family Dentistry, to name a few.
"When I think of The Beagle School in general, a feeling of love floods over me. The 50th Celebration was overwhelmingly full of love and beauty, said Linda Gorham, or "Ms. Linda," Beagle Voyagers teacher.
"Entering The Canfield Casino was breathtaking! The stained glass ceilings were gently illuminated by a soft glow of light and as gorgeous as that was it seemed to pale in contrast to the sparkle of the guests' smiles and their enthusiasm to be there. To be immersed in an atmosphere of laughter, friendship, appreciation of each other along with enjoying diverse conversations was priceless," said Gorham. It was a night that will be remembered for decades to come.
PHOTOBOOTH PHOTOS BY: SARATOGA PHOTOBOOTH COMPANY
As another school year drew to a close, so did a rather significant chapter for me. And it was a bittersweet moment, to be sure.
During my five years on Beagle’s Board of Directors, there have been so many joyous moments - and I have seen the school weather a few daunting storms. COVID’s closure and the subsequent reopening comes to mind as a hurdle so big that, in retrospect, it doesn’t seem. The school, with its amazing teachers and staff, has a resilience to be admired.
Celebrating The Beagle School’s 50th Anniversary this year has been the perfect conclusion for my time with the school. It doesn’t get any better than honoring and acknowledging all that Beagle has meant to students, families and the community. The 50th Open House and Kids Carnival in September and October, followed by the successful and insanely fun Casino Gala this past March, has made this year like no other. It has been busy, but incredibly rewarding.
It has been an honor to work with such dedicated parents throughout my time at the school and on the Board. I will forever be grateful for the friendships I’ve made, and for the things I’ve learned about the community.
As The Beagle School plans what the next 50 years will look like, I am excited for how it will grow and evolve. One thing is for certain - I know that Beagle will continue to accomplish great things!
JenniferTaylor
It’s been six years since my oldest entered the doors of The Beagle School and it took about just six months for me to decide that I wanted to apply and join the Board of Directors.
Being a board member has provided so many positive opportunities for myself and my family. I became more involved in my children’s educational experiences and more connected to the community I was new to. It's also been a chance to learn and exercise my personal areas of expertise in ways I may not otherwise use in my career.
I am so thankful for my time, the sweet memories and the friendships made. I will always look back on my Beagle Board time fondly and look forward to staying apprised of Beagle’s future successes through the Alumni Committee.
As an educator myself, it’s been an honor to have advocated for the outstanding teaching staff and leadership who work so hard to meet the individual needs of all students.
I have truly valued working along with parents who share similar concerns and the desire to maintain Beagle’s mission of learning through play “afloat."
Our 50th year was more exciting and wonderful than I ever could have imagined. Celebrations, both big and small, both inside and outside of the classroom, filled our hearts with such joy. I have been so fortunate to see families, teachers, and directors from Beagle’s past and hear the many delightful memories they had of our school.
Learning through play had such a tremendous impact on each student who came here and as they spoke of their reflections with laughter and smiles, I could not help but do the same. There were many stories about the ship in the backyard, field trips to the beach, trickor-treating, riding a slide to the old cubby room, taking and developing photographs, friendships that have endured decades, and so much more. One memory after another and I could not help but feel pride to be a part of a school that has had a lasting impression on its students.
With reflection on our past, comes looking forward to our future. Educating our littlest learners for years to come is at the heart of Beagle’s mission. In order to do that, we are looking to grow our programs and building to meet the needs of our community. The future of Beagle is bright and I hope you will follow along and continue to support our school as we try to expand our building and our impact on the community.
WRITTEN BY DEIRDRE LADD, MOM OF THREE BEAGLE ALUMNI & NEXTDOOR NEIGHBOR TO BEAGLE
It is hard to write of only a few memories. All three of my boys attended The Beagle School. However, Jack, my oldest, only went for one year. I had not realized just how coveted this preschool was and how long the waitlist it had. So, although we lived only steps away from it, I ended up driving Jack across town to Skidmore’s pre-school for their 3-year-old program.
"WHAT A JOY IT HAS BEEN TO LIVE NEXT TO THE BEAGLE SCHOOL. THE CHILDREN’S LAUGHTER BUBBLING OVER OUR FENCE AND WAFTING IN THROUGH OUR WINDOWS HAS BEEN THE SWEETEST BACKGROUND NOISE IMAGINABLE FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS. "
-DEIRDRE LADD
One of my favorite memories of Jack’s time at Beagle involved our dog. Wilbur, an old Golden Retriever, not only loved escorting Jack to school, he loved watching all the kids skip down the sidewalk from his spot in the middle of our driveway. Wilbur rarely missed a drop off or pick up from his perch on the blacktop and he never once barked at any child or their parent coming or going to The Beagle School. It was like he knew this was a special place too.
