Haunted River Walk

Monday, September 14, 2020

Dear 8th Grade Parents and Guardians,

Good afternoon! We hope this communication finds you all healthy and well! With the school year now underway, and as the students get settled and focused on their academics, we wanted to address the topic of 8th grade activities.

As you all know, 8th grade activities are a vital part of the 8th grade experience, and a very important educational endeavor as typically, students raise funds during a series of events throughout the year in order to pay for their year end excursion. The events include the Haunted River Walk, March Madness, and the Variety Show. These events are followed by the 8th grade trip, and finally, the 8th grade banquet.

Because of the pandemic, last year's events were cut short, and we were unable to have the Variety Show, the class trip, and the banquet. Despite this, we were able to modify and adapt, and we were happy to be able to safely celebrate the 8th grade students (albeit in July) with an outdoor celebration consisting of food, dessert, a DJ, yearbooks, and a large outdoor viewing screen that played the 8th grade student "slide show" that would have normally been played at the Variety Show. These necessary compromises, while no substitute, provided the safest, and most ideal experience possible for our outgoing 8th grade students.

Being that we are still in a situation that calls for placing student and family health and wellness first, we will continue to modify and adapt the 8th grade activities, and their schedule, in order to assure student and family safety while still bringing the young men and women a great experience.

That being said, the Haunted River Walk, as we normally know it, will be cancelled this year. Let me be clear in saying that this does not mean that the Haunted River Walk is gone forever. The Haunted River Walk is not going away, but this year, being that we are still in a pandemic, producing the Haunted River Walk presented a myriad of issues that after much deliberation, and ideas on compromises, proved to be unattainable. This was not a decision that the board committee on 8th grade activities took lightly. We love the Haunted River Walk, and look forward to when we can once again run the event with the fidelity that it, the students, and the community that has come to love it deserves.

As I said above, we are committed to modifying and adapting to whatever our circumstances are in order to bring the students the safest version of whatever the 8th grade activities experience will ultimately look like. Without knowing what the future holds, much like planning for the academic year, we will be planning for multiple scenarios and situations. Currently, there are no events or trips scheduled, but we remain flexible and fluid as we continue to monitor and adjust.

As always, your input, ideas, and experience is welcome and needed. During the virtual Board of Education meeting on Monday, September 21st, we invite you, as 8th grade parents, to share any ideas you may have during a public portion of the meeting.

We thank you all for your patience, understanding, and assistance as we navigate this situation. I would just like to reiterate again that we are committed to our 8th graders, and the 8th grade experience. We appreciate everyone's understanding that things are not normal, and some compromise is necessary in order to make this a safe and memorable year for our students.

Be well,
Mr. Veit