Parents, Students Get Together to Show Support for Teacher with Signs

OUTSIDE BOSTON, MA -- 

You may have seen photos on our Facebook page last night depicting signs in support of Natick's teachers.

Patch has heard from the makers of those signs, who wish to remain anonymous, preferring instead to be known as "The Holiday Elves," and they've given us some insight as to why they made them and what they were hoping to accomplish with this gesture of appreciation.

The following is from the parent whose idea it was to make the signs:

I came up with the idea because I could not imagine what it must feel like for the teachers, administrators and staff to have to walk in to school today- setting aside their own emotions, anxieties, trauma to go and do their jobs, and to have to once again be on the front lines of helping, protecting, and comforting their students in a variety of ways today and throughout this week.

I just wanted to send a message of support- and this seemed like the most direct way to do that. I figured the teachers would know exactly what was meant, and the younger kids might think it just a nice holiday gesture.

I called a good friend- a wonderful mom with 4 kids in the Natick schools who is very active in the community- and is a big part of that “village” it takes and she jumped right in- gathered materials and then we met at her house last night with all of our kids (I have a high school student, hers are in elementary, middle and high school), made the signs, donned elf hats, and spent an hour travelling around town hanging them!

In addition to hoping that it made the teachers, staff and students feel good this morning- it made us feel a little better too- we are all stumped trying to figure out “what to do” in light of this tragedy, and this was our little effort.