Welcome Back, Waverly!
Dear Waverly Students, Families, Staff, and Community,
There is something special about the beginning of a new school year. Our hallways come alive again. Classrooms are filled with new opportunities. Teachers welcome their students, families establish new routines, and our children return ready to learn, grow, and discover what they are capable of achieving.
As we begin the 2026–2027 school year, I want to begin by saying thank you.
I want to congratulate and recognize our incredible Waverly staff for the countless hours of hard work, preparation, and dedication that have gone into getting our schools ready for our children. From our classrooms and instructional programs to our buildings, grounds, transportation, technology, and countless details that often go unseen, our staff has worked together to make sure Waverly is ready for another successful year.
That commitment matters.
And today, we have another reason to be proud.
Waverly is proud to announce that all of our schools, grades, and programs are entering the 2026–2027 school year in high academic standing with the State Education Department.
This achievement does not happen by accident. It is the result of the strong commitment of our staff, our community, and our children.
It represents teachers who believe in their students, staff members who refuse to lower expectations, families who support learning at home, community members who believe in our schools, and students who continue to work toward becoming the best versions of themselves.
We should celebrate this accomplishment—but we should also understand what it represents.
Our work is about much more than test scores, report cards, or academic standings. Our responsibility is to provide our children with a high-level learning experience that prepares them for college, careers, and life beyond the walls of our schools.
And preparing our children for that future means preparing them for both success and adversity.
We know that everything will not always work out the way we want.
There will be difficult assignments. There will be setbacks. There will be disappointments. There will be times when our students make mistakes, face challenges, or don't get the outcome they hoped for.
That is part of growing up.
Our responsibility is not to remove every obstacle from our children's path. Our responsibility is to help them learn how to overcome those obstacles.
We want our students to become problem solvers. We want them to be strong when facing challenges. We want them to learn from their mistakes, take responsibility for their actions, ask for help when they need it, and—perhaps most importantly—refuse to quit when things are tough or don't go their way.
Those are skills that will serve them long after they leave Waverly.
We are proud of the work happening throughout our entire school system to prepare our students for that future.
We are proud of our commitment to early education, where we begin building the academic, social, and emotional foundation our children need.
We are proud of our strength in teaching the basics at Elm Street, ensuring that our students develop the fundamental skills necessary to become successful learners.
We are proud of our work in middle school, where we help students navigate one of the most important transitions in their educational and personal development.
And we are proud of the opportunities we provide at the high school level, including work-based learning, career experiences, college opportunities, and pathways that allow our students to begin connecting their education to the future they envision for themselves.
From our youngest learners to our graduating seniors, these efforts are connected by one common purpose:
We want every Waverly student to leave us better prepared for whatever comes next.
That is our promise to our children.
But it is also important to remember that Waverly's success will never be the result of one person, one department, one classroom, or one group working alone.
The “W” is strong because we work together.
Waverly is not an organization built around individuals operating independently. We are a community that values individuals bringing their unique talents, strengths, ideas, and dedication together as a team.
When we work together, we accomplish more.
When we support one another, we become stronger.
When we challenge ourselves to improve, we set new standards.
And when we put the needs and future of our children at the center of our decisions, we remind ourselves why this work matters so much.
As we begin another school year, I ask our students to bring their best effort. I ask our staff to continue believing in the potential of every child. I ask our families to remain engaged and supportive. And I ask our entire community to continue standing behind our schools and the children we are so fortunate to serve.
We have much to be proud of, but we also have much more to accomplish.
Let us enter this school year with high expectations, a willingness to work together, and the belief that every child can grow and succeed.
Let's celebrate how far we have come.
Let's embrace the challenges ahead.
And let's continue to raise the bar for what is possible in Waverly.
Because the strength of Waverly has never been about one person.
It has always been about all of us.
That is what makes the “W” strong.
Welcome back, Waverly. I am excited for the year ahead, proud of what we have accomplished together, and even more excited about what we will accomplish next.
Let's make 2026–2027 another great year for our children and our community.
Kids-Community-Each Other
Sincerely,
Eric Knolles
Superintendent of Schools
Waverly Central School District