WOODBINE — Mayor William Pikolycky combined “Read Across America” this year with the ongoing activities of the Mayors Book Club while celebrating the 110th birthday of Dr. Seuss—and the 111th of the Borough of Woodbine.
The students and teachers at Woodbine Elementary School celebrated “Read Across America”, an annual event both honoring Dr. Seuss (aka Theodor Seuss Geisel) and encouraging reading on March 7, while the Borough that same week commemorated the anniversary of its incorporation, which occurred on March 3, 1903.
The morning assembly at the school included the Proclamation (attached) from Mayor Pikolycky which was followed by the fifth grade leading the annual singing of the “Dr. Seuss Song”. The Readers Oath was led by second grade honor-rollers Joseph Young and Jerry White.
(School librarian Judy Casper pointed out that honor roll students receive special turquoise blue T-shirts to wear on Fridays.)
Mayor Pikolycky helped light the candles on Dr. Seuss’s birthday cake with Kindergarten students Rashawn Stubbs and Lilianna Himstedt.
Winners for the “Reading Artwork Contest” were: 3rd grade: Nyasia Price, Jada Elston, Ramon Diaz-Velazquez; 4th grade: Xiomara Walker, Matthew Medina, Adrianna Gray-Rivera; 5th grade: Isaiah Warner, Nadia Price, Alyia Gray-Rivera
They will receive an award certificate and a gift certificate for the upcoming school Book Fair.
Thanks to Ms. Chrissy Barry, Art Teacher, the students were able to create and show their talents through a reading poster contest. She gave them the guidance to make it happen. All artwork was done in art class.
Students in 2nd grade had a bookmark contest. They created bookmarks for the library, which were reproduced and will be available for all students through the library. These illustrators were Jordon Johnson, Jerry White, Valeria
Diaz-Velazquez, Ajanae Greer, Madison Palek, Ajolon Greer, Nickalus Cruz , Abigail Reed.
Teacher Abbe Harris received books from RIF (Reading is Fundamental) for all of the students.
This year’s reading incentive theme is based on Wild About Books by Judy Sierra. The challenge is for the entire student body to, pre-K through 8, to read a total of 4000 books by April 18.
Guest readers, including grandparents and other community members, read to the classes after the assembly and were presented with certificates of appreciation.
Guest readers were: Mayor Pikolycky, Carol Jones, Rosemary Schalek, Carol Saduk, Helen Gargano , Daine Yakatan, Louis Murray, Tamia Murray, Kevin Bieberbach, Ida Youmans, Horace Youmans, Denise Palek, Michele Rose, Monica Turner, Mary Helen Wakefield, and Maryjaye Sypniewski.
Mayor Pikolycky read to Mrs. Newman’s first grade class, the class he is an honorary member of as part of the Mayors Book Club.
This class was chosen to participate in the New Jersey State League of Municipalities Education Foundation Fifth Annual Mayor’s Book Club which is a partnership with Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. (Stockton College also has a branch campus in Woodbine.) The cornerstone of this initiative is to engage municipal leaders and their local partners in the development and maintenance of a Mayor’s Book Club that enhances early literacy achievement for first graders.
For their own Book Club goal, first graders who read at least eight books between February and May 1 will receive certificates at a Literacy celebration in May. If those students read 1000 books total, the school will be given $1,000 to spend on the first grade classroom library.
“When my second graders reach their 1000 book goal, as I am confident they will, this will be one-fourth of the total needed for the school’s 4000 book Reading Incentive Challenge,” noted Mayor Pikolycky.
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