Indian Prairie Elementary Students, Staff Honor Retiring Principal With 'Clap Out'

Students and staff members at Indian Prairie Elementary School in Crystal Lake lined the hallways Wednesday to surprise retiring principal Jim Kelley with a “clap out.”

Kelley, who has been a principal at the school for the past 22 years, was met with clapping and cheering by his students and staff as he walked the hallways.

The event started at 2:45 p.m. and lasted about 30 minutes as Kelley started at his office and walked through the learning center at the school and then strolled down the Fine Arts hallway and into the the cafeteria/gym hallway. He then headed out onto the intermediate playground where fifth-grade students greeted him with a banner that had been signed by everyone at the school, according to a District 47 press release.

After he passed by classrooms at the school, students then went out onto the playground so they could meet him when he arrived.