Abner Gibbs kindergartener Chelsee Galaska celebrated Dr. Seuss Day with an appropriate hat. (Photos by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – “We are celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday. We have several guest readers today,” said Stacy Burgess, Abner Gibbs elementary school principal on Thursday.
The guests were Deb Poremby, Chris Rogers, Kevin Sullivan, Cindy Sullivan, Stefan Czaporowski, Stacy Burgess, Brian Sullivan, Marti Ochs, Connor Hedge, Jill Kordana, and Chris Bigelow, who all read Dr. Seuss books to students in K-5.
The celebration was part of a theme week around Dr. Seuss. On Wednesday, they had a Dr. Seuss photo booth at the school, at which students were able to use their SOAR tickets, earned throughout the year, to take pictures with different Dr. Seuss props. Thursday was also Crazy Hat day.
Adjustment Counselor Amy Crowley, Reading teacher Emily Byrne, and Special Ed teacher Alison LeDuc helped to plan Dr. Seuss week at Abner Gibbs, and also participated in Crazy Hat day on Thursday.
Classes also held Door Wars during the week, where each classroom decorated their doors with a Dr. Seuss theme. Guest readers on Thursday were asked to cast their votes for their favorite themed door.
A kindergarten class “Door Wars” door was decorated with “Horton Hears a Who.”
Reading specialist Emily Byrne, along with special ed teacher Alison LeDuc and adjustment counselor Amy Crowley, who are the PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support) team in the school took the lead on the week’s activities.
“All of the books that guest readers read were donated by PBIS,” Byrne said. She said schools throughout the district raise funds to use for PBIS initiatives.
In Miss Beattie’s kindergarten class, the students were in a chatty mood. Before reading “Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!,” Westfield Public Schools Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski asked the students if they knew how many schools there were in the district. The answers ranged all the way up to 25. After explaining that there are eleven schools, the children started to tell him which schools their siblings attended. Following that, they introduced themselves one by one to the district head.
Volunteer readers prepare to go out on class assignments.
School Committee member Kevin Sullivan read
WPS Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski had a lively exchange with Miss Beattie’s kindergarten class.
“Thidwick the Big Hearted Moose,” to a class of third graders. Xavier Rivera asked him whether moose really lose their horns, and Mr. Sullivan said he thought so, but wasn’t sure. Fortunately, several children in the class remembered having studied that in second grade.
At the end of the school day, the winners of the Door Wars were announced. The overall winner was the school nurses office with a door featuring “The Lorax.” The classroom winner was a fourth grade with a door decorated with the story, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.”
Third grader Xavier Rivera listens intently to School Committee Kevin Sullivan.
