ANSONIA —Ansonia Elementary students were offered a challenge before this past summer began. It was dubbed the Summer Reading Reward project.
Parents and guardians of the elementary pupils received a letter, asking them not to allow their child(ren) to experience “Summer Slide.” Instead, it was proposed to make their teachers “slide”…pitting teachers against students.
“Do not allow summer to steal all the hard work your child has earned this year,” read a letter signed by Principal Krista Stump. “If your kids don’t read this summer, their hard work will end up in the trash can. We want to help you help your kids.”
The proposal encouraged children to read in the summer months.
“If your child reads at least 20 minutes a day for five days out of seven in a week, he/she will earn a ticket for a chance to win a Kindle the first day of school,” the letter read. “To help with motivation, your child can turn in their ticket weekly at a business sponsor in Ansonia to earn a treat. In June, the sponsor is Paula’s Diner. During July, tickets can be turned into the Whistle Stop. All the reading tickets during August are to be put in the bucket at M n M’s. These sponsors will exchange your ticket for a sweet treat.”
It was noted that tickets not turned into a business could be turned in at the school’a open house or the first day of school.
They were informed that if the students exceeded their total school reading goal of 900 hours, they would get to see all their teachers slide on the big inflatable slide that was at the school school carnival in the gym.
Parents were then informed what opportunities children would have available in reading over the summer months.in reading. Ansonia Elementary Library was open Tuesdays June 23 to Aug. 11; Greenville Public Library’s summer reading program was on Wednesdays starting in June; or reading electronic books online.
The three businesses were then to give Stump all the tickets which went into the drawing for the chance to win the Kindle, which was subsequently won by Mackenzie Singer, a sixth-grade student.
The Summer Reading Reward program netted 1,089 hours of reading for students; thus, earning the right to see their teachers slide.
The Dave and Erica Kramer family donated the use of the inflatable slide for the day.
“We started the day with all the kids coming out and watching all the staff members slide and then all the kids got the chance to slide during their gym/music period,” Stump said.
