'All By Myself:' NJ Principal Makes Music Video At Closed School

RANDOLPH, NJ - Mario Rodas, principal of Center Grove Elementary School in Randolph, expressed his feelings of longing for his colleagues and students by making a music video on the grounds this week.

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Set to the song "All By Myself," Rodas took a tour through the baseball field, looked longingly in the windows, played hop-scotch and frolics on the playground.

All alone.

"I wanted to give everyone a laugh," Rodas said.

The video was the latest in a series of moves the elementary school principal has done for his community during the time in which the district has been shuttered to do the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak.

Rodas has been helping coordinate the distance learning and with his staff but was quick to note their efficacy in the process.

"We have an amazing group here of teachers and staff," Rodas said. "And they have just jumped right in."

Rodas himself has been checking in on the families of his students, calling them all to see how they are.

"It was good because some parents who didn't think they needed extra technology for distance learning actually realised they did because a family member is home working and using it so we were able to help," he said. "And some parents just wanted to talk. I think everyone is missing that connection a little bit."

The loss of connection Rodas said he felt keenly when making the video.

"I didn't realize how much I missed the daily routine of seeing everyone," he said. "The daily interaction."

The idea to film the video came from the Center Grove Librarian, Stephanie Crean. It was filmed by Rodas' daughter Katie, who is in the fourth grade.

"It was nice having a project to do," he said.

Before making the video Rodas contacted Superintendent Jennifer Fano to make sure it was ok.

"She told me as long as I wasn't inside the school building it was fine," he said.

Rodas said he hopes that the video helps everyone get through the next few weeks.

"I am hoping that we get to look back on this and see it was just an inconvenience. Right now it is very serious and people are very sick," he said. "But hopefully things will improve and we will see light at the end of the tunnel."

And in interim, perhaps Rodas will inspire others to do some of the same.

You can see the complete video below.

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