Osceola Elementary 'Rocks' their school

Making school fun with surprises in and out of the classrooms.

By Jarleene Almenas
| 4:10 p.m. September 20, 2018

Jaxson Vachon, Paisley Bartley and Gavin Richards walk across the cafeteria stage after receiving their "Rockstar" cards during the Rock Your School event at Osceola Elementary on Thursday, Sept. 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Students dance to the Cha-Cha Slide during the Rock Your School event at Osceola Elementary on Thursday, Sept. 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Osceola Elementary faculty member Gay Greene leads students in the Cha-Cha Slide during the Rock Your School event at Osceola Elementary on Thursday, Sept. 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Osceola Elementary faculty member Gay Greene gets the kids to rock out during the Rock Your School event at Osceola Elementary on Thursday, Sept. 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Tanner Perry speaks about one of the cards they have earned in second grade during the Rock Your School event at Osceola Elementary on Thursday, Sept. 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Derrick Hietala and Jeramiah Postell rock out during the Rock Your School event at Osceola Elementary on Thursday, Sept. 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Lulu Spruill whips her hair during the Rock Your School event at Osceola Elementary on Thursday, Sept. 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Students are bathed in confetti during the Rock Your School event at Osceola Elementary on Thursday, Sept. 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Osceola Elementary's second graders smile for a photo during the Rock Your School event at Osceola Elementary on Thursday, Sept. 20. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Ormond Beach Observer
Neighbors

Osceola Elementary School students had a rocking day of learning with a surprise "Rock Your School" event on Thursday, Sept. 20.

The event is a product of a summer book study started by second grade teachers Meredith Gilbert and Christy Cleckle of "The Wild Card" by Hope and Wade King, in which over 50 teachers in Volusia County participated. Osceola Elementary Principal Lynn Bruner said the book is about engaging students in the classroom by transforming the room, and school, to make learning fun, interesting and collaborative.

"The international event Rock Your School was brought up because the same purpose of surprising and engaging our students is the goal," Bruner said. "We want our students to be excited to come to school everyday, so we decided to participate in Rock Your School."

At Osceola Elementary, teachers and other staff did just that by staying together after school to decorate the school cafeteria with a Rock N' Roll theme, much to the surprise of students the following morning. Teachers and staff also dressed up according to the theme, many sporting classic rock band T-shirts, wigs and colored streaks in their hair.