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    Dear Elizabeth Public Schools Learning Community,

    Each year on September 11th, our nation takes time to reflect on the tragic events that took place in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, remembering and honoring the people who we lost, the heroes whose actions saved countless lives, and those who worked tirelessly in the recovery and rebuilding efforts.

    In the days, weeks, months, and years following the attacks, people from throughout the country came together to take actions both large and small. First, we banded together to grieve our losses and to assess the damage. Then, we rose above the tragedy together, supporting one another with a sense of purpose and a greater understanding of the fragility of freedom.

    I will never forget the events of September 11th, the lives that were lost, the heroism demonstrated in the face of grave danger, the damage and collapse to architectural symbols of the United States, the families and our nation that was forever changed. I also will never forget the first responders who were sifting through the debris searching for survivors and the people who were providing them food and water to help keep them nourished, the mutual aid provided from all areas of the country to keep first responder services operating for devastated precincts, the respect and kindness with which people were treating one another.

    It is vital that we continue to remember what took place on that day and in the times that followed, not only in preserving the memory of the lives that were lost, but also to remember the strength, resolve, and togetherness that galvanized us as people and as a nation in the wake of unimaginable tragedy.

    In that spirit, let us honor them both today and going forward by approaching our days and our work with purpose, togetherness, and kindness to fulfill the opportunity that was tragically taken from them on this day 24 years ago: to ensure the success of our next generation.

    Sincerely,

    Dr. Olga Hugelmeyer