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Thursday, October 29, 2026Oct 29

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Johnson: Unprecedented grace shown by many through pandemic, tornado and civil discord

Staff File Photo by Matt Hamilton / Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson calls on a teacher to come to the podium and speak during the dedication of East Hamilton Middle School in Apison in January.
Staff File Photo by Matt Hamilton / Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson calls on a teacher to come to the podium and speak during the dedication of East Hamilton Middle School in Apison in January. Staff File Photo by Matt Hamilton / Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson calls on a teacher to come to the podium and speak during the dedication of East Hamilton Middle School in Apison in January.

Over the last year and a half, we used the word “unprecedented” more than it’s probably ever been used. We were met with the challenge of competing against a global pandemic, tornado, and civic discord that was unlike anything experienced in the history of public education. Our team asked early on for your grace, and the grace you showed was unprecedented.

As Summer REACH programming has begun and preparations for the 2021-2022 school year are well underway, we wanted to take just a moment to say thank you for your unprecedented grace.

* Teachers: We asked many of you to teach students in person and remotely. Additionally, you stood strong on the front lines of the pandemic and continued to serve children. Thank you for your unprecedented grace.

* School leaders: You became contact tracers, expert community communicators and continued your focus on instructional leadership and growing children. Thank you for your unprecedented grace.

* Staff: You continued to drive school buses, implement enhanced cleaning protocols, distribute meals in new ways, and so much more. Thank you for your unprecedented grace.