BROOKINGS – Mickelson Middle School students were greeted by Austrian exercise enthusiasts Hans and Franz, who wanted the kids to get pumped up about the start of the school year.

MMS Principal Tim Steffensen and MMS Assistant Principal Todd Foster played the part of the famous Saturday Night Live characters Tuesday morning as a way to introduce the 805 students to Mickelson Middle School and welcome them.

“Both Todd and I have been in this business for a long time, and we could do the same thing and get everybody together and introduce everybody, all the new staff and go through some of the basic rules, but that’s ho-hum,” Steffensen said.

So instead, at the school assembly, playing the part of the energetic Hans and Franz, he and Foster “talked about some of the rules that we have and we introduced Officer (Eric) Warkenthien, who is the new resource officer,” Steffensen said. Other topics of the assembly included basic school rules such as walking on the right side of the hallway.

Steffensen and Foster stayed in character for the remainder of the day, doling out high-fives to students and reminding them to get pumped up.

“We wanted them to go home and talk to their parents about what happened at school. So many times you talk with your kids when they get home and you ask what they did in school. Nothing: that’s what the kids’ responses are. We don’t think that was the response last night,” Steffensen said.

And emails he’s received from parents so far indicate that the intended goal was a success.

“I got several emails from parents saying, ‘My child thoroughly enjoyed the day. They were worried about middle school, they’re new to middle school and they’re not worried anymore. Hans and Franz made them feel welcome,’ they said.”

He added that if things go well, Hans and Franz might make more appearances throughout the year. “We’ve got a lot of Hans and Franz fans around here now.”

Contact Eric Sandbulte at esandbulte@brookingsregister.com.