Oceanside School No. 2 teachers brighten kids’ day with drive-by parade

Posted

Oceanside School No. 2 teachers are missing their students — and the students miss them, too.

Sixth graders were feeling especially upset because it is their last year in elementary school, and it is uncertain if they’ll be back to enjoy the fun send-off events the grade normally partakes in.

That is, until they got a big event of their own: a teachers’ parade.

“It really made my day,” said sixth grader Jacob DiDio. “This has never happened ever, and they thought of this idea to see all the kids that they haven’t seen in a while.”

Teacher Donna Gales and School No. 2 principal Erin Marone helped organize the route, and more than 20 teachers and staff members participated.

“This was a group effort,” Gales said. “The School #2 staff is like a second family to each other. We were talking the other night and wanted to do something special for our students — ‘our kids.’”

“Many families are overwhelmed and nervous,” she added. “Hopefully, seeing us waving to them will provide just a little security. In such uncertain times, this is what they will remember 10 years from now. Knowing that we love and care for them is paramount.”

Parents and students were glad to be outdoors, seeing neighbors and showing their support as their teachers came by honking and waving out the window. Especially for students, many of whom reported being bored at home every day, this was an exciting time to make posters, see the community in person and pose for yearbook photo ops.

“It was really fun,” said sixth grader Jordyn Andrews. “Everybody had posters, and they were honking down the street, and we got to see all their smiling faces.”

“I miss my friends and my teachers,” added sixth grader Sabrina Hendriquez. “I wish to be back in school with them, so it was a very good thing for my school to do.”

Oceanside Middle School teachers also paraded through neighborhoods in their cars on Tuesday.