September 8th marked the end of a successful summer session and the beginning of a new school year for Kurn Hattin Homes for Children. Following strict safety protocols, campus reopened for a shortened summer program in mid-July. The summer session included fun activities such as field games, woodworking, horseback riding, and swimming.
The first day of school on September 8 was celebrated with a Welcome Back to School parade. The event lineup included Kurn Hattin’s beautifully restored 1942 H Farmall Tractor, costumed staff and students (all wearing face masks), hay wagon, and led by the Windham County Sheriff and Westminster Fire Department. The parade concluded with an eighth grader cutting a red ribbon to the stairs leading up to the school in the Mayo Memorial Center welcoming everyone back to school.
“It’s so wonderful to have the children back in their classrooms again and even though things look different, that same wonderful “back to school” feeling is here! It’s extra terrific coming on the heels of summer rec, a time like no other that we’ve ever experienced in 125 years at KHH and topped off by yesterday’s wonderful Fun Day which was incredibly fun all the way around! A huge shout out to everyone who worked so hard to make every one of the days during the past several weeks so special for the kids and helped smooth their transition back to our campus! Watching the smiles on the faces of both the children and the adults and seeing everyone working together to figure out the logistics of how we can be here safely as a full community while complying with the mask, physical distancing, and other protocols is truly heartening, thank you!!” remarked Assistant Executive Director, Sue Kessler.