CRESLANE KINDERGARTENERS AND THEIR FATHERS, GRANPOPS AND OTHER SIGNIFICANT MALE FIGURES BUILT GINGERBREAD HOUSES TOGETHER ON DEC. 18 IN FOUR PARTICIPATING CLASSROOMS. Erin Tierney/The Creswell Chronicle
As the tradition continues at Creslane Elementary School, fathers, granpops and other significant male figures were invited to build gingerbread houses with their kindergarteners in one of the four participating classrooms on Dec. 18.
The kids were wide-eyed and excited to see their papas in their own class. They looked up at their fathers, in admiration as they sat in tiny chairs and desks, gluing cookies together with icing for seams and gumdrops for added property value.
One little girl, Rose, became especially enthralled that day. Her father had been away at United States Army Basic Training, Mrs. Cheryl Clancey said, and all Rose could talk about was how she wished her daddy would be home for Christmas.
So when a man walked in the classroom in his operational camouflage pattern uniform, nametag on chest and arms open to his little girl, Christmas came early for little Rose.
Creslane also encourages families to come to their other family events, like the Mother’s’ Day Tea in May, The Teddy Bear Picnic and the Butterfly Release.