Local kids got an extra treat Monday, in the wake of a school bus delivering free meals, as dozens of Clearwater Elementary School employees tagged along in a brief parade, offering a wave and good wishes to their students and neighbors.
"We wanted to see our children's faces and smiles," said Deedee Scott, the assistant principal, "and we just hoped it would bring some laughter ... and let them know that we're thinking about them and miss them, and we're here for them."
The procession, involving 30 to 40 teachers and other staff members, started and ended at Midland Valley High and wound through neighborhoods near SC 421, in the elementary school's zone.
Scott noted that students and families were generally aware of free meals being distributed by bus, as has been the norm over the past couple of weeks due to coronavirus restrictions, but some were unaware of the parade until it arrived, with honking horns and a variety of signs, balloons and other decorations.
Among the onlookers was parent Valerie Wisham, parked a block from the school with son Will, 8 (a second grader at Clearwater), and daughter Caroline, 4. Wisham said the school's employees have been "awesome" in terms of communication during the period of state-mandated distance learning.
"This was the first time my kids have left the house in over a week, so just the chance to get out and just to see people that they knew was fun for them. They didn't need a bunch of extra stuff," she said, noting that teachers wanted to see their students as well.
As for the parade, Wisham added, "It was small, but we're sort of a small school, and it was a good opportunity for the kids to get out and do something that's not stuck in the house, in quarantine. We're all making the best of the situation at this point."
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