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Marshalltown schools empty on last day

T-R PHOTOS BY LANA BRADSTREAM The hallways of Franklin Elementary are silent on the last day of the 2019-2020 school year.

Thursday marks the official last day of the Marshalltown Community School District.

However, unlike previous years, this last day is not filled with excitement of children ready for summer adventures. There are no feet running on the floors and sounds of laughter echoing through the hallways.

In the district buildings, lights are shut off and the silence is deafening because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students stopped roaming the halls of the school buildings in March.

“A typical last day of the school year is bittersweet,” said Marshalltown High School Spanish teacher and coach James Christensen. “This one is a bit more sour. Without being able to say goodbye to your students, it loses a lot of luster.”

Christensen said he misses hearing what everyone’s summer plans are, the farewell lunch with colleagues and the scramble to get all of the finals checked.

Miller Middle School Janitor Jeff Braddock laughs about the end of the school year while he throws away papers, books and various items left behind in the 2019-2020 school year.

“It just doesn’t seem like it is over,” he said.

Most of the teachers have cleaned out classrooms. The only people remaining are janitors, support staff and employees giving parents report cards and possessions left behind.

Micki Butler, the counseling and special education secretary at Miller Middle School, misses the interaction with the students on the last day. Her colleague, Maritza Parra, a bilingual secretary, misses an annual tradition.

“We do not have a talent show this year,” she said. “That is always the last day of school.”

Butler agreed, saying the show is something that staff and students anticipate throughout the year.

T-R photos by Lana Bradstream Franklin Elementary staff members Nichole Wimberly, Theresa Siegert, Blair Struble and Taylor Dubois help parents pick up items left behind by students before the closure.

“The students try out for it,” Butler said. “It is definitely something everyone looks forward to.”

Miller Middle School Janitor Jeff Braddock said the custodial staff have been able to tackle projects left on the back burner since the closure. Normally during the last few days of the school year, the custodial staff throws away a lot of garbage. This year was no different.

“I am dumping everything out,” Braddock said. “I am getting rid of a lot of paperwork.”

At Franklin Elementary, special education teacher Theresa Siegert said it is hard to not say goodbye to her students.

“We are missing that closure — for us and the students,” Siegert said.

Micki Butler and Maritza Parra, staff members at Miller Middle School, talk about giving report cards to parents who show up during the last few days of school. Butler and Parra wait outside of the school and ask parents which student is theirs so they can find the final report card.

Getting closure and saying goodbye is not the only thing that staff at Franklin Elementary are missing for the end of the school year. There are some annual end-of-year activities that are absent.

Kindergarten teacher Blair Struble misses field day — a time of games and fun — and the normal experience.

“Before when that bell rings, there would be so much excitement and buzz,” she said. “It is such a happy environment and we have to miss all of that.”

Special education para Nichole Wimberly misses the step up day which is a time set aside for students to explore and learn about the grade they will be advancing to.

“My daughter goes here and she was looking to step up day, but it was virtual this year,” Wimberly said. “She was looking forward to going to the fourth grade classroom and seeing the environment. It is sad it was all online.”

The 2020-21 school year will begin Aug. 25 and will end May 28.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.

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