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March 12, 2025March is officially recognized as Literacy Month, and Saint Agatha School is celebrating with a wide array of activities to inspire a love of reading among its students. This month-long celebration coincides with Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 2nd, making it the perfect time to put the spotlight on literacy. To make this month special, Saint Agatha School has planned a range of exciting events designed to ignite a passion for books and reading.Fun and Engaging Activities for All AgesOne of the main highlights of the month is a bookmark design contest. Students are encouraged to showcase their creativity by decorating bookmarks w
ith a reading theme, whether it's a favorite quote, book-related imagery, or beloved characters. Once the designs are submitted, students will vote for their favorite bookmark within their grade level, and the winning designs will be printed for their respective grades.Additionally, every Friday, teachers will participate in a special reading initiative where they read the first chapter of a favorite book to spark interest and encourage students to continue reading on their own. This initiative will help students discover new books and authors, with the aim of getting them hooked on stories they may not have considered before.Tournament of BooksThis year, a new initiative introduced by third-grade teacher Kaitlyn Cafferty is the Tournament of Books. Each week, teachers are assigned two books to read aloud to their students. After the readings, students will vote for their favorite of the two books. In subsequent weeks, students will repeat the process, voting on their favorite books from the previous weeks. After the votes are tallied, the winning books will face off for a final showdown, creating an exciting and competitive environment for students to engage with literature.Book Walk and Community InvolvementIn addition to the reading initiatives, the Student Council, led by Maeve McDonald, is organizing a Book Walk for all students. For the preschool class, the book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss will be read aloud, offering a fun and interactive experience. For the older grades (K-2, 3-5, and 6-8), different age-appropriate activities will be set up, including a display in the cafeteria where students can reflect on their walk.Furthermore, Saint Agatha School is organizing a Book Donation Drive, which will take place during the week of March 9th. This drive will benefit a local family shelter, providing much-needed books to those in need.Throughout the month, we will warmly invite community members to join us as mystery readers in our classrooms, adding excitement and inspiration to our students' learning experiences.Early Childhood through Grade 8 Celebrations
A special thanks to Donna Bartlett, a second-grade teacher and Erin Leary, a first-grade teacher, for organizing the activities across Early Childhood through Grade 8. Their hard work and collaboration with the Professional Learning Community (PLC) have ensured that students from all grade levels can participate in fun, literacy-building activities throughout the month.A Literacy Challenge for Second GradersTo further engage students in reading, the second-grade class is participating in a "Literacy Challenge" this month. The goal is to read a total of 50 books by the end of March. If the class meets this goal, the students will receive a reward.Parents are encouraged to have their children fill out a book review form each time they finish a book or complete 50 pages of a book. By the end of the month, it is expected that every student will have read at least one nonfiction book (such as biographies) and one fiction book. All books must be at a second-grade reading level, and graphic novels are not allowed.This challenge is designed as a fun, collaborative activity rather than a competition. Teachers will be keeping track of each book read.Continuing the CelebrationThe school’s celebration of literacy will also include an author study, Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations, and the study of parables and Bible stories, creating a well-rounded and immersive experience for all students throughout March.A Collaborative EffortDonna Bartlett and Erin Leary, act as co-chairs for the Professional Learning Community (PLC), and have worked with a group of teachers to reflect on past Literacy Month activities and gather new ideas. They reviewed last year’s initiatives and brainstormed potential improvements or changes. Kaitlyn Cafferty’s Tournament of Books is just one example of the exciting ideas that emerged from these discussions.We are excited for a month full of reading, learning, and community involvement, and we thank everyone who has helped make Literacy Month a special event at Saint Agatha School.Happy Literacy Month!
