Hundreds of District 68 students and their families gathered in the grassy space behind Old Orchard Junior High School on Thursday night to celebrate the start of the new school year at the annual Fall Fest.
Children ranging in age from pre-kindergarten pupils to pre-teens nearing the beginning of their high school careers lined up for free cotton candy alongside parents, friends and Skokie School District 68 staff. A DJ blasted radio favorites from pop stars like Rihanna and Drake as families and teachers milled about, greeting each other warmly. Students from the junior high operated game tables, and younger children bounced around inside an inflatable castle bounce house on the balmy late summer evening.
This year’s fest marked the 16th iteration of the annual tradition, according to Susan O’Neil, principal of Jane Stenson Elementary School and the organizer of the fest. Old Orchard Junior High Principal Robyn Huemmer said the event typically draws about 1,000 people every year, including current and former students and their families. She said the event, which is open to all families in the district, is normally hosted in the school’s parking lot. This year, however, they moved it to accommodate construction on the school’s track.
O’Neil said the event offers staff a chance to interact with pupils and their parents in a casual setting.
Erica Johnson, whose two children are enrolled at Jane Stenson, said her young kids love the fest and it’s a good way to expose them to all the students within the district.
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“They get to see their teachers acting like real people outside the classroom as well, so that’s cool,” Johnson said.
Lynn Rubin, a first-grade teacher at Jane Stenson, said she’s attended the fest every year since it began in 2000. The event, she said, is an ideal way for the entire district community to come together.
“It keeps getting better and better,” Rubin said. “It’s great for the students to see their teachers outside of school and having fun.”
Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.