Teachers from H-D, CAL conduct car parades for students and community

Hampton-Dumont and CAL teachers and students briefly reunited last week for a show of unity and appreciation.

Hampton-Dumont teachers last Monday and CAL instructors Sunday participated in teacher parades through various communities within their respective school districts. Teachers were encouraged to fuel up their vehicles, decorate windows with encouraging messages and hit the streets, waving to students and others who had gathered throughout the route.

Last Monday, more than 75 cars gathered at the H-D-CAL High School parking lot before kicking off H-D’s version of the teacher parade. The sun soaked, nearly 60 degree day provided a perfect atmosphere for a festive occasion. The caravan, led by local and state law enforcement, toured through Hampton before making routes through Dumont, Aredale and Hansell. All in all, the parade lasted more than two hours.

“This really showed just how great of a staff we have and how great our teachers are, our paraeducators are…everyone involved with the school,” said Hampton-Dumont Elementary Principal Jarod Haeselhuhn. “They truly love the kids. It means the world to see how much the teachers miss their kids and for them to take the time to show commitment to kids means the world.”

Aside from the waves and smiles teachers distributed along the route, many vehicles contained words of encouragement, “I miss you’s” and colorful messages. Students and families along the route reciprocated with similar signs and banners.

“One of the things the teachers planned was that the theme of the parade was ‘Bulldog Strong,’” Haeselhuhn said. “That doesn’t just mean the kids, or the teachers, it’s the whole community.

“Our parade has no candy, no frills, just support and love,” he added.

Haeselhuhn said the easiest thing to do would’ve have been to just limited the route to Hampton, but that was never an option, as the smaller communities and students from those areas are every bit as important to the district as Hampton students. Cutting through the streets of Dumont, Aredale and Hansell showed that this parade was a much needed reprieve from the uncertainty and anxiety brought about by current events.

“We have kids in all of those communities and other communities and just because they come to school here doesn’t mean they are not as big of a part of this school district,” he said. “We wanted to show that we care and that we miss them, too.”