By Ken Weaver

Superintendent Oxford Community Schools

As November 30 approaches, and we near the one-year mark that changed us all, we must prepare for what this day will look like for our district. A committee of social workers, teachers, and administrators was created to research and collectively think through what will be best for our school community on this day. Numerous schools that have walked this road before us were consulted for their experienced guidance in this planning.

What they shared with us was different than what we expected to hear.

Although we had originally envisioned a district-wide day of service, school communities that have experienced similar tragedy shared that, until this day is upon us, each of us may not know how we will feel. It may also affect us differently than we ever anticipated. Some may need to spend the day with family and friends from the moment they wake, some may want to take action and serve others, and some may not have enough energy to get out of bed. Whatever you think you may want to do at this moment in time on that day may drastically and unexpectedly change that very morning. This likelihood could hold true for all of us, including students, parents, staff, first responders, and community members, and this process of grieving must be respected.

We have also learned we will likely receive a heightened number of threats on this day. Therefore, our buildings will be closed.

With all of this in mind, we will not be coming together for service projects organized by student leadership groups as we had once thought.

This November 30 will, however, remain a day of remembrance and love. We implore each of you to let love win on November 30, 2022. Spend this day how your family needs to – to heal, reflect, mourn, and most of all to love. If you feel you want to participate in a service project on this day, by all means please do, but please know there is no expectation for our students nor staff.

We will still be coming together as a school community in solidarity on Wildcat Remembrance Day in two ways: At 12:51 p.m. on November 30, wherever you and your family are at this time, we invite our school community to share a moment of silence together.

Additionally, at 7 p.m., we invite our community to simultaneously light luminaries outside your homes, across our district and beyond. Let us light up Oxford with love as we honor the beautiful lives that were taken from us far too soon – Hana, Tate, Justin, and Madisyn. We are working to provide Oxford High School students and staff each with a luminary (white paper bag and battery-operated candle) and the resiliency center will have a supply of luminaries available for community members to pick up beginning on November 14 as well. 

As we all know, the tragedy we have all endured is one with a long and complicated healing process; and it is more than anyone can be expected to handle and heal from on their own. The mental and emotional healing of our entire school community remains so important.

Please be reminded the All For Oxford Resiliency Center (1370 S. Lapeer Road, Oxford) is open and offering mental health resources for anyone in need. On November 30, specifically, the All For Oxford Resiliency Center will be open extended hours, from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m., and will be prepared to serve our community with any mental health supports needed.

We have all been through the unimaginable together. Together we have persevered to where we are today, and we are more resilient than we ever thought possible.