A Message to Our Farmingdale Family Good Evening, Farmingdale family. This is Paul Defendini, Superintendent of Schools, and the date is Sunday, November 9, 2025. It is with a profoundly heavy heart that I share this message with you tonight.

Clarifying Safety and Security

First, I want to address a message that was circulating on Facebook suggesting a connection between Friday's tragic accident and a potential threat to our High School. I followed up immediately yesterday evening with the Nassau County Department of Homeland Security. They have assured us that those statements made on social media are entirely false. There was no such connection, and our schools were at no time under threat. Please be assured that the safety of our students and staff remains our absolute top priority.

Remembering Peter Morris and Supporting Our Dalers

Regarding the accident, we are mourning the tragic loss of a fellow Daler and war veteran, Peter Morris. Our deepest and sincerest sympathies go out to all those affected by this unimaginable incident. As we always do in difficult times, our community will bind together in unwavering support of the impacted families.

I encourage all of our families to help deck out our town in green this week. Let's use the color green to remind those who were directly impacted that in hard times, we are one. Please put out green lights on your porches, tie a green ribbon to a tree, and wear your greens tomorrow and on Tuesday night. Through this small gesture, in one unified voice, lets remind Peter’s kids, grandkids, siblings and friends that it is ok to be sad. Let’s remind them that here in Farmingdale, here among and between our Daler family we never let our Daler brothers and sisters fight alone.

Vigil and Community Strength

A community vigil will take place on Tuesday night at 7:00 PM at Woodward Parkway (WWP) Elementary School. We hope this event will serve as a visible sign of our collective strength and our long-term commitment to support those who were directly impacted by this senseless act. We hope to see you there.

Thank you for your continued strength and unity.