The time has come by once again in which the duck family has begun its nesting in the St. Louis High School courtyard!
The duck, a juvenile mallard, has been returning yearly, always coming back in the spring. The first sighting was by the staff located in the office. At this time, this is the fourth or fifth year the duck has come to the high school. Her return is always anticipated by the staff and the students of the Shark Tank. Having an animal around can boost the morale of the student body and also provide a small break by viewing the mama’s behavior. Harlee Dowd, a junior, said, “I think the duck coming back every year is cute! Sometimes it makes people’s days just to see the duck come back for the year. It boosts student morale, and I am excited to see the duck make a return this year.” Such a small difference makes the biggest difference into the hearts of SLHS, many wanting to go to classes that have a view of the ducks in full.
While all await the ducks return, Mrs. March in the office anticipates its annual return. March said, “I have a feeling that the duck we see is the same as the previous years. I think this because ducks love to return to the place they once were. In fact, it can be very difficult to deter them from coming back to the same spot as before. A fake snake and fake owl were planted to attempt to deter her, but to no avail.” She added, “We have never named the duck before, but it would be fun to do as a school wide event to name the duck and. Like how a zoo allows the community to name new animals. This would make it more than just the teachers duck, but the schools. Like an unofficial mascot.”
March shared how it could be an event of the school to not only name the ducks, but to also make a game of when the ducks eggs would hatch, provided the duck lays any eggs this year. Or there could be polls on when the duck would make a return.
With many new teachers arriving this year, this is their first year being able to see the ducks. One of the new teachers, Mr. Passalacqua, is one of the new teachers who gets to observe the duck and her behaviors while she resides in the courtyard. Passalacqua said, “I’m a huge fan of nature, so I think that a duck being here is pretty cool. It definitely got a response from Mrs.Degroft and the FFA kids, in which they are willing to help out with taking care of her. I’m excited to see what’s going on and what happens next. It could be neat.”
The duck’s return has become one of the most anticipated events among staff apart from the big events such as prom coming up April 26. March concluded, “The duck’s arrival gets everyone excited. All of the staff team anticipates her return. If they have a view of the courtyard from their classroom, it amps them up even more!”
