Red Rock students Read Across America
The Cat in the Hat celebrates at an assembly held during the week.
ROYAL CITY - Red Rock Elementary celebrated Read Across America last week. Individual classrooms read Dr. Seuss books and held a week-long reading contest in honor of his birthday (March 2).
In the spirit of the day, the kindergarten classes, including teachers and paraprofessionals, wore all red and dressed up as Thing 1 through Thing 163. The students even made blue paper hair to wear. The entire school was also encouraged to wear crazy socks.
"The real excitement came with the assemblies hosted by the PTO, which were led by PTO president Katie Allred," school counselor Nicole Schwartz said.
The PTO organized and put on three separate assemblies, for 3rd and 4th grade, for 5th grade and for K-2. At each assembly, led by Principal Theresa Eilers, students took a pledge to continue reading.
Third grade teacher Sheila Ziegler read at the first assembly, Royal High School Principal Matt Ellis read at the second, and high school student Tanner Christensen (son of first grade teacher Daren Christensen and Special Education paraprofessional Nancy Christensen) read at the third.
Much to the delight of the students, the Cat in the Hat made a surprise visit on a skateboard, bursting through a picture of a giant birthday cake while the students were singing Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss.
Leading up to the assembly, the school held a week-long reading contest, with the winning classroom at each grade level getting cupcakes. An individual student winner at each grade level received a certificate and a $10 credit at the next scholastic book fair.
Each classroom received a container of Goldfish crackers as a snack, in honor of the book "One fish, Two fish, Red fish, Blue fish". And Jessica Stewart arranged for a grant through First Books in order for each classroom to receive one book for each of their students to take home.
"The assemblies were a huge success," Schwartz said. "The teachers reported the students continued to talk about them with excitement for the remainder of the day, and many parents reported they were still talking about them when they went home."
According to Schwartz, thanks must be given to the PTO, specifically Katie Allred, Caroline Piercy, Jessica Greenfield, Katie Christensen and Michelle Miller, as well as guest Dain Craver, for organizing and running the assemblies.