By Tyler Dahlgren

Park Elementary gave the perfect tip of the cap to a fleeting summer Tuesday night, welcoming students back to school with back flips, can-openers and even a few belly flops.

Panther Family Swim Night has grown into a cherished Park tradition, giving its students extra incentive to look forward to the return of school bells, bedtimes and busy days. It’s the ultimate pool party, held in the massive city pool a block north of the school, the first of many memories the Panthers plan on making this year.

“It’s become a tradition that people really look forward to,” said Amy Denny, who teaches reading at Park and serves as the president of the PTO. “It’s a positive way to bring everybody together before the year gets going. They get to make those connections they maybe haven’t made yet. It’s a great way to do that. It’s an exciting night.”

The party, held one week after the first day of school, kicked off at 4:30. Lines formed around the entrance before then, as families conversed and towel-toting kids excitedly found their friends. Denny, PTO president-elect Ashley Palu and Park Elementary principal Taylor Peters greeted people with big smiles just inside the entrance.

“We were ready to get the kids back in the building and to get back in the swing of things,” said Peters. “Panther Family Swim Night is a Park tradition. It’s happened the last several years. It’s just a fun event for family members of all different ages to get to come and send-off summer while celebrating the beginning of the school year.”

The night was just about perfect, with temperatures in the mid-80s and popsicles for all. From 4:30-6, kids showed off their best tricks on the diving boards and ripped down the Harmon Hurricane water slide. Then came time for the main event.

“At the beginning of the school year, on Open House night, the kids are already talking about Family Swim Night,” said Peters. “They look forward to it every year, and they always ask who’s going to jump off the diving board.”

Each year, there’s a brave “celebrity” jumper. More often than not it’s the principal who takes the plunge, but Peters is pregnant and received a pass. Enter beloved second-grade teacher Lynette Wiltjen, who, donning a Jimmy Buffett-approved get-up and grasping a rubber chick, climbed the latter and dropped a load of rubber duckies into the water below.

The Ducky Dive, as it’s known, is another student-favorite. Numbered ducks are purchased near the entrance. The celebrity jumper selects one after their splash and then the winner of the raffle is announced. This year’s prize was a colossal cookie from Eileen’s.

All these traditions culminate in what Palu hopes will one-day be a core memory.

“I think there are students who already think of it as that,” she said. “It’s been a tradition for so long. The kids always talk about it and look forward to Family Swim Night. It’s just a lot of fun for them, and for us.”

For Park Elementary teachers, the night is a golden opportunity to make connections with students and their families. Those relationships can never be too strong. It’s not uncommon for Park staff to bring their own children either.

“Getting to mingle with lots of different parents and seeing all the kids playing together outside of the school setting and the school hours is really special,” said Peters. “It’s great to start the year off with something fun and positive. And it’s early on in the week, so they’ll go to school and talk about this for the next few days at least.”

Summer may have come and gone, but Park Elementary didn’t let it do so without one last splash.