Students in the middle school at AE/MS have been crying out for a social event since COVID pandemic began. Their last event was a dance on Valentine’s Day of 2020, and only the class of 2022 was old enough to attend that event when it was held. Unfortunately, the situation has not changed enough that a traditional school dance seemed like a viable option.

A couple of weeks before Halloween, the teachers in the middle school came up with a solution to this much needed social event, an outdoor movie night.  Students were told to dress warmly, and bring chairs and blankets, for the October 29 viewing of The Nightmare Before Christmas. As they arrived, they were served pizza and drinks before spreading out on the baseball field to watch the film.

Students cheered as the movie began and the energy on the field could be felt by everyone.  This was definitely a much needed social event for this group. During the movie, each grade also had an opportunity to go on a “spooky walk” through the woods with science teacher Ryan Murphy. AE/MS graduates were in the woods waiting to help scare up a little fun.

The staff was overjoyed to be able to bring this event to students, and it was so well received that it may become a more frequent occurrence for years to come.