In a heartwarming turn of events, a Texas elementary school bathroom became an unexpected delivery room when a staff member went into labor during the school day. Paige Lockstedt, a paraprofessional, was working at Cunningham Elementary School in Wichita Falls, Texas when she started feeling unwell on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

Luckily, Principal Amy Simmons was attentive to Lockstedt’s condition and was about to suggest she go home early. But before she could, Lockstedt called Simmons and said, “My water just broke.” In a video shared by the school district, Simmons recounted the events leading up to the delivery.

Thinking quickly, L.I.F.E. teacher Ashley Strain sought the help of school nurses, who assisted Lockstedt in getting into a wheelchair. As Lockstedt made her way to the front door, she realized that the baby was coming much faster than expected. With Simmons and Strain by her side, she hurried to the nearest bathroom.

In an amazing display of teamwork, Strain caught the baby girl as she was born. The whole process took only five or six minutes from the moment they received the call about Lockstedt’s water breaking. As Principal Simmons shared, “It all happened very fast.”

After the birth, life at Cunningham Elementary School quickly returned to normal. Strain continued teaching her classes for the day, and Simmons held a staff meeting where they discussed the extraordinary delivery. Meanwhile, Lockstedt and her baby girl are both doing well, as reported by Simmons in the district’s video. The baby weighed 2 lbs., 5 oz., at birth and will remain in the hospital for a few more weeks to ensure everything is okay.

This heartwarming story reminds us of the incredible things that can happen, even in unexpected places. The support and quick thinking of Principal Simmons, Teacher Strain, and the school nurses made a significant difference in the safe delivery of a beautiful baby girl. It’s moments like these that truly make a school community feel like family.