St Mary’s – It’s Over!

I hadn’t arrived at tonight’s meeting expecting to be biting my fingers. Quite the opposite, I’d arrived thinking that there was no way the board could possibly elect to close Saint Mary’s. We’d presented too compelling a case to the contrary for them to seriously consider closure. We’d turned out in numbers so great and with logics so clear and undeniable that they couldn’t help but see the wisdom in leaving us open. We’d been methodical and thorough and we’d considered and anticipated every eventuality. Tonight belonged to victory.
 
But it was not a clear shot to the finish line, not at all. There was challenge and distraction, anxiety and uncertainty right up to the end and it turned out the Saint Mary’s people, the many with whom I subsequently spoke, had all shared a collective sense of dread at the turn things had appeared to be taking and the trainwreck that seemed to be manifesting before our very eyes. But it was averted, fortunately, and in the end, IN THE END, we did emerge completely and utterly victorious and it was extraordinarily sweet.
 
On behalf of everyone who will benefit from tonight’s decision, I thank the committee. On behalf of the committee, I thank the hundreds, HUNDREDS, of community members that showed up when and wherever they could and made an impression that the board could neither forget nor dismiss. I don’t even know whether it’s appropriate for me to be thanking everyone on everyone else’s behalf but we did a great job, all of us, and so there it is: THANK YOU. This is an unconditional success, no strings attached, and I hope everyone takes a moment to enjoy that to the fullest extent possible.
 
Cindy and Michele
Co-chairs
Saint Mary’s Elementary now defunct Study Review Committee