Dear Fred and the Entire Team at Franklin Academy:
I will be forever grateful for the two months my FLI senior just had at Franklin Academy. Here’s a kid who seamlessly transitioned to online learning last March, not missing a beat. The easiest course of action for me would have been to keep him here at home this semester, holding on tight and keeping him safe. But Christopher, at 18 and accepted as a FLI student, had an opportunity for growth that had to take priority despite a pandemic.
A pandemic. Never did any of us in our lifetime have pandemic on our radar. Without a doubt, we as Franklin parents have little understanding how many hours and hours of planning went into bringing our students back to campus this fall. My own doubt kept me awake at night, and that was just for one student – never mind an entire student body, teachers, and staff. What you gave our kids these past two months was a gift: the opportunity to grow and spread their wings during a time when all of us feel like our wings have been clipped.
Thank you for being brave in your choices, unrelenting in your commitment to everyone’s safety, and believing in our talented and special kids. Our family will be raising our glasses to all of you around our Thanksgiving table this year, wishing you REST, PEACE, and GOOD HEALTH.
With our deepest and sincerest thanks,
Leaf and Scott Wallace,
and Stewart Gurr
PS: Leaf and Christopher smile for the camera during the repopulation of campus by FLI seniors and postgraduates in September.