Students and family members filled the halls at Hawley Elementary School in the early evening on June 5 for the school’s Art Show/Unified Arts Night.

The event was originally scheduled for May 28 but was postponed due to weather.

Like Sandy Hook Elementary School and Middle Gate Elementary School, which both previously held art shows, Hawley’s art show highlighted student creations from throughout the school year.

Artwork lined the walls of the school, and parents and students could walk together to view the art. Student artwork at Hawley was created under the guidance of art teachers Kim Hossler, Donna Perugini, and Leslie Gunn, who returned to the school from retirement to fill in.

Hawley’s art show was turned into a Unified Arts Night, celebrating all of the arts at the school.

“I think it’s special to bring the celebration of all the arts together,” said Ms Hossler.

The school’s library/media center was open for the evening and a special visitor, a llama named Theo from Country Quilt Llama Farm of Cornwall, was a big draw. The llama patiently let students pet or read to him under the watching eye of farm owner Debbie Labbe. Dash & Dot coding robots were also set up for students to use in the library.

Next door, parents and children played with a parachute together in the gymnasium, lifting the parachute up to watch as it floated back down. Nearby students climbed on a climbing wall.

Sounds drifted out of the music room as students played instruments, and the school’s outdoor field was being readied near the start of the event for a game of kickball.