This past weekend, our community faced a significant challenge as heavy storms swept through the area, leading to severe flooding at Oneida High School and power outages at all of our buildings. The basement was overwhelmed with water, prompting immediate action to protect both our facilities and the people who depend on them. As the waters rose, we saw the spirit of cooperation and resilience from staff and local leaders, who have been working tirelessly to address the situation. Here’s an overview of the events as they unfolded and the steps we’re taking to restore normalcy in our cherished school.

Heavy storms caused severe flooding within Oneida High School. The basement was inundated with nearly five feet of water, which is currently being actively pumped out. This area houses critical infrastructure, including boilers, electrical units, transformers, and sewage pumps. As of now, we are still assessing the extent of the damage to these essential systems.

To ensure safety, our IT team implemented an immediate shutdown of our servers. National Grid took action to disconnect the power supply to the building.

In addition to the basement damage, water has affected approximately 10 to 12 classrooms on the first floor. Our dedicated clean-up crews, along with maintenance, custodial staff, IT personnel, and school administration, are on site working diligently to clean up and restore access to our network.

Since the onset of this situation, school administrators have been in continuous communication with local leaders, NYSED, Madison County Office of Emergency Services, Oneida Castle Fire Department, NYS Emergency Services, the Oneida Fire Department, Oneida Police Department, MOBOCES, MORIC, OHMBOCES, and Senator Griffo, to evaluate the extent of the damage, facilitate repairs efficiently, and rearrange student testing.

The District is set to secure insurance coverage and is exploring paths for state and or federal funding. 

Contractors have been brought in to provide estimates for necessary repairs. As of now, we are awaiting final determinations regarding the costs and timelines for these essential restoration efforts. We will continue to provide updates on our road to recovery. 

We understand the challenges this event has caused and want to acknowledge the stress it has placed on our school community. We sincerely appreciate everyone’s flexibility and support during this time. It is truly heartening to see how our community comes together in times of crisis.

Please rest assured that the safety of our students, staff, and community remains our top priority. We will keep you updated as we move forward in addressing the situation. While tthe end to this year may not have turned out as we hoped or expected, it is reassuring to know that we can remain resilient in times of crisis.

Thank you for your understanding and support. #OneidaStrong