At Harold Martin School in Hopkinton, Wednesday mornings don’t usually begin with the morning routines — they start with an impromptu dance party.

Before the first car even pulls into the lot, Joan Follansbee is already outside, hooking up speakers and queuing up the tunes.

By 7:30 a.m., the school’s parking lot is alive with upbeat, high-energy songs, music that turns a typical drop-off into a morning celebration.

“I do get a lot of smiles, so it just makes me happy,” said Follansbee, a longtime educator in Hopkinton. “I just want all the kids to start their day on a happy note.”

Preschoolers to third-graders hop out of their cars, beaming, waving and dancing right up to the school doors. What began as a small gesture a few years ago with a portable speaker has grown into a full-blown weekly tradition.

Now armed with the school’s large sound system, Follansbee shows up early for every drop-off duty, playlist in hand, rain or shine, ready to spread a little joy.

Her playlist is a crowd-pleasing mix that spans generations. Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” makes regular appearances, as does Bill Withers’ timeless “Lovely Day.”

Sometimes, Follansbee said she even gets song requests from the kids and she’s more than happy to add them to the mix.

So, the next time that student is dropped off, they get to hear their song blasting as soon as they step out of the car.

It’s her way of making them feel like the music is all theirs, she said.

“In my next life, I want to be a wedding DJ,” said Follansbee.

But it’s more than just fun and games. Follansbee says she’s seen how music can transform a tough morning.

“It helps kids that might be having a hard time,” said Follansbee. “The music just gets them excited and or maybe just kind of breaks whatever they’re going through.”

Follansbee is also affectionately called a town cheerleader by a few in the community. Years after her own kids graduated, she’s still a regular fixture at local games, cheering louder than most.

“I’m actually pretty loud, so I do like to cheer,” said Follansbee. “People have said to me they love sitting next to me because now they know all the kids’ names on the team.”

Music has always been a mood-lifter for Follansbee, and whether she’s whistling through the hallways, adding songs to her lessons, or dancing on the sidewalk to spark a smile, she’ll do it —no matter who’s watching or not.

“Hopefully it brightens people’s mornings,” said Follansbee. “If I can help one kid go from crying to ‘okay, I’m ready to start my day, that’s my goal.”

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan can be reached at sgopalakrishnan@cmonitor.com