Post #14: Good Fortune and Gratitude
Last week I had the good fortune to be able to hear our talented chorus sing at their annual winter concert. Yes, in the middle of a pandemic. Let that sink in for a minute, then read on…
As I sat under a blanket under the stars listening to the beautiful voices harmonize, I realized the last time I heard live singing was Thursday, March 12 at the Miller Theater. Tears started to come to my eyes. That night in March, my family was in a largely full theater listening to a fabulous tribute to the Beatles. We left at intermission as I had to go home and write the message that would close campus and move learning online for what I hoped would be a few weeks until the outbreak was contained. Of course, we have yet to contain the virus in America. Despite this fact, we have successfully and safely returned to campus this fall.
At Monday’s concert, I suddenly realized how grateful I was for the gift of live music. I was so grateful for the planning, protocols, and discipline from Mrs. Williams, who safely led these kids through practice in special choral masks all semester with no COVID-19 cases. I was so grateful for all the families of these students who put their trust in us that we could operate safely on campus this fall. I was so grateful for their willingness to come sit outside under the stars on a very cold night so their children could have an actual audience for which to perform. I was so grateful to hear human voices unrestrained by masks soar into the winter night sky. It was marvelous! I know we recorded it and you can find it on our Facebook page, but a recording cannot do justice to the magic of that moment.
Today, as the pandemic rages on, I remain hopeful that we can continue learning on campus next semester. My spirits are lifted by the promise of vaccines and the promise of the return of some normalcy in coming months and next school year. New tools in this fight are much needed and welcome. Regardless of new tools, I remain confident that our success has come from two main things: the cooperation of our parents and students (not sending sick kids to school) and the discipline of our faculty and staff to stick to CDC, DPH, and APDS protocols.
Thank you to every member of our community for helping us create and sustain our good fortune this fall. I hope you will find a way to enjoy happy holidays, and I wish you a safer and more prosperous new year!
Augusta Preparatory Day School
Augusta Preparatory Day School is an independent, college preparatory school serving children ages 2 through Grade 12 from the greater Augusta-Aiken area. Augusta Prep seeks to enroll a group of diverse students. We follow an open admission policy, whereby qualified candidates are admitted without regard to religion, race, nationality, economic background, or ethnic origin.
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