Sparta
The halls at Woodland Park Elementary School have officially been decked.
Teachers and students participated in a contest to see which grade levels could make the school look the most festive, and the result looks like something right out of a movie scene – or several.
“Mrs. Johnson wanted to do something that would create some excitement among the students and add a little fun to this time of year where students and teachers both typically get weighted down with all of the traditional end of the grading period stuff,” assistant principal Amber Mullinax said, giving credit to Woodland Park principal Juli Johnson for the idea. “I don’t think either of us thought they would take it to this level, though. This has been amazing.”
Walking through the school will take a person from to Whoville, on the Polar Express, down Gingerbread Lane, to Sweet Shoppes, to Winter Wonderland, and even to a ski lodge complete with a ski lift chair and photo booth.
“Watching the students get excited to see their hallways coming together and cheering for their teachers to be the winners was great,” Mullinax said, adding the school awarded milkshakes, holiday treats, and even an extended lunch period to winning hallways and classrooms.
Mullinax went on to say the morale among faculty and staff has been great throughout the project and student behaviors have improved.
“This time of year is overwhelming for students, but since we started our ‘Deck the Halls’ contest, we have actually seen a reduction in behavior referrals coming into the office,” she said. “And not one display has been damaged or removed. This has been an absolutely great experience for everyone.”
Members Discussion