January 8, 2009

Students Celebrate the New Year and Literacy with 2009 Seconds of Reading

KELOWNA, BC: Dressed in comfy pajamas and reading their favourite books, students at Watson Road Elementary will take part in Read 2009 on Friday, Jan. 9, 2009.  The event combines literacy and the school’s first spirit day of the New Year.  At the stroke of 12:00 noon, everyone at the school including teachers, administrative staff and approximately 500 students will read for 2009 seconds (or 33.5 minutes). 

“Read 2009 is a way to get kids excited about reading,” says Teacher-Librarian Linda Mamchur.  “The entire school will drop everything at noon and read for 2009 seconds.  It’s fun for students because it’s novel – they’ll be wearing comfy pajamas and we have encouraged them to bring a favourite book from home or they can choose one from the library.  Kids have told me they think it’s pretty cool that they get 33 minutes to read whatever they want in the middle of a shool day!”

“The event also shows students that the adults value reading.  They will see all the teachers and admin staff reading at the same time.” 

Each year for the past several years, Watson Road Elementary has held a Read event in early January.  The length of the event is the calendar year in seconds (e.g., in 2008, the school body read for 2008 seconds).  The event was started by Samia Umeris, a long-time Teacher-Librarian at the Glenmore-area school.

Linda will be reading For One More Day by American best-selling author, journalist, screenwriter, playwright, radio and television broadcaster and musician, Mitch Albom.

Other schools in School District No. 23 are planning events for Family Literacy Day on Friday Jan. 27, 2009.   Previously in celebration of this event, some schools have participated in a quest to break a Guiness World Record for the "Most Children Reading with an Adult, Multiple Locations".  Click here for more details: http://abc-canada.org/en/fldworldrecord.  Family Literacy Day also encourages parents to read to and with their children at home.

Approved by the Superintendent on January 8, 2008

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For comments, please contact:

Linda Mamchur, Teacher-Librarian, Watson Road Elementary, (250) 762-6633

Veronica Dumonet, Vice-Principal, Watson Road Elementary, (250) 762-6633

Mike Roberts, Superintendent of Schools (250) 860-8888

For background information: please contact Lisa Harrison lharriso@sd23.bc.ca or 470-3284.