Kindergartners Usolisa Olisa, right, and Erika Pavon, second from right, join others in ringing bells in front of Shakopee Area Catholic School Dec. 16. Between them in the background is Cassidy Burkman, a kindergarten teacher.  DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Sharing a “joyful noise” with their neighborhood and beyond, a group of students, teachers and staff of Shakopee Area Catholic School in Shakopee gathered in front of the building every afternoon for five days — Dec. 14-18 — ringing bells and singing.

The gift of song, which also was livestreamed, with many students and staff participating from home, was given during a week of distance learning for most of the school right before the Christmas break. That gave everyone two weeks to quarantine before gathering with extended family or friends Christmas Day.

About 45 of the school’s 610 students were in the building that week and came outside to sing. Their parents are either essential workers or struggle to find child care. They participated in school and in the singing in person, while everyone else did it from home.

Principal Julie Moran came up with the idea and recruited music teacher Lynn Hradnansky to lead the singing. Every afternoon at 2 p.m. the group sang one Advent/Christmas hymn and then rang bells for a specific prayer intention.

“It just felt like the right thing to do,” said Moran, whose students will resume in-person learning Jan. 4. “It just kept us feeling like a community even when we weren’t (all) together, and also continued to send those waves of prayer and positivity into our broader Shakopee community.”