The R-I Maintenance Department has joined in on the Halloween festivities, establishing a tradition of providing students with a hayride adventure around campus.

Maintenance personnel pitched in to fabricate the utility trailers, then arranged visits to each school building, grades pre-K through elementary, on a pair of tractors.

“This is the third year,” said district painter Casey Regusci, “and every year it gets better.”

Employees put up the foam guardrails and frame on the trailer beds, complete with scarecrows, witches, ghosts and spider webs hanging, plus pumpkins spray-painted.

“Any time you can provide an experience for them, the kids love it,” Amanda Summers said. According to the Early Childhood Center principal, the tradition began during the annual fall festival of the neighboring Kindergarten Center, and evolved to include the other campuses.

Originally there was just a trailer with the hay bale seating, but Maintenance collaborated last year to add the decorated framing, according to DJ Ellis, supervisor. The customized pieces get broken down and numbered afterward, he noted, then stored away for the following year.

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Cutline: Teacher Gina Hamby leads her students onto the special trailer fabricated by the Maintenance Department on Friday, Oct. 25, at Early Childhood.