LONGVIEW, Texas — While checking his naughty and nice list, Santa Claus found time to visit classroom at Johnston-McQueen Elementary in Longview ISD Monday afternoon.
Students in Mrs. Reardon's classroom were eagerly waiting for winter break to start as they spent the afternoon enjoying their holiday party.
"We exchanged presents, and we had snacks," Reardon said.
During the holidays, a popular tradition is families taking their children to visit Santa to take pictures and ask for gifts. For some kids in Reardon's class, they have to communicate with Santa through sign language.
"Our (hearing impaired) kids don’t know that you’re supposed to tell Santa anything. They just sit in his lap and take a picture, and that’s all they do," Reardon said.
Reardon said she wanted to bring this tradition to her classroom, so seven years ago she began inviting Santa Claus.
"Some of [the students] are just hard of hearing, some are just hearing impaired in one ear and all the way to fully deaf in their sign," Reardon said.
This is the second year Grace Creek Church helped Santa deliver presents to Reardon’s class. The church found out about this event because one of the student’s families attends the church’s deaf ministry.
"I love watching the children be able to have that same time with Santa and feel like they’re involved in the Christmas season as well," said Lindsay Metzger, Grace Creek Church member.
Parents of the students say they are happy their children feels included by going to Santa and telling him what gifts they want through sign language.
"With a day like this we get together and I have two younger daughters, so they come and say I know what they said! And they get excited. As a mother, I love it," said mother Alicia Mendez said.
Reardon said she does this to give her class a Christmas memory so they can cherish forever.
"They get to feel that magical feeling that every other kid gets," Reardon said.
Students were able to take pictures with Santa and participate in a book exchange.