Art teacher Andrew Moody adjusted his Bob Ross wig and held up his brush, giving step-by-step instructions to a room full of aspiring artists during Wainwright Middle School’s popcorn and painting session.

“There are no mistakes — only happy little accidents,” he says.

Cora Richards and a friend leaned over their canvases, carefully following his instructions while Cora’s mom, Brianne Carter, watched nearby.

Carter and her husband attended the Feb. 12 event with their daughters, Lexi and Cora. Lexi performed with the jazz band and helped serve ice cream sundaes.

“Both of my daughters love Wainwright and have made great friends and wanted some extra time to spend with them outside of school hours,” Carter says.

It was the family’s first Family Fun Night, and Carter says they loved it. The event included dinner, bingo, putt-putt and other activities.

For her, the evening was about more than activities. “Opportunities like this are super important because it gives me the chance to connect with my children’s friends’ parents,” she says. “The more I know about school for Lexi and Cora, the more I can engage with them about how school is going — what’s good, what classes are going well and what’s challenging.”

Carter says strong support from teachers, paired with support at home, works best when families feel connected. Events like Family Fun Night help bridge that gap and allow parents to build relationships with staff outside of traditional conferences.

She also praised Wainwright’s culture. “I couldn’t have more positive things to say about Wainwright, Mr. Lowrey and the staff,” Carter says. “The culture is so family focused, caring and inclusive. Both Lexi and Cora love going to school and feel recognized. In an age of screen time and distractions, my girls are excited to go to these events. That says a lot about the atmosphere at Wainwright.”

By the end of the night, Cora’s snowflake painting was finished and is now proudly displayed in the kitchen, a small reminder of the time spent together. Carter says connecting with other parents and seeing her daughters enjoy school are what make Family Fun Night special.