On Thursday, June 11th, 2020, our Seniors are invited to come to the parking lot of our campus at 201 N. Douglas Street from 4:30 – 6:30 pm during which time members of our school staff will be present to bid them “Farewell!”. The graduates who wish to participate in this event will have an opportunity to have a professional picture taken on a decorated stage wearing their cap and gown.
This event will be in addition to the virtual graduation ceremony that will take place at 11:30 am.
In order to keep the risk of exposure to COVID-19 to a minimum and promote the safety of all the participants involved, everyone will be asked to follow the protocol and guidelines that can be found on this document, and we ask that all graduates and families follow the guidelines that are provided there.
We recognize the pain and unrest that our local and national communities are feeling in the wake of the recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. These injustices, which highlight systemic problems in our society that must be faced, happen amidst the backdrop of a global pandemic that prevents us from being on campus together. While we are not physically together, our school community is strong, and we will come together in open dialogue and in support: to grieve together, to support one another, and to stand together for justice.
Tomorrow, Wednesday June 3rd, we as a school community will come together and connect in dialogue circles. These circles will be led by members of our DVD community on June 3rd (Wed) as an opportunity to listen, to gain understanding, and give space to express feelings. Please use this moment to sign up for a circle or to reach out for connection.
First: Let us know how you’re doing and/or request a meeting with a counselor in this short survey: Connections Survey: DVD 2020
Next: If you would like to sign up for a Circle led by a DVD staff member of your choosing, use the Sign-Up Genius Link here:
Lastly: These are challenging, unprecedented times, and we want to honor your hard work and your preparation for POLs in the face of it all. POLs will continue as planned, but as of today, POLs will only maintain or positively influence final grades. We know you are doing, and will continue to do, your very best. Your teachers appreciate the opportunity to connect with you one last time this semester.
Be well, stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you soon.
As our students turn to adults in their lives for answers, it is important that we listen and respond with honesty and empathy. Students may be feeling an array of emotions, including anger, fear, and anxiety and we need to help students recognize and acknowledge their emotions.
On Wednesday, June 3rd, we will be offering an opportunity for our students to participate in community circles, where we can come together to try and process what has happened. Tomorrow, teachers will be posting links to sign-up for circles.
Please encourage students to complete the following survey: Connections Survey: DVD 2020. We would like to know how to best support our students at this time.
Following are tips and resources to support our students:
We send this message with heavy hearts, and in recognition of the pain and unrest that our local and national communities are feeling in the wake of the recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. These injustices, which highlight systemic problems in our society that must be faced, happen amidst the backdrop of a global pandemic that prevents us from being on campus together. While we are not physically together, our school community is strong, and we will come together in open dialogue and in support of our students: to grieve together, to support one another, and to stand together for justice.
This week, we as a school community commit to giving our students digital space to come together. We have reached out to our student leaders and to our staff of compassionate educators to begin a dialogue that allows students to process what is going on. As we develop plans and gather resources, we will do what we can to listen, to learn, to connect, and to process. Details will be shared soon.
We encourage our students to reach out to the staff that they know and who knows them. We look forward to connecting with you, and wish for justice and peace in our communities.