As our community and the Binghamton City School District recover from the devastating floods of September, we remain focused on providing a high quality education for all of our students. Dismissing students early on the first day of school this year due to the imminent flooding was unprecedented. The devastation and suffering that followed have challenged our community in ways we could not have predicted. While MacArthur suffered the greatest loss with the flooding of its building, we know that families across the school district have suffered as well.
In response to the many challenges we face in recovering from the flood, our staff and community have come together to support one another and our students. Donations of supplies, materials and money have come from not only the Binghamton area, but from all over New York State and beyond. Thanks to the support and volunteerism of our own community, we were able to relocate our MacArthur students and get them back to school quickly.
While we continue to work on both short term and long term plans for the education of our students in the MacArthur attendance area, I am impressed with the courage, caring and commitment of the staff as they maintain their focus on the students and their needs.
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On a positive note, six of our elementary schools were honored on October 17th at the White House for our participation in the U.S. Healthier School Challenge. Our schools were among the 1,273 challenge schools honored at the White House celebration. When we achieved the Gold Award last year in the first round of the challenge, we held a large local celebration for the students and their schools which was attended by several dignitaries from Washington. The U.S. Healthier School Challenge is a key component of First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" initiative to end childhood obesity. We are proud of our commitment to good nutrition and physical fitness for all of our students. We know that good health contributes to academic success.
I remain optimistic that by continuing to work together as a school district and a community we will successfully face whatever challenges are ahead and remain focused on the positive development of our children, our community's greatest resource.
~Peggy J. Wozniak, Ed.D.,
Superintendent of Schools
