Grandparents lunch at elementary school

WEBUTUCK — As a way of helping bridge the gap between generations, Webutuck Elementary School invited grandparents and special guests to visit the school and have lunch with the students on Grandparents Day, Thursday, Nov. 17.Roughly 500 grandparents and special guests joined the students for a meal of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and other Thanksgiving-themed dishes.Webutuck Elementary School Principal Katy McEnroe said the school has been holding this event for a very long time — so long, that no one seems to remember just how long.“I think it’s a special event,” McEnroe said. “It’s a happy event for all.”McEnroe said it teaches the students about the importance of family and friends, while also giving them the opportunity to show off the place in which they spend a large portion of their time. “Kids like to boast about their school,” she said.McEnroe said that the school makes sure all of the students have someone special to have a meal with, even if their family and friends can’t make it. Some of the other special guests include staff members from other parts of the school district and teachers who worked at the school before retiring.Grandparents Day was arranged and organized by staff members Janice McSpiritt and Rebecca Garrard, with help from the PTA and other volunteers.“We do this because we feel it’s important to ... reconnect with family,” McSpiritt said.McSpiritt and Garrard both believe that the day also helps build the school community.Parents get a lot of opportunities throughout the year to go to the school and see what the students have been up to, but grandparents and other family friends rarely get such opportunities, explained Garrard.In the cafeteria, Mikaela Werther enjoyed her lunch with three of her grandparents: Anita Grassia, Julie Naglieri and Tony Naglieri.All three grandparents agreed that the best part of the day was having the chance to spend time with Mikaela and share her school experience.“She really wanted us here. It’s nice to be wanted,” said Grandma Naglieri.At a nearby table, Joseph Chiarenza ate a hearty meal with two of his grandparents.Raymond and Carol Kruzynski got up before sunrise so they could travel from Queens in time to have lunch with their grandson. They turned Grandparents Day into an extended weekend so they could spend time with Joseph and his siblings before the holidays. When asked why he likes to have lunch with his grandparents, Joseph responded matter-of-factly, “Because I love them.”