Dear Shattuck, St. Mary’s, St. James, and Shattuck-St. Mary’s School Alumni,
Roughly a year ago, when the COVID-19 virus first reached the shores of the United States, we didn’t foresee it infiltrating cities large and small from coast to coast. And we especially didn’t foresee it becoming a full-blown pandemic that would still be ravaging communities and altering the majority of our day-to-day lives a year later.
The ripple effects of the virus are still permeating world-wide. And while the positive prospects of vaccines have begun to provide hope that the end of the pandemic is near, we are still months away from any glimmer of a return to “normal.”
Friends, it is with heavy hearts that we are forced to adapt once again and transition our much-anticipated 2021 All-School Reunion to a virtual event due to the continuing health concerns surrounding COVID-19.
We had hoped that the pandemic would abate and allow us to hold Reunion on campus as scheduled. However, the risks and unpredictability inherent in the current outlook are far too great to move forward with planning and hosting such a large in-person gathering. While it is unfortunate, we did want to share this decision with you as early as possible to allow adequate time to adjust travel plans.
Though we won’t be able to safely welcome you all back through the Arch this summer, we ask that you don’t erase Reunion Weekend from your calendar just yet. We plan to host a number of fun virtual Reunion programs from June 1st – June 6th, 2021 to provide opportunities for us all to reconnect, reminisce, and recognize important class milestones.
Click here to see a Schedule of Virtual Events we have planned. You can register for as many or as few of the events as you would like on our Advancement Reunion website. Although these online gatherings could never fully replace the joy and spontaneity of reconnecting with classmates in the many programs and activities on-campus that traditionally mark Reunion Weekend, we hope they will provide a touchpoint with your friends, and the School, during a time when human connection has never been more important.
We wish very much that the situation were different, and that we could all be together on the SSM campus in June. Our hope is that when we do have the opportunity to once again safely gather together, in-person, it will be all the sweeter.
Until then, please take very good care of yourselves and your loved ones. And remember that you are always—even at a distance—an essential member of the Shattuck-St. Mary’s community.
Sincerely,
Matthew Cavellier
Head of School