Last week, the Conestoga Valley School District was once again shaken by the sudden death of a beloved colleague and friend, Mr. Pritchard. Mr. Pritchard served Conestoga Valley High School for 10 years as an assistant principal and was well-respected in the administrative ranks around the county. As the district and the surrounding communities grieve his passing, it is important to celebrate the life and legacy that has positively impacted so many young people.

Having lost two faculty members at GSHS in the last three years, I am once again reminded of the scene in the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, when Gandalf speaks to Pippin about the journey that is death. It is a touching reminder that offers a glimmer of hope in a time of distress and an assurance that our colleagues and friends are in a better place.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Pritchard family and the Conestoga Valley School District.