Friday’s Panther Parade a success

About 100 Monticello Central School District teachers, faculty and staff showed up on Friday, April 3, to travel more than four hours throughout the district to be able to say “hello” to community members and students.

“I think the parade was a way for the MCSD staff members to show our students and their families how much we love and miss them. Seeing their sweet faces, and the signs that many of them made, was very moving for everyone. It served as a reminder that we are all connected; we are all part of the Monticello Central School District,” Monticello High School Guidance Counselor Sheryl Manz, who was one of the organizers, said. “The parade would not have been a reality without our amazing Transportation Department and the monumental efforts of dispatcher Christine Cortright, who spent many hours putting the four-hour route together. The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department was out on the route directing traffic and our very own School Resource Officer Rose Ionta led the parade. We were honored and fortunate to have participation from the Rock Hill, White Lake, and Smallwood-Mongaup Fire Departments. We are very grateful to all of these folks who donated their time to support this effort.”

For those who we missed, please accept our sincerest apologies. The sheer volume of cars and participants meant that we had to make last-minute decisions and re-route where necessary to keep our participants and our spectators safe and the parade moving. Our district covers a tremendous area, and we did the best we could to cover as much ground as possible.

We appreciate everyone who took the time to send in photos from their vantage points. Click here to view an album.