“Olympics/Go for Gold,” was the theme of the April 22-29th Perkins School Reading Week that featured learning about Olympians and lots of fun activities for Pre-K through second grade learners.
To view the designed article with photos from the week visit: https://5il.co/2kdjh
The week began with students bringing home tickets on which each book they read was recorded and returned to the school to help it reach its overall goal of Perkins students reading 1000 books during the week. At week’s end,1,225 books had been read.
Also, April 22nd, guest children’s book author/illustrator Jeff Mack visited the school and held four assemblies with students.
“I had a great visit with your students,” Mack wrote to Perkins Reading Teacher Meaghan Trevvett, one of the main planners of the event after his visit. “I couldn’t have asked for four nicer, more enthusiastic groups to talk with about writing, reading and illustrating books. My primary message for your students was one of empowerment. With my presentations, I aimed to show them that I was once a kid just like them. When I was their age, I wanted to draw and write stories, but I felt frustrated with my abilities. So I worked hard, and I steadily built my writing and drawing skills until I was able to accomplish my goals. Just like with my drawing demonstrations, I showed them step-by-step how I found my artistic voice and learned how to tell the kinds of stories I wanted to tell with both my words and my illustrations. My hope is that any student in that room will have seen that they can achieve their own goals with the same kind of determination and hard work.”
As a follow-up Pre-K, Kindergarten and first grade students worked on collages related to Mack’s books in their art classes throughout the week.
Olympic-theme and reading-promoting bulletin boards and other decorations were on display throughout the school during Reading Week. Olympic-related activities happened in classrooms. Healthy snack refueling stations were available with fruits, etc., all donated by Wegmans. Another highlight of the week was that each day students were encouraged to dress according to a different theme.
Perkins School children were also read to on Tuesday-through Thursday of Reading Week by guest readers including Superintendent Susan Hasenauer, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Krista Lewis, Board of Education President Julie Nevelizer, Personnel Assistant Susan Carr, Sue Moak, retired Perkins physical education teacher, Newark Central School District School Resource Officer Nick Fera, Newark Police Chief Richard Martin, Newark Mayor Jonathan Taylor, Tye Villane, who heads Youth Services at Newark Public Library and various other Perkins staff members.
A Scholastic Book Fair was also held during the day April 22-25th at the school in the library and during Reading Night April 25th in the gymnasium. Also, that evening, different Olympic-themed and Jeff Mack book-based stations were set up on the first floor for children and their families to participate in including and designed by:
•Make Your Own Comic Strip based on Just a Story (Jessica McNabb)
• Guess What’s in the Box – Inferencing Station based on Scaredy Cats (Liudmyla Polotai)
•Collage Creation based on The Things I Can Do (Courtney Dentel)
•Basketball Sight Word/Letter Name Game for Olympics (Sharon Henessey, Theresa Bargh)
•Relax & read corner
•Photo booth
•Girl Scouts (Jeanna Woods)
•PTA (Michelle Weimer)
•Newark Public Library (Tye Villane)
Books, generously donated by the PTA, were raffled off during the evening. Pizza and water was provided by BBs Pizzeria and Wegmans.
Reading Week was planned by a committee of teachers and other staff including: Trevvett, Danielle Watt, also a Reading teacher, as well as Library Teaching Assistant Cari Taylor, Pre-K teachers Kelly Faust and Liudmyla Polotai, Kindergarten teacher Caitlin Arbogast, first grade teacher Kelly Puckett, second grade teacher Jessica McNabb, Instructional Coach Amanda Quku; ENL teacher Henrietta Binda, and Perkins Principal Pete Czerkas and Assistant Principal Ian Mutch.
Additional support was provided by other staff including Perkins School Secretary Maria Bremer, school monitor Roxanne Ellersick, and maintenance staff Justin Foster and John Benne, Jo Gromoske, Secretary to the Innovation and Grant Services Department, NEC secretary Yvonne Pryor and the PTA.
“I think the week went really well,” Trevvett said. “I think the kids really enjoyed it and I’m hoping they learned a lot."