Drive-by motorcades are being used to celebrate birthdays and other occasions, help connect teachers with students and even observe funerals.
Retiring Newtown Elementary School Principal Kevin King was inside his Doylestown Borough House late Wednesday afternoon taking care of some business when he suddenly heard a big commotion outside.
Horns were honking, and people were happily yelling and clapping. King stepped onto his front porch and was greeted with the sight of roughly 100 of his teachers and other staff members, driving by with signs and verbal messages wishing him a happy retirement.
Since staff members couldn’t be with King in school because of the coronavirus, the staff came to him.
The event was typical of what’s been going on around the country as people isolated by virus restrictions take to their vehicles to celebrate milestones like birthdays and retirements, thank health care workers, connect teachers and students a little more closely and even observe funerals.
Earlier on Wednesday, more than 70 teachers and other staff members from Hatboro-Horsham’s Blair Mill Elementary School drove through several nearby streets to wave at, greet from a distance and hold signs out for their students and parents they hadn’t seen, except virtually, in several weeks. The convoy was led by local police and firefighters.
On March 21, residents from a Northampton neighborhood and others arranged for a motorized funeral procession since they couldn’t attend the funeral of a beloved neighbor in person.
Friends and family members drove by a Lower Makefield woman’s house earlier this month with shouts, honks and signs to celebrate her 92nd birthday. And, fire companies in Hilltown, Perkasie and Silverdale have led parades in recent weeks to help residents celebrate birthdays.
People do what they need to do to creative positivity during a crisis, said Newtown Elementary School sixth-grade teacher Bert Eckelmeyer, who organized the retirement celebration for King.
Eckelmeyer said he and fellow staffers were determined not to let the virus prevent them from doing something special for their principal.
“Having seen all the ’parades’ occurring across the country for a variety of special occasions, the idea of showing Kevin a small token of our appreciation was born,” he said.
“I don’t remember so many staff members, from every aspect of our school, turning out for any other event. It was truly wonderful to see Kevin’s reaction and to see the smiles that the experience brought to those who were able to attend.”
King, 58, said the event secretly arranged between teachers and his wife Kim and their daughter, was a total surprise for him.
“I had no idea,” he said. “It’s awesome. I work with the most tremendous group of people. That’s just a small example of how awesome they are.”
The principal at Council Rock’s Newtown Elementary the last 14 years and before that principal at the district’s Wrightstown Elementary for seven years, King said he decided “within himself” on Sept. 10 to retire effective June 30, and recently broke the news to staffers during a virtual meeting.
He wants to find another job and “way to serve” but hasn’t decided yet what that will be.
While touched and extremely appreciative of Wednesday’s drive-by, King said it can’t take the place of being in school with students and staffers.
“It’s sad, because the kids are what puts gas in your tank,” he said. “I won’t be able to see most of them, or any of them, before I go. That’s the hardest part.
“The adults, we can make it work. We all understand the circumstances. But the kids, for me that’s my pride and joy, and I’m going to miss that part the most.”
That yearning for Blair Mill Elementary students and teachers to see each other again was relieved a little by Wednesday’s parade through streets near the Horsham school.
“This gets us a little closer to them and feels good,” Blair Mill physical education teacher Wendy Amtmann said. “It’s not like in the classroom but it’s good to at least seem them, other than virtually, and let them see us while still being safe.”
Like at many other schools, Blair Mill teachers have been conducting classes and connecting with students through Zoom and other platforms, fifth-grade teacher Susanna Kiss said. Wednesday’s event was probably the next best thing to being back in the classroom, she added.
“We haven’t seen them in what seems like forever,” Kiss said. “We miss them so much.”
Wednesday’ parade was a tremendous emotional boost for Blair Mill parent Jessica Whitely and her daughter Katrina, a first-grader.
They came from their home about two miles away to take a spot on a street adjacent to the school, and show passing teachers a “miss you” sign and wave.
“We’re so excited,” Jessica Whitely said. “Katrina has been missing her teachers so much, and this gave her a chance to see them again and also see some of her friends again. It was so nice of the teachers to take time out of their day to do this.”
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