Subject: Congratulations Grade 12 Graduates, Class of 2020! Pdf version
You have made it, now keep going!
To the Graduating Class of 2020: She:Kon, Greetings, Good Day!
You have made it! Your secondary school journey is over and you are moving on to the next stage of your lives.
Over the course of your secondary school career_and during this, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic_some of you may have experienced periods of wonder, question, and at times, perhaps uncertainty as to whether graduation was even going to happen. For others, graduating this June came relatively easily with minor or few setbacks. In either case, you achieved success whether you had support from those around you, or you feel like you made it against the odds.
As a member of the Class of 2020, your graduating year is a mix of unique meaning and reflection. The year 2020 will be remembered for the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when school stopped in the traditional sense and graduation was a term of reference, rather than an event.
There is no disputing that your graduating year feels different than any other. As graduates, you are well within your right to feel as though the ceremony and prom were taken away. As slighted as you may feel, I encourage you to remember your achievements and not let the absence of a physical graduation cloud your memories.
Graduation is a significant event for you and the people in your lives. For you, it is a mark of achievement with, perhaps, some trepidation about what lies ahead. For parents/guardians and your loved ones, it is a time of pride to watch you "cross the stage," while also feeling anxious about what the future holds for you.
From me to all of you, congratulations on your accomplishment. I acknowledge your teachers, the support staff and the principals and vice-principals who supported you along the way. Lastly, I offer a special thank you to your families for their support, care and love of you.
Graduates, feel proud of the fact that no one can take your high school diploma away from you. You earned it every step of the way.
I started this letter by stating, "You have made it!" I end it by adding, "Now keep going!"
Che-Miigwech, thank you.
Sincerely,
Sean Monteith
Director of Education