Elf’s adventures bring joy to Eastpointe students, faculty

EASTPOINTE — You’ve heard of “The Elf on the Shelf” and “Where’s Waldo?”

Now it’s time to meet “Maurice on Release.”

Yes, Eastpointe has its own Christmas elf. His name is Maurice, and he looks like he came straight from the North Pole. Maurice keeps popping up at different places in the community, and everyone in Eastpointe Community Schools has been on the lookout for him.

Maurice has ventured all over the city of Eastpointe this December, spreading season’s greetings. Once a day, a photo of him at his current location is posted to the school district’s website and Facebook page. Each day, district staff members — with input from their students — try to guess where he ends up.

The guesses are tallied each day, and the building with the highest percentage or most daily wins earns a prize. Last year’s winning crew — Forest Park Elementary School — received lunch.

The elf — dressed in a festive red Santa-like outfit — made his first appearance in ECS last year. Because the #MauriceOnRelease program was so popular, he’s back in 2023.

Danny Laethem, district technology and school safety coordinator, said that at a strategic planning session last year, educators thought up ways to “bring a smile to everyone’s face” during the holiday season. The idea for “#MauriceOnRelease” came from that meeting.

“I think it definitely brings the buildings together,” Laethem said. “It’s a fun activity for the buildings.”

Last year, Maurice made his way through various buildings in the district with a different picture posted every day. This year, the elf is still stopping at spots in the district, but he’s also stepped out of his comfort zone to visit various locations in the city outside the district’s boundaries. By broadening his hangouts, the hope is that staff and students will learn more about different spots in Eastpointe.

So far, he’s been spotted shooting hoops at the basketball court near Memorial Field, reading books at the Eastpointe Memorial Library, trying out his skills at the skate park at Kennedy Park, and taking a field trip to the Eastpointe Fire Department. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

Maurice is actually Maurice King, and he works in the district’s maintenance department. He’s been having fun doing double duty as #MauriceOnRelease.

“It’s been a great experience,” King said. “I think everyone loves participating, from the students to the staff. It’s a good way to get everyone involved in the school district.”

Along with staff making their daily guesses, administrators are conducting surveys via email to get feedback from employees on school issues. For instance, one question asked staff members, “What motivates you?” Answers included “seeing progress,” “seeing the children grow,” “deadlines” and “positivity.” Another inquiry was, “What is something you value about your work environment?” Responses included “everything,” “colleagues,” kindness” and “teamwork.”

The #MauriceOnRelease contest will continue until Christmas break begins. Community members are welcome to play along as well for fun. Pictures of Maurice are posted daily on the Eastpointe Community Schools Facebook page and the district’s website at www.eastpointeschools.org.