Happy Thanksgiving! Even with all the challenges in the last couple of years, the trials and tribulations of COVID, the political discord, and the heaviness that seems to permeate day to day life some days, hopefully we can all still find things to be thankful for. I’m always thankful for my family and friends, for my relative good health, a roof over my head and food on my plate. I know that these are difficult times for many, many people. I hope that you all can find some silver linings and if you are struggling that you are able to reach out to people who can help. I hope you have the opportunity to share some joy and togetherness with friends or family this week.
The Edgartown School celebrated the retirement of our amazing and very cherished school nurse, Nicole Barlett, who finished her tenure with us on Friday after 12 amazing years of caring for all of us, students and staff alike.The entire school gathered in front of the building, along with members of the Edgartown Police and Fire Department and community members, to celebrate Nurse Barlett, complete with a flash mob dance of the Cupid Shuffles, speeches, flower presentations and so much more. Never in my years here have I seen such a celebration. Nurse Barlett is something special, a unifying force like no other, and she will be sorely missed. We have welcomed and embraced our new school nurse, Kate Curelli, and she is poised to care for us all moving forward. Bon voyage, Nurse Barlett. Thank you for all you’ve done for us.
In other Edgartown School news, I’m very excited to share that the Annual Craft Fair will be happening again this year. This is always a festive fundraiser for our 8th grade so it’s very exciting to have it on the calendar again, as it also means that we are trying to organize an 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C. this year. So mark your calendars for Dec. 11 to come visit the school gym for the craft fair and some food and also visit our table down at the mini park, where we’ll be doing something exciting and fun as well.
The Edgartown School is also looking for volunteers to be part of a reading program, supporting some of our students with a peer reading program. If you think you might be interested in coming to school and working with a student or two, please feel free to contact me at ggardnermv@gmail.com and I can give your name to the coordinator. And if you’ve ever considered subbing in the school, we could really use your help these days. Substitute teachers are pretty much nonexistent. If you think you’d be interested, please email me and I’ll get your name to the right people for that as well.
Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Michelle Oteri on Nov. 21, Heather Hunt and Donna Enos on Nov. 22, and Heidi Schwab on Nov. 27.
That about does it for this week. I hope you have a wonderful week and holiday, that kids get some down time, that everyone helps clean up after your Thanksgiving dinner, and that we all find a little something for which to be grateful. I will most certainly feel grateful if my jaw heals well enough from my tooth extraction for me to actually eat a Thanksgiving meal. Fingers crossed. Have a wonderful holiday.
