Arlington School & Family Magazine March/April 2018 | Page 17

Ousley’s Parent Picnic
By Kenneth Perkins
Elvis was in the building. So were Dolly Parton and
Michael Jackson. Even Whoopi Goldberg showed up - as
a singing nun with two of her background vocalists in tow.
Ousley Junior High held its annual Picnic for Parents
for the 16th time, transforming its cafeteria - it’s school,
actually - into one gigantic theme park.
This year it was all about music.
“Initially we were going to do a decade of music but we
couldn’t figure out which one, and then later we thought,
well, that will kind of pigeonhole us a bit,” Ousley art
teacher Joni Rinker-Dozier said. “This turned out to be
more flexible. Just the love of music.”
necks, signaling their VIP status.
“I love this,” said parent Gabriel Richards, who was
waiting for his daughter with her favorite Chick-fil-A
sandwich and drink. “I try and make it every year
although I wasn’t able to come last year. But it’s always
pretty creative. I really like how the teachers get into it. I
think they enjoy it far more than the kids.”
They do. Principal Lora Thurston gets dressed up each
year, and this time around she showed up as the iconic
Dolly Parton in a spirited white get-up, hat and boots.
The stage was decked out as usual with what looked like
a band getting ready for a concert. Table centerpieces
included music notes and sheets courtesy of the orchestra,
choir and band departments. Since a live concert was
promised, the show choir did the honors, performing
during each lunch period. “Just having another good time with our great parents,”
Thurston said.
Rinker-Dozier and her army of organizers called it a rock
‘n roll way to celebrate the start of spring break. Asked who she would come dressed up as, Center said,
without missing a beat, “Oh, Madonna. You can’t walk in
the room and not notice Madonna. … it would have to be
a Madonna that’s appropriate for a school setting!”
Parents who arrived for lunch with their child were
handed backstage passes that they wore around their
“I think the parents should come dressed up, too,” said
parent Marjorie Center, who was lunching with her
daughter and some of her buddies.
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