Hello Chenango Forks Families,
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As we move into October, I am happy to report that school is off to a very positive start! It was so nice to see the community show out for our homecoming events last week and Forks Nation Pride was everywhere! I want to thank all the staff and students who made the events so engaging and exciting. This is the 2nd year of our restored parade and bonfire night, and it seems like it just keeps getting bigger and better! Additionally, it’s always nice to cap the week off with homecoming game win and a great homecoming dance to celebrate after. The next few weeks seem to be just as exciting. Make sure you check out the important events by our building principals for more upcoming fall fun, including our pumpkin run!
From the district office, we are happy to report great progress on our capital improvements in the district. It is always exciting to see structures being built. In our locker rooms we are in the process of pouring floors and finishing up ceilings. And for the pool addition, you can certainly notice the additional walls and foundation work that has been steadily forming in the back of the high school. As we await NYSED approval for our baseball/softball fields and site work, I am happy to report that we do have approval for our yearly small capital outlay project, which will bring updated and fully functional digital message boards outside of our buildings.
Lastly, we have sent out some messaging recently regarding changes in our safety procedures. One main change you may notice, is you now receive advance notice before emergency drills are conducted in our buildings. You may also be aware that schools nationwide have been dealing with an uptick in online and social media threats. The regional superintendents, in conjunction with our partners in local law enforcement, and the District Attorney’s Office, have been working together to provide helpful information and ensure that we respond to reported threats in a systematic and efficient manner. In the coming weeks, you will receive more information from our offices that we hope invites a productive conversation with children in your household. For now, the most important message we can share is, if students see threats online, they should report them immediately to school administration, but be sure not to repost or forward any threatening messages on to friends or others.
Don’t forget that for October our habit of focus is “Be Proactive!”
Sincerely,
Tom Burkhardt, Superintendent