SWAMPSCOTT — The inevitable, hard-hitting sadness that parents of incoming kindergartners feel on the first day of drop-offs was no match for the “Boo Hoo Breakfast,” event which aimed to give parents a space to socialize and connect.
Hosted by the Swampscott Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), dozens of parents gathered outside the Swampscott Elementary School Thursday morning to participate and mingle, a tradition that has lasted over 10 years.
“The Boo Hoo Breakfast is really a place where parents can be social together,” PTO Co-President Jessica Ingemi said. “After dropping off their kids for the first day of kindergarten, everybody has a lot of emotions, so the PTO puts together a little breakfast to make people feel comfortable, say hi to friends, instead of an abrupt drop off.”
Ingemi continued, saying the goal was to create a support system for parents, in order to help them feel more comfortable and “enjoy the moment a little bit.”
“Sometimes for a parent, this is their oldest child, and it’s their first introduction,” Ingemi said. “So they want to meet new parents, meet the PTO, and this is a nice landing-spot for them to do that.”
She added that the event drew a big turnout with a big enough crowd to clear out the coffee supply: “It’s important for the parents to also be supported and to have a space to talk about being parents and all the changes that it comes with.”
PTO member Laurie Strazzullo said that the transition from preschool to kindergarten can be hard on parents.
“I think the Boo Hoo Breakfast makes it a little easier to celebrate,” Strazzullo said. “And we love it because it helps us meet the new faces, the new parents, and get them informed about everything that the PTO does.”
Superintendent of Schools Jason Calichman described it as “such a welcoming event.”
“It makes families realize we care about the child and the families as well. … We want them to feel supported both in and out of the classroom. That’s what we’re here for. We want our families to feel welcome here, that they’re a part of the process, and that we all need to work together to make the best experience possible for the kids,” Calichman said.
