Grandparents Day incorporates family-style classrooms
Annual event provides shadowing, special lunch

By Aaron DeWolf,
Writer
October 11, 2012

Every year, FC has their annual Grandparents Day where the grandparents come for part of the day and shadow their grandchildren in classrooms and have a special lunch with them. This year, Grandparents Day will be held on Friday, Oct.19.

Alongside Grandparents Day is the high school Beach Trip. Although both events take place on the same day, the two will not conflict with each other.

Grandparents will start arriving at 9:30 a.m. and recieve directions, and will meet up with their grandchildren starting at third period. At 11:40 a.m., grandparents and their grandkids will go to the PC gym for lunch, which will last through 12:25 p.m., when the grandparents leave there after.

The bus for the beach trip leaves that day at 12:30 p.m.. So while they will not interfere with each other, those students who are involved in both events are set for a busy day.

Principal Todd Bennett, in his fourth year here at FC, says that the two events will go well together.

"I think it'll go well," Bennett said. "When we have a big event like Grandparents Day, there is a bit of a distraction but it's worth it because we get to open up the school to others. And at the same time a fun trip like the Beach Trip can be a bit of a distraction but it's worth it because it unifies the school. So if you're going to have distractions, you might as well have them on the same day."

Bennett also says that Grandparents Day here at FC is a really special thing.

"I've never had a grandparents day the way we do it when we open up the classrooms and allow the grandparents to watch the teachers teach," Bennett said. "There is also a lot greater turnout than the other schools, and I've been to a lot of other schools."

Students also realize that Grandparents Day is a special day. Sophomore student Garrett Hill is looking forward to the occasion and says that his grandmother really appreciates the special event.


"My grandma likes learning about my friends," Hill said. "She enjoys me meeting them and learning about the school."

Also, first year student, seventh grader Jared Coppola is excited for Grandparents Day. He says it is a great way to acknowledge the grandparents for all they do in a very special way.

"I'm looking forward to Grandparents day because I think our grandparents should be honored for all that they do for us and our families," Coppola said. "They would really enjoy it because it's time to spend with family and a day that honors them."

Susan Lee, grandparent of the elementary school family, the Fergusons, says that she greatly enjoys and appreciates Grandparents Day. She loves being able to spend time with her grandkids and see how they spend their day.

"My favorite part of Grandparents Day is seeing my grandchildren and seeing how they spend their day and being able to spend it with them," Lee said. "A lot of thought and care goes into it, making sure that the grandparents feel welcome. I enjoy the fact that teachers open up the classroom so we can interact with the class and the teachers and be with them and their friends."

Junior Annalise Rosik says her grandparents are unable to attend but is still excited about about having them all come to the school.

"My grandparents can't come due to transportation issues but I still enjoy seeing other people interact with their grandparents," Rosik said.

Teacher Jordana Siebert says she greatly enjoys having the grandparents attend class with their grandchildren. She often mixes up the curriculum to keep the grandparents involved and engaged.

"I try to make sure I'm not having kids just do assignments; I try to do activities or interactive lectures that would be fun for the grandparents," Siebert said. "Last year in AP US History, I did it on a five questions day, where students ask each other questions and answer it themeslves instead of me talking. The grandparents loved it because they got to see their grandchildren teaching their peers."

For more information, visit the Grandparents' Day page at FC's website.

For more news, read the Oct. 9 article, Library gains new computers, improves availability. Check out the 2011 BRIEF: Grandparents Day to be held Friday (VIDEO) as well.



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