Students, teachers, staff celebrate end of school year
Students at Gulf Elementary said goodbye to their classmates and teachers Tuesday afternoon before embarking on their summer vacation.
The 2009-2010 school year concluded Tuesday after early dismissal and thousands of students went home to start their vacation.
Gulf Elementary hosted a promotion ceremony for fifth graders entering middle school next year. Principal Donnie Hopper said the ceremony, inside the auditorium at Ida S. Baker High School, drew hundreds of families.
“We had a huge turnout of people,” he said.
Families wanting to see their fifth grade child in the promotion ceremony essentially filled the auditorium on Tuesday morning, said Hopper.
Most of the classrooms held their own celebrations on Tuesday to commemorate the end of the school year
“A lot of classrooms had celebrations with teachers wishing students goodbye for the summer,” he said.
Teachers gathered on the bus ramp before dismissal and waved goodbye to all of the students as they left. Liz Olancin, a teacher at Gulf Elementary, said it’s a long tradition and she’s been waving goodbye to students for the last 22 years.
Many students spent Tuesday asking teachers, administrators and classmates sign their yearbooks, and some wore white t-shirts for others to sign with a permanent marker.
Hopper said the last day went of school went smoothly.
“There were no issues the last few days, it’s always good to finish on a good note,” he said.