Dear Seniors,

Throughout this unprecedented event, we have been thinking non-stop about how to meet the needs of all of our students to the best of our ability.  However, I wanted to write to you specifically, because you have been weighing on my mind quite heavily.  You are young adults, and as adults bearing a unique set of circumstances, I felt I should communicate with you directly.

I can't imagine the sense of loss you must feel because of the dramatic, but necessary, actions that have been taken.  I know you are frustrated.  To have this happen in the culminating year of the first, big chapter of your lives must seem particularly unfair.  I sympathize with all of you.  

I also know that you have a great many questions about all of the things that are supposed to make these next few months special and memorable.  What about graduation?  Prom?  Senior Trip? Awards?  Sports?  The only honest answer I can give you at this time is this:

I don't know.

I understand that this is not very comforting, but it is the truth.  I really do not know how this will play out over time.  Every day brings new challenges, new hurdles, new setbacks, and new uncertainties.  These need to be met head-on each day, and dealt with.  We are doing our best to think about the long-term picture, and working to get answers from the state, but we just don't have them yet.  

This is the reality of most challenging situations.  The events are often out of your control.  All you can control is your response.

What I can give you right now is my word that we will do everything in our power to restore and salvage as much as we can for you, and all of our students, when this crisis passes.  I don't know what that will look like, and I don't know what the state will allow, but we will do the best we can with what we have.  Along with me, you have a Board of Education, teachers, and staff that all care deeply about you.  We are all mindful of the extraordinary position you are in, and the exasperation you are feeling.

In closing, I would just ask you to do one thing:  Learn from this.  There are so many valuable lessons to be learned from a crisis like this.  These events have the power to strip away many of the things we thought were important before, and raise up all of the things that really are important, but that we so easily lose sight of in the normal course of life.  If you learn from this, and hold onto those lessons when you leave here, you will start the next chapter of your lives far better prepared to lead us into the future.

Take care of yourselves, and remain optimistic.

Sincerely,

Mr. Dougherty