One Year Later: A Look Back at the Flood That Changed Oneida

June 22, 2025, is a day the Oneida City School District will never forget.

The Water Rose. And So Did We.

What started as a severe overnight storm quickly turned into one of the biggest challenges in our district’s history. Flood waters filled the basement of Oneida High School, damaging critical systems that allowed the building to operate. In a matter of hours, a place that had been home to generations of students, staff, and community memories was forced to close its doors.

In the days that followed, there was uncertainty, disappointment, and an overwhelming number of questions. How much damage had been done? How long would repairs take? Where would students learn? What would the next school year look like?

The answers did not come overnight.

The First Days: Assessing the Damage

The weeks immediately after the flood were filled with long days, difficult conversations, and constant planning. While crews worked to remove water and begin assessing the damage, district leaders were already meeting with engineers, architects, insurance representatives, contractors, state officials, and other partners to determine the path forward.

Behind the scenes, countless hours were spent reviewing reports, exploring options, and preparing for every possible scenario. There were meetings every single week—often involving a dozen or more people from different departments and organizations—all focused on one goal: finding the safest and best way to get students back into Oneida High School.

It quickly became clear that the road ahead would be much longer than anyone had hoped.

A Community Forced to Adjust

The announcement that Oneida High School would not be able to reopen for the start of the 2025-2026 school year was heartbreaking.

For students, it meant missing out on the routines, traditions, and experiences that make high school special. For teachers and staff, it meant completely rethinking the way they would do their jobs. For families, it meant adapting to a new normal that nobody had planned for.

The district had to redesign an entire school year in just a few short weeks.

While restoration efforts began immediately, the administration also had to answer another pressing question: where would Oneida High School students learn?

Multiple options were explored, and plans changed as new information became available. Early efforts focused on relocating students to Bishop Grimes, but as logistical challenges became clear, the district had to quickly pivot and develop another solution.

Ultimately, the district developed a plan for Oneida High School and Otto Shortell Middle School to share the middle school building in a split-day schedule. It was a solution that required extensive planning and cooperation. Transportation routes had to be redesigned, instructional schedules had to be adjusted, classroom spaces had to be shared, and staff had to completely rethink what a school day would look like.

It wasn’t perfect. There were challenges. There were frustrations. There were days when things didn’t go according to plan.

But every single day, students came ready to learn, teachers came ready to teach, and staff came ready to do whatever was necessary to keep moving forward.

The Work Happening Behind the Walls

While the school year continued in a temporary setting, the work at Oneida High School never stopped.

Construction crews, maintenance staff, engineers, the technology team, and district personnel worked through countless obstacles to restore the building.

Major electrical systems had to be replaced. The building’s infrastructure needed extensive repairs. The elevator, fire alarm system, and other critical components had to be restored. Flooring and damaged areas throughout the school needed to be repaired. Technology systems had to be taken apart, relocated, rebuilt, and then eventually returned to the building.

The district also focused on protecting the campus from future flooding, completing extensive site work, including improvements to the creek, drainage systems, and surrounding areas.

The recovery process was not always straightforward. There were setbacks. Timelines changed. New issues were discovered as work progressed. Every time one challenge was solved, another seemed to appear.

Yet the work continued.

The People Behind the Recovery

While the physical repairs were visible, much of the most important work happened behind the scenes.

For months, administrators balanced running a school district while managing a major construction and recovery project. Department leaders coordinated transportation, food service, technology, facilities, academics, athletics, and student services. Teachers adapted their classrooms and routines. Maintenance and custodial staff worked tirelessly. Community partners stepped up to help.

The recovery required collaboration between district employees, outside agencies, local organizations, construction teams, and community members, including our neighboring school districts, who stepped up to help us when we needed it most!

There was no single person responsible for bringing Oneida High School back.

It took everyone.

Coming Home

From the beginning, district leaders knew they had to prepare for the worst-case scenario—a closure that could last a year or more. The damage to the building’s critical systems was extensive, and the replacement of major equipment came with significant lead times. Administrators, engineers, contractors, and district teams spent months balancing long-term planning with an unwavering commitment to getting students and staff back into their buildings as quickly and safely as possible.

That made January 27, 2026, even more meaningful.

After more than seven months of repairs, planning, and determination, students and staff walked back through the doors of their high school.

It was more than just a return to a building.

It was seeing familiar hallways again. It was hearing the sounds of students changing classes. It was reconnecting with traditions and routines that had been put on hold.

It was a moment many people spent months working toward.

One Year Later

Looking back one year later, the flood was one of the most difficult events the Oneida City School District has ever faced.

It tested our patience. It challenged our creativity. It forced us to make difficult decisions and adapt in ways we never imagined.

But it also showed what this community is capable of.

It showed the dedication of staff who did whatever was asked of them. It showed the resilience of students who continued to show up despite an unfamiliar school experience. It showed the support of families and the strength of a community that refused to let a disaster define it.

June 22, 2025, will always be remembered as the day the flood changed Oneida High School.

But the months that followed will be remembered for something even more important.

The way an entire community came together to rebuild, recover, and move forward.

One year later, we are not just back in our building—we are stronger because of everything it took to get here.

#OneidaStrong