Newtown Public Schools marked World Read Aloud Day on February 1 in a number of ways.

At Newtown Middle School, guests read to students in the school’s library. Classes rotated through the library to hear the different visitors read. Guests for the day included Senator Tony Hwang, Representative J.P. Sredzinski, Representative Mitch Bolinsky, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, Representative Raghib Allie-Brennan, Board of Education member John Vouros, and Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue.

As students left, after hearing Rep Bolinsky read Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr Seuss, lollypops and mints were handed out.

“It went incredibly well,” said Rep Bolinsky, adding that the visit was the best part of his day.

After reading the book, Rep Bolinsky said he spoke with students about resiliency, kindness, friends, family, and the importance of exploring their local libraries, both NMS’s library and C.H. Booth Library on Main Street.

Mr Rosenthal read to the students next. While video of a fireplace played on the library’s Promethean interactive board, Mr Rosenthal read the book The Last Brother: A Civil War Tale by Trinka Hakes Noble.

NMS library/media specialist Andrew SanAngelo said World Read Aloud Day is “a unique day that has been celebrated for the last ten years.” This was the first time NMS marked the day, and each school in the district chose how to celebrate the event.

According to Middle Gate Elementary School library/media specialist Suzanne Hurley, her school celebrated the day by having educators read to students. Readers included special education teacher Chelsea Ciccio, Principal Christopher Geissler, and art teacher Jean Walter.

Later in the day, Newtown Middle School student volunteers visited Hawley Elementary School, under the oversight of reading teacher and Language Arts Coordinator Nadia Papalia, to read to classes. Hawley library/media specialist Erika Carlson coordinated the readers, who were either sent to read in classes individually or in groups of two. Each of the NMS students were given a 2019 Nutmeg Book Award nominated book to read.

As NMS students Connor Hitchcock and Alex Branolli were about to read to one class, Ms Carlson introduced the Hawley students to the boys and the event.

World Read Aloud Day, she said, “means kids all over the world are reading out loud today.”