LYNN — Sacred Heart School celebrated 100 days of in-person learning last Friday, marking the milestone with an array of celebrations.
Students left their uniforms at home as they dressed up in their best “elderly clothing,” styling gray wigs, mustaches and carrying canes to appear “100 years older.” Teachers did the opposite, dressing in onesie pajamas and pigtails, aiming to appear “100 years younger.”
This is a traditional celebration to honor the first 100 days at the Catholic school, but Sacred Heart Principal Kristina Relihan said that it was more bittersweet this year after being forced to close down last March.
Children ranging from 2.9 years old to fifth-graders participated and joined together to decorate the school with signs, streamers and balloons.
Every classroom did a 100-day activity, such as collecting 100 items in the classroom and art projects relating to this topic.
“The kids loved it. We got many thank you cards from our scholars saying how great the day was,” Relihan said.
Sacred Heart is one of three private schools in the city that has been hosting in-person classes since September, having to close and work remotely only once due to a positive COVID-19 case.
“It was a great celebration of our accomplishment of learning for 100 days, growing for 100 days and just being together,” Relihan said.
Masks have become an aspect of everyday life, and the Sacred Heart scholars know that it is a health and safety piece to the day. Relihan said the students do not complain about the masks, temperature checks and social distancing and they acknowledge that they are necessary.
“Going from not being in the building, to mobilizing to remote learning within two weeks of us closing, to successfully hosting remote learning and then opening in September was a huge accomplishment,” she said, highlighting the significance of this year’s 100-day festivities.
Relihan said the students were so excited to return to the building in September and be back with their peers.
“They were so mindful of the new traffic patterns in the school, waiting on the footprints on the floor, and being mindful to wash and sanitize their hands,” she said.
Relihan said she is grateful that they have been able to host classes in person all year and that the school knows they need to work hard and abide by the changes brought on by the pandemic.
She was happy that they were able to switch things up and do something fun with the students, after the crazy year everyone has had.
“It’s about the fun, that’s part of school,” she said.
She wants people to know that Sacred Heart is open for enrollment and encourages people to come join their family.
Allysha Dunnigan can be reached at [email protected].
