June 12, 2020
Good morning, WHA students, parents, teachers, and staff!
Today, officially marks the last day of school for the 2019-2020 school year. And what a year this has been! It bears repeating that you have made it through one of the most tumultuous years we have experienced in a long time. School closures early in the Fall due to fires which included evacuation orders for some members of our community. A global pandemic for the past three months. National unrest and protests…
This has been a wild and unexpected roller coaster ride of a year. Through it all every single one of you have demonstrated your grit, determination, and spirit.
To all our students, please remember that you can achieve anything you set your minds to. I am convinced that you will be the generation to remind our community what it means to be resilient. You will teach us to slow down, re-prioritize. You will rise to each and every challenge that comes your way because of how you have responded to so many different obstacles and I couldn’t be more proud of all of you.
To our parents, thank you for being true partners in your children’s education. Taking on the immediate support role as teachers did their best to teach remotely while still managing so many other responsibilities… I am in AWE of our parents and community. What an amazing job you have done. I know it hasn’t been easy. And there were probably many frustrating moments, but you didn’t quit. You persevered. Congratulations to our parents for seeing this year through.
To our teachers – what can I say? We have an incredible teaching staff. From one day to the next you jumped into action, learned so many new skills, supported each other along the way, and found a way to make remote learning work for our families. I am so proud of your valiant efforts and your ability to turn lemons into lemonade.
To our staff – my goodness! Often the unsung heroes working tirelessly behind the scenes to support instruction, ensure systems are operational, jumping in wherever and whenever necessary. You have been absolutely phenomenal.
EVERYONE at WHA has absolutely stepped up. And today, our last day of the school year, I want to congratulate all of you for a job well done.
We have summer squarely in our sights. I know you are all ready to relax and to leave this school year behind. However, I want to offer you a tool to stay engaged this summer. Please use this summer bucket list to keep learning at your own pace, doing things that seem interesting to you! We want you to be as ready as possible for the upcoming school year.
We don’t know what the fall will bring. And uncertainty is never comfortable. But hang in there. I will do my best to keep everyone informed and to help process information as it becomes available. That includes our 8th graders and their families. Feel free to reach out and I will do my best to provide you support during this time of transition.
Sending so much love to all of you! Have a wonderful summer.
Your principal,
Mrs. Alma Salazar