On September 10, 2025, DCS Board of Education President Melissa Them Peterson hosted an induction ceremony to honor three outstanding individuals who were formally inducted into the Duanesburg Central School District Hall of Fame. This year’s honorees—Mr. Francis Spor, Ms. Margot Bloomstein, and Mr. John James—are all distinguished alumni of DCS.
Prior to the ceremony, the Duanesburg community was invited to a special “meet and greet” with the honorees and their family members, providing the inductees with an opportunity to reconnect with former classmates and other members of the community.
Missed the ceremony? You can watch it on-demand on the district’s YouTube channel (please note that the livestream started early and the actual Hall of Fame induction ceremony starts around one hour into the video):
Read more about Hall of Fame Class of 2025 inductees below.
Nominations for the Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will open in January and will be accepted through the last day of the school year in June. Over the summer, the Duanesburg Central School District’s Hall of Fame Committee will review all submissions and select three to four individuals who best meet the established criteria for induction.
Francis Spor
Mr. Francis Spor proudly graduated from Duanesburg High School in 1997. Since then, he has remained a dedicated and active member of the school community, building deep connections and demonstrating a lasting commitment to giving back to the place he credits with shaping his early years.
After graduating from DCS, Mr. Spor earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology, followed by a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Union College. He began his professional journey as a software engineer and currently works at TeamSnap, where he contributes to making youth sports more accessible and manageable for families.
In addition to his professional work, Mr. Spor has remained deeply involved in the Duanesburg community. He and his wife, Samantha, chose to raise their family here, and their two children currently attend DCS. He has volunteered in a variety of local programs, including Cub Scouts, Odyssey of the Mind, and the Duanesburg Community PTA. Through the PTA, he also maintains the website for Light Up Duanesburg, a community initiative celebrating the holiday season.
Mr. Spor was elected to the Duanesburg Board of Education in 2021 and currently serves as Vice President. He is also a trustee of the Duanesburg Education Foundation, where he helps support programs and initiatives that benefit DCS students and schools. His focus remains on creating opportunities for young people to thrive and ensuring the strength and success of the district for generations to come.
“Being part of this community—first as a student, now as a parent, volunteer, and school leader—has been one of the most meaningful parts of my life,” Spor said. “I’m grateful for the chance to contribute and proud to be part of Duanesburg’s legacy.”
Margot Bloomstein
Ms. Margot Bloomstein is an internationally acclaimed speaker, consultant, and one of the most prominent voices in the content strategy industry—and she just also happens to be a 1996 graduate of Duanesburg Central School District.
She earned her BFA in Design and Anthropology at Carnegie Mellon University, one of the country’s most prestigious institutions for design and communications. There, she honed the analytical and creative skills that would define her career.
She is the author of Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap and the web industry mainstay Content Strategy at Work: Real-World Stories to Strengthen Every Interactive Project.
As the principal of Appropriate, Inc., a Boston-based brand and content strategy consultancy, she has taught workshops, keynoted conferences, and advised marketing teams around the world for more than two decades. Her clients include Harvard University, Fidelity, Lovehoney, Mailchimp, Scholastic, Sallie Mae, Timberland, and the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority.
Her groundbreaking work in the fields of communications and design, combined with her commitment to civic discourse and mentorship, make her a standout representative of Duanesburg’s legacy of excellence.
A participant in the inaugural Content Strategy Consortium and featured speaker at the famed “South by Southwest” conference, Ms. Bloomstein advises Women Talk Design, a platform for speakers in design, and teaches in both the content strategy graduate program at FH Janneum University in Graz, Austria, and the experience design department at Bentley University in Massachusetts.
Her nomination reads: “Margot Bloomstein represents the best of what a Duanesburg Central School education can empower a graduate to achieve: national leadership, intellectual contribution, and a lasting positive impact on society.”
John James
Mr. John James is a lifelong resident of Darby Hill in Delanson and has remained a steadfast and dedicated member of the community following his graduation from Duanesburg Central School in 1963.
He has played an instrumental role in organizing and hosting reunions for his class, helping to preserve the strong bonds of friendship and school spirit across the decades.
Following high school, Mr. James attended SUNY Cobleskill and went on to serve four years in the United States Air Force, where he was stationed in England and honored with assignments that included work on presidential details.
In the 1970s, Mr. James drove a school bus for the Duanesburg Central School District. A skilled carpenter by trade, he founded Tri-City Scaffold in Delanson in 1988. Under his leadership, the company grew into a highly successful business with a team of 40 employees, earning a strong reputation in the industry and the community.
Mr. James has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to youth and the growth of the Duanesburg community. He is a founding member of the Quaker Street Cattle 4-H Club and served as its leader for many years. In addition, he volunteered as a coach for Duanesburg Little League and served as a member of the Duanesburg Historical Society, gladly giving his time, expertise and his heart to his community neighbors.
John and his wife Cheryl raised their three children here locally—all graduates of DCS. His deep roots in the community continue through his 11 grandchildren, five of whom have also graduated from Duanesburg. Today, a third generation of the family is carrying on the tradition, with his great-grandchild entering kindergarten at Duanesburg Elementary School this year.
His nomination reads: “John embodies the values of service, integrity and dedication that the Duanesburg High School Hall of Fame seeks to honor. His life’s work has not only enriched the lives of those around him but also strengthened the fabric of the Duanesburg community.