Although marshmallows, peppermints and frosting dotted the floor of Marla Cory’s kindergarten classroom at Thomas Jefferson Elementary on Thursday afternoon, the mess was the least of her worries.

Deemed the “Candy House Room” on a whiteboard outside the door, Cory’s classroom welcomed students from each of the five kindergarten classes and their parents in decorating “gingerbread” houses made from milk cartons, frosting and graham crackers.

The activity was merely one of six crafts teachers planned out for students to create over the course of the day with help from parents and grandparents. Extra teachers were on hand to accompany students whose family members weren’t available to attend.