Bethlehem Central High School (BCHS) will dismiss all students early on Friday, November 7, at 10:30 a.m.
This early dismissal will accommodate a large number of staff and students expected to attend a scheduled Celebration of Life honoring longtime BCHS French teacher Michele Atallah, who passed away on Sunday, November 2.
The early dismissal applies to BCHS only. All other schools in the Bethlehem Central School District will operate on a regular schedule.
On Friday, there will be bus transportation to morning CTE classes only. There will be no afternoon BOCES and all afterschool activities are cancelled. No regular lunches will be served. Breakfast will be available for all students. Buses will run their regular routes for arrival and dismissal.
Celebration of Life at Thacher Park
The Celebration of Life is being hosted by Michele Atallah’s family. The event will be held on Friday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Thacher Park, in the Helderberg Room of the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is located at 830 Thacher Pk Rd, Voorheesville, NY 12186. Students, staff, families, alumni and retirees are welcome to pay their respects at any time during those hours.
Per Madame Atallah’s wishes, the family requests that guests wear bright colors instead of black, and come prepared to leave a message, photo or memory about Madame Atallah.
The family has also requested that, instead of flowers, those wishing to pay their respects to Madame Atallah plant a tree — or even an acorn — in her memory. A donation in Madame Atallah’s name may also be made to the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy.
Bus transportation to Thacher Park is available to students, staff
Students who wish to attend the Celebration of Life for Madame Atallah can do so either with transportation provided by their families OR by signing up for bus transportation from the high school to Thacher Park.
For students who plan to take the bus to Thacher Park, lunch will be available before the bus leaves the high school. Buses will run from the school beginning at approximately 10:50 a.m. Depending on traffic and the number of guests, those using bus transportation can expect to return to the school between 1 to 1-1/2 hours after departure. Faculty/staff chaperones will be on the buses to provide supervision and support to students.
For staff who wish to attend but do not want to drive, bus transportation will also be available from the high school.
Buses will run from the high school beginning at approximately 10:45 a.m. Depending on the number of buses, departures may be staggered, with some buses leaving later than 10:50 a.m. Bus transportation is only available to students and staff. Families interested in attending the Celebration of Life must plan their own transportation.
Counselors will also be at the high school on Friday for anyone who may need additional support after returning from Thacher Park. There will also be cookies and snacks available in the cafeteria for students and staff returning to the school by bus. Retirees and alumni are also welcome to stop by the high school for refreshments, camaraderie and support.
In order to assist the family in planning, a parent/guardian must RSVP for their student to attend Friday’s Celebration of Life.
In addition, all students who want to ride the bus must have the permission of a parent/guardian. An RSVP form/permission slip will be sent to families via ParentSquare this evening. This permission form is due by 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6.
Parents/Guardians: Please watch for the RSVP/Permission Slip in a separate ParentSquare email.