DOWNEY – The principals of Downey Unified School District will be featured as grand marshals at this year’s Downey Christmas Parade.

The decision to honor Downey’s educators comes as a reflection of the parade’s 2023 theme, Christmas of Innovation, which Chamber of Commerce director Michael Calvert says “what all has changed for our community due to covid and hoping the parade can be a look back on how we all were before the pandemic.”

“No one in our community has had to ‘turn on a dime’ like these hard working groups of educators. Keeping their students’ health as top of mind has been a huge focus for all of these principals,” said Calvert.

“From online learning, to alternate days open, shortened schedules and of course dealing with the needs of their parents along with maintaining the quality of education that Downey families have come to expect, it has been an exacting year for these dedicated administrators.

“The Chamber is hoping to put a spotlight on this deserving group and looking forward to them receiving the well-deserved cheers and admiration for this amazing group from the Downey School District.”

Cari White, Principal at Warren High School, said teachers and staff “persevered like I’ve never seen before.”

“They had to recreate their curriculum and meet the needs of students both online, and doing a simultaneous Zoom with some students in person and students online,” said White. “It was extremely challenging, and it pushed teachers to their limit at times, yet they kept putting the students and families first.

“That is why I think this opportunity for our schools is so special, because it really is about what the staff members did to ensure all of our students’ needs were met.”

Darryl Browning, principal at Stauffer Middle School, said “you don’t know what you’re capable of until you’re faced with a huge challenge like that.”

“We were able to basically turn on a dime and convert all of our lessons to online class form within a matter of a week or two, which if you’re familiar with education is quite a task. And then make sure all our students had the technology they needed, internet, WIFI, hotspots, all that stuff, it was pretty amazing to get all that done,” said Browning.

“It was just a challenge to be able to meet all of their needs, and we had to get really creative, and we didn’t want to lose that personal connection we have with each student, so we were trying to maintain that and give them the support they needed at the same time.”

Peggy Meehan, principal at Maude Price Elementary School, expressed enthusiasm for riding in the parade.

“One of the things I think I can really speak for at least all the other elementary school principals on is we just value, so much, celebrating our students, our families, our culture, our community,” said Meehan. “It’s nothing we’re looking for, we don’t do this job to be celebrated, but we do it to celebrate.

“My first reaction when they said it, I put it on my calendar. I would not miss that for the world; I think it’s so special.”

Also serving as grand marshals will be recently retired award winning journalist Dave Lopez, and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn.

The parade will be held Dec. 4 at 1 pm along Downey Avenue.