{"id":51214,"date":"2016-06-01T14:57:54","date_gmt":"2016-06-01T14:57:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/owegopennysaver.com\/?p=51214"},"modified":"2016-06-05T20:05:16","modified_gmt":"2016-06-05T20:05:16","slug":"story-and-photos-new-school-dedicated-in-owego","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/06\/01\/story-and-photos-new-school-dedicated-in-owego\/","title":{"rendered":"Story and Photos: New school dedicated in Owego"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"New<\/a>

Hailey Shrauger, a pre-kindergarten student and Sam Cunningham, fourth grade student at OES who was attending his first day of kindergarten at OES when the school flooded and he was soon displaced, assist with a ribbon cutting and dedication of their new school. Pictured, from left, are David Barton, OA BOE president; David Degnon, OES architectural designer; Cunningham; Owego Mayor Steve May; Dr. Bill Russell, superintendent; Congressman Tom Reed; N.Y. State Senator Fred Akshar; Laurie McKeveny, OES principal; U.S. Senator Charles Schumer; and Shrauger. (Photos by Wendy Post)<\/p><\/div>\n

Although students attending Owego Elementary School (OES) were welcomed home in January of this year, the school\u2019s dedication happened on Tuesday. With approximately 550 elementary students assembled, outgoing superintendent, Bill Russell, invited key players in the building\u2019s rebuild to a ceremony that officiated the opening of the new school, and thanked those involved in the process.<\/p>\n

In September of 2011, Tropical Storm Lee ravaged the area, destroying homes and businesses, along with the Owego Elementary School. Because of the school\u2019s extensive damage, students were forced to travel to Linnaeus W. West Elementary School in Endicott from<\/p>\n

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Students arrive outside for the dedication of their new school on Tuesday.<\/p><\/div>\n

September 2011 until December 2015. Outgoing superintendent Bill Russell called Tuesday\u2019s dedication of the school a milestone in flood recovery, and a reflection of the community\u2019s will.<\/p>\n

The cost of the\u00a0new Owego Elementary School\u00a0is just over\u00a0$70\u00a0million.\u00a0Approximately $62.5 million of this is funded by FEMA and State funds. The state Department of Education is covering about $6.6 million, and approximately $1 million was expected to come out of the district\u2019s capital reserve for the 120,000-square foot complex. Another $17 million in aid was offered to replace the administration building.<\/p>\n

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Students are assembled for the dedication of the new OES on Tuesday.<\/p><\/div>\n

Dr. Russell, on Tuesday, invited dignitaries to the ceremony, such as U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and U.S. Congressman Tom Reed, to help celebrate the project\u2019s completion, and to thank them for their support.<\/p>\n

Assembled in front of the school\u2019s entrance, students wore the shirts from January\u2019s homecoming that read, \u201cThere\u2019s no place like home.\u201d And after five months in the new school, the students and the teachers are more than pleased.<\/p>\n

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Students are assembled for the dedication of the new OES on Tuesday.<\/p><\/div>\n

Second grade teacher\u2019s aide, Cathy Fairbanks, stated that the students love the new school. \u201cEvery thing is new and clean,\u201d said Fairbanks.<\/p>\n

Fourth grade student William Waldron also likes the new school. \u201cI like the gym and the auditorium,\u201d said Waldron. \u201cThey\u2019re really big.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new school is double the size of the former school, and is constructed at its same location. But the old school isn\u2019t completely gone. According to architect Dave Degnon,<\/p>\n

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Students are assembled for the dedication of the new OES on Tuesday.<\/p><\/div>\n

who worked on the project with Highland Associates, a couple of the bricks were salvaged from the old school and placed in the new one.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will always have a piece of the old school,\u201d said Degnon.<\/p>\n

Congressman Reed, who was on-hand to speck to the assembly, stated that the dedication of the school is a testament to the \u201ccan-do\u201d attitude of the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe came together because it was the right thing to do,\u201d said Reed.<\/p>\n

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Students are assembled for the dedication of the new OES on Tuesday.<\/p><\/div>\n

Senator Charles Schumer, who Russell attributed to being the force behind gaining funding from FEMA, also spoke at the assembly.<\/p>\n

Schumer held up a photo of the former building in its flooded state, so the younger students, some of whom were nearly infants when the flooding occurred, could see why the rebuild of the school was an important one.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey rolled up their sleeves and formulated a plan,\u201d Schumer said of the district\u2019s administration and the community.<\/p>\n

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The new OES was dedicated on Tuesday during an outdoor assembly.<\/p><\/div>\n

Schumer described the pursuit of funding from FEMA as an \u201cuphill climb\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to roll up my sleeves and get involved,\u201d Schumer added.<\/p>\n

Senator Fred Akshar was on-hand as a guest, but kept his words brief. Akshar recognized the late Senator Tom Libous for all of the hard work he did prior to his passing.<\/p>\n

Owego Mayor Steve May offered words, stating that Owego is a strong community. \u201cThis school is proof of that,\u201d said May.<\/p>\n

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Students are assembled for the dedication of the new OES on Tuesday.<\/p><\/div>\n

Following remarks by dignitaries, a ribbon was cut to dedicate the new complex. Assisting with the ribbon cutting were Hailey Shrauger, a pre-kindergarten student and Sam Cunningham, fourth grade student at OES who was attending his first day of kindergarten at OES when the school flooded and he was soon displaced.<\/p>\n

An Open House for the community is scheduled for Saturday, June 4 from 10 a.m. to noon.<\/p>\n

To view a video from the student assembly, \u2018Like\u2019 the Owego Pennysaver on Facebook.<\/p>\n