SPANISH FORK, Utah — Yesterday Larsen Elementary in Spanish Fork looked like a normal school, but today it's another world.
"Halloween is our favorite day of the year here at Larsen Elementary," said Principal Bethany Clark. "We have a secret theme that we put together throughout the year and the kids come they're super surprised every single year when they show up."
As students entered the front door this Halloween they were transported to Andy's bedroom — the gateway to Toy Story. Inside the staff recreated several other notable scenes from the movie including Sid's backyard, Pizza Planet, Al's Toy Barn, and more.
"It's always mind blowing how they hang everything up in one night, I don't know how they do it," said one student.
"It was just cool to see Toy Story because I've seen all the movies like 5 times," added another.
The teachers started planning the theme right after Halloween the year before. This year, the teachers voted on Toy Story. Wednesday night, they were at the school until almost midnight getting it ready for the students. Principal Bethany Clark dressed up as Woody.
"This is our special day and the kids like I said the kids live for it and honestly we live for it as educators because it brings us together," she said.
The Halloween transformation has become a Larsen Elementary tradition. It started with the staff decorating just the front office but has turned into so much more.
"We have a mastermind in our office, our secretary can actually come up with it in her head," Principal Clark said.
"All I really do is kind of take an outline of the areas that we want to do and the theme that we have and I assign out different areas to different people and everyone is just all in and excited for the kids," said Larsen Elementary Secretary, Kim Head.
Over the years the school has had some incredible themes including Star Wars and Never Ever Land, but for Secretary Head, this one felt special.
"This is probably one of my favorites, I love the vibrant colors, I love all of the toys, I love that the students know this story," she said.
The Halloween theme comes down almost as fast as it goes up, but not before the school hosts their Title One Parent Engagement Night.
"We actually do trick-or-treat stations where we're able to hand out a bunch of Title One information," said Principal Clark. "We give reading information and math information and social-emotional information, and we give every child a book so they can be reading at home."
The staff will get started on next year's theme right away and with some Halloween magic they'll somehow top this year's.
"That's the pure joy that comes from doing this and that's why we keep doing it every year is for these kids when we see their faces as they walk in on Halloween morning," said Secretary Head.
