Student Recognition

BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa Central School District has received the NAMM Foundation’s Best Communities for Music Education award. Ballston Spa is one of only 4% of public school districts across the country to receive the award in 2024.

“This national recognition serves as a credit to our faculty for ensuring outstanding opportunities in music education are available to our students throughout the district,” said Gianleo Duca, Superintendent of Schools, in a statement. “It further demonstrates how important music education is to our students, our district, and our school community.”

The Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Ballston Spa answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

March Spectacular Scotties

At Ballston Spa High School, we have a building wide character education program that we call Spectacular Scotties.  Each month, an email goes out to the staff, and asks them to nominate students that they feel represents the qualities that we are focusing on each month.  Specifically: The Spectacular Scotties Award is presented to a Ballston Spa High School student who demonstrates behavior that promotes good character – some examples are listed below. This individual is considered to have gone above and beyond to set a good example for their peers.

S (Self-confident)

C (Courageous)

O (Outgoing)

T (Trustworthy)

T (Thoughtful)

I (Involved)

E (Empathetic)

S (Supportive)

For the month of March, the focus was on students that were Thoughtful and Involved.