Reading Rocks at Marshall School!

By Suzanne Turner

Dr. Angelica Allen, Principal of Marshall Elementary School, made reading even more fun for her students this November.  In conjunction with the school’s annual Book Fair, Dr. Allen challenged students to spend more time reading each day. 

As each class visited the Book Fair, Librarian Cathrine Evans presented the challenge:  if the students promised to read each day after school, then Dr. Allen promised to dress up in a crazy outfit, which they would get to choose.  Would they vote to see their Principal dressed up as a clown, a cowgirl or a punk rocker? 

Students were incredibly excited about the reading challenge.  They quickly promised to read a certain number of minutes (ranging from 5 minutes for preschoolers to 30 minutes for second graders), and eagerly lined up to cast their ballots.  They told their parents, their teachers, their friends.  Parents and teachers asked if they could vote, too! 

Most importantly, they kept their promise.  During the week of November 9^th, Marshall students together read more than 44,000 minutes!   

To celebrate this tremendous accomplishment, Dr. Allen greeted students on Friday, November, 20, in full punk-rocker costume.  She invited students to “rock out” with her, and many joined her in dressing up.  Then at 9 am, students, teachers, and administrators rocked on the Reading Train - lining the hallways outside their classrooms reading books for 10 minutes.

In her honor, we present The Ramones' great hit "Sheena is a Punk Rocker."