Please Remember & Teach...

 Every year on this historic day, there are all kinds of people posting comments and phrases, images and thoughts, with a general theme of "never forget." And this is true, we should never forget what happened on September 11, 2001, but we also must recognize that a growing portion of our population was not even alive when the attacks on our nation occurred. In fact, not a single student in PreK-12 education was alive for that day and we are closing in on a time when our new teachers/staff in schools also were not alive. In fact, many new teachers that were alive were probably too young to actually remember those tragic events. This is why we need to include "teach" as part of our thinking for this day. The stories that we all have from that day. Remember where we were when the first plane hit a tower, what we were doing, and then what happened as the events of the day unfolded. We need to share those stories with each other and our kids, as they become age appropriate to understand and handle such difficult topics. Without the sharing of memories, there will be no chance to ever use the phrase "never forget." I can remember teaching at an elementary school in rural New Jersey, about 45 minutes from Manhattan that morning. Many of my colleagues had husbands that worked in the city. I can remember our entire fire department (as were many from the northeast) being summoned to New York to assist in whatever they were getting into. I can remember the families panicking and taking their kids from school, wives desperately waiting to hear from their husbands on Wall Street, and people glued to whatever television they could get their hands on. The emotions of that day were intense and confusing. I can also remember visiting Ground Zero four weeks after the towers collapsed and seeing the amount of debris still lining streets around lower Manhattan, a place that I used to visit as often as possible. Obviously, there are many more memories, feelings, and thoughts that I could share about that tragic day, but they probably aren't appropriate for the internet. However, these experiences, memories, thoughts, and emotions are what I share with my children when they ask questions as non-stop coverage of 9/11 plays on the television and now on social media as well. Without educating our youth about this day, we will eventually be a nation that forgets. Please remember all of the losses that occurred on that day, as well as the heroes. That day brought our country together in unity and strength. Hopefully, remembering those events and the outcomes we experienced as a country will help us do the same 21 years later. So you work through today, please make time to remember, honor, and teach others about September 11, 2001, so that we as a nation will never forget.

Out of the Darkness Walk Event

On Sunday, September 25, Oneida County, in conjunction with The Center for Family Life and Recovery, will hold its annual Out of the Darkness Walk fundraiser to raise awareness for suicide prevention. Suicide continues to be a concern for families as people continue to return to life situations that are more normal and adjust to socialization again. If you are interested in participating, donating, or volunteering for this important cause, please visit their website at https://supporting.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=8265. 

Rome Lions Club Craft Show

On Saturday, October 1, the Rome Lions Club will be holding it's 4th Annual Craft and Vendor Show at Rome Catholic School. The event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and is free to the public. To view their event flier, please visit our Peachjar at https://app.peachjar.com/flyers/2323918/districts/32521. 

Contact Information - IMPORTANT

As a reminder, ensuring that your child's school and district have the most accurate contact information is vital. All of our messaging systems and apps work from the contact information located in your child's SchoolTool account and they are updated nightly. During the summer, it is common for parents to have changed a phone number or more importantly, an email address. If you have changed either, please make sure to notify your child's school as soon as possible so we can make sure our systems are correct and that you are receiving information to the correct locations. We will also be asking families to verify these pieces of information in the coming weeks, but the sooner we have accurate contact information, the more news and information you will receive from the school.

Student Immunization Requirements

As a reminder, New York State has passed a law that no longer allows for the religious exemption for school vaccinations. Also, all laws that are applicable to school-related required vaccines are in effect for the 2022-2023 school year. The link below will take you to the State Education Department website which outlines the required vaccinations. It is important to note that any student who is not current with their school immunizations after 14 days of school must be excluded from school, by law.  Please speak to your school nurse or family physician if you have any questions regarding any requirements. 

School Immunization Requirements