Deadline to vote on Fort Plain, Canajoharie merger approaches

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Another pair of local school districts are discussing a possible merger.  As the deadline approaches for the Fort Plain and Canajoharie schools to vote on the idea, each district’s superintendents addressed the crowd and answered questions as they presented their findings from over the past few months.

“Let’s get the kids the best opportunities. Let’s make sure the kids get the most out of everything that they can do here. That’s kind of the idea. Let’s think ahead. Let’s not wait for something to happen.” Canajoharie Central School District Superintendent Dr. Nick Fitzgerald went on to say, “There’s an opportunity for us, our programs to do that and give our kids that opportunity. That’s exciting. I think about that every day in terms of what we can do.”

One of the biggest concerns from the public was the unknown.  Because they say they have no idea who the new board will be or who the superintendent will be. One of the parents said, “Because if you’re not part of the process, yeah, no vote. For me as a parent, I’m like I can’t agree to this right now, despite how great it sounds. Because there’s almost too much at risk. And not having a board that that is involved in this process in some capacity to be able to share that continuity is definitely a red flag for me.”

Also on the table was the concern of changing or losing staff and or buildings if the two schools merged. “There is no job loss projected in this initial transition,” stated Fort Plain Central School District Superintendent Lauren Crisman. 

Dr. Fitzgerald pointing to the sports teams who have already merged between the schools this past year as a way of making this merger work. “There’s already merged programs. There’s a drama club presentation going on right now, they’ve merged for years. All of our fall sports now are merged, every one of them. Half of our winter sports are merged and we’re starting to merge spring sports. So, what’s solely happening is that’s happening already,” explained Dr. Fitzgerald.  

But one parent said otherwise, “I’m not a parent who works, but like transporting kids, even back from where I live, like Fort Plain’s school is a 20-minute drive from my house, that’s direct.”

Monday night was the last in person forum. The next one will be virtual on February 26 with the vote on the merger happening March 4. A vote will be held in each district. Both districts need to vote yes in order to go forward. If the merger is approved the school districts hope to have the newly developed district by July 2026.