Since 1967, Norrisville Elementary School has been teaching kindergarten through fifth grade, and preparing them for the next step- middle school.
With a very small student population of 170 students, and an even smaller number of teachers, 22, Norrisville is described as “a close-knit agricultural community” by those who live in the area. Students, parents, teachers, and more, collected at the Jaguar’s den on May 7 from 1pm-4pm to pay tribute to Norrisville’s “50 years of excellence”. The day of honoring began with a school walkthrough along with mingling, where people could visit old classrooms and teachers, purchase Norrisville 50th Anniversary shirts, along with commemorative books, and some refreshments.
The main event began at 3pm, as principal Jennifer Drumgoole took to a stage outside to address the Norrisville community. “Thank you all for being here with us today,” Drumgoole started off.   She began by listing and honoring all the principals who had served at Norrisville, while many of them attended the celebration, some did not.
“There are three who aren’t with us today, John Harvey was the principal from 1971-1974, Bob Christopher was the principal from 1979-1986, and I’d like to make a special mention of Anne Ramsey, who passed away a few years ago, she was the principal from 1974-1979,” Drumgoole informed. Next up, representatives from third through fifth grade joined Drumgoole on stage to describe the history of Norrisville to the crowd.  “The history of Norrisville was originally by the 1991-1992 third grade class,” the third grade representative started off with.  After the history lesson, Mrs. Engelke, music teacher, brought students up stage to sing What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.
Afterward, Drumgoole came back on stage to honor a familiar face who is retiring this year, Mrs. Barbara Kilker.  Drumgoole stated, “she’s left a lasting impression on the school and hundreds of children she has taught over the years.”
To honor Norrisville’s 50 years, the school was presented with a sundial. A sundial is an instrument that shows time based on shadows from the sun;   “It will symbolize the past 50 years and will continue to tell the time over the next 50,” explained the principal. Former students Aerionna Long, junior, and Ben Sexton, junior, reflect on their time at Norrisville Elementary. “I loved the teachers and staff. Everyone was so kind and really wanted you to succeed,” Long said. Sexton felt the same way. “Norrisville shaped my life by making me a better person, because there was so many good role models there,” stated Sexton. Long hopes to be able to send her own children to Norrisville. “I would send my kids there. It’s a small welcoming community that really cares about each student and their needs,” Long stated.