Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Tuesday, January 24, 2012

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As they finished each book, students added a Post-It note with the title and author to create a hallway display.

• Channel 13 broadcast 

Arlington Elementary marked the 100^th day of school with a buildingwide reading blitz, and within a half hour of the morning bell, students had finished 100 books!

Teachers gathered a variety of books in advance, and the children wasted no time Tuesday. Some read individually or as partners, and younger kids listened as teachers read books aloud. As they completed each one, the students added a Post-It note with the title and author to form a giant “100” in the main hallway near the library. Altogether they read 215 books that day!

“Doing the display gives them an instant gratification for reading. They get to feel like they are part of something big and have the opportunity to be proud of their efforts,” said third-grade teacher April Maroney, who borrowed the idea from a school in Tennessee. “It matters that every child is involved because we want all of our kids to practice reading for enjoyment as well as knowledge.”  

The 100^th-day blitz launched a new initiative at Arlington in which students and staff members will spend the first 30 minutes of every Tuesday simply reading for fun. Teachers might peruse a newspaper, magazine or favorite paperback, and youngsters are welcome to bring appropriate books from home or choose from the library’s collection.

Leadership team member Emily Belcher, who teaches fifth grade, noted that a love of reading is a key to opening all kinds of doors for children.

“When we as adults show the value of taking time in a very busy schedule to spend time with a good book, hopefully students will understand that message far better than when we just tell them to read,” she said.

The Reading Project will challenge students to read 100,000 pages during February and March, and classrooms will have a bookworm posted outside their door to track the kids’ progress. The school’s morning show will feature students recommending certain books, and media specialist Barb Carter will make posters promoting “drop everything and read” Tuesdays.

Individual classrooms and ultimately the entire school will celebrate reaching their goals.

While teachers do so much with reading during instruction time, Principal Kim Lippert stressed that finding opportunities to model and incorporate freestyle reading is important, too.

“We’re trying to come up with ways to get our kids to enjoy reading,” she said.

For instance, Arlington will host a guest storyteller March 8 in conjunction with the school’s book fair, and Tuesday’s “100” books display will remain up for a while.

“It’s piquing their curiosity because they’re seeing some titles maybe they haven’t read before,” Lippert noted.

Did you know?

Jan. 24 was the 100^th day of school, with 77 more to go.