Smith Elementary students on Wednesday were treated to a full “Polar Express” experience.
Students, who were encouraged to wear their pajamas as part of the school’s winter spirit week, watched the 2004 Robert Zemeckis film in the school’s auditorium while enjoying cups of hot chocolate and cookies. Many students brought blankets – some yoga mats – to sit and enjoy the movie.
The room was decorated with snowflakes and other winter imagery created by the students and art teacher Megan Rowland, who also created a fake stone archway for the students to enter the room through and other large cardboard decorations like trains, penguins and deer.
The students also could sit at a craft table and color or write down on a post-it note their “New Year Wishes,” which were then posted on a bulletin board outside the room. They ranged from the sentimental – “Love for my family” – and the aspirational – “I wish I could sing more” – to the fantastic – “Flying carpet” – and the truly fictional – “I wish Starbucks was free.”
“It adds a little bit of literacy into the day,” Principal Jessica Baruffo said. “The students are very into the whole thing. It’s really exciting.”