Hitting a high note
BUTLER TWP — The phrase “Christmas caroling” doesn't quite cover it.
Friday was the Butler Area School District's last day of class before winter break. At Northwest Elementary School, the whole building crowded into the gym to belt out a series of Christmas songs in celebration.
The building houses 340 students, according to principal Matt Martinez. With that many students included, the Christmas choir delivered its carols as a joyous, raucous cheer echoed through the halls.
Cortney Christoforetti, a music teacher for multiple elementary schools in the school district, said all the holiday rowdiness was their goal.
“Music is important,” Christoforetti said. “Music brightens everyone's lives, and that's what we should be doing at Christmastime.”
Northwest's event came after several similar events at other elementary schools. Christoforetti conducted sing-alongs at Summit Township and Connoquenessing. Emily Brittain Elementary also held one on Friday.
The schoolwide sing-alongs are an annual tradition in the district in the years since it consolidated in 2015. There used to be a concert that featured band performances as well as singing, but the band programs moved up to Butler Middle School during consolidation.
The Northwest students sang about a dozen songs Friday, although they practiced 23.
“I started with 10 songs, and every year a student would say, 'But this song isn't on it,'” Christoforetti said.
The crowd favorites are always the classics.
“All kids love 'Rudolph,' and all kids love 'Jingle Bells,'” Christoforetti said.
