Simon Bazelon Photos
Third-grade teachers Danielle Martinez and Jenna Piscano at the send-off.
DERBY — “It’s just amazing to see all these smiling faces again.”
Those were the words of Aimee Misset, the principal of Derby’s Irving Elementary School. On Wednesday, Misset and the teachers at Irving put on a drive-by graduation for the kindergarten to fourth-grade students at the school.
“This year’s been complicated,” Misset said, “but we wanted to make sure the kids still got a party.”
Teachers lined up outside the 302-student school holding handmade signs, cheering as parents and students drove by.
While the songs of Taylor Swift and Marvin Gaye played on speakers in the background, teachers reconnected with students they hadn’t seen in person since March, and offered words of encouragement and congratulations.
The graduation ceremony, which took place from 12 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., was a joyful and heartwarming occasion.
Shannon Davis with her son, Landon, a first-grader.
“I love that they did this,” said Shannon Davis, an Irving parent. “These teachers have gone above and beyond in the last couple months, and I love and appreciate that they were willing to take time out of their days to make this event happen.”
First-grader Cody Pappas and grandmother Isabel Mulia.
Isabel Mulia, the grandmother of first-grader Cody Pappas, danced to the music with her grandson, and said that she was touched to see the teachers put on such a nice event for her grandson and his peers.
Goodie bags were on hand for students who had won prizes for their hard work.
From left: Makai Jackson, fourth grade; Sane’ Jackson, second grade; Blanche Bailey; and Deja Jackson, second grade.
“I won V.I.P. for the month!” said Deja Jackson, a second-grader who received an art kit, a bubble maker, and some lollipops for her studiousness. Her mother, Blanche Bailey, lauded the teachers for both putting on the makeshift graduation, and for their hard work during distance learning. “Distance learning made me appreciate these teachers,” Bailey said. “Thank God for school.”
The Jacksons said that they want their teachers to know they appreciated them, with “special shout-outs to Ms. Stoll, Ms. Lebel, Mr. Kapusta, and Ms. Hyde.”
“I’m excited about third grade,” Sane’ Jackson said, “because I miss my teachers and my friends.”
The graduation took place in waves, with kindergarteners driving by first, followed by first, second, third, and then fourth-graders. The celebration for fifth-graders will be held on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Irving is one of several schools in Derby hosting drive-through graduations. Derby Superintendent Matt Conway arrived on the scene having come from a similar ceremony at Bradley Elementary School. Conway said that next Thursday, middle schools in the area will give their students a socially distant send-off as well, followed by high school graduations likely some time in July.
Conway also offered some words of encouragement to the graduating students: if you can get through distance learning, you can get through anything.
ESL Teacher Aracelis Cortes hands Deja and Sane’ Jackson books for summer reading.
Teachers Wednesday handed out books to students looking for some summer reading material.
Aracelis Cortes, an ESL teacher who has worked at Irving for the last 19 years, said that “at Irving we try to treat our students as if they are ‘nuestros propios hijos.’ This event shows how much we value our kids, and how we are flexible. No matter the circumstances, we just want to do the best we can for our kids.”
Cortes lets rip some air-guitar licks.
