United behind pink banner

A sea of students in pink filled the halls of Marine View Middle School on Friday in efforts to support to a sixth-grade teacher, Susan McDonald, and her fight against breast cancer.

“Many students you see here either have had her in the past or are currently in her class,” said Principal Roni Ellis. “She’s a student favorite, a parent favorite and a staff favorite here.”

Students wore their favorite pink outfits, some of them even customized with inspiring words, phrases and drawings. Some wrote letters about McDonald and the importance of breast cancer awareness, while others took the day to honor family members and friends who have been affected by the disease.

Originally, students were set to wear their favorite local high school colors for Marine View’s weekly Spirit Day until sixth-graders Shawn Shiba and Justin Van Leeuwen proposed another idea.

“We were watching TV, and we saw a commercial for a breast cancer run,” Shawn said. “Everyone was wearing pink, and we thought it would be cool if we all wore pink for Ms. McDonald.”

Ellis was thrilled when she heard their suggestion and changed the Spirit Day theme immediately.

McDonald’s students describes her as the “Spirit Queen” and said she would have been proud of them for participating in the cause.

“If she was here today, she would be wearing pink with us,” said Nha-Quyen Nguyen.

McDonald announced three weeks ago that she would be taking an leave of absence after being diagnosed.

Students were surprised when they heard the news but said she was a strong person and had no doubt that she would beat the cancer.

McDonald underwent a successful surgery April 19, and three days later, she attended the school’s annual Open House.

Students were excited to see McDonald glowing and back at school for the night.

“She said that we’re like her children and that she couldn’t stay away from our hard work for too long,” Maddy Sandoval said.

Before the night was over, McDonald was presented a pink and brown shirt picked out by the students made by Post-op Top. The short-sleeved buttoned-up shirt, designed for style and comfort after surgery, was donated by company founder Lesa Behrens, a Marine View parent and a breast cancer survivor.

McDonald has been a part of the Ocean View School District for more than 30 years.

She has taught at Marine View since 1987 and won the district’s Teacher of the Year award in 2003.

Ellis describes McDonald as a “classy and elegant” teacher with “old-fashioned values of respect and good manners.”

“She’s stern and has high expectations in her students,” she said. “She believes that they can achieve at the highest level, and she really sets the bar high.”

Ellis said McDonald is expected to return to teaching Monday. Both she and the students are looking forward to welcoming back McDonald and the “special spark” she carries with her.

“She’s the staple of Marine View,” she said. “Principals come and go, but she is the glue that holds the school together.”