Reading drives administrators to the roof

Students read 3,744 books in 11 days

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- Sleepy Eye Public School students were excited to see that all the books they read in ten February school days drove two school administrators to the roof Friday.

The fact that 294 elementary students read 3,744 books from Feb. 18 to March 1 required elementary principal Arla Dokter to spend 4 hours and 16 1/2 minutes on the roof. She pledged to sit on the roof for a minute for every 15 books that were read.

Sleepy Eye Title 1 Director Maxine Remme was obligated to spend one hour and 43 minutes on the roof.

By mid afternoon Friday, Dokter gave The Journal a progress report.

"It's getting pretty toasty and the bugs are a little bad. I'll be little more lonely when Maxine (Remme) leaves in a few minutes. Other than that, it isn't too bad." Dokter said.

Students far surpassed the goal of reading 2,500 books and earning 1,000 Accelerated Reading points. It was all part of the "I Love To Read" program that challenged elementary students to read, Remme said.

Students answered trivia questions and had silent on several days. They read with a friend on another day. The next day they were to finish a book, take an accelerated reading test and read to a parent.

On Feb. 22, students answered trivia questions and had silent reading. The next day, they were to read to a grandparent of other special relative. The following day, they were to read alone for at least 30 minutes.

Students answered trivia questions and had silent reading on Feb. 25. The next day, they took as many accelerated reading tests as they could. Students answered trivia questions and read silently on Feb. 27. The next day, they took a final count. After a breakfast of green eggs and ham on March 1, students participated in Read Across America events.

Adults were encouraged to model reading in their home, reading to younger children. Forms were completed for each book read. Family library times were scheduled in the school library, enabling students to earn extra accelerated reading points.

Contests were patterned after the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded to students in each classroom for answering trivia questions and other daily contests by doing online or library research. Students in each class reported on a different olympic contest.

"I think the kids enjoyed it and it made them more interested and aware of the Winter Olympics," Remme said.