On the morning of Monday, May 5th, the classrooms of all three Monroe elementary schools were full of excited guest readers, marking the district’s annual Celebration of Reading.
Organized by the Monroe Schools Parents Council and sponsored by The Rotary Club of Monroe, each of the 75 K-5 classrooms received a new hardcover children’s book that was read to them by local volunteers. Readers included First Selectman Terry Rooney, State Representative Tony Scott, local business owners, retired and current administrators, and many others.
This year all the books addressed the theme of “Social-Emotional Readiness”: one of the competencies of Monroe’s Vision of the Graduate. The chosen books highlight the importance of taking responsibility for your actions and working cooperatively with others to achieve a common goal. Director of Instruction Mike Crowley, Elementary Instructional Leader for ELA Kara Tanner, and the K-5 Reading Team reviewed a large group of books to ensure a great selection of titles for the students. In addition to sharing these children’s stories, readers explained to their assigned classrooms how working cooperatively and taking others’ perspectives enhance their daily work life. This wonderful community event highlights both the town’s commitment to literacy and the importance of social-emotional readiness throughout one’s life.