WIS students had their passports stamped at customs after visiting the homeroom destinations. (PHOTO SUBMITTED)
WESTFIELD – With everyone itching to go on vacation, Westfield Intermediate staff and students went on a trip around the world on the second to last day of school on June 15.
Assistant Principal Gregory Miller said instead of a typical field day, they decided to end the year with a theme, and gave every homeroom an opportunity to choose a vacation destination. Thirty in-person and eight remote homerooms participated, choosing everywhere from New York City, Hawaii, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, Madagascar, France and Ireland to out of this world at the International Space Station.
Assistant Principal Jen Chapin stamped passports at a Customs station. (PHOTO SUBMITTED)
Miller said that Assistant Principal Jen Chapin was “the brains behind the whole activity, and provided the framework for it.” After that it was student-led and driven, with each class choosing where they were going, and what they would present. Homerooms made posters, postcards, stamps and stickers, and other objects representing their countries. Victoria Hedge’s sixth grade class made a model of the Eiffel Tower for Paris, France.
A “Customs” booth was set up in the lobby, run by Chapin and Principal Katherine Bourque. Students went on tours to each class, and got their homemade passports stamped or stickered at customs after answering questions such as “is there anything you’re bringing back that we need to be concerned about?”
Victoria Hedge’s sixth grade class made an Eiffel Tower to represent France. (PHOTO SUBMITTED)
The tours were open all day, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
“This was just a culminating project that really gave the kids an authentic learning experience right up until the end of the year,” said Bourque, adding, “The teachers and students exceeded any expectation we could have. The school was transformed. It was a wonderful project and a great day around the building.”
Students look at a menu of food choices in the Dominican Republic. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
Bourque said arriving at the last day of school was “bittersweet,” even after all of the changes this year. “It was actually a wonderful year in spite of all the changes. I’m proud to be a part of this school,” she said.
