Dear Fulford Families,
Well, this year has not exactly gone the way that any of us expected. I must announce that due to restrictions in place to protect us all from COVID-19, Fulford Academy will not be reopening the school or dormitory before June 18th and classes will continue online for the remainder of the school year. At this point, we are hoping that we will be able to have students on campus for our summer session beginning July 20th, but of course, no one knows if that will be allowed. We will absolutely be having a summer session; it just may be held online. At this time, every indication is that there will be on-campus school in September, at which point students will be able to move into our newly-refurbished dormitory 800 metres down the road.
What I can state to all of you is that we will continue to hold classes with our incredibly dedicated faculty teaching until the last day of school. All of our students will have until the final hour on June 18th to do whatever they can to raise their grades with students receiving report cards and official transcripts soon after.
To our graduates, WOW…it’s so tough to put into words what you have had to surmount your graduation year. Each one of you has had to overcome what no other graduating class in Canada has ever had to deal with. You can wear that as a badge of honour forever-you earned this!
While we will not be able to have a traditional graduation this year, I would like to announce the first-ever Fulford Academy Homecoming and Convocation to be held in the near future. More information to come of course, but I will be asking you and all other Fulford Alumni (and of course your families) to come “home” soon to share stories and celebrate your graduation. More info to come. Stay tuned
Our little school and our school community have been dealing with the effects of COVID-19 longer than most businesses in the world, and that is not hyperbole. Our students have either lived through or lived with the effects of this pandemic since before the Christmas break. They saw firsthand or heard the stories from friends about lockdowns and transportation issues. They worked with our staff as they put in extra cleaning and safety efforts beginning in January, long before even hospitals and care facilities in our area thought about doing so. They kept their friends company, and most importantly, kept calm while classmates were placed in quarantine or tested for COVID-19. I could not be prouder of these kids. While the rest of the world denied or panicked, these students responded with compassion, care, and maturity. I want to say a colossal “Thank you” to all of our students. You have shown the world what a Fulford student can do.
To our staff, I want to say “Thank you.” As I mentioned above, the reality of this virus became apparent to you before most of the world even knew what it was. You put on a brave face to support our students and help them to stay safe and calm when you were probably worried about your own safety and those of your friends and families. You encouraged us to go above and beyond to add safety considerations that became provincial standards weeks before the health officials did. Our students are well-educated and well-fed, but most importantly they are extremely well taken care of.
Finally, I want to say thank you to our families and agents. Every day, you place your trust and faith in us to take care of your children. As a father myself, I understand that this is not a small thing. All of us at Fulford Academy work tirelessly to make sure your children safely return to you. Your children are priceless, and every day we respect that in every way that we can. To those families and agents who went above and beyond and aided us in any way, offering support, space in your homes, volunteering your time, writing to keep us up-to-date, sending supplies, or even just by calling and saying “Good job,” thank you. Whether you live five minutes from the school, or 5000 kilometres away, your trust and support are the glue that holds all of this together.
I am beyond impressed and humbled by this little community that spans the whole world and comes together in a tiny school in Brockville, Ontario, Canada. A little community that could show the rest of the world how to respect and care for each other. A little community that continues to add great people to the world who will change it for the better!
Thank you all, one last time, for all the continued support and care. I hope all of you are staying safe and healthy.
See you soon.
Mr. Murray
Head of School