Members of the Hull Teachers Parade Committee, including Chair Stephanie Harris, Lindsey Donovan, Eddie Cameron, and School Resource Officer Leanne Marshalsea, are joined by members of the community prior to the parade Thursday, May 14. (Photo courtesy Hull Public Schools / Jennifer Whelan) 
Longtime Hull Public Schools bus operators Kathy and Bob Belyea were honored as part of the parade held Thursday, May 14. (Photo courtesy Hull Public Schools) 
A Hull Public Schools faculty member dressed as a pirate for the parade. (Photo courtesy Hull Public Schools / Jennifer Whelan) 
A sign is attached to one of the cars in the parade. (Photo courtesy Hull Public Schools / Jennifer Whelan)
Longtime Bus Operators Also Honored During Event
HULL — Superintendent Judith Kuehn is pleased to announce that the Hull Public Schools held an appreciation parade yesterday in order to bring teachers and students closer together during the ongoing COVID-19 school closure.
On Thursday, May 14, Hull teachers gathered at Hull High School and proceeded to drive through town, ending in South Hull at the intersection of Nantasket Avenue and George Washington Boulevard.
Students and their families lined the streets to cheer on and show appreciation for the teachers as they made their way through the town.
Teachers made sure to stay at least six feet apart from each other and from onlookers, so as to practice proper social distancing guidelines.
“The goal of this parade was to organize something to show the students of Hull how much we miss them,” Hull High School math teacher and event coordinator Stephanie Harris said. “We had a great turnout, with educators from all three schools, members of both the police and fire departments, and representatives from the bus company in attendance. We really want to thank the community for coming together to support us and this event.”
Some teachers dressed up in costumes — including pirates in honor of the Hull Public Schools mascot — and many teachers and families made custom signs to express their support for one another.
“The pandemic has been hard on everyone, and this event was a great morale booster,” Hull School Committee member Stephanie Peters said. “My emotions went between happy and sad during the entire time, realizing the enormity of this situation and then loving this little town we live in. It meant a lot to be able to bring a few minutes of joy to the students and their families during this tough time.”
Special Honorees
As part of the event, the Hull Public Schools also recognized Kathy and Bob Belyea, who have operated the district’s independent bus company in Hull for 25 years. The couple is retiring next month.
Since the district could not give them a proper retirement, it was decided to make them guests of honor for the parade.
“Kathy and Bob’s kindness and dedication to the students and families of Hull was second to none for more than two decades,” Superintendent Kuehn said. “They will be sorely missed by the entire Hull community.”
“Everyone has a job in school transportation — from students, to parents and guardians, to faculty and administration, to everyone driving on the streets in town — to make sure children get to and from school safely,” Bob Belyea said. “We feel blessed to have been a part of that for so many years, and to have worked in such a close-knit community like Hull.”
The Belyeas feel the special recognition was shared with their drivers as much as it was with them.
“There are not enough words to express the gratitude we have for our dedicated bus drivers,” Kathy Belyea said. “They are your neighbors in town and some have been driving children for over 20 years. We can say that they all care about these children as if they were their own.”
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