Hunter Petri missed his father terribly over the past few months.
“He talks about him many times a day,” said his teacher, Kristen Mathisen, at Kyle Elementary School in Portage.
The 9-year-old boy couldn’t hide his sadness about missing his dad, Steve Petri, whose job assigned him to work in Boston earlier in the school year.
“He really misses his dad,” said Hunter’s mother, Faith Petri. “We all miss him very much.”
Nonetheless, it didn’t stop Hunter from doing his best work in Mathisen’s classroom.
Along with many other teachers at the school, Mathisen’s classroom features a Super Improver Wall to reward good behavior by students. The kids here are recognized for all kinds of things, but specifically critical values such as honesty, fairness, compassion, respect and responsibility.
“It’s a very nice way of giving attention to those students who should be getting attention, and focusing on positive behaviors,” Mathisen said.
Students work all year to move up the “ladder” on the Super Improver Wall. They begin the school year as a “Beginner” and move up to “Leader,” then “Pro,” and so on. The highest rung of the ladder is “Master.”
“Most kids don’t get to that,” Mathisen said.
The students who accomplish this achievement are allowed to “graduate” with a special celebration designed strictly for that student. Only four of Mathisen’s 23 students have graduated during this school year.
“The party is designed to be something they won’t forget,” Mathisen said.
“For example, if Mrs. Mathisen knows the student loves bacon, she will have the kitchen prepare them bacon for their party,” said Nicole Pleasant, an executive board member for the school’s PTO.
Pleasant, who has a daughter in Mathisen’s classroom, sometimes volunteers her time there.
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“My daughter loves penguins, as well as her best friend Emily from another class, so Mrs. Mathisen invited Emily to a reading party on a penguin blanket with many stuffed penguins,” Pleasant said. “Each celebration is unique and special.”
When Hunter graduated as a master from the Super Improver Wall a month or so ago, Mathisen had hopes of having his father attend the party as the special guest. But it couldn’t get worked out.
She had to settle for a party featuring “mac and cheese,” Hunter’s favorite food item.
Hunter continued to deeply miss his father as the school year came to a close. Hunter’s classmates all knew it.
Mathisen knew it, too, so she kept working her magic. She contacted Hunter’s parents and wondered if Steve Petri could somehow make it back to Portage by the end of the school year, May 25.
Faith Petri said her husband could possibly fly back in time for the school’s annual field day event last Friday.
“As a surprise to Hunter,” Mathisen said.
“It would be very hard to keep this secret,” Faith Petri said.
Somehow they managed to keep it a secret from Hunter for several days.
Last Friday, before Mathisen’s classroom took part in the Field Day event, Steve Petri showed up at the school. He waited in the hallway outside Hunter’s classroom.
Mathisen reminded her students that Hunter had to wait nearly a month for his special guest on Field Day.
The students all stared at the door.
“It’s your mom!” one of the students yelled.
The door opened. Steve Petri walked in, looking for Hunter.
The students all gasped as one.
“Dad!” Hunter shrieked.
He bolted from his seat and ran into his father’s arms.
His father lifted him off the ground with a massive hug. Hunter’s arms wrapped tightly around his dad’s neck, his legs dangled in the air.
The students applauded.
The father-son embrace lasted a few seconds.
When Hunter’s legs returned to the floor, he hugged his father again, burying his face in his dad’s arms.
The students again applauded.
Hunter again hugged his dad, wiping tears from his eyes.
“It brought the entire staff to tears,” said Pleasant, who volunteered that day.
“It meant the world to Hunter,” Faith Petri said.
“It was in my top 10 moments of almost 25 years of teaching,” Mathisen said.
Throughout the day, Hunter remained emotional about it. He clung to his father.
“He deserved this surprise,” his mother said afterward.
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Hunter’s parents, along with Pleasant, gave all the credit to Mathisen.
“She really made it happen,” Faith Petri said. “She deserves a teacher of the year award.”
“Teachers are so important to the development of our future,” Pleasant said. “With teachers like Mrs. Mathisen, our future looks bright.”
“She really is an incredibly thoughtful and genuine person,” Faith Petri added. “Hunter is very lucky to have her, and we really appreciate her effort.”
