savoy School Librarian Maggie Donahue is making reading a more dramatic and engaged activity to promote literacy.
Donahue wore a corduroy jumper and bear ears and served blueberries and Teddy Bear Grahams to her reading group. She hopes this engages the students and has so far been pleased with the reaction.
The children were encouraged to bring in their bears for the reading of two books about teddy bears.
SAVOY, Mass. — School Librarian Maggie Donahue is doing something different this year.
Each month, Donahue reads a different collection of books to her students at Emma Miller Memorial Elementary accompanied by some sort of activity to make reading a multisensory activity.
"You know, kids obviously aren't reading as much as they used to, and it's hard when you realize what books have to compete with," she said. "Shiny screens and all that, outdoor activities, and everything."
Donahue does her part to bring the books to life and this past Monday she dressed in green corduroy overalls and bear ears to match the day's reading selection "Corduroy," about a teddy bear, and "Teddy Bear Picnic."
Donahue served Teddy Grahams and blueberries and before opening one of the books asked each student to introduce the stuffed animal or teddy bear they brought in for the occasion.
She said she hopes reading this way engages the students in different ways. She said at the very least, all of her students were excited about the books.
"I was really surprised so far. I mean preschool and kindergarten students loved it, but my fifth and sixth graders all showed up every one of them had a bear and enraptured in these books," she said. "Sixth grade is middle school, and they were all about it. I think when you get older it's nice to kind of revisit that childhood."
Students were excited about the snacks as well as being able to introduce their teddy bears. One student was happy to be sitting on the floor picnic style for "Teddy Bear Picnic."
She said she drew inspiration from her own childhood. When reading "White Fang" her father lowered the heat in the house and snacked on beef jerky. When reading "The Hobbit," she said he would blow smoke rings to accompany Gandalf's entries.
"My parents read to us all of the time, dramatically and it was always a big thing," Donahue said. "I don't remember ever not loving books or not loving reading, and I read to my son the same way."
She also acknowledges that it isn't always easy for parents to find time to read to their children.
"Parents don't always have the time or energy, and these kids have different sports schedules and housing schedules. I know it can be hard," she said.
She said she hopes to inspire a love of reading citing author Ty Allen Jackson's "Read or Else" advocacy.
"He says there is a direct correlation between literacy and reading fluency and incarceration. That's bold," she said. "Reading is so important; it's such a gift. These kids can build their imaginations, and it can improve their lives in so many ways."
Donahue said she has books lined up for the next few months including "The Powers of Poppy Pendle" by Natasha Lowe. She said they will hold a witch, bakery-themed day. She said the author also plans to visit the school.
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Adams Recycling Efforts Paying Benefits
By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — The town is doing well in terms of its trash management and recycling efforts.
"Your recycling has definitely increased, and you're doing wonderful, Linda Cernik, program coordinator of the Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District, said. "You have a 69 percent recycling ratio to your trash."
Cernik was giving an update to the Board of Selectmen at its meeting Wednesday. Adams is one of 14 towns that participant in the regional waste district.
"Adams is the second-largest scrap metal recycler in the district with some 38 tons of scrap metal and the town made over $2,000," she said at Wednesday's meeting. "Textile recycling, you're the highest in the district. You've had over 17,000 pounds of textiles diverted from the waste stream, and brought in $1,200."
The town has diverted some 119 tons in "commingled" recyclables of paper, plastic and glass and trash collected was 172 tons.
It also received a sustainable recovery materials grant of $4,550 through the Recycling Dividends Program, or RDP. The state grant is allocated on a point system using a criteria of waste diversion and number of households served. This past year's points were worth $325 and Adams scored 14 points.
"This year, if you reach 10 and up, you'll get $600 a point," said Cernik. "So my goal is to work with all of the towns to try to get you as many points possible to increase your reward for MassDEP so you can put it back into your recycling programs. So kudos to the town. You're doing very well."
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