Dear Students, Parents, and Families,

On behalf of the Board of Education, faculty, staff, and administration, welcome to the 2026-2027 school year at the Old Forge School District. I hope you have enjoyed a safe and relaxing summer. We look forward to welcoming our students back when school begins on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.

Before the first day of school, we encourage families to join us for several important back-to-school events:

Thursday, August 13th

• 6:00 p.m. – Kindergarten Parent Meeting

Monday, August 17th

• 6:00 p.m. – Elementary Parent Meeting

Tuesday, August 18th

• 10:00 a.m. – 8th Grade Orientation & Chromebook Distribution
• 11:30 a.m. – 7th Grade Orientation & Chromebook Distribution
• 6:00 p.m. – Grades 9-12 Chromebook Distribution & Parents' Night

Thursday, August 20th

• 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Back-to-School Fair at Veterans Memorial Stadium

We encourage all families to attend these events. They provide an opportunity to meet our staff, receive important information, become familiar with school expectations, and begin the year prepared for success.

Our district theme for the 2026-2027 school year is:

Every Decision. Every Student. Every Day.

These words remind us that every decision we make should begin with one question:

Is this what is best for students?

That commitment guides everything we do, from classroom instruction to student support, school safety, extracurricular activities, and planning for the future.

At the junior/senior high school, Principal Michael Griffith has selected the theme:

Confidence. Commitment. Conviction.

These three words describe the mindset we hope every student develops throughout the year.

Confidence means having the ability to be decisive.

Commitment means once a decision is made, we fully dedicate ourselves to that direction.

Conviction means we see it through to the end, no matter the challenge.

Together, these themes remind us that good decisions, hard work, and perseverance lead to success.

One of the most important ways families can support their child's success is by making school attendance a priority.

Every day of school matters. Students who attend regularly learn more, build stronger relationships with teachers and classmates, and are better prepared for future success. While illness and emergencies are sometimes unavoidable, regular attendance should be the expectation whenever possible.

We ask families to establish routines that help students arrive at school every day, on time, and ready to learn. When students are present, they benefit from classroom instruction, discussions, hands-on learning, and experiences that simply cannot be recreated after an absence.

Our faculty and staff are committed to providing every student with a safe learning environment, high-quality instruction, and the support needed to be successful. We also know that students achieve the most when schools and families work together. We encourage you to stay involved, communicate with your child's teachers, attend school events, and celebrate your child's accomplishments throughout the year.

Whether your child is entering kindergarten, beginning middle school, starting high school, or preparing for graduation, we are honored to be part of that journey.

Thank you for your continued trust and support of the Old Forge School District. We look forward to seeing many of you at our back-to-school events and welcoming our students on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.

Together, let's make every decision with our students in mind, every day.

Have a wonderful school year!

Sincerely,

Christopher J. Gatto, Ed.D. Superintendent

To download a PDF of this letter please use this link.