Balancing Academics and Athletics: A Continued Commitment

Last year, I shared with you our approach at Lowville Academy to ensuring student-athletes maintain a healthy balance between their academic responsibilities and athletic commitments. As we continue to refine our process, I wanted to provide an update on slight changes being proposed by a committee led by Teresa Freeman, one of our elementary teachers who is working toward her administrative degree.

First and foremost, academics and athletics are deeply connected. Both require a strong work ethic, perseverance, and the ability to work through challenges. Just as student-athletes push themselves on the field or court, they must also stay committed to their studies, relying on the guidance of both teachers and coaches to succeed.

One key area the committee is focusing on is enhancing communication between student-athletes, parents/guardians, teachers of record, and coaches. To improve efficiency and clarity, we are exploring the implementation of an electronic system that will allow real-time updates and direct communication among all stakeholders. Additionally, we are reviewing the frequency of academic progress checks, which are currently conducted on a weekly basis, to determine the most effective approach.
It is important to reiterate that our academic review policy is not an “I gotcha” system. Our goal is not to penalize students but to provide meaningful support for those struggling in the classroom. The policy will continue to take a holistic approach, considering attendance, effort, grades, and participation to ensure that students receive the guidance they need to succeed in both academics and athletics.

As this policy moves forward and is finalized, it will be shared with our LACS community. We appreciate the dedication of our student-athletes, their families, and the educators and coaches who support them. As always, we welcome your feedback as we work together to ensure that every student can thrive both in the classroom and in competition.

Yours in Education,

Brian E. Finn
High School Principal

2nd Quarter Honor Roll Information

Lowville Academy students did very well during the second academic quarter as two hundred and twenty-seven students made one of the school’s honor rolls. A very special congratulations to one and all for doing a great job in preparing for the future!  The breakdown for each category for grades 9-12 follows below:

The grade level distribution for the honor rolls follows below:

HIGH HONOR ROLL (95 – 100)

Grade 9:  Landon Bagley, Kayden Birchenough, Ethan Bryant, Gail Clark, Audrey Gohlert, Isabella Harper, Elizabeth Hyde, Samantha Jock, Cooper Lincoln, Sienna Munn, Elijah Reynolds, Lily Rupert, Anya Rush, Friden Smith, Olivia Stockman, Ava Swinyer, John Tucker, Katelynn VanNest, Brycen Villiere, Keeley Virkler, Natalie Waugh, Jordyn Weiler, Malcolm Wetmore.

Grade 10:  Duncan Andrews, Ira Blauvelt, Thomas Bleau, Lauren Crouse, Serenity Finley, Lily Gillette, Riley Gillette, Samantha Grimsey, Hayden Hulbert, Miriana Jantzi, Carson Kempney, Victoria Krop, Elijah Manning, Chase Morrow, Kiera Moshier, Caleb Nortz, Aliya Parker, Luke Patnode, Daisy Peters, Carl Petzoldt, Scarlett Salerno, Ella Sauter, Kairi Truax, William Vokey, Mason Waite, Paige Zehr.

Grade 11:  Makensie Freeman, Brayden Gillette, Karli Gillette, Katarina Gohlert, Jasmyn Hall, Corinne Haney, Mia Hanselman, Brooke Houppert, Anthony LaPuma, Mya Lehman, Elaina Lehmann, Nolan Moshier, Carver Nortz, Jenna Pate, Olivia Patnode, Samantha Reynolds, Grace Rupert, Laura Snyder, Natalie Stockman, Devin Swiernik, Joshua Weiler, Charlotte Wood, Ethan Zehr.

Grade 12:  Banyan Barker, Landon Brennan, Rielly Brennan, Ava Burns, Lis Dunckel, Lillian Exford, Leona Gohlert, Henry Goss, Patrick Grimsey, Eli Gronowski, Ethan Higby, Phoebe Jennings, Anna King, Lilly Lacey, Maya Laribee, Brenna Law, Skylar Manning, Nicholas Martin, Peyton Matuszczak, Thomas McCue, Julia Morrow, Tai Nortz, Haley Palmer, Aidan Pominville, Jevin Ray, Dudley Rombough, Delaney Rose, Simeon Rush, Trey Smith, Dominic Swiernik, Ariana Thomas, Brian Thomas, Abrianna Turck, Jenna Weiler, Logan Yarina.

HONOR ROLL (90 – 94)

Grade 9:  Liam Caudill, Madilynn Clark, Aurora Dietrich, Ty Dunckel, Jordan Folsom, Luke Fouse, Nicole Franchini, Madison Gamble, Katelynn Heins, Bella Hoch, Jaylen Lee, Maximus Moore, Ava Morrow, Kinsley Moshier, Slade Nortz, Gabriel Peters, Caleigh Robinson, Nolan Roes, Olivia Schwendy, Keira Tanner, Payten Tuttle.

Grade 10:  Landon Desrosiers, Destany Gibbs, Emma Halladay, Nicholas Madore, Alyssa Millard, Peyton Nortz, Alora Porciello, Xavier Roggie, Aryn Tiffany.

Grade 11:  Jayden Bagley, Toby Brandal, MaKayla Delles, Grace Fouse, Skye Lyndaker, Tuscany Maner, Eli McCue, Madeline Meleshchuk, Ryan Meleshchuk, Myah Nortz, William Noviscky, Ariyanna Ryan, Veronica Ryan, Jensen Staie, Caden Tanner.

