Right at the foot of the Bourne Bridge, in a little place called Buzzards Bay, lies what many of us refer to as “a hidden gem”. We are not referring to the great bike path at the canal or the cool campground or even the best little smoothie bar. Nope, not even close. We are speaking of a school, but not just any school. This “gem” is St. Margaret’s Regional/Primary School. It’s set back right there behind the church on Main Street. It doesn’t look like much really from the outside, but appearances can be deceiving. I have known this place as SMRS for too long now, so this is how I will shorten it for writings sake. SMRS is not just a school, not to me or to my children, not to any of the teachers, staff, and families that are a part or ever have been a part of this place. SMRS is a family. Once you are a part of it, this family never leaves you.

Let me back this up just a bit to how we came upon joining the SMRS family. I homeschooled my children for 7 years. I have 4 of them. Five years ago their dad, my husband, passed away. The following year I knew I now wore too many hats to keep homeschooling 4 children, work, and maintain a household. It was difficult to make this decision and I wanted to find a place where my children would transition well without being lost in a large setting. We looked at a few places, but stopped looking the day we toured St. Margaret’s. There was an instant feeling here of belonging, support, acceptance, love. There was nothing fake or overwhelming about it either. It was just a natural thing that seemed to come from every person with whom we spoke. My girls left there so excited. The following year they entered in grades 4th and 6th. A year later my older son would start there and, a year after that, my youngest started preschool at SMRS. Throughout the years we have personally had ups and downs within our own family. SMRS has been there for us every step of the way. Other friends have had hardships. We have collectively as a school family been there to help. Two years ago, our middle school was closed by the diocese. It was very abrupt and caused us all much sadness and disappointment, and some anger as well. Being a regional school, it makes it harder for our children to be in other schools in the same town. The good thing about being a family, however, is that the love doesn’t end. The friendships have continued and will continue. We are bonded.

Currently, our school has been a prek through grade 4 experience. We have been blessed with amazing teachers and staff. They have cared for our children as their own. We have laughed together and cried together. We have also fought as families do. In the end, we all want what is best for our children. Today we received news. There are not enough adjectives, enough words, to describe this news. Sad, disappointing, angering are a few. What has remained of our little gem of a school is being closed at the end of this school year forever. Done. No more St. Margaret’s Regional/Primary School. No more gem at the foot of the bridge. The diocese has decided they cannot fund our school family any longer. What they don’t know is that we will NEVER stop being a FAMILY. We don’t need a building. We don’t need permission to love one another. We are the SMRS family and that will NEVER leave us. As we have been loving and fighting as families do, now we are coming together. We have been hit. We have been hit hard. We are grieving. All of us. If there is one thing loss has taught me (and there is far more than 1 thing) its that everyone grieves differently. We all have our own way of dealing with this loss. It is a huge loss. If you haven’t been a part of it, then you won’t truly understand, but that’s OK. We don’t need you to understand. Just respect that we are grieving. To my fellow SMRS family, I love you. We are a force to be reckoned with. We are faithful. We know God is in charge. We know God’s love because we have seen it in each other and, especially, in our children. To our teachers, you have changed my family and all of the other ones that God blessed you to touch. You have taught our children that adults other than their parents truly care about them and welcome them unconditionally. You have gone beyond what you have learned in school. You have taught with your heads and your hearts. You have sat with me before my children started there to learn about Joni’s autoimmune disease and you were willing to listen and learn and care for her if I wasn’t there to do so myself. When we lost my dad, my kids Pubby, you helped hold my kids and I together. You listened to me and let me cry. You understood the anxiety Hanna had leaving me to be in school. When Brody had a tough time starting school, you had open arms, warm hearts, and plenty of fun things to make him happy and to make him thrive! When Maddox entered school still behind in his speech, you never treated him differently. In fact, you worked with me and learned what you could do to help him. When I have been a scatter-brain (almost always!) staff and teachers have been understanding and have joked with me and made me feel like maybe I’m not really a hot mess, but just have a lot to think about. You have ALL just gone above and beyond.

To our families, some of you I know well and some I don’t. That doesn’t matter. I am here for you. You as a whole have carried me when I have been weak. I am here now and always if you need to be carried. WE ARE NOT ONLY FAMILY, WE ARE FRIENDS. You have my back and I have yours. SMRS runs in our blood. And it runs strong. We have been on a journey together and I say this is NOT the end. The doors can close, but we do not need a building to love and cherish each other and each others children. As the teachers and staff have treated my children as their own, many of you have as well. I love your children too. I cannot imagine our lives without you in it. And so I will not. We may live in different towns. Next year, our kids may be at different schools. We have learned through our current pandemic that a slower life is a blessing. I urge you, do not get too busy to keep these bonds and continue to nurture them. I will not be too busy for a playdate or drinks or a phone call from any of you. This goes for my amazing teacher friends at SMRS too. I want to sit on the beach with you. I want to see you for dinner. I want my kids to know that you didn’t go away. That you still are family. That you still love them. They will always love you. So will I!

God brought us together. He had a reason. Each of us was brought to St. Margaret’s under one of His brilliant plans. Whether you were brought there to teach, to volunteer, to learn, or to give your children a stellar education, it has ALL been part of God’s plan. There are so many parts of this horrible news today that can make us angry. That is all OK. As I have said, we all grieve in different ways. No judgment. As we move forward, as God is clearly commanding us to do, let’s hold one another tight in our hearts. Let us remember the blessing that is St. Margaret’s. Let us remember that like God’s love for each of us, the love that SMRS created runs through our veins and always will. We will all move forward, even with heavy hearts, through this loss, through this grief. We will move forward. We will do it with love for one another. We will do it as a family should. And, in the next chapter, we will still hold each other in our hearts and be a part of each other’s lives.

“Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Mark 10:9