05.08.20: Friday Update

From: Julie Smith, Head of School
Subject: Friday update; Prom next week; Summer School, student government, and graduation updates

Dear Stanbridge Parents and Guardians,

With a sunny Mother's Day weekend on the horizon, I won't keep you in front of your screens any longer than necessary. Here is the latest need-to-know news as we count down the last few weeks of the school year:

Prom is next Friday, May 15. More than half of our high school students will be participating in this year's Virtual Prom Dance Party, held online via Zoom from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Students who RSVP'd that they will be joining should look for more information coming via email in the days ahead. Information will include the required Zoom link and password, as well as a Grubhub certificate code that each student can use to purchase their "prom dinner" from a local Grubhub restaurant. Matt Robidoux is looking through the list of songs requested by students and will be spinning a curated playlist live on Friday night. With many other schools cancelling their prom events this year, we are thankful for Kenny, Matt, and our parent volunteers who have stepped-up to reimagine this year's Stanbridge Prom, and we are also excited that so many students will be participating. Look for highlights next weekend!

Summer School registration is (re-)open! Linda sent an email yesterday announcing our all-online Summer School program; you can view/download the course guide and enrollment form on our website's Summer School page. This year's Summer School will still run from June 15 through July 24 in week-long sessions (note: there are no classes the week of July 6–10). Because of the online nature of the courses, the Summer School day has been reduced, as have tuition costs. Nevertheless, our teachers are still offering a variety of courses that should appeal to all interests in all grades—programming, cooking, art, STEAM, games—as well as a full five weeks of Extended School Year (ESY). The enrollment deadline is June 1, and classes still need to reach a minimal enrollment to stay on the schedule, so don't delay in completing your paperwork to sign-up. If you have any questions regarding our Summer School program, email Linda directly.

Later this month, the High School Division will be holding elections for next year's Student Government. Advisor Kenny Katz shared information with students this week, and potential candidates were asked to confirm their interest with Kenny, who will be sending out follow-up information this weekend. A special "Election Edition" of the Stanbridge Weekly News will be published as Election Day nears, and all candidates will broadcast a speech to the high school student body on the morning of Thursday, May 28. Additional details to come in the weeks ahead.

This year's graduation ceremonies remain works in progress, but details are coming in to focus. We will be holding three separate online graduation ceremonies this year so that we can honor each division's graduates appropriately. Elementary (K–5) will hold their year-end "Step-Up" ceremony as an online Zoom session on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 3—that will serve as the division's final school day of the year. Middle School (6–8) will hold their online ceremony at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 4, and High School (9–12) at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, June 5. These ceremonies will be streamed online and feature many of the same elements that our traditional commencement ceremony would have—teacher introductions, student speeches, and year-end awards. We are working with an outside A/V agency to help produce a seamless, online broadcast that can be streamed by anyone with the online link, so family members from all over—even internationally—will be able to view the event (a perk in doing an online graduation ceremony). Again, this is a work in progress and I will share more details as they emerge.

Busy times ahead as we power through the home stretch of the school year, so I hope you are able to emerge outside this weekend and enjoy some sun and fresh air. Before signing-off, a shout-out to all of the Stanbridge Moms (in both the literal and figurative sense). I cannot thank you enough for all that you do for the Stanbridge community, and now—more than ever—your role as a mother, teacher, home office worker, home daycare manager, and more, has required an extra level of strength and perseverance. So in speaking for our entire staff and student body, THANK YOU, STANBRIDGE MOMS for all that you have done, are doing, and continue to do to help us all get through these times. A most-deserved Happy Mother's Day weekend to all of you!