On the warm and sunny afternoon of June 2, the North Branch School community gathered to wish each other joy and health all summer long and to celebrate the Class of ’23 and retiring teacher, Maggie Buchanan. The ceremony opened with music from the Primaries (“One Small Voice”), Juniors (“Have It All”), and the Senior & Middle School Chorus (“Happy”). A land acknowledge statement, written by the Middle School class after visiting the Monacan Ancestral Museum, was read aloud.
Maggie’s moment included thoughts from Board member and NBS parent, Bill Hess, and alum Willow Crocker ’15, a recent graduate of JMU with degrees in Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy. During her time to speak, Maggie passionately shared highlights from her 25 years at NBS, including
● the beauty of the land
● the community that exists here
● the learning and curiosity that engages our students
● and the resiliency of the school.
After acknowledging the teachers and family members who helped to shape their time at NBS, our graduates – Katie, Amos, Jack, Althea, Ezra, and Dylan – spoke eloquently about their journeys at North Branch, their inspirations, and their aspirations.
After the program and before everyone began their summer break, there was time for congratulations, well wishes, and lots of hugs.
Many thanks to Coe Sweet Photography for capturing the joy!
