A tradition of song at Horace May

BEMIDJI -- Roughly 450 students and 75 staffers packed the Horace May gym Friday to ring in the holiday season on their last day of class before winter break.

The Recliners, a festively dressed faculty band, and Horace the Husky, the school’s mascot, led students and staff in Christmas-y standards such as “Jingle Bells,” “Feliz Navidad” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” The school’s second grade class wrote a song of their own and performed it for the broader student body, too.

“We like to foster the feeling of family and kindness at Horace May and we really wanted to gather together and share the gift of music with each other and wish everyone a Happy and Healthy Holidays,” Ami Aalgaard, the school’s principal, wrote to the Pioneer.

The singalong has been a tradition at the elementary school for years, Aalgaard said.

Bemidji Area Schools winter break begins at the end of the school day Friday. Classes for the district are set to resume Wednesday, Jan. 3.

1/3: Second graders at Horace May Elementary wrote a special Christmas song, which they performed Friday at the school's annual holiday singalong. (Joe Bowen | Bemidji Pioneer)

2/3: "In-house band" The Recliners lead Horace May Elementary students in song Friday at the school's annual singalong. From left are faculty members Deanna Nyegaard, Patrick Purrington, Kate Pearson and Bob McKeown. "They are a very talented bunch that volunteer to share their musical gifts with all of us at Horace May throughout the school year at assemblies, special celebrations, morning songs, etc," said Horace May Principal Ami Aalgaard. (Joe Bowen | Bemidji Pioneer)

3/3: Horace May Elementary students and staff put on their festive best at the school's annual singalong on Friday. (Joe Bowen | Bemidji Pioneer)