Elf on the Roof greets North Beverly Elementary School students

BEVERLY — Students arriving at North Beverly Elementary School Monday morning were greeted by their principal Amy Blanchard — but from a very different vantage point than they are normally accustomed.

North Beverly Elementary School students were greeted Monday morning by their principal Amy Blanchard — but from a very different vantage point than they are normally accustomed.

Blanchard donned the guise of a life-sized elf, spreading some holiday cheer from the rooftop.

Students arriving at the school throughout the morning looked up and waved at Blanchard, who waved back enthusiastically.

"It was really fun," Blanchard said. "The kids were waving and honking and yelling 'Hi, Mrs. Blanchard!'"

Blanchard said she came up with the idea last year, when she saw a photo of a principal in another state dressing up as an elf on the school's roof.

"I thought it was a great idea, and I wanted to do something like that here," she said.

Blanchard said she enlisted the help of Beverly firefighters to get her on the roof, and that she was up there for about an hour and a half.

"The firefighters were great," she said. "They helped me get up on the roof, and they stayed with me the whole time to make sure I was safe."

Blanchard said she hopes the students enjoyed the surprise, and that it helped to get them into the holiday spirit.

"I think it's important to have fun and be festive during the holidays, and I'm glad I was able to do something like this for the students," she said.