Coppell ISD pumps up students with annual road show
COPPELL (CBSNewsTexas.com) - A North Texas school district took their teachers on the road Wednesday morning to generate excitement for the upcoming school year.
The neighborhood "road show" is an annual tradition for Coppell ISD's Richard J. Lee Elementary School.
"For these kids to come and see their teachers from last year and meet their teacher for next year, I think that helps get everyone excited and ready for the new school year," said principal Chantel Kastrounis.
A bus full of teachers and staff made more than a dozen stops at apartment complexes, townhomes, and houses in the area surrounding the school. They got a chance to see where their students live and make connections with their families.
"It gives teachers a good insight to the home life or family dynamics," said Samira Khan, an instructional coach at Lee Elementary. "We have children whose grandparents are out there too. It's heartwarming to see how invested our families are in our school and how invested our teachers are in their community."
When the bus rolls into each neighborhood, it got such a rockstar reception, it was hard to tell who was more excited – the teachers, students, or parents.
The traveling pep rally also helps ease students' anxieties about new teachers and classmates.
"It's really nice," said Ruchika Arora, whose son will be in third grade at Lee Elementary. "We get to know them and the kids are really excited to see them before the actual school starts."
The first day of school for Coppell ISD students is August 15.
Lee Elementary will be celebrating a milestone anniversary – its 10th year of being open.