On Veterans Day, Friday November 11, the Suffield Public Schools will honor all the brave men and women who served in the United States Military Services to defend and protect our country and freedoms. We extend our deepest gratitude to all military personnel and their families for making personal sacrifices and enduring hardships in their service of our great nation.
This year’s Veterans Day is different from other years because students will attend school as we shift our calendar to align with the State regional calendar. This is a disappointment to some. Make no mistake; we continue to believe that November 11 is a day of importance and reflection and we are resolute in showing our appreciation for all veterans of the United States of America.
Our schools will honor veterans while providing students with meaningful instruction that embeds respect and appreciation for those who serve in the military services. Some examples are students interviewing veterans in their family and sharing their responses with other students, using America’s military history as a lens while students articulate the life of an American soldier, inviting local veterans to speak within classrooms, and writing letters to veterans in local VA hospitals as well as to active duty service men and women in the field. McAlister Intermediate School will hold its traditional Veterans Day Assembly at 2:10 p.m. on November 11 and has invited all McAlister families to invite a veteran to attend the assembly and a gathering with refreshments at 1:30 p.m. A. Ward Spaulding School will host an honorary breakfast for veterans and their Spaulding families’ relatives.
As role models for our children and grandchildren, I encourage all of us to reach out and thank a veteran in our family or community as a way of teaching children the importance of demonstrating our deep appreciation for these real life heroes.
On behalf of the Suffield Public Schools, I wish the entire community a meaningful Veterans Day and a bountiful and Happy Thanksgiving.