It’s been more than a month since students, faculty and staff at St. Albert the Great at Assumption Academy saw each other in person. Because of Ohio’s stay-at-home order in the wake of the coronavirus health crisis, school buildings have been closed since mid-March and learning is taking place online in order to help stem the spread of the illness.
Although they’re able to connect electronically, students and teachers say they miss being together, noting it’s just not the same to interact online. But the risk of infection is too great for them to be together in person, so the school community got creative and planned a drive-through spirit rally for April 19 on the Assumption Parish property in Broadview Heights.
Rick Kaliszewski, Assumption Academy principal, said the idea was to bring the students and teachers together as closely as possible – while maintaining appropriate social distancing.
And it worked.
Teachers and staff lined up on the sidewalk near the school with signs of encouragement for students and their families, who were encouraged to drive through and wave from their cars. Cheering, whistling and enthusiastic greetings were shared by all. The event also had the blessing of the Broadview Heights Police Department.
“I stopped counting at 100 vehicles that came through,” Kaliszewski said.
Everyone maintained a safe distance from the traffic to avoid spreading any illness, he noted. “Instead, we spread Assumption spirit. We wanted to show our spirit of all the families and parishioners. We are in this together.”
The weather was perfect with sun and a high near 60 degrees, Kaliszewski said.
“We are blessed to have such a supportive community and parent base. It just melted the hearts of my teachers to see their students, and the students and parents were so happy to share in a moment of seeing their teachers (even though we kept a safe distance). This was truly an event that will be in our memories forever,” Kaliszewski said. “We don't want to be separated like this, but not even COVID-19 can stop us from spreading our school spirit.”
Assumption, which has about 150 students in grades K-8, draws from Broadview Heights, North Royalton, Parma, Hinckley and Seven Hills. The parish is 162 years old and the school was established 62 years ago.