GREENFIELD — Students and teachers at Newton School are being briefly reunited this week, with students and their families dropping by to pick up their personal belongings and school activities for the summer.
Without getting out of their vehicles, which formed a line in the circular drive in front of the school, kindergartners and first-graders received their belongings on Tuesday. The second-graders followed on Wednesday, and third- and fourth-graders will stop by on Thursday and Friday.
With balloons, an inflatable Olaf from the movie “Frozen,” and dancing teachers and instructional assistants ringing the circular drive, a stream of families drove by and rolled down their windows. Then, each student’s teachers approached the vehicle, greeted their pupil and passed off their belongings in a plastic bag. Plenty of air hugs and waves were shared.
First-grader Declan Thompson came by on Tuesday with his mother, Jazmin Wileman, and got to visit with his teacher, Mickey Warren. Declan said he was happy to get his belongings and his chapter books, and said he misses Warren, as well as physical education teacher Jason Butynski.
The students had not seen their teachers since March 13, when schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We wanted a party, a chance to celebrate the kids we wouldn’t see all summer,” Principal Melodie Goodwin said. “We wanted to have teacher parades, but this way they get to see their teachers and get their belongings, their binders of work, things from their cubbies.”
The children also received activities for the summer, such as a virtual field day with egg toss and water sponge relays. Goodwin said the winners will have pizzas delivered to their homes.
When asked whether school will start normally in the fall, Goodwin said she’s unsure.
“I don’t know. I hope so,” she said. “We miss (the students).”
While teachers have continued instructing students remotely, Goodwin said it’s simply not the same.
Likewise, Warren said she was happy to see her students on Tuesday, but admitted it brought a tear to her eye thinking she might not see them until the fall, or perhaps even longer.
Reach Paul Franz at 413-772-0261, ext. 266 or pfranz@recorder.com.
