STE. GENEVIEVE – Both Bloomsdale and Ste. Genevieve Elementary Schools celebrated Read-On Missouri Week Feb. 26 – March 1.
The week is part of the Read Across America program, which is sponsored by the National Education Association and celebrates reading and encourages students to develop lifelong reading habits.
Throughout the week, students participated in activities that promote the message that reading provides countless opportunities to learn and grow. Both schools hosted visiting readers, held bookmark contests and dress-up days, among other fun activities, to celebrate the week.
Missouri National Education Association officers, MNEA-Retired teachers, Board of Education members, administrators, community members and family members all made plans to read to students. Our guest readers shared some of their favorite children’s books to the students, and of course, there were three guests that all of the students knew right from the start—the Cat in the Hat, and Thing 1 and Thing 2!
Each year, Ste. Genevieve NEA and National Honor Society sponsor Cat in the Hat visits to both elementary school and this year, Sadie Greminger dressed up as the Cat for Ste. Genevieve elementary students, and Olivia Klump dressed up as the Cat for Bloomsdale elementary students. Lexi Warren and Grace Joggerst were Thing 1 and Thing 2 at Ste. Genevieve, and Sophia Huck and Karlie Basler were Thing 1 and Thing 2 for Bloomsdale. NHS members volunteer their time, while SGNEA sponsors the Cat in the Hat suits while NHS provides the Thing suits.
At both schools, students and staff participated in themed dress-up days throughout the week! Dress-up days included celebrating the Lorax by wearing orange and a mustache, wearing a shirt from someplace students have traveled to celebrate “Oh, the Places You’ll Go,” wearing stripes and wacky clothes, dressing up as the Cat in the Hat or Thing 1 and Thing 2, dressing up for a future career, etc. On Friday, every student at Bloomsdale Elementary wore their grade level color and then took a schoolwide photo with the faculty and staff!
Toward the end of the week, each student at both schools received a bookmark.
At Bloomsdale, bookmarks were drawn by students in grades 2-5, and a winner from each grade level was selected based on their theme choice, composition, and craftsmanship. At Ste. Genevieve, fifth grade students designed a bookmark related to Dr. Seuss, or any of their favorite literary characters, and the winner was Lillian Roth!
From cafeteria meals centered around a Dr. Seuss theme, to photo booths, door decorating and book raffles, the week was full of literary activities. Bloomsdale held a book raffle with nearly 100 books to give away throughout the week! Every day of the week, names were drawn from each class, and during morning announcements, one student from each classroom was called to select a free book!
Each Ste. Genevieve student received daily prizes in their classroom as a treat, and more than 150 additional names were drawn during morning announcements for prizes throughout the week. Ste. Genevieve High School students from the Speech and Debate team also visited to present storytelling to classes!
Ste. Genevieve Elementary School held a door decorating contest, and because all of the doors were exceptional, each class who entered the contest won! These students earned an extra 30-minute recess for the teachers and students to enjoy. These classes included: Kim Brown, Della Buxton, Whitney Hilbert, Emily Lurk, Courtney Meyer, Lindsey Rector, Teresa Rust, Kayla Steiger, Jennifer Thomas and Angie Viox.
A school official stated, “We would like to thank all of our guest readers who took the time to engage and share their love of books with our students! Your visits helped us spread the joy of reading. The students would also like to thank the Read-On Missouri committees, as well as all of the teachers, staff, cafeteria workers and all others who make this week a success every year!”
Bloomsdale Elementary School:
Ste. Genevieve Elementary School:
