PTA Volunteer Coordinator Elyse Tate oversaw 20 volunteers helping at Parkside Elementary’s annual Monster Dash where about 455 students in costumes ran routes in Murray Park.

“This is such a fun tradition that Heather (Nicholas, principal) and Merissa (Graves, assistant principal) started and the kids just love it,” Tate said. 

Kindergarteners ran a 0.25-mile course, while the other grades paced a 1-mile loop. Teachers joined in with the fun as parents lined the course and finish, cheering on the runners — this year in sweatshirts rather than heavy coats and umbrellas as in the past

PE teacher Alexis Lucero had prepared students by walking the route with them several times and practicing laps around the playground and in the gym.

“The kids were extremely excited about the run and to show their costumes while running,” she said. 

Following the run, some students tried the Skeleton Scooter activity in the gym while others may have checked out maggots (rice and raisins), rat intestines (spaghetti), human skin (cabbage) and other items at the school’s Fear Factory. 

There were many other individual and class activities — black light party, hot cocoa, extra recess, temporary tattoos, Halloween water bottle stickers, ice skating, pizza party, photo booth, painting nails, pajama day, a visit to the park’s pond and more — some free and others available for purchase as part of the school fundraiser. Students also experienced Murray’s Haunted Woods back tour.

“To ensure equity, most of our things that were sold by class so they got to enjoy activities with their friends,” Nicholas said.

The fundraiser raised $6,300 to support field trips and other educational activities, she said.

Lucero awarded Monster Dash medals she made, featuring cobwebs and Jack-o-lanterns, to the top three male and female runners in each grade.

Tate said the event is a highlight for students each year.

“It’s a fun community they’ve created with fun experiences and core memories,” she said. “I love that all the kids can have experiences that are magical.”