By Lisa Farese
mail@floridanewsline.com
On Dec. 11, the Ocean Palms Elementary community, both new and old, gathered at the Parrish Storybook Path ribbon cutting dedication in memory of Mike Parrish, the first principal of the school who went on to serve 15 years in the role. The newly installed walking and running path, which features 17 storybook signs where students can read a book as they travel down the path, bears his name and a dedication sign in his honor.
Ocean Palms principals, teachers and staff, PTO presidents and board members, district representatives, and families, from the beginning of Ocean Palms, to the present shared in this dedication.
“From the day the doors first opened in 1996, until his retirement in 2011, Mike Parrish poured his heart and soul into making this school a place where every student felt seen, valued and inspired to learn. He didn’t just know names, he remembered dreams,” Tiffany Cantwell, principal, said. She further shared memories from families at the school during his tenure. For example, he was well-known for his ability to remember every child’s name at Ocean Palms. Staff members noted how he was like a father figure to them. Finally, Jeremy Parrish spoke on behalf of his father.
The school’s honor choir performed “Big Dreams” and “Hold on to Your Dreams” for guests, and attendees walked the storybook path together where the school’s fifth-grade student ambassadors read the story “Who You Were Made to Be” aloud at each stop.
“His leadership set a foundation that continues to guide us today,” Cantwell said.
Photos courtesy Lisa Farese
St. Johns County School District representatives attended the Parrish Storybook Path ribbon cutting event on Dec. 11.