Jack’s teachers were Margaret, Roberta and Charlene, each of whom brought a different kind of energy to the classroom and playground. I was especially impressed with their efforts to get the kids outside in the winter, making sure everyone learned how to get their coats, hats, boots and mittens on by themselves.
I also like how they incorporated current events into the classroom curriculum. On New Year’s they built a tower and, after counting down from 10, they dropped a ball from the top of it.
Patrick, my second-born, was our only child to attend the 2-year-old program on Circular as well as the 3year and 4-year old programs on Regent Street. His teachers were Nancy, Carolyn and Roberta.
The Beagle School families we met when Patrick was a toddler are some of our closest friends today. In fact, Patrick’s best friend is a boy he met, played in the sandbox and ate Playdough with. They are 23 now and they love to hike, fish and ski together still.
The teachers and I had devised a plan ahead of time. While the kids’ cookies were cooling off, the story about the Gingerbread Baby running away would be read. The kids would be so enraptured in this tale they wouldn’t notice how the trays of cookies (with each of their names on them) were carried over my house. Nor would they pick up on the fact that a trail of crumbs (in which Wilbur never ate) would lead them right to my front door.
When they followed the path and knocked on my door, I would act surprised, explain that I was just putting the final touches on my gingerbread house and ask them to come in. All the children would gather in my kitchen and I would say, “Annie is this your Gingerbread cookie?” The expression of wonder on their faces! They would be so amazed that their cookies had run next door to see my gingerbread house, just like in the story.
After a number of years of doing this, I received a gift of a paper garland of Gingerbread Cookie cutouts as a thank you. It is one of my favorite holiday decorations that I still display every year (pictured above).
"A FAVORITE MEMORY FROM THIS TIME WAS WHEN THE KIDS WOULD MAKE AND DECORATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES."
When our third son, Declan, was born in 2003, my life got very busy. I now had three children under the age of 6 and hired Laura to babysit for us one night a week. I remember how impressed I was when Laura told me that her best friends in high school were the friends she made at The Beagle School.
When Declan began pre-school in 2006, my regular joke was that we lived too close to the school to be on time. Punctuality was never our strength and ironically, when Declan was a senior, he was voted, “Most likely to be late for graduation.”
Declan remembers the little, twostory house on the playground. He loved to climb up the ladder and peak out the second-floor window. Although sometimes he would forget how to come back down and I had to squeeze myself inside to help him.
In fact, when Patrick was a senior, I asked the Beagle School alumni from his 2-year-old program, if they would come over to my house and recreate their class picture for their yearbook. Only 2 out of 10 kids had moved away. I still can’t believe all 8 remaining kids agreed to do this. The Morrison Twins even went to Tractor Supply Co. to buy overalls and striped shirts, so they could be wearing the same outfit they wore for the photo back in 2002.
My boys are now 19, 23 and 26 and like our babysitter, Laura, they have stayed in touch with many of their pre-school classmates.
"THAT’S FRIENDSHIP! THAT’S COMMUNITY, AND, THAT’S WHAT BEAGLE SCHOOL IS ALL ABOUT. THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORIES AND FOR BEING WONDERFUL NEIGHBORS, BEAGLE SCHOOL!"
" FOR ME, ONLY BEING PART OF THE BEAGLE COMMUNITY FOR 6 YEARS, IT WAS SO SPECIAL TO SEE, HEAR AND FEEL WHAT THE SCHOOL HAS BROUGHT TO PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS OVER THE MANY YEARS BEING A SARATOGA NATIVE BUT NOT ATTENDING BEAGLE OR SENDING MY OWN CHILDREN TO BEAGLE, I FEEL AS THOUGH WE MISSED OUT ON THIS SPECIAL COMMUNITY TREASURE BUT I AM SO THANKFUL THAT MY FAMILY AND I GET TO SHARE IN IT NOW "
"THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE SOME OF MY FORMER STUDENTS AT THE OPEN HOUSE I ALWAYS LOVE TO SEE STUDENTS AND HOW THEY HAVE GROWN AND CHANGED I ALSO LOVED SEEING PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT STAGES IN LIFE REUNITING AT THE OPEN HOUSE AND WATCHING THEM POUR OVER ALL OF THE OLD PHOTO ALBUMS REMINISCING ABOUT THEIR TIME SPENT AT BEAGLE "
" I REALLY LOVED WHEN WE HAD THE OPEN HOUSE AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SO MANY PEOPLE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS FROM YEARS PAST WERE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR MEMORIES OF THE BEAGLE SCHOOL "
"WHAT MADE THE BEAGLE SCHOOL 50TH SPECIAL FOR ME? IT IS SIMPLE MY ANSWER IS, THE CHILDREN FIFTY YEARS OF PURE DEVOTION TO CHILDREN ALL THE CHILDREN WHO GRACED THE SCHOOL OVER THE GENERATIONS WITH THEIR ENERGY, EXCITEMENT, CURIOSITY AND EAGERNESS TO LEARN IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE AND DEDICATION TO THE CHILDREN!"
