Lynn teacher leads courtyard cleaning

LYNN – Since Nicole Miserandino began teaching at the Hood School in September, she has walked by the school’s courtyard each day recognizing its potential.That potential recently became a reality with the help of her friend Toni Yerardi, the PTO and teachers Mary Ann Hayes and Donna Whalen. Using a grant from the Disney Planet Challenge that was won by Whalen’s class, Miserandino was able to clean, paint and replant the space.”It is a wonderful spot that should be enjoyed by the students and faculty of Hood,” she said. “It looks wonderful and I have walked by many times this week and the kids are out there enjoying it. I feel that’s what it is all about.”Gale Thomas, Hood’s curriculum instructional teacher to acting principal Joanne Roy, said the area was overgrown and needed to be painted.”Teachers are going above and beyond their duty as teachers,” Thomas said. “The courtyard was an absolute mess. It’s a really nice area. When you walk in the first floor of the building you see the courtyard and this is what we were looking at. The difference is just incredible. We are going to hold the moving on ceremony there if the weather is nice. It is a nice place for kids to go to meditate or read. It is a nice area now, thanks to them.”Miserandino said she could not have taken on and completed the task on her own.”Honestly, without help – Donna came for a bit on Sunday, Mary Ann Hayes came for some time on Sunday, I had another friend who came and I would like to mention my wonderful husband who made it possible for me to take this home (because) he was home all weekend with my small children making this possible for other children – without all of that support this task wouldn’t have been able to be accomplished,” she said.