Welcome to our final newsletter of the 2017-2018 school year! Time has flown by this year, and I'm sure many of you are like me, wondering where the time went.

There's a saying that the only constant in life is change, and we are particularly aware of that at this time of year. The weather has changed, bringing sunshine and warmer temperatures with it, allowing us to adapt our lifestyles and incorporate more outdoor time and activities. I welcome this change with open arms, so happy to see greenery and flowers again.

You probably have also noticed the name change to the Memorial newsletter. It's a result of our mascot vote. Last month, students in grades K and 1 researched animals to learn about them and made connections to show which animal best demonstrates the CARES attributes we follow at Memorial School. 

On Monday, June 11th, we held a school assembly at which we revealed our winning mascot, the eagle! Thomas C. and Cooper B. from Ms. Gwynne's first grade class did the research for the eagle and presented a fantastic proposal to the Student Council. Everyone was excited about this historic moment, and we look forward to incorporating our mascot in many ways at Memorial. 

Our students have changed, too. June is a month filled with graduations, and we are proud to be sending our fifth graders to the middle school. Our program this past Friday was very personalized and highlighted the uniqueness of our fantastic class. I will certainly miss these students, but I know that they are on to do great things in life.

Our Kindergarteners celebrated all their learning this past year as well. I have seen so much growth in them since September and look forward to seeing their continued personal and academic progress here at Memorial.

No matter what grade they're in, every student in our building is on to the next step in their academic journey. Our philosophy of "Learning for All" includes a regular celebration of our students' personalized educational path, with an understanding that learning takes all forms and formats. As we move into our summer break, recognizing everyone's continuous efforts to become their personal best is important and worth mentioning. I am so proud of every student at Memorial, and I thank all the teachers and staff members here for their role in educating and enriching our students.

I wish every Memorial family all the best over the summer break, and hope you find time to relax, rejuvenate and recharge. Supply lists for all students in grades K-5 will be posted on our website. Please keep an eye on your email for school related news which will include mandatory back-to-school paperwork. We'll see all of our Memorial students when we return to school on Monday, August 27, 2018!