PORT DICKINSON, N.Y. – (WIVT/WBGH) Chenango Valley invited students and families to Port Dickinson Elementary to meet and greet the district’s newest elementary principals, and to check out local service vehicles.

Jennifer Yurko is the new principal of Chenango Bridge Elementary, and Jessica Carl is the new principal of Port Dickinson. Both were born and raised in Broome County.

After college, Yurko taught special education at Johnson City before serving as the assistant principal of Maine Endwell.

After attending teacher’s college at Columbia University, Carl taught first grade at Union Endicott for nine years.

“This is like a dream come true. I wanted to work for a school district that was family oriented, community based, and I found that in Chenango Valley. It’s a small school, its only grades three through five, which I, as a first-time principal, that was something that I was looking for so I could really focus on a select group of students,” said Yurko.

“I know coming out of a lot of uncertainty the past couple of years with COVID and protocols, we haven’t been able to have a lot of families and participation in the school buildings, so I’m excited to have people back in the building and to have a lot of new and exciting opportunities for our students and families here,” said Carl.

Along with meeting their new principals, families and students got to climb aboard various service vehicles and talk with service workers in the Touch a Truck event.

Both started their new positions on July 1.