PTO suggests chalk-drawn welcome
“I need a back to school story,” I told Walter Moran on the afternoon before the teachers returned to their buildings. As the school district’s head of Buildings and Grounds, Mr. Moran is not a fan of graffiti. It usually means more work for his employees.
But on Aug. 31, he suggested that I visit Lee Road School to see what the kids and their parents were scribbling on the walls and sidewalks. They were using chalk so their messages would only last as long as the good weather. With the first rain storm, all the prose and artwork would be gone.
And this was “good graffiti.” The idea originated with the PTO (Parent Teacher Organization). On its Facebook page, the PTO suggested that kids come to school on Monday with chalk and a mask. The idea was to welcome the teachers back to school. They would be attending four days of workshops from Sept. 1 to Sept. 4. The topic would be remote education.
I got to Lee Road School at about 3:30 on Monday afternoon, in time to hear the closing bell, which rings whether there are kids in school or not. Most of the sidewalk was chalked up. And there were five youngsters and two adults adding to the unusual welcome.
The messages were easy to read. I didn’t need my glasses to recognize the letters. “Welcome back! We’ve missed you all,” one said. Another was more specific – “Have a great year, Mrs. Noonan.” There was a chalk mural on the wall near the entrance. And further away from the door, someone made an effort to remember everyone. In large letters they wrote, “Thank you custodians, nurses, teachers and security.”
Perhaps the most unusual item was a hopscotch game with math problems in every square. I assumed this was intended for the kids rather than the faculty. As I photographed the graffiti, I noticed that Olivia Milatz and Madison Markle were drawing shapes. A five-pointed star got my attention. It was almost perfect.
“Not many people can draw a five-pointed star,” I told the girls. And they responded by holding up their stencil.
