FARMINGTON — Staff from Williams Elementary School decorated vehicles, carried signs, waved, cheered and smiled a lot as they greeted their students through a teacher parade that wound its way throughout the district.
“We had so much fun. More fun than I would have imagined,” said Principal Kara Gardenhire.
Gardenhire said the parade gave teachers the chance to get out and see their kids.
“It did our hearts good to see them,” Gardenhire said.
About 27 vehicles made up the caravan with some teachers and staff driving their own vehicles and others driving Jeeps and convertibles on loan from Lewis Ford Sales and Lewis Chrysler-Dodge in Fayetteville.
Gardenhire said students and families were out all along the route. The parade started at the school, went into neighborhoods along Broyles Street,
Rheas Mill Road, Double Springs, Wedington Woods and other areas within Williams’ boundaries. One of the teachers estimated the staff saw 80% of their students along the route.
Gardenhire said her teachers are settling into virtual school, though she said it was stressful for many at first.
“I think it is going really well. The teachers worked really hard the first few weeks. Now, I think they feel they are good to go and have it under their belts,” Gardenhire said.
She said her staff collaborated with a school in New Jersey. A sorority sister lives in New Jersey and Gardenhire said her friend kept posting “cool things” her school was doing. Staff from the two schools met virtually and shared ideas.
The school has other plans to stay connected with students, including an online talent show, online kindergarten and third grade graduation, and yard signs to recognize students of the month and a new award called “Rockin’ Virtual School.”
PHOTOS BY LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE LEADER
These siblings made signs to greet their teachers from Williams Elementary School during the school parade Thursday throughout the district. They are standing off Albert Street near the school.
Locklyn Abrecht, 5, holds a sign for the teacher parade last week hosted by Williams Elementary teachers and other staff. They all drove throughout the streets of their school boundaries to greet their students. Locklyn is with her grandparents, Lori and Brad Blew, both retired from Farmington School District. Locklyn will attend Folsom Elementary in the fall.
Tracy Vinson, school nurse for Williams Elementary in Farmington, waves to children in Silverthorne subdivision off Double Springs Road. Her husband, Brad Vinson, is driving the Jeep on loan from from Lewis Ford Sales and Lewis Chrysler-Dodge for a Williams teacher parade through town to encourage and greet their students.
Williams’ teacher Andrea Jenkins drives a Mustang on loan for the teacher parade by the Farmington elementary school on Thursday afternoon. Teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators and nutrition staff greeted students throughout the district during the parade that lasted about two hours.
Dylan Crutchfield, Farmington school resource officer, hands a glow-in-the-dark Farmington Police bracelet to Sadie Huebner, 5, during the Williams Elementary teacher parade last week. Sadie starts kindergarten at Williams in the fall.
Brady Huebner, 7, and his sister, Sadie Huebner, 5, wave to Williams Elementary teachers during the teacher parade last week. They live in Silverthorne subdivision off Double Springs Road.
Rachel Hurd, a kindergarten teacher at Williams Elementary, waves to students during the teacher parade on Alberta Street. Hurd’s Facebook theme is “You can’t quarantine joy.”
Kammy Beech, a paraprofessional at Williams Elementary, driving the Jeep, greets students along the parade route last week.
Madison Barnes, a first-grade teacher at Williams Elementary, had a special guest in her Jeep for the Williams teacher parade: a Farmington cardinal.
Many families were gathered along Alberta Street to greet teachers during the Williams Elementary parade on Thursday.