A Note from School: Lessons in service and sacrifice and honoring our veterans
Tracy Grit
November marks an important time of transition for our students. We have completed the first quarter of the school year, winter sports are getting underway, and families are beginning to look toward the holiday season.
As we move through these changes, it is also important that we pause and recognize something that should never change: our gratitude for the men and women who have served, and those who continue to serve, in the United States Armed Forces. On Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, we will observe Veterans Day and reflect on the sacrifices so many have made to protect the freedoms we enjoy every day.
Did you know that, under North Carolina law (G.S. 115C-84.2), Veterans Day is the only holiday North Carolina public schools are required to observe? While our schools observe other holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, each school board determines those dates locally rather than having state law mandate them.
I have always thought it was important to share that distinction when we develop our school calendars and, especially, as we approach Veterans Day. There is something meaningful about our lawmakers designating this day as one our public schools must observe. It reminds us that honoring those who have served our country is not simply another item on the calendar. It is a responsibility we should never take lightly.
In McDowell County, I may be a little biased, but I believe our schools do an exceptional job of making this day meaningful for our students. Each year, our schools create opportunities for veterans to be recognized, share their stories, and connect with the next generation through lessons and special programs. Although we will not be in school next Wednesday as we observe the holiday, the lessons our students receive leading up to this day help them understand, at an age-appropriate level, the sacrifices made by the men and women who have defended our freedoms.
As our children move from one season of life to another, they are also learning about the people and events that have shaped the freedoms they enjoy today. The right to vote, the freedom to pursue an education, and the opportunity to build a future for themselves are privileges that generations before them have worked, served and sacrificed to protect.
We were reminded of that very thing this week as Americans across our country exercised one of our most cherished rights: the right to vote in the 2026 midterm elections. The freedom to have a voice, to participate in our government, and to make our own choices is something we should never take for granted. Generations of American men and women have also defended it.
One of the most moving parts of our Veterans Day celebrations happens when our veterans gather with our students, and we recognize the heroes within their own families. A grandfather, a brother, a mother or a father may sit quietly in the crowd, waiting for that familiar song to play. Then, as the Armed Forces song representing their branch of service begins, they stand.
For a few brief moments, the room changes. Our students see more than a uniform or a veteran being recognized. They see their grandfather, their mother, their father, their neighbor, or someone else's family member standing before them. They begin to understand that the freedoms they enjoy have a deeply personal story behind them. Sometimes there are tears. Sometimes there is a quiet moment of reflection. And always, there is an opportunity to show gratitude to someone who answered a call to serve.
Those moments matter. They help our children connect history lessons to the people sitting right in front of them. They remind us that the heroes we read about are not always found in history books. Sometimes they sit beside us, stand in a school auditorium, or cheer on a grandchild from the bleachers.
We are blessed to live in a community that values its veterans and understands the importance of passing that appreciation on to the next generation. If you have a child or grandchild in our schools, take a few minutes to ask them about their Veterans Day programs and what they have learned. You may be surprised by what they remember and, more importantly, how those lessons have touched their hearts.
I also encourage you to follow our school social media pages to see how each of our schools will be honoring our veterans this year.
November is a month of transitions. Our students are growing, our seasons are changing, and another school year is moving forward. But as we move from one season to the next, we must never lose sight of the people who made it possible for us to enjoy the freedoms we sometimes take for granted.
To all who have worn the uniform, to those who continue to serve, and to the families who have shared in the sacrifices that come with that service, thank you. Our children may be the next generation to lead this great country, but they stand on the shoulders of generations who came before them. It is our responsibility to make sure they understand that freedom is never something to take for granted, and that the sacrifices made to protect it are never forgotten.
Tracy Grit is superintendent of McDowell County Schools.