"THERE WERE LOTS OF SPECIAL MOMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR SUCH AS THE OPEN HOUSE AND THE BEAGLE GALA, BUT MY FAVORITE WAS ATTENDING THE STATE CAPITOL IT WAS SUCH AN HONOR FOR THE BEAGLE SCHOOL TO RECEIVE A LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION IN RECOGNITION FOR ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY "
"THIS YEAR WAS SPECIAL FOR ME FOR SO MANY REASONS ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I WAS HIRED TO BE ANNA’S ASSISTANT AFTER BEING GONE FROM THIS SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR MANY YEARS I LOVED ALL OF THE EVENTS CELEBRATING THE ANNIVERSARY BUT ESPECIALLY THE OPEN HOUSE / BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IT WAS SO NICE SEEING CURRENT FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND FAMILIES THAT NOW HAVE CHILDREN WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND "
MS. ANNA / LITTLE EXPLORERS
MS. KARA / LITTLE EXPLORERS
MS. LINDA / VOYAGERS
"EVERY DAY I AM AT THE BEAGLE SCHOOL, I THINK ABOUT HOW LUCKY I AM TO HAVE THIS JOB WHERE I CAN BE A PART OF WITNESSING THESE KIDS DISCOVER NEW THINGS, CREATE NEW FRIENDSHIPS, SOLVE PROBLEMS, AND GROW DURING THE MOST PRECIOUS YEARS OF THEIR YOUNG LIVES."
Sarah Comitale, known at The Beagle School as "Ms. Sarah," vividly remembers her first day as an assistant teacher. "I started in October 2015 and I was lucky enough to have my first day be the day we went trick or treating at Empire State University."
It ng one fa here are a eagle. "I love how no two days are the same, I love the people that I work with and being part of a team that wants to see everyone succeed and, of course, the kids," said Sarah.
For Sarah, Beagle feels like a second home. "The building itself has so much character that it really sets itself apart from every other. It is a warm and inviting place that is always colorful and decorated with student projects."
It's also a place her 11-year-old daughter
Brooklynn (pictured to the right) adores. "She loves The Beagle School as much as I do and has many fond memories of it."
Brooklynn was three years old when Sarah started working at The Beagle School.
While the years have flown by, so too do the days at Beagle. Sarah does everything from project and experiment prep, moving furniture around, cutting paper, reading with students, running STEM based-centers, helping with snack and outdoor play and then after she eats lunch, she does it all again for the afternoon class! She is well known and well loved for her hard work. "I have been deemed the resident 'handy wom ' f th h l I ill l k on any
In her eight years at The Beagle School, Sarah has seen firsthand an incredible transformation. "It has changed so much! The expansion of our back yard and the renovations that were made inside. You might recall when the kitchen area was all near the bathrooms, we had a stove and oven, all of the cabinets in the back of the classroom were new, even the floor changed. There are new tables and chairs, we have so many new teaching tools and toys. The rainbow rock garden has grown more and more every year with the help of the students."
Just as picking one favorite aspect of Beagle is incredibly hard, so too is selecting a favorite memory. "I will say that one of the most recent memories I have was during the graduation ceremony this year. One of our graduates was so nervous about walking out in front of all the parents and families. I could see the hesitation so I reached out to offer my hand and he squeezed it so tight. I walked alongside the line of kids and gave a little squeeze back and with a whisper of encouragement I let go of his hand and watched as the nerves and fear left his face. He was all smiles and excitement. That really warmed my heart."
"I can't express enough how appreciative I am for all of the love and support the staff and the Beagle community has given to me and to Brooklynn. I am forever grateful!"
PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE BY BEAGLE ALUM & NEWSLETTER HELPER CHARLOTTE CARLIN
Charlotte
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NEXT ISSUE: FALL & WINTER 2023
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