The following email was sent to the students of DFHS following the death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests across our nation…

Dear Students,

The recent death of George Floyd in Minnesota has prompted protests and cries for peace and equality throughout our nation. In some instances, the protests have turned violent, and this has further challenged our humanity as we are simultaneously entrenched in a devastating pandemic. I know that many of you are wrestling with the emotions that naturally come with all of this uncertainty, and not having the certainty of physically attending our school to discuss these feelings makes it that much more difficult.

Dobbs Ferry was way ahead of its time back in 1998 when the high school was first authorized as an IB World School. The IB mission of “creating a better and more peaceful world” attracted the program to Dobbs Ferry, and that same mission and message of peace is more relevant today than perhaps ever before. Always remember that all of you are IB students, and each of you is positioned to be true leaders who effectuate positive and lasting change in all corners of the world. Bringing forth positive change within a society first begins with all of us as individuals. Your individual actions serve as a model for others, and in turn inspire change at all levels within our society.

I also want to remind all of you that although we are not physically in school, we are still united as a school community and we are here for one another. Although this pandemic has many of us dealing with feelings of isolation, please remember that you are not alone and that you have deep network of support and resources at your fingertips. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need support, have questions, or just need to process these challenging times. We are truly in this together.

Be well, and keep looking out for each other.

Sincerely,

Dr. Falino