Ducklings graduate from Washington Elementary

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

Washington Elementary students escorted a family of ducks out of the school building and into the wild on Tuesday, May 6.

“We have returning ducks that come every year and lay eggs in our courtyard,” said Principal Joe Carney.

For many years that interior courtyard has served as a safe place for nesting ducks to keep their eggs, but the same walls that keep predators out are also far too high for the young ducklings to escape.

With 11 recently hatched ducklings ready to waddle out into the world, the students and staff helped create a path to the outside.

“It was a little tricky at first, but we got her out and it went well,” said Carney. “It was a lot of fun.”

School custodian and veteran duck wrangler Troy Holt, along with teachers Amy Krueger and Briana Brockshus, gently guided the momma duck and her babies out of the courtyard then outside the school, where the elementary students quietly sat in line to make a path to the wooded area on the north end of the property.

“They were cute,” said first grader Esther Decker.

This won’t be the last time the elementary students help a family of ducks outside this year. A second nest in the courtyard is expected to hatch soon.