Moving up day includes a surprise

Army sergeant father visits daughter at school

Posted

There was a special surprise for one student at Lawrence School District’s Number Four School’s kindergarten Moving Up Day on June 19.
Jayla Perez, a student in Melody Rinella’s Room 17, had not seen her father, Daniel, a U.S. army sergeant, since last December when he left for Hawaii.
The Inwood resident was speechless when her dad walked through the doors to the school’s auditorium. Her kindergarten class, among 12 others, was sitting on the stage getting ready to sing to their parents and friends when he surprised her.
“I’m home for two weeks,” he said. “This is my first time really getting to see her in school and meeting the people in her class.”
Jayla said she will enjoy having her father home to visit and can’t wait to spend time with him along with her family.
At the Moving Up Day, Daniel led the school in the Pledge of Allegiance. Deputy Superintendent and Principal of the Number Four School, Ann Pedersen, welcomed everyone and introduced the classes.
The kindergarten classes sang “Big Beautiful Planet,” “It’s a Beautiful Day,” and the “Number Four School Song.” Each class was introduced to the audience, and a slideshow of photos taken throughout the school year of the children was shown.