September 11

Dear BPS Community:

Tomorrow marks 25 years since September 11, 2001. It is difficult to believe that a quarter of a century has passed since a day that remains so vivid for those of us who lived through it. On this anniversary, our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with every person who lost a parent, child, spouse, sibling, family member, friend, or colleague that day.

Twenty-five years later, I find myself thinking especially about our children.
Most of the students sitting in our Bristol classrooms today were born many years after September 11. For them, 9/11 is history. For many of us, it is a memory. That makes our responsibility as educators, parents, and community members even more important.

We want our children to know that people came together. They helped their neighbors. They donated blood. They volunteered. They comforted strangers. Communities wrapped their arms around grieving families. In the face of hatred and devastation, countless people responded with love, courage, service, and compassion.

In Bristol Public Schools, we talk often about ensuring that every child feels supported, connected, and engaged. We remind our students that character matters, that how we treat one another matters, and that each of us has a responsibility to contribute to something larger than ourselves. September 11 reminds us why those lessons are so important.

That spirit is also part of what makes Bristol such a special community. Time and again, when one of our own is hurting, people step forward. Our schools, families, first responders, community organizations, and neighbors remind us that we truly are All Heart and that we are always stronger when we are Better Together.

Tomorrow, as we remember September 11, may we pause to honor those whose lives were taken, those who ran toward danger, those who sacrificed their lives trying to save others, and all those who continue to carry the loss of that day.

And perhaps the greatest way we can honor them is through how we choose to live and what we teach the next generation: remember, serve others, lead with compassion, stand together, and never take for granted the opportunity we have each day to make a difference in someone else's life. We will never forget.

With remembrance and gratitude,
Iris White
Superintendent of Schools