Thursday marked a bittersweet farewell for a Wake County teacher who danced her way into the hearts and minds of millions of people.
Joanna Johnson is retiring after 20 years as a literacy coach and intervention teacher at Willow Springs Elementary School.
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A video of her dancing in February 2018 to Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” went viral on the Wake County Public School System’s Facebook page. More than 9 million people viewed Johnson’s dancing skills, which earned her the title the “Carpool Dancing Queen.”
"For us, it's about starting your day off right," Johnson said. "I mean, who wouldn't want to start their day off like that, with a smile and a funny, silly dance?"
On Thursday, the school rolled out a pink carpet in the carpool lane for Johnson thanks to Mix 101.5’s Carpool Casanova and A-Wise Design.
WRAL News spoke with Johnson before the surprise carpool party.
“What’s really cool is when the students get into it,” Johnson said. “They love it.
“They'll sometimes get out of the car and start doing it with us, and it just makes our hearts so happy to see them get excited about it and get into it.
Johnson’s groovy moves have become a Friday morning ritual at the Willow Springs Elementary School.
Thursday's celebration came a day earlier than the usual Friday tradition.
Johnson said she had mixed feelings heading into retirement. She said she’s looking forward to traveling the country with her family, but she will miss her Willow Springs family, too.
“I’m going to miss the staff and the students that fill this building,” she said. “They have made my heart so full.”