Greetings Families!
This is the final newsletter of the 2023-24. I don't think I've ever ended a school year and not thought That went so fast, and this year is no different. It takes slowing down the rewind in my mind to capture the moments in time that made this year memorable.
We began on a high note of celebration as we kicked off the first year as an independent school department. After all the summer rain, we got off to a sunny and happy start.
In late October, we were thrown into a dark time when the tragic mass shooting in Lewiston prompted a frightening two-day shelter in place. It was a time when our school staff and the Richmond community came together to protect and support our kids and one another as the loss touched so many families. I have two lasting impressions of that time. One is the difference in the expressions on the faces of the school staff when kids were watching and when they weren’t watching. They made sure that what the students saw was confidence and assurance, the opposite of what the teachers and staff actually felt. The other lasting impression is the love, hope, and humanity that lifted my work community out of the darkness.
Our reserves were called upon again in December when a freak wind and rainstorm caused long-lasting power outages and damage. I marveled at the school staff who showed up every day for the students though they weren’t sure they would be able to get back home, or, if they could, what they would find when they did. It was a time when being an independent school department really mattered. Aside from a one-hour early release on the day of the storm, we did not lose any days of school, while everyone around us was closing. (In fact, we only used one snow day all year! This is partly due to the mild winter, but it’s also due to Superintendent Websters’ ability to make a local decision.)
The second half of the year played out rather typically, with lots of teaching and learning, special events, and field trips.