February, 2024, was Literacy Month at John J. Daly Elementary School! The month kicked off with a school-wide read-a-thon in which students were challenged to read as much as possible and log their minutes, while raising funds for the school. There were fun dress-up days, such as “Cozy Up With a Good Book and Wear PJs,” “Read My Shirt Day,” and “Dress as a Book Character.” Adding to the fun, weekly prizes were distributed throughout the month, as well as end-of-program prizes for the top readers at each grade level and the class with the most minutes. In the library, students learned about award-winning authors and illustrators and were treated to a virtual author visit, courtesy of the new HSA sponsored “Book Break” program. On February 16th, the school held its first “Community Read-Aloud Day” where many special guests in the community, as well as BOE members and administrators, were invited to classrooms to share favorite stories with the students. On February 29th, families met virtually for a fun Literacy Bingo night! The program culminated with a “Book Swap,” in which many families and staff donated books, allowing all K-5 students to visit the library to select a special book to keep! It was an extremely successful event that promoted reading and the establishment of positive daily reading routines for many children. Literacy month was a coordinated effort between the Daly HSA, Gabby Goodman, parent literacy chairperson, and Kimberly Pinto, Daly Library Media Specialist.
More information and photos can be found at Mrs. Pinto’s website: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iv8_uMtfJLAla6lkve7pDnxHm_u4ERiGrKWqRZKAeF8/edit?usp=sharing