Even though school only recently started, already teachers and staff have been through a lot. But parents of students at Monforton School wanted their teachers to know they support them, no matter what.
“And to let them know that we do appreciate them, we are grateful for them, so we’re able to give them a dinner, a night off from cooking and spend time with their family,” said Monforton parent Phaedra Kimball.
Last Tuesday, Monforton parents got together to buy pizzas, salad, and ice cream for the teachers and staff within the district. Their gesture came after a contentious school board meeting where the board voted to continue Monforton’s mask requirement.
“It means the world. it just means that there’s so much love and support at Monforton,” said Kindergarten teacher Stacey Springer. “It’s always been a close community, and I believe it always will be. There’s just different ways that they’re proving that to us that they’re so supportive and that they really have our back.”
It may have been a small gesture, but it was a huge way everyone was able to come together.
“Based on the dispute going on with mask or anti-mask, we were able to come together as parents and just realize we need to appreciate our teachers. They’re coming to school no matter what,” parent Stacie Macaluso said.
And for the teachers, the significance went beyond the food.
“It just shows that the community is looking out for us and hasn’t forgotten us and we mean something to them and the kids and that we’re valued,” said teacher Marianne Filloux.
But the food in itself did have some significance.
“I’ll have some lunches, and then I usually don’t buy ice cream for myself, so that’s kind of special too, and it just helps a lot,” said Filloux.
A total of 74 pizzas were given out, enough for each teacher, staff, bus driver, custodian—anyone who helps make day-to-day operations at Monforton possible.
