UHS: A Message Concluding The Week
Dear School Community,
We opened this week with a message of grief; today, we conclude the week with a message of affirmation.
Typically, I send a message every Friday detailing the events of the coming week, some of the updates, and other information that is generally important. This week, that would not be particularly thoughtful, given the circumstances. However, considering that part of this message is about a return to normalcy, we will be following up with a typical update under a separate message.
In the face of heartbreak, our school community showed extraordinary resilience, empathy, and unity. In the words of British poet William Wordsworth, “We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind." In that spirit, I want to begin by sharing my profound gratitude for our students. Throughout an incredibly challenging week, they responded with grace, maturity, and a deep, uplifting respect for one another. Watching them support their peers, lean on each other, and carry one another through difficult moments has been a powerful reminder of the strength and heart of our school - indeed, they helped us find strength in a school that was understandably and noticeably hurting this week. I was especially heartened by the way that students recognized that the adults in the school were carrying their own sadnesses, and people worked to support one another. While that may be surprising to some people when we think of how some young people struggle to empathize or think beyond themselves, it reflects the very best of our core values and that to which we aspire daily.
Navigating a week like this requires a village, and we were fortunate to be surrounded by an overwhelming wave of support. On behalf of our entire staff and administration, I want to express our deepest gratitude to the counselors, administrators, and leaders who stepped up from neighboring districts to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us:
Advanced Math and Science Academy (AMSA)
Nipmuc Regional High School
Auburn Public Schools
Blackstone-Millville Regional
Douglas Public Schools
We are equally grateful for our dedicated local community counseling partners, as well as Pastor Matt from Valley Chapel for his outreach and steady presence. The outpouring of kindness from our broader community — from comforting gestures and flowers sent by local community members and counseling teams from other schools — reminded us that we were never alone in this process.
The UHS Response Team has been in full rock-star mode all week, and I have never felt more confidence and pride in this group as I did this week. Thank you to all of them: David Fredette, Assistant Principal; David Moura, Dean of Students; Beth Wandyes, Athletic Director; Linda Carlise, Greg Coppolino, Kyla Gutekunst, and Ashley Smith, School Counselors; Allison Ciccone and Lori Tobin, School Adjustment Counselors; Liz Deschene, Special Education Team Chair; Heather Deveau, BCBA; Cassandra Rozell-Alba, School Psychologist; Tara Schiller, nurse; Dan Deveau, School Resource Officer.
As we look ahead, we are preparing to take our next steps forward together. While we spent this week wrapping around our students and staff with acute crisis care, next week marks a fresh beginning. We will begin gradually sunsetting our guest crisis support teams and returning to our regular classroom routines and academic structures. Returning to a predictable schedule is one of the healthiest ways we can help our students regain a sense of stability and normalcy. As a result, no outside counselors will be here on Tuesday when school opens, and the expectation is that students will be attending class.
Please rest assured that while external crisis teams wrap up their time with us, our in-house counseling staff remains fully available to support any student or staff member who needs ongoing care. Grief does not follow a strict timeline, and our commitment to supporting your children remains steadfast. In some cases, though, if students may not be able to manage the return to a routine, we may be reaching out to parents to get support outside the school, as our counseling staff, tremendous as it may be, is not a staffing a therapeutic school setting.
As we get more information about planned services, we will share those details, as it will likely be something that some students will want to attend.
Thank you for your trust, your patience, and your continued partnership throughout this week. Together, we have honored a loss, supported one another through the darkest hours, and reaffirmed the strength of our community. As we look to next week, we move forward with hope, carrying the lessons of compassion and unity with us.
Warmly,
Dr. Michael D. Rubin, Principal
Uxbridge High School