Celebrated “Read Across America Week” March 3-7
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – March 3rd through 7th was the annual national effort to encourage reading with students from coast-to-coast. The event is designed to promote literacy and a love for reading among all people of all ages, and Chester Grade School students went above-and-beyond the call of duty to meet their reading goals this year.
This annual event is held in March of each year. The program was established by the National Education Association in 1998 and happens to coincide with birthday of the legendary children’s author, Dr. Seuss.
CGS Reading Interventionist, Kasi Jany said, “Chester Grade School has been celebrating Reading Week for decades. This is my first year here at CGS as the Reading Specialist. For years I taught 2nd Grade at CGS. This year I wanted to take on a new educational path and lead the reading efforts of students at the Grade School.”
“I actually remember taking part in Reading Week activities when I was a student. This year brought me the opportunity to lead the program and get involved with the ‘Read Across America’ activities.”
Jany noted that to begin with, she and a fellow staff member, Tiffany Bryant, brought back a once popular event at CGS titled, “Reading Night”. Jany said, “Tiffany Bryant did an amazing job of planning fun activities for Reading Night”. The students and families had a wonderful time taking part in this reading event, and it was well attended!”
During the actual “Reading Across America” week, students and staff conducted dress-up days Monday through Friday to encourage reading and make reading fun and enjoyable.
The entire student body, Kindergarten through 8th Grade, was encouraged to help meet a goal of reading a total of 20,000 minutes from Monday through Friday, March 3-6. The 20,000 minute challenge from teachers, staff and administrators, was made with an agreement that if the students met the challenge, CGS Principal, Tim Blair would spend an entire afternoon on the roof of the school reading.
Well, the Chester Grade School students not only met their challenge, but exceeded the goal of 20,000 minutes by 18,694 minutes. The students read a total of 38,694 minutes. Mrs. Jany said, “The Super Readers of CGS did a great job of surpassing their initial goal of 20,000 minutes and it was a fun week of reading and enjoying the many activities associated with the ‘Read Across America’ initiative.”
On Tuesday March 18, Principal Blair fulfilled his half of the reading challenge by sitting on the Chester Grade School roof in a lawn chair and reading for the second half of the day. Thank goodness it was a dry and somewhat warmer day on which to enjoy his roof-sitting and reading agreement!
Tim Blair, Chester Grade School Principal sits on the roof at CGS in a lawn chair reading as a payoff for the student’s efforts to read a total of 38,694 minutes during “Reading Across America Week”. Kasi Jany Photo
Students at Chester Grade School gather to greet Principal Tim Blair, who was on the roof of CGS throughout the afternoon of Tuesday March 18. Blair was paying a debt to the students who exceeded their reading goal for “Reading Across America Week” by 18,694 minutes. The students agreed to try to meet a goal of reading 20,000 minutes but actually read 38,694 minutes. Blair, therefore, agreed to sit on the school rood and read all afternoon! Kasi Jany Photo
Chester Grade School Kindergarten Teacher Tracy Colvis climbs the ladder to take lunch to CGS Principal Tim Blair, who was on the roof reading throughout the afternoon of Tuesday March 18. The kindergarten classes chipped in and arranged the lunch for Blair who was reading on the roof as a payoff for the students over achievement of reading a total of 38,694 minutes during “Reading Across America Week” The initial goal was 20,000 minutes. Thew students exceeded that goal by 18.694 minutes, thus, Principal Blair went to the roof to read. Kasi Jany photo