Grade 12: Alexis Allen, Isabella Bergen, Aiden Capron, Wyatt Cornell, Carlee Davis, Faith Diddle, Elyzah Endy, Michael Fayle, Tyler Gyore, Averie Halladay, Andrew Ielfield, Cody Kempney, Katherine Macaulay, James McCollum, Zane Metzler, Wyatt Phelps, Charlee Pike, Elizabeth Raimundo, Rachael Reynolds, Jayden Smith, Alyssa Stalker, Zane Zustra.

MERIT ROLL (85 – 89)

Grade 9:   Summer Barbarito, Zoey Bermond, Jadyn Bowen, Daysenia Bruce-Medina, Cheryl Dening, Maelynn Finley, Connor Munn, Cooper Ray, Chase Smith.

Grade 10: Charles Baker, Stella Burke, Cailin Essenlohr, Kaibree Gaba, Amelia LaMountain-Richardson, Mason Lyndaker, Owen Marcolini, Madison McDonald, Kolton McGrath, Cullen Miller, Aiyana Saski, Nicolina Snyder, Lincoln Swinyer.

Grade 11:  Rioux Barney, Brendon Bowers, Ian Dunckel, Carter Fowler, Shelby Gentry, Gavin Harper, Mackenzie Kirch, Macey Larkins, Madison Murray, Elliana Panarese, Ian Perkins, Chase Robbins, Isaiah Spence, Noah Virkler, Aydin Waugh, Deondre Wells, Jay Zhao.

Grade 12: Jack Beyer, Keagan Cunningham, Audrianna Hall, Emily Heins, Jada Hellinger, Alannah Ingersoll, Devin Mahoney, Deken Makuch, Adyson McFaul, Chase Nakano, Shayla Rowsam, Lucas Suiter, Charles Vonwal, Chloe Zehr.

Winter Athletic Teams/Individuals Recognized for Academic Excellence

New York State Public High School Athletic Association continues to recognize student-athletes for their performance both in the classroom and on the field. 

There are two types of awards, the Team Scholar-Athlete Award and the Individual Scholar-Athlete Award.  Teams in which 75% of their roster have a GPA of 90% or above will be awarded the Team Scholar-Athlete Award.  Individuals on all other sports teams who have a GPA of 90% or above are awarded the Individual Scholar-Athlete Award.  These awards are a nice recognition of our students’ commitment to success.

Congratulations to the coaches, student-athletes, and parents for this outstanding accomplishment.  

VARSITY BOYS SKIING - Coach:  Mr. Macaulay - Team Average:  92.0%

Henry Goss

VARSITY GIRLS SKIING - Coach:  Mr. Macaulay - Team Average:  97.6%

Harper Abbey, Karli Gillette, Corinne Haney, Anna King, Maya Laribee, Brenna Law, Gracie Waite, Jenna Weiler, Logan Yarina

VARSITY GIRLS VOLLEYBALL - Coach:  Mr. Rhodes - Team Average 97.5%

Alexia Allen, Elyzah Endy, Mia Hanselman, Brooke Houppert, Elaina Lehmann, Katherine Macaulay, Tai Nortz, Elliana Panarese, Daisy Peters, Samantha Reynolds, Alyssa Stalker, Natalie Stockman, Abrianna Turck, Chloe Zehr

VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL - Coach:  Mrs. Morrow - Team Average 96.2%

Lily Gillette, Emily Heins, Katelynn Heins, Hayden Hulbert, Madeline Meleshchuk, Alyssa Millard

VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL - Coach:  Mr. Shambo - Team Average 94.9%

Michael Fayle, Eli Gronowski, Eli McCue, Thomas McCue, Trey Smith, Isaiah Spence, Dominic Swiernik, Brian Thomas, Ethan Zehr

VARSITY BOYS SWIMMING - Coach:  Mr. Rivers - Team Average:  95.7%

Banyan Barker, Ira Blauvelt, Rielly Brennan, Ty Dunckel, Brayden Gillette, Cody Kempney, Cooper Lincoln, Zane Metzler, Luke Patnode, Mason Waite

VARSITY WRESTLING - Coach:  Mr. Widrick – Team Individual Awards:

Duncan Andrews, Rioux Barney, Keagan Cunningham, Landon Desrosiers, Patrick Grimsey, Payten Tuttle, Charles Vonwal

Successful Career Day at LACS

Career Day 2025 at Lowville Academy - Passport to Success: Preparing Your Career Journey - was a big hit as students throughout the school participated in various ways. Several of the elementary classrooms participated in the drawing and coloring contest to sketch out their future career idea. Grades 6-12 attended our Career Fair and Job Demo where community members, businesses and various organizations set up table to showcase jobs in their field. From health care to hospitality over 90 people volunteered to participate in the event. The afternoon was a chance for our high schoolers to select and attend a career panel of their choice where multiple people from a given career area were available to talk with students, answer questions and talk about those career fields. Student Delaney Rose who is a senior and served as a Career Day Ambassador said of the event, "I feel that Career Day is one of the best things Lowville Academy does for their students. It was truly amazing to be part of the day this year and watch all of these students, both young and old, come together and work towards bettering themselves and their future. Between being able to walk up to tables representing all different careers and to get a broad overview of their job (offerings) and having the opportunity to interview with professionals to learn from them, is a blessing."

Career Day Ambassadors are students who helped facilitate the day-long event. From welcoming community members and escorting them to various parts of the day. To encouraging students to participate and showing peers different locations to visit. These students represented our school professionally and positively. They are: 

Marcus Chang

Skye Lyndaker

Gail Clark

Adyson McFaul

Faith Diddle

Nolan Moshier

Lis Dunckel

Delaney Rose

Jada Hellinger

Abrianna Turck

Anna King

A special thank you to FFA, Business Club and FCCLA students who helped make this event possible! A huge shout out to our community members who participated in this event.