This comes after Robertson Elementary School hosted a car parade, which is when teachers drive through students’ neighborhoods in their cars while honking and waving at students and parents, on March 20. To practice social distancing due to the coronavirus, FISD families stood from their homes during the car parade.
Robertson Elementary principal Kyla Prusak said she reached out to her staff after seeing a news story about a Dallas principal driving through school neighborhoods.
“I really didn’t ask for teachers to respond if they were coming,” Prusak said. “I know our staff, I know our teachers and I know that they would show up.”
The morning of March 20, Prusak sent an email alert to the parents, and 30 Robertson Elementary teachers participated in the 30-minute car parade during their lunch break— some with signs and decorations on their cars.
“I didn’t know how many parents would be out,” Prusak said. “But as soon as the cars started honking and we said ‘go,’ chills started [for me].”
Soon after the car parade, Prusak said she received several thank-you messages from parents.
“We’re all dealing with so much right now as human beings,” Prusak said. “To see the looks on the parents’ faces as they watch their kids jump up and down and scream and yell, I got emotional at one point.”
Prusak said parents responses were not the only messages she received on Friday— participating teachers were also grateful for the experience, she said.
“I had several teachers email me as soon as we were done and texting me saying ‘I showed up today for my kids, but there was no way for me to know how much I needed that for myself,’” Prusak said.
The car parade comes after Robertson Elementary, along with the rest of FISD, wrapped up its first week of online instruction. The district has suspended in-person classes through April 3.
Purefoy Elementary School also did a car parade March 22, and Comstock Elementary School hosted their own on March 23.
Other schools are planning car parades of their own, said Meghan Cone, FISD assistant communications director. Parents will receive an email notification in advance if their school hosts a parade.
Robertson Elementary plans for car parades this Friday and next, Prusak said.
“I always tell our staff we’re always going to push ourselves to be the best teachers and educators we can be,” she said. “But at the end of the day, it’s all about our people. And we were reminded of that in such a huge way on Friday.”
