Faculty’s quad day on Sept. 18 exceeds expectations despite short practice time

Photo by Will Norwood

Biology teacher Kristen Thomson dances to “Baby Shark” during the faculty quad day.

The faculty kicked off Homecoming week on Sept. 18 with a “Finding Nemo”-themed quad day. 

More than 30 staff members participated in the finale, and their excitement and passion shone through their wacky dances and plentiful props. English teacher Marcos Cortez appeared in a turtle suit, while others donned starfish headpieces.

The performance featured four all-staff dances to songs “Baby Shark,” “Cake by the Ocean,” “Astronaut in the Ocean” and “Surf in Safari.”

The faculty’s skit centered around interactions between Jason Friend (Marlin) and Megan Laws (Nemo). Friend played the role of an overprotective father, and Laws was a new freshman. The skit was primarily written by guidance counselor Eileen Allen.

Beyond just the dances and jokes, the faculty also sported matching blue T-shirts designed by MAP teacher Joel Tarbox. 

“Last year we had ‘Incredibles-themed shirts, and it was kind of like a new tradition,” said Kristen Thomson, AP Environmental Science (APES) teacher and dance choreographer. “I think he [Tarbox] did a great job designing it.”

Notably, all the faculty dancers had less time to prepare for their quad day dance than usual, as Thomson was leading the AP Environmental Science field trip prior to the event.

“I just got back from Costa Rica the week before, so I hadn’t really put anything together until I got back,” Thomson said. “We only had a week to practice, so we had practice during lunchtime every day until the event.”

Thomson said her daughter and senior Taylor Chu both had a helping hand in the teachers’ performance, providing song ideas and choreograph tips such as in the “Cake by the Ocean” dance.

Despite the rushed preparations for the dances and some audio problems, Thomson said she enjoyed seeing a lot of the staff come together to put on a performance.

“We want to have fun, but we also want to be a part of the whole Homecoming,” she said. “I think it’s fun for the kids to see us, and going out of our comfort level and being around others who also want to dance a little is pretty cool.”