To the Class of 2020

We delivered gift bags to the seniors. In the bag was their cap and gown, alumni sticker, gift from their House parent, a homemade cookie from Sra Santiago, and a letter from teachers and staff to each student. I would like to share mine.



To the Class of 2020:

Once upon a time, I was a student-teacher. As my time in that classroom was ending (after only a semester of school), I asked the cooperating teacher I was with, “how do you let them go? You are with these kids everyday, don’t you miss them?” She laughed, having 30 years experience, and said, “it gets easier.”

It does get easier to say goodbye. Especially after the final nine weeks. If we were still in school, you would be DONE. Done, done, done. You would have either thought or said aloud something to the effect, “It doesn’t matter. I am going to graduate even if I don’t get this done.” You would have chanced singing the real lyrics at prom, hoping those old uncool chaperones didn’t know the real words and couldn’t understand you anyways. You would have probably had a second senior skip day, maybe at IHOP, just to steal the thunder from Class of 2019 a little. Some of you would find yourself in the Think Lab even though you don’t have any classes there and you definitely would have cookies from the cafeteria with you. You would try to get out of adoration or art or yearbook, claiming you didn’t need a pass, only to have your name called over the PA. You would be tardy more often (even if that is possible for some of you). You would say, or think, “I can’t wait to get out of this place.”

We didn’t get this part of the year together. This is the thing that makes me sad. It is my favorite part of the year. It’s not all the “events” we will miss. It’s the down time together. We didn’t get to that point in the year that made the goodbye easier. (That point I was ready to kick you out of the nest. Fly little bird, cya later).

Luckily, your class has a giant personality and we made some great memories during the time we did have. As the teachers sent me their letters to you and I was able to read them, many made me cry, many made me laugh, and all of them made me miss you all terribly. 

I want to share with you my favorite quote, by CS Lewis, which has gotten me through job changes and life changes:

It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for a bird to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.

It’s time for you to hatch. It doesn’t feel like you had enough time as an egg in our little Kennedy nest, but you have to hatch. You cannot fly while you are an egg. So ready or not, I have to be ready to kick you out of the nest. Fly and do great things. Soar like an Eagle. I know you have it in you. 

All my love,
Mrs. Alyse Consiglio

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