Head O’ Meadow Students Vote For Books

By Eliza Hallabeck

Following school tradition, Head O’ Meadow students voted in their own referendum, the day for before Newtown voters head to the polls to cast their votes on the 2011–12 budget.

 Overseen by school PTA volunteers Joan Plouffe and Sharon Saunders, students were asked to vote for which category of books they would like purchased for the school’s library.

“It was hard to vote this year,” said fourth grader Sarah Widmann, “because there were a lot of good book choices.”

Each year, parents at the school are encouraged to discuss the voting process with their children after the school’s referendum is held.

To vote in the school referendum on Monday, April 25, students lined up on the side of the stage after eating lunch in the cafetorium.

Democratic Registrar of Voters LeReine Frampton brought a voting machine to the school for the day.

“I thought it was cool,” said first grader Anika Ledina.

Fellow first grader David O’Leary agreed, saying, “It was really awesome.”

After students voted behind cardboard walls, each walked their ballots over to Ms Frampton, who explained how to pass the ballot into the voting machine.

“This is a special thing so you guys can learn about voting,” said Ms Frampton, as an answer to one questioning student.

Results from the referendum were announced at the school on Tuesday, April 26. According to Ms Plouffe, the “Blue List” of books received 255 votes and the “Red List” of books received 92 votes. Only one student at the school voted, “I don’t know.” The blue list represented books about unusual animals or pets, myths and legends, and graphic novels. The red list included “How To” books and books about history.

Ms Plouffe and Ms Saunders have run the “Vote for Books” campaign at Head O’ Meadow for the last three years.

“It has been a great experience for the children,” said Ms Plouffe. “The referendum is always held on the day before the town-wide budget referendum.”

Holding the school referendum the day before the town-wide referendum, Ms Plouffe said, is not accidental.

“It is our hope that it sparks a conversation between parents and children, and that it encourages parents to vote in the town’s budget referendum,” Ms Plouffe said.