SR teachers to connect with students via caravan
Slippery Rock Area Elementary staff will travel in a caravan parade at 10 a.m. Tuesday as a way to reach out to their students.
“We are going to drive around the wave, smile at kids,” said Kristen Czubiak, the elementary school's principal.
A mix of elementary teachers, administrators and staff will be led on a 45-minute route by Art Campbell of Campbell Bus Lines of Slippery Rock.
The route will take teachers through different parts of Slippery Rock and Harrisville, where the school draws its students from.
April Anschutz of Harrisville said her family will drive to Harrisville's Main Street and watch the parade from their vehicle. She said her daughters, Madilyn in fifth grade and Danilyn in second grade, were excited when they heard about the parade.
“They do miss their teachers,” Anschutz said. “Even if it's just them coming by and waving, it shows that even though the school isn't in session, they still care about their students and they want to make sure that they're OK.”
Madilyn said she expects to see a lot of decorated cars. She said she has been doing fine with her remote schoolwork, but misses the way her teachers explain things.
“I miss seeing all my friends and my teachers,” Madilyn said.
Czubiak said she'll likely be driving a white Dodge Ram decorated with ribbons. She said others in the parade also have talked about decorating their vehicles.
Second-grade teacher Rachelle Reamer said she probably will use balloons and window markers to spruce up her white Jeep Cherokee.
“I'm probably just as excited to see my kids as they're going to be to see all their teachers,” she said.
Czubiak said the goal for the parade is to reach as many of their students as possible beyond the screens they've been using for schoolwork over the past few weeks.
“We've been connecting with them through different modes of communication,” she said. “This is a different way for us to get out there and see faces and let them know we're thinking.”
Reamer said she has been sensing some anxiety from her children during their Google Meet session. She hopes the parade will be fun and relaxing for them and let them know how much their teachers care about them.
“They're obviously at home with their parents and families, and they're watching the news and seeing all that's happening,” Reamer said. “This is another way to excite them and make them feel that they're still with us and that we're still a team.”
Anschutz said the parade is an example of the district striving above expectation. She said in addition to connecting with students, they have also addressed Madilyn's need for attention due to her individualized education plan.
“I was very nervous about that,” she said. “They have been going above and beyond their call of duty.”
Anschutz said she continues to be impressed by how the district has handled the pandemic.
“It is really nice to see how far they've come in such a short period,” she said. “I commend Slippery Rock for what they're doing.”
