A school district in Ocean County is getting a very special treat today as New Jersey is in week three of keeping kids home from school -- a chance to see all their teachers in person and at a safe distance.

About every teacher in New Egypt will pull out of a parking lot in just a few hours, and head through town, passing by each student's home in the district.           

 

It is a parade, but no bagpipers, no bands, no floats – just a simple wave and a hello.  Organizers say it's amazing how far a simple wave can go. 

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“I hope that this brings us together and that we can reconnect even if it's just for a minute,” says Alyse Kreig, a school counselor. “We just want to see the smiles, we want to see them happy and we want to cheer them on for all their hard work they've been doing over these past couple of weeks with the distance learning.”

 

Teachers left from both the high school and elementary school, passing by every family's home in town with a student.

“Everyone is just super excited to get outside, probably even though it's chilly today, be on their front lawns to go ahead and wave and smile,” says fifth-grade teacher Jamie Meroney. “We've set some strict guidelines for teachers as well as the families and everyone is on board; we're ready to go.

As opposed to more crowded areas, there is plenty of space between the homes, so families can safely watch the parade of teachers pass by -- all while adhering to the guidelines set by the CDC.