Tess Patterns by Tess Wolfe, Reporter

You're never too old to go to school -- or at least to attend a function at your grandchild's school.

Grandparents streamed in through the doors at Cornerstone Community School April 29. The school hosted its annual Grandparents' Day, bringing kindergartners through sixth-graders together with their forebears.

For students whose grandparents were not able to attend, students were welcomed to invite a "special person" to visit for the day.

"We've done this for many years," said parent Ellen Rasper, secretary of the school's board of trustees. She estimated 150 grandmothers, grandfathers and invited guests attended the day's event, along with the school's 105 students.

Rasper introduced me to founding Boardmember Andi Schrader.

"This is our 12th Grandparents' Day, I would say," she said. "We first opened the doors to the school in 1995, and I think the first Grandparents' Day was the next year."

Schrader helped model the school after Pittsburgh Urban Christian School. The founder of PUCS, Terry Thomas, was the featured speaker for the event.

When I entered the school, grandparents and children were gathered in the chapel, listening to a band of fifth- and sixth-grade musicians.

Minutes later, the guests and students separated, each gathering for lunch with the peer group of their own generation.

Mike and Stephanie Pavlantos were hard at work in the kitchen. The former owners of Mary & Ted's Family Restaurant in Hudson were running things in the school kitchen as the event's caterers.

"We have children here," Stephanie said of the three Pavlantos students at Cornerstone before she turned around to attend to the lunch.

Director of Advancement Kim Polatas, also the mother of two students, said Cornerstone Community School hosts Grandparents' Day each year to further its goal of student interaction with family and community members.

"We take our [school's] middle name very seriously," she said.

Polatas said Grandparents' Day is a "big deal" for the students, who look forward to the event.

"Parents and grandparents are really integrally involved in the school," added Schrader. "After lunch today, the grandparents can go into the classrooms with the students. They'll be doing art, math and some literature projects."

Vince and Lee Petno of Stow came to Cornerstone to see three of their grandchildren: Courtney, Braden and Emma.

"This might be our seventh Grandparents' Day -- we're seasoned," said Lee, smiling.

She said getting into the classroom with their grandchildren was the highlight of the day for her.

"Also, the way they greet us when we first get here," Lee added. "They're so excited to show us their school."

Vince said the program has widened over the years, adding the features of music performance and speakers.

As the grandparents and students gathered for a service in the chapel, Paige Zachrich came running up to greet her grandmother, Connie Zachrich.

"Hi, Grandma," Paige said as she threw her arms around Connie.

They both grinned broadly.

Connie, who drove in from Defiance for the event, said she estimates this is her fourth year attending the event.

She is a "great supporter of parochial schools," which she said provide the "best of both worlds."

As the students and grandparents gathered in a hushed chapel for prayer, both generations, for a moment, shared each other's world.

E-mail: twolfe@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3916