Halloween Parade Carries On Storied Tradition
Surely one of the most beloved, and most photographed, events throughout Shore's history, the annual Halloween Parade is a defining moment of every school year. But 2016's edition may well be remembered as exceptional.
A legendary aficionado of pranks, costumes, and fun throughout his three decades as Head of School, Larry Griffin has surprised and delighted students and parents alike each Halloween in an array of costumes ranging from the inspired to the absurd. Generations of Shore students recall these appearances and the parade as among their most cherished memories.
This year, Griffin's last as Head, Shore's renowned trickster pulled out all the stops for a dramatic set piece that may go down in the school's history as the definitive Halloween Parade performance, and a true reflection of a Headmaster's love for children, fun, and celebration.
Recruiting the entire seventh, eighth, and ninth grade classes to help with the project, Griffin began work on his pièce de résistance almost immediately after the start of the school year: it would be a spectacular, large-scale homage to Disney's 101 Dalmatians, featuring the Head of School as Cruella de Vil, and 100-plus Upper Schoolers as identical dalmatian puppies.
Over multiple work sessions, students gathered in secret to craft the components for scores of dog costumes from scratch, a process that took nearly an hour for each costume. Griffin, hunkered down in an impromptu hidden workshop in the basement of the Howard Gymnasium, assembled each costume and tailored his elaborate Cruella getup, complete with faux fur coat, evening gown, high heels, and customized black-and-grey wig.
Preparations continued up until early on the morning of the parade, when Griffin, assisted by his wife, sixth-grade English teacher Cathy, and JoAnn Amatucci, his longtime executive assistant, helped the student Dalmatians don costumes and face paint. Griffin's actual dog, a black Lab named Charlotte, received white spots as her disguise.
Then, as parents watched Lower Schoolers parade in their fantastical, funny, or frightening outfits, Griffin led his performers out a side door to quietly slip into the Halloween procession and make their appearance, to the astonishment of all.
Joined by sixth graders and the Lower School, Griffin and the Upper Schoolers led a final celebratory lap around the Oval. It was a memorable moment of pure joy and inspiration, the very same qualities Griffin brought to Shore over his long tenure as Head, embedding them forever in the culture of the school.
The moment continued as all 100-some Dalmatians and Cruella herself returned to the Kiva in the Center for Creativity, where Lower School students were awestruck by the spectacle of their evening-gowned Head of School laughing and chatting with students and parents alike.
Then it was time for the Lower School's Halloween Concert, a final celebration to seal the occasion in the hearts of all those in attendance.
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A legendary aficionado of pranks, costumes, and fun throughout his three decades as Head of School, Larry Griffin has surprised and delighted students and parents alike each Halloween in an array of costumes ranging from the inspired to the absurd. Generations of Shore students recall these appearances and the parade as among their most cherished memories.
This year, Griffin's last as Head, Shore's renowned trickster pulled out all the stops for a dramatic set piece that may go down in the school's history as the definitive Halloween Parade performance, and a true reflection of a Headmaster's love for children, fun, and celebration.
Recruiting the entire seventh, eighth, and ninth grade classes to help with the project, Griffin began work on his pièce de résistance almost immediately after the start of the school year: it would be a spectacular, large-scale homage to Disney's 101 Dalmatians, featuring the Head of School as Cruella de Vil, and 100-plus Upper Schoolers as identical dalmatian puppies.
Over multiple work sessions, students gathered in secret to craft the components for scores of dog costumes from scratch, a process that took nearly an hour for each costume. Griffin, hunkered down in an impromptu hidden workshop in the basement of the Howard Gymnasium, assembled each costume and tailored his elaborate Cruella getup, complete with faux fur coat, evening gown, high heels, and customized black-and-grey wig.
Preparations continued up until early on the morning of the parade, when Griffin, assisted by his wife, sixth-grade English teacher Cathy, and JoAnn Amatucci, his longtime executive assistant, helped the student Dalmatians don costumes and face paint. Griffin's actual dog, a black Lab named Charlotte, received white spots as her disguise.
Then, as parents watched Lower Schoolers parade in their fantastical, funny, or frightening outfits, Griffin led his performers out a side door to quietly slip into the Halloween procession and make their appearance, to the astonishment of all.
Joined by sixth graders and the Lower School, Griffin and the Upper Schoolers led a final celebratory lap around the Oval. It was a memorable moment of pure joy and inspiration, the very same qualities Griffin brought to Shore over his long tenure as Head, embedding them forever in the culture of the school.
The moment continued as all 100-some Dalmatians and Cruella herself returned to the Kiva in the Center for Creativity, where Lower School students were awestruck by the spectacle of their evening-gowned Head of School laughing and chatting with students and parents alike.
Then it was time for the Lower School's Halloween Concert, a final celebration to seal the occasion in the hearts of all those in attendance.
Shore Country Day School’s mission is to provide an education that inspires a love of learning and encourages children to embrace academic challenge. We seek to build character, cultivate creativity, and value diversity as we help our children become healthy, compassionate citizens of the world.
The School admits qualified students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law, and extends to them all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its admissions, scholarships, and loans, and its educational, athletic, and other programs.