May 25, 2017 at 9:23 p.m.
Pennville says goodbye
Students depart elementary school for last time
Pennville says goodbye
By Rose Skelly-
Copyright 2017, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved.
White balloons streamed into the air as Pennville Elementary students, faculty and staff said their final farewells Thursday afternoon.
Pennville Elementary had its last day of school Thursday, described as “bittersweet” by principal Rex Pinkerton, who has been at the helm for the last four years. Jay School Board voted 6-1 in March to close the school as part of an effort to halt a trend of deficit spending from the corporation’s general fund.
Pinkerton tried to make the last day as cheerful as possible, organizing a balloon launch with the parent-teacher organization to commemorate the final day at the school. The students were led outside, where they stood in a circle with their teachers.
Pinkerton said a few words, and then they all let go of their balloons.
It was an effort to celebrate the school, rather than focus on the sadness surrounding the closing.
“I wanted to make sure that we celebrated it with our students, in fact that’s what we’ve done ever since the vote was taken, was to celebrate our school, our successes,” Pinkerton said. “(The day was) very emotional, very difficult … many thoughts go through your head of the last four years … very good memories just going through your head, trying to figure out the right words to say.”
When the students would become upset or worried, Kari Brotherton, a fifth grade teacher who’s been at the school for four years, would tell them to focus on how fortunate they had been.
“‘You are very lucky to have been here at this school and we are very lucky to have been here as long as we have been, and we just have to stay together,’” Brotherton said, sharing the message she gave to her students. “And with it being such a tight-knit community I think they understand that, because within their homes and their families and close friends they all stick together.”
The teachers, support staff and Pinkerton all have jobs in the corporation for the coming school year.
Brotherton, who had two children enrolled at Pennville and will be taking them to whichever school she ends up being assigned to, will miss the atmosphere at Pennville.
“I love the tight-knit community, the families, everybody’s there for one another, just the small town feel, it’s fantastic,” Brotherton said. “It’s just like a big family. That makes me nervous going into a bigger school, because it might not be the same.”
Pennville students were assigned to attend Bloomfield, Westlawn or Redkey elementary next year. Rosie Eicher, who is going into fifth grade, will be attending Bloomfield Elementary, along with her younger sister Emily, who will be a second grader. Eicher said she’s “kind of worried and sad” about moving to a new school.
“I’ve been here since kindergarten,” said Eicher, whose older sister also attended the school. “They were really nice to me … and the teachers were friendly and helped me when I needed help.”
She said she hopes her new school will be as fun as Pennville was for her. In preparation for her last day, she made sure to wear her best dress and look as nice as she could.
“We got to tape (Pinkerton) to the wall, and we saw him kiss a pig,” Eicher said. “And he had to wear lipstick.”
The students were Pinkerton’s main concern as the school prepared to close, he said. He also worried about the staff, hoping they would get good placements and like their new jobs.
At the school’s final dismissal, students were escorted by Pennville firetrucks and marshals. The three school buses went first while the teachers waved goodbye. Then the teachers and Pinkerton climbed aboard the firetrucks and led the cars that picked up students through the town in a procession. Several staff members stood in the school’s parking lot as the final cars rolled away, wiping away tears and consoling one another.
“In teaching and administration we know that things are going to change, and this is another one of those changes,” Pinkerton said. “In a way it’s kind of bittersweet because we all know we have jobs, but this is what we call home now. We’ll have a new home, I guess.”
All Rights Reserved.
White balloons streamed into the air as Pennville Elementary students, faculty and staff said their final farewells Thursday afternoon.
Pennville Elementary had its last day of school Thursday, described as “bittersweet” by principal Rex Pinkerton, who has been at the helm for the last four years. Jay School Board voted 6-1 in March to close the school as part of an effort to halt a trend of deficit spending from the corporation’s general fund.
Pinkerton tried to make the last day as cheerful as possible, organizing a balloon launch with the parent-teacher organization to commemorate the final day at the school. The students were led outside, where they stood in a circle with their teachers.
Pinkerton said a few words, and then they all let go of their balloons.
It was an effort to celebrate the school, rather than focus on the sadness surrounding the closing.
“I wanted to make sure that we celebrated it with our students, in fact that’s what we’ve done ever since the vote was taken, was to celebrate our school, our successes,” Pinkerton said. “(The day was) very emotional, very difficult … many thoughts go through your head of the last four years … very good memories just going through your head, trying to figure out the right words to say.”
When the students would become upset or worried, Kari Brotherton, a fifth grade teacher who’s been at the school for four years, would tell them to focus on how fortunate they had been.
“‘You are very lucky to have been here at this school and we are very lucky to have been here as long as we have been, and we just have to stay together,’” Brotherton said, sharing the message she gave to her students. “And with it being such a tight-knit community I think they understand that, because within their homes and their families and close friends they all stick together.”
The teachers, support staff and Pinkerton all have jobs in the corporation for the coming school year.
Brotherton, who had two children enrolled at Pennville and will be taking them to whichever school she ends up being assigned to, will miss the atmosphere at Pennville.
“I love the tight-knit community, the families, everybody’s there for one another, just the small town feel, it’s fantastic,” Brotherton said. “It’s just like a big family. That makes me nervous going into a bigger school, because it might not be the same.”
Pennville students were assigned to attend Bloomfield, Westlawn or Redkey elementary next year. Rosie Eicher, who is going into fifth grade, will be attending Bloomfield Elementary, along with her younger sister Emily, who will be a second grader. Eicher said she’s “kind of worried and sad” about moving to a new school.
“I’ve been here since kindergarten,” said Eicher, whose older sister also attended the school. “They were really nice to me … and the teachers were friendly and helped me when I needed help.”
She said she hopes her new school will be as fun as Pennville was for her. In preparation for her last day, she made sure to wear her best dress and look as nice as she could.
“We got to tape (Pinkerton) to the wall, and we saw him kiss a pig,” Eicher said. “And he had to wear lipstick.”
The students were Pinkerton’s main concern as the school prepared to close, he said. He also worried about the staff, hoping they would get good placements and like their new jobs.
At the school’s final dismissal, students were escorted by Pennville firetrucks and marshals. The three school buses went first while the teachers waved goodbye. Then the teachers and Pinkerton climbed aboard the firetrucks and led the cars that picked up students through the town in a procession. Several staff members stood in the school’s parking lot as the final cars rolled away, wiping away tears and consoling one another.
“In teaching and administration we know that things are going to change, and this is another one of those changes,” Pinkerton said. “In a way it’s kind of bittersweet because we all know we have jobs, but this is what we call home now. We’ll have a new home, I guess.”
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