Halloween was a little extra special this week for Pine Tree students thanks to Head Custodian Dan Hart.
Hart, who has worked in the district for 35 years and at Pine Tree for the last 16, goes out of his way and out of his wallet to spread some holiday spirit around the school at Halloween and Christmas time.
‘They’re decorations that I’ve collected over the years,? he said, adding that he typically adds at least one to two new decorations every year.
According to Hart, he has always loved the holidays, especially Halloween, and really enjoys decorating. Since he lives with his wife, Maxine, in the ‘country,? he doesn’t do much decorating at their house, but would always decorate his aunt’s home. Now, he looks forward to sharing his decorating with Pine Tree.
Over the years, Hart has picked up decorations when he has seen them on sale or in various catalogs, and the decorating has spread through the halls, onto the cafeteria stage and even in his personal office, where all of the decorations either light up or make spooky noises.
Hart said that it all starts with the students, who give him holiday pictures they have created and let him know it’s time for the decorating to start.
‘The kids always get me in the spirit,? he added.
Pine Tree’s learning theme this year is ‘wild about learning,? for which Hart decorated with birds and monkeys at the beginning of the school year. Even those decorations are in the holiday spirit.
‘I put a Halloween mask on one of the monkeys,? Hart said with a laugh.
He doesn’t just limit his Halloween spirit to decorating either, as Hart is frequently seen around school in a scarecrow costume on Halloween.
Because of his true love of Halloween, for many years, Hart would also haunt a corn maze in Leonard and spook those walking through it. This will be his first year not doing it due to health issues.
‘I miss it,? he said. ‘I really do. It was a lot of fun.?
Hart is the father of three sons, one of whom is currently serving the country in Afghanistan, and the grandfather of two, Desiree and Raymond.
?(Desiree) likes to come in and see what Grandpa has set-up in here,? Hart said, adding with a laugh that his wife likes to come in to see how many new things he has purchased over the last year.
According to Hart, the decorations have grown from one tote to ten, and he stores all of them in his pole barn at his house in Oxford.
Hart said that over the years, a couple of times people have donated Christmas decorations, and he will happily add any decorations that people wish to donate to his collection and use them to decorate at Pine Tree.
‘It makes me feel good because the kids enjoy it,? Hart added.