Guy E. Rowe School resource officer Christina Sugars gives Asanah Splude, 11, of Norway a bag with her belongings left at the Norway school after it closed in March. Sugars visited all 440 students this summer to check on them. A.M. Sheehan/Advertiser Democrat Buy this Photo
NORWAY — Police officer Christina Sugars set out this summer to return belongings that students left behind when Guy E. Rowe School closed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Along the way the school resource officer ended up checking on all 440 of “her kids” to support them and their parents.
Isaac Marshall, 10, of Norway gets belongings he left behind when Guy E. Rowe School in Norway closed in March. They were delivered by school resource officer Christina Sugars. A.M. Sheehan/Advertiser Democrat Buy this Photo
Handing Isaac Marshal his belongings, Sugars asked him how he was doing.
“I want quarantine to be over!” he said.
In Oxford, she turned up a deeply rutted, long driveway where the student’s mother thanked her. She said her car died so she had to walk to Walmart for food. Sugars offered suggestions for assistance.
In Paris, Sugars picked up a student and the two went to an ice cream shop where they met with Paris Officer Michelle Legare and discussed managing anger, one issue children struggle with after months at home.
“I’ll tell you what,” Sugars said. “I’ll go to the Dollar Store and get you some punching balloons and a stress ball to help with frustration.”
The student responded with a big grin.
In North Norway, Alexis Morin, 10, was excited to see Sugars, who took the opportunity to talk with Alexis’ parents, who admitted it has been a long time of isolation and schoolwork has been tough.
“It’s really hard with no teacher, and no help,” Alexis said. “When your parents have done the work differently it is really, really hard … they don’t know what they’re doing! And they are giving us more work than we had in school!”
Alexis said she misses her friends and spending time with everyone.
Alexis Morin talks with Guy E. Rowe School resource officer Christina Sugars during a visit this summer. A.M. Sheehan/Advertiser Democrat Buy this Photo
“I am going to be really upset if we can’t go back in September,” she said. “It’s a lot lot harder at home than in school.”
By the end of June, Sugars had visited 200 students, some of them multiple times.
She stops regularly at Club Rowe, a before- and after-school program that reopened in May at the Main Street school. On one occasion she joined a group of boys in their makeshift fort.
“She protects us,” Ella Chrison, 7, said, “and she likes to be with us kids.”
“Officer Sugars is so much cool!” adds Ada Viel, 5.
The children at Club Rowe said Sugars brings them popsicles, bought them a basketball hoop and visits often.
“I love her,” said parent Alana Brown. “She is polite, friendly and professional. She visits (Club Rowe) and gives kids normalcy.”
Christina Sugars, school resource officer at Guy E. Rowe School in Norway, joins Bjarne Westleigh, 9, in a makeshift fort at Club Rowe, a before- and after-school program at the Main Street school. A.M. Sheehan/Advertiser Democrat Buy this Photo
Sisters Nora Garza, 5, left, and Eva Garza, 6, center, talk with Jozie McMahon-Stack, 6, about the things Guy E. Rowe School resource officer Christina Sugars does for them at Club Rowe in Norway. Sugars visits the after-school program at the school regularly. A.M. Sheehan/Advertiser Democrat Buy this Photo
Katie Laussier, 10, of Paris enjoys an ice cream provided by Guy E. Rowe School resource officer Christina Sugars. A.M. Sheehan/Advertiser Democrat Buy this Photo
At the home of MaKena Blais, 11, and her brother, Keegan, 7, Sugars sits on the steps to talk.
“I can’t take it!” MaKena said of being away from school. She said her teacher, Miss Maxim, is awesome and “Officer Sugars makes sure we’re safe and if someone is being in trouble, she goes and helps them.”
Sugars said she’ll return the following week and they can paint their nails.
And the same goes for other students as Sugars continues making the rounds this summer checking on “her kids.”
MaKena Blais, 11, of Norway and Christina Sugars, school resource officer for Guy E. Rowe School on Main Street, show their newest hairstyles as McKena’s brother Keegan, 7, stands behind them. A.M. Sheehan/Advertiser Democrat Buy this Photo
Korbin Peaslee, 7, gives Guy E. Rowe School resource officer Christina Sugars a run for her money on the basketball court. Sugars purchased the stand-alone hoop for Club Rowe, an after-school program at the school on Main Street in Norway. A.M. Sheehan/Advertiser Democrat Buy this Photo
Christina Sugars, school resource officer at Guy E. Rowe School in Norway, shows children at Club Rowe, an after-school program at the school, how handcuffs work. A.M. Sheehan/Advertiser Democrat Buy this Photo
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