The Newburgh Enlarged City School District is temporarily pausing all home athletic competitions following the shooting at Newburgh Free Academy last Friday (story here). Thee nearby school districts made banners and provided warm welcomes to show their support of their friendly athletic competitors from Newburgh. One district even produced a video supporting Newburgh.
The temporary pause on all hole games in Newburgh is in place effective immediately and will continue through Friday, October 14, 2022. Additional protocols will be shared prior to resuming traditional home games.
“Both the physical and emotional well-being of all of our athletes, employees, and spectators remains our priority,” explained Howard Harrison, the Athletic Director for the NECSD.
“We understand that many of our community may feel like the focus of negativity is unfairly directed towards our athletic program,” Harrison noted. “It is now, more than ever, that we work together, and never against, each other to support and celebrate our students.”
Home games for the NFA Goldbacks will resume on Saturday, October 15, 2022. District officials are working to adjust home game that were previously scheduled during the temporary pause to make sure Senior Recognition Events take place at a home field.
The District offered special appreciation to the Middletown, Minisink Valley, and Beacon School Districts for being “especially thoughtful” by making banners, sending messages, and providing warm welcomes to the Newburgh teams playing at their schools.
“The support and collaboration with our neighboring schools has been especially heartwarming and overwhelmingly kind at a time when our entire community needs it most,” District officials wrote in a statement. “Their display of sportsmanship highlights the fact that we are competitors in our respective sports, but we are neighbors in our larger community and greater society.”
Middletown athletes put together a special video in support of our community, with a special message from Middletown High School Executive Principal, Dr. Lynnette Williams.
NECSD officials offered a special thanks to Amy Creeden, Superintendent of Middletown Schools, and Jason Tomasulo, Technology TOSA for Middletown Schools.
The video can be watched below:
