What do you do when you have a beloved annual event like the Saint Mary School Father-Daughter Dance and you are in the midst of a pandemic?  If you are Principal Anna O'Rourke, you tap into the creativity of two of your parents, Tricia Van Brakel and Allison Carballo.  "We are so blessed at SMS to have an active parent community, even from a distance!  We were all blown away by what they and their team put together, " said O'Rourke.

Girls in PK-3's through Grade 8 enjoyed a first-ever "Father-Daughter Date Night".  Treat bags were filled with decorations and props for the evening.  Local restaurants Agave, Cake Box, Genoa Deli, and Gallo's put together specially-themed dinners and treats that could be picked up and enjoyed at home.  Everyone gathered via Zoom and enjoyed a surprise video highlighting the Grade 8 girls and Father-Daughter Dances of years gone by.  Then it was time for a Virtual Zoom Hip Hop Dance Party with instructor Chris "Zondaflex" Tyler.

"I love the fact that we can reinvent even the most closely held traditions and turn them into something special.  That is what the 2020-2021 school year has been all about," remarked O'Rourke.

For a peek at some of the fun, click here for a video.