Administrative Update - 04/21/2020

Today's Gospel opens with these words:

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
"'You must be born from above.'
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:7b-15)

Jesus is asking us to believe without seeing, to trust without knowing what might come next, like the wind, not knowing when or from where it comes or when or where it goes. For me personally, this "not knowing" is frustrating when you are trying to make plans for anything, and we all know that planning our time is critical to our daily routines, let alone to our weekly and monthly calendars. It's so challenging not to be able to "see" what is coming at you!

With these thoughts in mind, we are still not certain what might be happening regarding Delaware's State of Emergency mandates beyond May 15. However, we are making tentative plans, particularly around events for our seniors, but we want their input. Seniors, we want to hear from you about what would be meaningful ways for you and your families to celebrate your Archmere experience. Are there particular images, events, and experiences that we can creatively incorporate into these days leading up to your graduation? Mr. Jordan will be sending a survey to you in the next couple of days. I know you will give creative and thoughtful consideration to your responses, as we make plans to celebrate the Class of 2020.

We are planning to mark signature dates virtually, beginning with National Decision Day on May 1, which I understand many colleges have extended to June 1; so stay tuned for a month of celebrations orchestrated through the College Counseling Office. Prom was originally scheduled for May 16, and we ask our seniors for creative input through their survey responses to reimagine the prom experience for the Class of 2020. The week preceding graduation - May 26 through 29 - is the time of the senior retreat, athletic awards night, and graduation practice. We will celebrate all of these events virtually. We are also planning a virtual Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Exercises for the weekend of May 30 and May 31. We will be sending more details about all of these events to our senior families in advance.

We hope that by the fall, we will be able to congregate, and that as many seniors as possible will be able to come back for Homecoming on October 17. We will celebrate and honor our senior athletes "in person" on Homecoming Day. On Saturday November 29, during Thanksgiving Weekend, we anticipate that most, if not all seniors will be home with their families for the holiday. We will gather for an "in person" special event that will capture the spirit of both Baccalaureate and Commencement, an event that will enable students, parents and faculty to celebrate and together honor and give thanks for your achievements at Archmere.

For the juniors, we are looking to hold the Junior Class Ring Mass and Junior Prom in the early fall. Dates for these events will be announced once we have reviewed our fall calendar already in place and determine if we have to make any accommodations as a result of the pandemic.

These are our plans presently. They could change, depending on the progress made in slowing the spread of the virus and the requirements dictated by our government officials.

Jesus asks us in the Gospel to be people who are "born of the Spirit." How do we do that, considering that some of those who witnessed Jesus perform miracles and heard him preach and teach still could not believe? Even Thomas, the apostle, did not believe that Jesus was alive until he saw him and was invited to touch Jesus' wounds. Faith is the most obvious answer for me, though it may sound cliché. Faith comes to us through prayer - formal or informal conversations with God. The more conversations we have, the deeper our faith becomes, so that when we are facing an unknown we can go to that place of faith to give us courage to see it through.

I think about faith like my first experience in an airplane. I am not overly fond of flying, and I recall thinking during my first takeoff, "This huge, weighty plane can't possibly fly! There's nothing between us and the ground!" But, of course, we did fly . . . and land . . . thanks to the wind! I know that aeronautical engineering gives us a logical explanation of flight, and perhaps once science gives us a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus, we will feel "in control" again. However, let's use this time of uncertainty to reflect on the deeper questions about what we can see and what we cannot see, but still believe; about our relationship with God; about living as people of faith who are "born of the spirit."

I am grateful each day for the spirit of the Archmere community, that is encouraging, collaborative, generous, compassionate, and faith-filled. Thank you parents, students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents of alumni, friends, and benefactors for staying in touch, with your overwhelming words of encouragement and support for one another and for Archmere. Though we may not "see" a clear path before us, as the hymn says, "We walk by faith, and not by sight: No gracious words we hear of him who spoke as none e'er spoke, but we believe him near" (Marty Haugen).

Sincerely,

Michael A. Marinelli, Ed.D. '76
Headmaster