Veteran’s Day afforded an opportunity to recognize the courage, dedication, and personal sacrifice of our Veterans, many of whom are parents, caregivers, grandparents, neighbors, and staff members in our school community. Across our schools, our students have - and will continue to - thank our Veterans. Below are examples of this past week’s Veterans Day activities from each school.
At AES: A school-wide Community Meeting took place with all students and staff on Friday prior to Veterans Day and students were reminded of what a Veteran is and why we celebrate this special day. Mrs. Day, one of our first grade teachers was recognized as a veteran and students raised their hands for families with veterans. On Monday, all students participated in a flag planting ceremony in front of the school. Various classroom activities and presentations by veterans also occurred through the week.
At FES: In recognition of Veterans Day, students learned about the meaning and significance of this special day through a variety of engaging texts, including The Poppy Lady by Barbara Elizabeth Walsh and Veterans: Heroes in Our Neighborhood by Valerie Pfundstein. Following these meaningful read-alouds and classroom discussions, students put their appreciation into action by creating heartfelt Veterans Day cards. These cards were hand-delivered to the Freetown VFW Post #6643, where they will be shared with local veterans.
At GRAIS, our fourth graders read Eve Bunting’s The Wall, the story of a boy and his father visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Through the boy’s eyes, students see how a memorial can be a place of quiet reflection, family connection, and respect for those who gave their lives in service. Students also completed an infographic fact hunt, gathering key facts about Veterans Day and organizing them into a clear, visual format. This built nonfiction reading and research skills while deepening their understanding of why we set this day aside each year. Our fifth graders read the poem “In Flanders Fields” and watched a video about the history of Veterans Day. The poem’s image of poppies growing among the graves of fallen soldiers helped students understand why the red poppy became a symbol of remembrance. The video traced how the holiday began as Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I, and grew into a day honoring all who have served in the US Armed Forces.
At FLMS: A second annual Veterans Day Ceremony hosted by Grade 8 students recognized 9 local veterans. Our students presented each Veteran's story based on recent interviews. You may view the event’s
Veteran’s Day Slide Presentation here. FLMS thanked their Honored Veteran Guests for attending: CSM James Rollins, M. Sgt. Harrison Joseph, Capt. Heidi Hautala, Sgt. Tristan Bowman, HM2 (FMF/SW) Paul Gould, Sgt. Michael Brogan, Sgt. Bryan Travis, Cpl. Dan LeBlanc, and CSM Ed Roderiques.
