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MFL MarMac celebrates homecoming with abbreviated schedule

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Image courtesy of MFL MarMac Community School District

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

MFL MarMac will celebrate homecoming next week, Sept. 21-25, with the theme “Can’t Hide Our Bulldog Pride.” The annual school tradition will look a bit different this year, though, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“First and foremost for us is what’s best and safest for our students, to keep them in a face-to-face educational setting and the athletes on the field, on the court and running,” said Megan Schellhorn, teacher and advisor of the MFL MarMac High School Student Council, which typically organizes homecoming activities each year. “But we also want to provide the community with something.”

With student council and class officer positions just elected a few weeks ago, Schellhorn said student input didn’t factor into the decision this year.

“This came from conversations with adults—the administration and I,” she said.

Schellhorn also consulted with 125 other school advisors in a Zoom meeting last month. Around 75 percent stated their respective schools were planning no extra activities for homecoming this year in order to keep students learning face to face.

“We’re one of few schools doing anything,” she said. “We’re trying really hard and have had some serious conversations.”

MFL MarMac ultimately settled on several safer activities. Students will still participate in dress-up days throughout the week, such as tacky tourist day on Tuesday and blue and gold day on Friday. A homecoming court will also be selected.

A pep rally is still planned, but rather than being open to the public in the high school gym, it will be held virtually from 1:40 to 2:20 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25.

“It will be more like a TV show,” said Schellhorn, with featured speakers and videos.

The pep rally can be viewed via the district’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

A parade will follow at 3 p.m., traveling from the school to downtown Monona, then on to Main Street and back to the school. All participants must wear face coverings and spectators are asked to socially distance from those outside their immediate family.

Friday night, at 7 p.m., the MFL MarMac football team will face off against Starmont. Halftime will include not only coronation of the homecoming queen, but also the king. Traditionally, the king has been crowned during the earlier pep rally.

“It will be a different, since we’re not used to the king and queen together,” Schellhorn said.

The coronation will also be short and sweet, she noted, since the king could potentially be a football player. No parents will escort the students, as in the past.

“It will be just the candidates and the parents will stand in the crowd,” Schellhorn said.

Afterward, the high school dance team and band will perform to cap off the festivities.

If the pandemic situation improves by this spring, Schellhorn said MFL MarMac may consider holding a spirit week. 

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