Students celebrate Ridgeway principal: ‘They make my day every day’

Then, when they got the first glimpse of their principal, they stood and began waving their handmade signs.

Wagonfield made a large circle around the 700 students in grades kindergarten through sixth as she soaked in the admiration.

May 2 was declared Kathy Wagonfield Day in the city of Hamilton and the school day ended with the planting of a tree in her honor near the parking lot.

But Wagonfield, 64, who has 34 years experience in education, the last 15 as principal at Ridgeway, said what she will remember the most will be the looks on the students’ faces.

“Probably the highlight of my day,” she said after the event, “Their sincere appreciation and excitement. They make my day every day. They’re great kids. Kids are amazing creatures. They are born kind. They have big hearts. They show empathy. And they show lots of love.”

That was evident as Wagonfield, who wants to work one or two more years, tried to walk through the students toward the parking lot for the surprise tree planting. She was swarmed by the students, many of them handing her their signs.

“That’s what our school is like,” she said when asked about the students’ response. “That’s what we experience every day. We promote kindness and promote love.”

Superintendent Mike Holbrook called Wagonfield “a compassionate person” whose positive impact has stretched outside the school and into the Hamilton community.

The Journal-News periodically runs a “Good News” story in the Saturday edition. If you have a story idea, email Contributing Writer Rick McCrabb at rmccrabb1@gmail.com.