On October 3rd, Fair Grove Elementary held their annual Grandparents Day, giving students the opportunity to spend the day with their grandparents.
Pre-school teacher, Kim Boatwright has worked at Fair Grove Elementary for eight years. Boatwright stated, “My favorite part of Grandparents Day is meeting the grandparents!” She also loved watching how excited her students were to show their grandparents around their class and school.
The very first event at Grandparents Day is the musical performance that is put on by the elementary students. They practice this performance for weeks leading up to the event during their music special that they attend once a week. The Grandparents Day program was split into two sections, the upper elementary (third and fourth grade), and the lower elementary (pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, and second grade).
After the students perform in the Grandparents Day program, they could take their grandparents to participate in the many activities that the school provided. These activities included the Fair Grove Scholastic Book Fair, students showing their grandparents their classrooms, giving gifts and crafts to the grandparents, and enjoying cookies that are provided by the elementary school lunch staff.
Along with practicing for the Grandparents Day program, students also spend time in class making crafts and gifts for their grandparents. Ashley MacKinney, kindergarten teacher, and Boatwright both stated that a part of their preparation for Grandparents Day as teachers includes helping their students with their Grandparents Day crafts.
On top of all the work students put into learning songs and making crafts for Grandparents Day, teachers send them home with flyers. This ensured that parents and grandparents will get pertinent information about the event. This also helped families get information out to grandparents. MacKinney states, “I usually have two (grandparents) show up for each child…” Boatwright also said, “Some of our preschool kids have four to six grandparents come to grandparent’s day activities.”
Not only is Grandparents Day a beloved event by students, grandparents, and teachers, but by admin as well. Ryan Buffington, elementary principal, stated, “My favorite aspect of Grandparents Day is that it provides students with the opportunity to spend time with their grandparents in a school setting. Students can share their work, such as art projects or classroom activities, and take pride in showcasing their daily experiences.” He continued, “Although it may be a brief moment, it is a meaningful occasion for both the students and their grandparents, creating lasting memories.”
