By Lisa Scott
Special to The PREVIEW
Dino-Mite Book Fair — Stomp, Chomp and Read! will be running April 29 through May 10 during school hours in the Pagosa Springs Elementary School library.
The community, families and teachers are invited to attend this Scholastic book fair and participate in activities that accompany the dinosaur theme, which are all geared to instill the love of books and reading. This fair was planned for the end of the school year to encourage summer reading.
To date, $3,915.57 has been donated to the elementary school from the Pagosa Springs High School Student Council over the last three years. “Books for Kids” was an idea originated by High School English Department Chair and Student Council Advisor Sally Riggs as a way to increase literacy at the elementary level.
“Student council works hard to support our local community. Raising money to help supplement the Elementary School Book Fair and getting books in the hands of more kids is a great way to invest in our community,” said Riggs.
The students on the council voted in favor of concentrating their efforts on this goal and have implemented raffles at home games, bake sales at local stores and high school events, and other activities to generate the funds to donate. This year, Debbie Mackey, media specialist and book fair coordinator, will give vouchers to teachers for the students that will be most helped by the gift.
The Partners In Education Committee (PIE) and art teacher Kelly Lewis have organized a Fine Arts Night for students and families to be held Tuesday, April 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. Artwork from all students will be displayed and music performances will be presented throughout the evening. All classes will have a hand-decorated plate for auction and proceeds will benefit the art program. A delicious homemade dinner of Picasso pizza, Van Gogh veggies and cave cookies will be served in the cafeteria.
An Appreciation Station will be set up to prepare for teacher appreciation week, where students can write notes of gratitude to staff members. All families are invited to the school for an evening full of fun and are eligible for a prize drawing. Participants can also shop the book fair and enjoy a meal together.
The book fair serves several purposes for the school. First, it’s a great way to inspire children to read by introducing new literature and highlighting existing books that kids love. Second, it is an opportunity for students and their families to engage in an all-school activity and create camaraderie around education. Finally, it is a fundraiser as proceeds from book fairs are used for reading and educational improvements that are not funded through the school budget. The past years have been funding alternative seating and tables, and SMART board technology to classrooms.
The community is invited to attend the book fair as a shopper or volunteer as the event is hosted in the school library and staffed by volunteers. For more questions or to volunteer, contact Lisa Scott at 264-2730 or sranch@centurytel.net.
