East Haddam Schools Pay Tribute to Local Veterans

For the first time that anyone in the East Haddam schools could remember, the Board of Education approved Friday November 11^th as a full day of school for all East Haddam students. The decision to hold school on Veterans Day was made based upon the commitment of all students and staff to dedicate a minimum of half of the school day to a hands-on tribute to veterans.

No one could have anticipated the heartfelt emotional impact this day had on the schools and on the community as students and staff in all of the schools engaged in a variety of activities including assemblies, music, art, writing, and class visits with local East Haddam veterans.

East Haddam Elementary School hosted an afternoon school-wide . Veterans and their families were invited to attend this special event filled with patriotic student artwork, letters, and poetry, patriotic songs sung by the students and volunteer officer-attendees in full dress uniform. Over 500 students and their invited veteran guests and families were present to mark this very special event.

Nathan Hale-Ray High School students paid honor to Veterans with a variety of in-class activities including solo student vocal performances of patriotic songs played throughout the school day over the intercom, student reading and journaling activities, and classroom presentations by local guest veterans.

Nathan-Hale Ray Middle School conducted many in-class activities including presentations and lunch with local veterans. The highlight of the day was a school-wide outdoor ceremony attended by many of the local veterans featuring Major Dana Hyatt (5^th grade teacher) as the keynote speaker. A military flag-lowering ceremony with a student trumpeter playing taps completed this special ceremony. 

Submitted by: Dr. Ellen Solek, East Haddam Superintendent of Schools