Facebook is being flooded today, as moms and dads compare their children’s photos from last summer’s First Day of School to today’s Last Day of School. Teachers are sharing photos of their classes enjoying Last Day of School celebrations, many of them outdoors on this gorgeous spring day.

It has been a wonderfully successful year for Plainfield’s students and teachers. We were just named one of six districts in the state to have every school earn Four Star Status. Each school, with its unique culture, marked new milestones, celebrated meaningful accomplishments and watched as children grew not only in stature, but also as students.

The academic accomplishments of our students are significant. The career aspirations of our pre-school students, as well as the Class of 2016, are impressive. Students of all ages brought characters to life on the stage this year, while musical ensembles of all sizes and styles brought home hardware and memories that will last a lifetime. Student clubs and organizations gave back to the community and to causes both inside and beyond the town boundaries. And our student athletes found success on their respective fields of play, while representing our community with tremendous sportsmanship.

In Plainfield, we believe in partnerships, and Plainfield students benefit from wonderful partnerships between the schools and our public safety, town and parks officials, in addition to the many local businesses who provide support through fundraisers, donations, volunteerism and their presence at our events.

We faced new challenges this year, of course. And yet by working together, by keeping the focus on the education of our students and an eye to their future, we’ve emerged even stronger and more connected. How fortunate to live in a community where the challenges are few and the successes are many.

So on this, the 2015-2016 Last Day of School, we say thank you. To our students. To our teachers. To our administrators. And to the families of everyone associated with PCSC? Thank you for another great year of learning; for those returning in August, we’ll be ready to blaze the trail for another memorable year. But in the meantime, we hope you enjoy lots of laughter, fun and relaxation over your summer vacation!