‘We miss you’: Teachers traverse towns to honk, wave, connect
May 8, 2020 | Lisa ScagliottiThe message was simple: “We Miss You.” And it appeared on signs both in and along the impromptu parade route through Duxbury and Waterbury Thursday afternoon.
In nearly three hours, a caravan of several dozen cars and trucks and a handful of school buses led by a firetruck managed to connect primary and middle school teachers and staff with dozens more students and their parents from the far end of Duxbury to Waterbury Center.
Schools in the district last were in session on Friday, March 13, before they were closed by a state order for Vermonters to Stay Home, Stay Safe to curb the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. By the end of March, in-person classes were called off for the rest of the academic year.
Since then, students and teachers have been communicating via email and video calls -- everyone far removed from their usual routine.
This week teachers decided they needed to see their students’ faces in person and the Teacher Parade came together. With just a few emails, the families from Thatcher Brook Primary and Crossett Brook Middle Schools got the details.
Apparently a lot of sign-making ensued as well.
By 3:30 Thursday afternoon, the caravan rolled out of the Crossett Brook parking lot headed to Harwood Union High School first by way of Crossett Hill in Duxbury. After turning around, the honking, waving, bedecked vehicles -- including school buses with flashers on and a fire engine with its siren blaring -- made their way back into Waterbury to pass by Thatcher Brook school and loop through Waterbury Center.
They attracted spectators all along the way, many of them waving handmade, decorated signs. Downtown, many in close proximity to each other watched wearing face masks. Everywhere people made the effort to keep space between family groups.
On Wednesday Gov. Phil Scott announced some loosening of public health restrictions on gatherings, suggesting groups of 10 or fewer could begin to socialize again. The parade-goers generally were mindful of that advice.
Thatcher Brook Principal was joined by her therapy goldendoodle Cooper who’s part of the staff at the primary school. He got waves and shouts from youngsters. “What an afternoon!” Goodnow said.
This week, school officials announced that the final day of at-home learning for the school year will be June 12.
