By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY—The hallways of Inverness Elementary School were buzzing with laughter and smiles on Feb. 19 as students shared their classrooms and lunch with grandparents. The day kicked off the first of IES’s three-day “Grandparents Day” celebration.

An annual tradition at IES, Grandparents Day offers the students the opportunity to spend special time with their grandparents and allows grandparents to “share in that educational experience with their grandchildren,” IES Principal Christine Hoffman said.

“Grandparents make a special effort to come, even out of town,” Hoffman said. “We try to do (Grandparents Day) on a Thursday or Friday so grandparents can spend the weekend.”

This year, the school is celebrating Grandparents Day on Feb. 19, 26 and 27. Nearly 200 grandparents attended the Feb. 19 celebration.

Grandparents first enjoyed lunch with their grandchildren, then they were led to each child’s classroom for another special activity.

“We’ve looked forward to it ever since last year when we came,” Sherry Sawyer said as she ate lunch with her grandson, Miller Norris. “We get to do it again in an hour with his sister!”

Linda and Steve Mackin echoed Sawyer’s sentiment. Although attending Grandparents Day for the first time with their granddaughter, Maggie Wolfe, the Mackins have taken part in the celebration before with other grandchildren at IES.

“It’s very special,” Linda Mackin said. “We like to take part in what’s going on.”

Wolfe said she was excited to show her grandparents around the school, but “getting to eat lunch together” was her favorite part of the day.

For some grandparents in attendance, the Feb. 19 event was their first experience with Grandparents Day.

“We’ve never been to his school before,” Adrienne Bourland said, noting her grandson Andrew Bourland is a new student. “We’re really happy to be at his school.”