On April 12, 2006, Montgomery County Public Schools will be participating in “Drop Everything and Read” Day. The National Education Association (NEA), National Parent Teacher Association (PTA), The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, Reading Rockets and HarperCollins Children’s Books recently announced a Spring 2006 partnership to establish a nationwide initiative encouraging families to designate a special time to “drop everything and read.” On April 12, families are asked to take at least 30 minutes to put aside all distractions and enjoy books together. The 90th birthday of Newbery Medal-winning author Beverly Cleary is the official date for National “Drop Everything and Read” Day.
The central office will be participating in this event and many events are scheduled in individual schools. Some of these include:
Belview Elementary School - On April 12, Belview Elementary School will drop everything and read at 9:00 a.m. The entire school will participate at the same time. Students who are in specialty classes will take their books to art, music, and P.E. Students will also receive bookmarks.
Elliston Lafayette Elementary School - To celebrate D.E.A.R., each classroom will read for 20 minutes. Each teacher has received the handout from Harper Collins with the list of the favorite read aloud titles. This list will also be sent home in the summer packets for each grade. There will be a bulletin board with the poster from drop everything and read, and staff will take pictures of children and teachers reading on that day. These pictures will be posted on the bulletin board.
Kipps Elementary School - All four reading teachers will have copies of the read aloud book list as well as the booklist (from the website) of Beverly Cleary's books available to use as part of a package teachers will put together for students to use during their Spring Break at home with their parents. This will also be made available for all teachers, who can then decide if they want to incorporate a D.E.A.R. time during the day in their individual classrooms or if they want to send the information home.
Shawsville Elementary School – The school will be participating in a Teacher Reading Swap. From 9:10-9:40 a.m., everyone in the school will Drop Everything and Read for 30 minutes. Teachers will be going to different classrooms to read to the students either for 10 minutes (20 minutes silent reading for class) or reading the whole 30 minutes to the class. Teachers have the choice to dress up as a character from the story that they will present. Posters and bookmarks will be distributed to classrooms.