Sidney Alumni Find “New” Home in “Old” School!

The Sidney Central School Alumni Association has found a brand new home for their headquarters.  Their former location at the Sidney Civic Center (once a Sidney school) no longer was available so they have moved into the Pearl Street Elementary School, built in 1950.  The new Alumni Room provides meeting space, exhibit area and work stations for those to do school research.

Doug Sheldon, President of the Sidney Alumni Association said:  "We are thrilled at our new home.  Being at Pearl Street School is a culmination of our efforts to forge an association with the school system.  Our alumni group is large and active and we have sought to have a newer, more vibrant connection with the school.  Already our alumni group wholeheartedly supports many of Sidney School's sports programs, our Alumni Wall of Fame member plaques are now on display in the halls, we coordinate annually with the school on presenting a very exciting Career Day and we feel very lucky to now have our group here at one of Sidney's great schools.  It is symbolic of our vibrant group's relationship with our school system in Sidney."

Doug Sheldon's parents were both long-serving members of the SHS faculty.  His mother, Emma Belle, taught in Sidney for 25+ years, and his father, Ray, taught for around 30 years.  I asked Sheldon what his parents would think about this new merger of the alumni group with Pearl Street School.

They would both say, "Sensational!" he replied.

At a gala ribbon cutting ceremony to "christen" the new Alumni Room on Friday, Sidney Mayor Andy Matviak remarked:  "I think this is exciting for both the alumni association as well as for the village Sidney as a whole.  The Sidney Alumni Association brings hundreds of people back to their hometown every year and I totally support their efforts on the  school's behalf.  I talk to many people from all over the place and they just cannot believe what the Sidney alumni folks have done for this town.  We are very proud to have them here at Pearl Street School.  And we invite everybody to come and see all of the artifacts and memorabilia!"