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The Oneida City School District is working to repair Oneida High School after severe flooding in June damaged classrooms and knocked out power. Superintendent Matthew Carpenter provided an update, stating that the district expects repairs to last the entire 2025-26 school year.
According to a report by Spectrum News, temporary fridges and freezers have been installed for food storage, and crews have begun rerouting storm drains. Temporary transformers are being installed this week to replace gas-powered generators, providing a more sustainable power solution. However, these transformers will not power the entire school.
As reported by CNY Central, air conditioning units and plumbing will take several weeks to arrive and be installed. The district is also expanding temporary parking due to the demolition in part of the parking lot.
The flooding on June 22 forced the district to find alternative solutions for students. Currently, 500 high school students are attending classes at Otto Shortell Middle School, with both middle and high schoolers on a split schedule. Middle schoolers have 26-minute classes, while high schoolers have 25-minute classes.
Superintendent Carpenter expressed gratitude for the community's patience and support as the district works through each phase of repair. The temporary transformers mark a step toward full restoration, though significant work remains to be done.