I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one affiliated with our school district a Happy Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 over a three-day harvest festival. It included 50 Pilgrims, 90 Wampanoag Indians, and lasted three days. Turkey was not on the menu at the first Thanksgiving. President George Washington was the first to issue a proclamation for the holiday in 1789, designating Thursday, November 26 “for the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving.” This marked the first national celebration of the holiday under the new constitution. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, but it wasn't observed as a national holiday until 1863. Thanksgiving is truly an important American holiday because, more than even Christmas or the Fourth of July, it is a time when American families should reunite, express gratitude for one another, and feel closer to one another than at any other time. It is a time when we as a nation can celebrate family.

I pray and hope for safety in your travels over the next week. I pray you will maximize and take advantage of the time to spend with loved ones and friends. I pray for the safety and well-being of our men and women in uniform, both military and civilian that stand watch over us, prepared to give all for our freedoms and our way of life. I pray for a time of calmness and peace in our community, our nation, and our world. I wish you a Thanksgiving filled with abundance, happiness, and bright moments.

Buddy L. Brown

Superintendent of Schools