North Hancock Elementary School Principal Kelly Moore got quite the surprise sendoff Friday afternoon. Her husband David literally lifted her away, as he had a helicopter flown in to carry Kelly into retirement.
“She has worked her entire life, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to lift her way and fly here to her new adventure,” David said.
Students screamed with excitement as the helicopter, piloted by Brandon Lanham, made a couple of passes above them before touching down at about 2:30 p.m. on the school’s back lawn.
Kelly only found out what was happening moments before the helicopter arrived.
“Our assistant principal told all students and staff to come to the basketball court in the back of the building, and I thought ‘Oh, David Moore’s up to something,’” she said.
The Moores were all smiles as they walked hand-in-hand to the helicopter, with children and staff cheering them on.
“It was so fun,” Kelly said. “All the kids were outside. .. It was kind of that crazy last-day atmosphere anyway. The students were outside waving and screaming, and so that was a lot of fun. They were super excited, and that really made it fun as an ending instead of sad.”
Kelly has been the principal at NHES for the last 4 years and is now preparing for retirement. Her contract technically runs through the end of June, but being whisked away Friday was a symbolic goodbye.
Prior to NHES, Kelly worked for more than 29 years in the Daviess County Public Schools district. She was at several schools in DCPS and taught every grade K-5. Most of her career was spent as an instructional coach at Sorgho Elementary. Prior to going to North Hancock, Kelly was the assistant principal at Highland Elementary.
She said she was grateful for her career in education.
“Thanks for the opportunity to work with everyone that I worked with over the 33-plus years,” Kelly said. “There are lots of great memories.”
