Though we have been practicing COVID-19 safety protocols and fostering the development of healthy and safe habits for our students and staff since before the start of this school year, there is now a mask mandate in the State of New Hampshire in response to an exponential increase in the number of coronavirus cases in our state, and in an effort to flatten the curve and keep our schools and businesses open throughout the coming winter.

As has always been the case, our future is in our hands. I’d say that we have done exceptionally well in the community of Andover, and I would encourage everyone to stay the course. With the advent of two or three very promising vaccines on the horizon (with targeted distribution likely to begin in the near future), we just have to hold on.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, and that light gets brighter each day, even as COVID infections soar around us. Please stay vigilant, take care of yourselves, your neighbors, your friends, and everyone who you love. This, too, will pass, and the sacrifices we have made will be well worth it when the pandemic passes, and we are all alive, well, and whole.

The past months have hurt badly for so many, but kids are resilient and so are we.  Hold fast, and let’s get through this together, everyone. Our collective response to adversity is a measure of who we are as a community and has the potential to make us even greater. 

Let’s finish strong, Andover, in a way that we can be proud of for the rest of our lives.