Inwood, Iowa — Like many of the area schools, West Lyon Schools are going to do a social-distancing teacher and staff parade.
West Lyon Elementary Principal Tim Snyder tells us they wanted to combine the “cruise night” feel with a parade of sorts.
(As said:)”Having our teachers, you know reach out to the kids and vice versa. It’s just obviously tough times and we can do a lot of distance learning but you know, really not seeing that live face and live kiddo…We think it’s a way for our kids to, for a night, you know… once we decided or the state decided that we were shut down for the year we decided this was something that we wanted to do. So we’re going to reach out to all four communities and drive through town and get a chance for our kids and teachers both too see each other.”
He reminds everyone involved to practice social distancing, especially during the parade.
(As said:)”Our parade route is not a typical route where you go down Main Street and all the kids and everybody’s on Main Street. So we’re actually driving through the community, you know within reason but for the most part, you know, driving up and down depending on the town, you know, a good part of the town to make sure that nobody really has to you know, walk more than a block or two, but what we don’t want is, you know, also seeing a whole bunch of people on the street corner down Main Street or that sort of thing. So emphasizing social distancing and you know families, you know, stay together, but trying to spread out the parade route so-to-speak.”
Snyder says even the country kids are invited to come to their town and find a place to park, staying isolated from others.
He says it’s going to be more than just teachers — the whole staff hopes to participate.
(As said:)”It’s going to be everybody, you know, because you know, we know how instrumental our entire… School is more about… than just teachers. So just you know, the bus driver’s the first person that a kid sees, you know on a given day and the last and just how important you know, those people — the aids and secretaries and custodians and cooks and all those people, you know, so that you know — make up West Lyon. So we’re going to make sure that we invite everybody and everybody can be a part of it and I know you know, it’s… Our cooks miss our kids, you know and this is a great opportunity for them.”
Snyder tells us it’s going to have to be a long parade, as staff members will also be social distancing — each person and possibly their family in separate vehicles. The parade will be Friday, May 1st starting in Inwood at 6:00 p.m. They hope to be in Alvord by 6:40 p.m. and then onto Lester by 7:00 p.m. and hopefully finishing up in Larchwood at 7:30 p.m. If you have any questions, you can call the school.
