Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry St. Joseph Catholic School second grader Natalie Muntz waves to third grade teacher Sally Hunter on Friday during a Teacher Appreciation Week parade in front of the school.

During a normal teacher appreciation week, the people appreciating the teachers would be around them all week.

It wasn’t that simple at St. Joseph Catholic School this year.

On Friday, the entire staff was told to be at school at 5:15 p.m.

They weren’t told why.

When some asked what they should do when they got to the school, Principal Nancy Warner told them, “you’ll know when you get there.”

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry St. Joseph Catholic School teachers Dr. Kate Kiser (left) and Judi Danielson wave to one of the many families that passed slowly in front of the school Friday in a Teacher Appreciation Week parade.

Decorated chairs of various shapes and sizes were set out facing Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the school. Each was labeled to indicate which teacher was being honored in it. And each had been decorated by students and student families.

The teachers were sent out to their positions shortly before 5:30.

With the help of City of Warren Police and Warren County Sheriff’s Office deputies, a parade of vehicles formed along two blocks of Hazel Street and a chunk of Fourth Avenue. Those vehicles processed slowly in front of the school — taking almost 20 minutes from start to finish.

Students, parents, and others yelled and waved from their vehicles, some holding signs.

Teachers waved and called back.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry St. Joseph Catholic School teachers (from left) Sally Hunter, Dr. Kate Kiser, and Judi Danielson wave to one of the many families that passed slowly in front of the school Friday in a Teacher Appreciation Week parade.

“It’s wonderful,” Warner said. “Absolutely awesome.”

It was a joyful 20 minutes, but it was cold.

“We didn’t expect snow for the parade,” she said.

The plan came together recently.

“The PTU executive board talked about trying to do something for our teachers,” Warner said.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry St. Joseph Catholic School teacher Judy Williams waves to one of the many families that passed slowly in front of the school Friday in a Teacher Appreciation Week parade.

Those leaders called upon individual families from each class to decorate the chairs.

And they quietly spread the word for the parade.

“We usually do something every day for Teacher Appreciation Week,” volunteer Jen Rarey said. That was not possible this year. “We made it just one day. It was better than expected. It was awesome to see all the families.”

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry St. Joseph Catholic School’s Joseph Blasco, and mother, Kellie, wave to teachers on Friday during a Teacher Appreciation Week parade in front of the school.