Carpenter Elementary School has made reading a permanent fixture of outdoor fun for students and the community! Along the side of the building, more than a dozen permanent displays showcase stories that will be rotated throughout the year.
This idea was unveiled this week thanks to the hard work and generosity of the Carpenter PTO and Library Information Specialists Annie Magness and Angie Conway.
The first story displayed in the case? Just Read! by Lori Degman. To celebrate the occasion, Ms. Degman was on hand to read the story, page by page, to different grades. Her stories have captivated our students' imaginations for years, and it’s always special when she stops by because her son is Assistant Principal Sean Degman!
As Ms. Johnson’s 3rd Grade Class huddled around the first page, Ms. Degman explained why this book was so important to her. “I was having a lot of trouble learning how to read. Even in 3rd grade, reading was hard for me. My teacher, Ms. Hardy, spent a lot of time working with me, and she helped me become a better reader, and she was just so wonderful,” said Ms. Degman, as the theme of the book is that anyone can read and there's not just one way to do it!
“The more you read, the better you’re going to get.”
Then, the group eagerly went to the first page and then to the next and the next as they weaved their way around the school, discovering a new adventure along the way.