One final field day at Pierpont

June 09, 2009 12:09 am

— Pierpont Elementary students, teachers and staff marked their school’s final day by spending most of it outside the building
The school’s field day had a science theme and offered students a variety of hands-on learning opportunities at stations run by teachers and parent volunteers. Students could watch the volcanic reaction caused by mixing vinegar and baking soda, make their own putty, collect bugs, launch rockets and learn about magnetic attractions.
The school’s Parent Teacher Organization funded the outing, which included an inflated playground and hot-dog lunch.
The Buckeye Local Schools Board of Education voted in January to close Pierpont Elementary at the end of this school year. Students will head to Kingsville next year.
The 1938 building is the smallest in the district, yet considered by many township residents to be the heart of their community. Accordingly, Principal Tim Essig said it was an emotional week at the building for parents, staff and students. He said it was also a busy and good week as students focused on wrapping a successful school year and looked forward to adventures at new schools.
The future of the building has not been decided, but the effort to clear it out is already well under way. Boxes packed full of teaching supplies and destined for classrooms at the other elementary schools are stacked throughout. Staff is scheduled to close the building June 19.
Janet Woodard, the school’s first-grade teacher, has taught in the same room all 35 years she’s worked at Pierpont. As a Pierpont student herself, she was saddened to see the building close, but is also looking forward to teaching at her new assignment, Ridgeview Elementary.
Woodard spent Thursday morning putting together Christmas decorations that would go home with the kindergarten students. It has been a tradition in her classroom for students to make a lollipop ornaments from a spirals of yarn and flat sticks. Because she won’t have this year’s kindergarten class next year, Woodard made the ornaments with those students last week so one last class could participate in the tradition.
“It will be fine,” Woodard said of the school closing. “We just have to get today over with and then we can start on our new beginning.”

Photos

CARL E. FEATHER / Star Beacon KAITLYN HETTMANSPERGER, a second-grade student at Pierpont, draws out a huge bubble from a pool of soap during the science-themed field day at the school June 4. The event marked the final use of the building as a school in the Buckeye Local Schools District.