The 100th day of school is an important milestone every school year, but this year, it was even more significant.
The 2020-21 school year has been a challenge because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Jefferson City School District made it to the 100th day of the school year Wednesday, and students and staff celebrated in many ways.
"We look forward to celebrating the 100th day of school every year, but this year, it has been an even more rewarding milestone than usual," Superintendent Larry Linthacum said.
The district has followed many health and safety guidelines to ensure they could continue in-seat learning.
"Our JC Schools staff and students continue to inspire us with the grace and flexibility they've shown in the midst of COVID-19," Linthacum said. "We are so blessed and thankful to have been able to be in-seat this school year, and we appreciate everyone who has contributed to make it possible."
Kindergartners celebrated the 100th day of school by practicing counting to 100. Some students brought in their collections of 100 things, such as pennies, Fruit Loops, cotton swabs, buttons and Legos, and played games and listened to stories about counting to 100.
Other classes sorted items such as candy and blocks in groups of 10 to get to 100, stacked 100 plastic cups into pyramids, and strung 100 pieces of candy onto necklaces.
Belair Elementary School kindergartners cut and pasted construction paper together to create a picture of what they would look like if they were 100 years old, and they wrote about what they would do if they were 100 years old. Students wrote that they would drink coffee, play cards, watch TV, sleep a lot, live in a nursing home, have 100 cats, wear makeup and wear a wig.
Students and staff across the district also had fun dressing up like they were 100 years old. They walked around with canes and walkers and wore suspenders, newsboy caps, fake gray eyebrows and mustaches, gray wigs, bonnets, curlers, robes and nightgowns.
Fifth-graders celebrated the 100th day of the school year as well as their 1,000th day of school since they started kindergarten. Belair Elementary fifth-graders got to walk a red carpet and take photos under balloons and a sign that read, "1,000th Day of School Starring 5th Grade!"
Belair Elementary School Principal Elizabeth Milhollin said the 100th day of school is something students look forward to every year. She announces which day of school it is every day during the morning announcements, so the students are always counting up to the day.
"It's just one of those things that stands out and is memorable for our students," she said.
Milhollin said if you would have asked any parent or staff member in August if they would see the 100th day of school, they probably would have said, "Not a chance."
"We don't take it for granted that we've been in-seat 100 days, that we've been able to be here despite all that's going on, and that we're healthy and get to teach in person, which is by far and wide way more effective than virtual instruction for our young kids," Milhollin said. "It's been so important."