BY MERLE MONAHAN/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
merlemonah@aol.com

WINDSOR—Windsor Elementary School was “aglow with stars” last week when students attended a back-to-school gala wearing formal attire along with their brightest smile.

The 6-to-11-year-old students, some with parents, walked down a red carpet with flashing lights provided for them in the hallway of the main entrance. Standing along both sides of the carpet were teachers and staff, including Isle of Wight Schools Superintendent Katrise Perera. They cheered each child as he or she went down the runway.

“We always have something for the kids when they start back to school in the fall, but this is the first time we’ve had a gala,” said staff member Lori Wall. “Other staff members and I and our teachers just felt like we wanted to do something special. We wanted each child to feel like a star.”

Prior to the event, about 65 teachers and staff members, also in formal attire, took a bus for dinner at Joe’s Pizza and Pasta Palace in Franklin. Hosted by Principal Dr. Stenette Byrd, the event was sponsored by Farmer’s Bank of Windsor.

When the group returned from dinner, students and their parents began arriving. At 7 p.m., the red carpet walk began. Not all of the more than 700 students attended.

Following the grand entrance, students and parents assembled in the cafeteria, where Byrd presented awards to students for achievements.

“After the program, all of the parents were invited to visit the classrooms and met their child’s teacher,” Wall said.