Dear Seniors,

I hope that all of you are healthy and are doing well. I’ve been sending a number of emails to all parents and students but wanted to send a note directly to all of you. The pandemic that has been unexpectedly thrust upon you during what is the best part of your senior year is something that will be studied and talked about as one of the more devastating events in world history. It is resulting in unspeakable loss for so many, including family members, friends, and renowned figures from around the world. For all of you, there is added loss as senior experiences, memories, and moments that you have waited your whole lives for are being lost with each day that we are not in school. I wish that I was able to change all of that for you, but there is sadly no way to recreate lost experiences or replace the special memories that are being taken away.

I unfortunately don’t have any “inside information” about when we will return or what all of this will mean for events like the prom and graduation. I listen to the governor just as you do, and try to read between the lines with things that he says. I feel like every day my opinion about how things will shake out for us shifts based on his daily message. What I do know, however, is that we have a faculty, student body, and community that is dedicated to ensuring that we do whatever necessary to make the latter part of your senior year one that you will both remember and be proud of as you look back on it many years from now. Each senior class leaves behind a legacy. I say this every year at the opening grade level meeting for seniors. For this senior class, the Class of 2020, your legacy will be forever etched into the history of our school. We’ve already seen so many of you step up, from the many posts on our new Instagram page to the collaboration on virtual spirit weeks, including this week’s “Cooking and Baking Week.” I have no doubt that this class will continue to rally and join together, that all of you will remain united in ways that no other graduating class has before, and that these “new” memories are ones that you will carry forever.

One of the many aspects of our school that I hold most sacred is our history and tradition. Our school was built in 1934, and since that time each senior class enjoyed events like formals and proms as well as a graduation that in most years was held at the waterfront. Please know that we are determined to ensure that you get the chance to experience these same traditions, and that we are constantly evaluating the current and projected status of this pandemic so that we can adjust our plans as necessary. While this might mean postponing some events and/or adjusting the “look” of an event, it does not mean that we have any plans to cancel anything. In fact, it might ultimately result in a new tradition for our school, and that too will be part of the enduring legacy of this class. We are already seeing an example of this with the “senior experience” that we are putting together in lieu of our senior internship program. You will get much more information on that in the coming weeks. 

For now, please know that we are all in this together and that you have a school and a community that has your back. I wish you all of the best, and look forward to seeing all of you soon. 

Sincerely,

John Falino