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Pages Keep Turning In Escalon Classrooms
Velazquez
Parent volunteer Araceli Velazquez shares a story in teacher Crystal Rizzutos kindergarten class at Van Allen Elementary as part of the Read Across America day on Friday, March 2. Marg Jackson/The Times

All things Dr. Seuss were celebrated on Friday, March 2 – the birthday of ‘Seuss’ author Theodor Seuss Geisel – and local schools devoted much of the day to reading.

As part of the Read Across America day that coincides with the birthday of Dr. Seuss, elementary kids in much of the Escalon Unified School District enjoyed a day full of guest readers, games, special art projects, some got to cook up ‘green eggs and ham’ and many classes opted for a pajama day. The focus was on turning the pages of books, cultivating a love of reading.

“It’s our PJ day,” agreed first grade teacher Lori Miller at Van Allen Elementary. “We’ll have a couple of guest readers also.”

In some classrooms, older students came in to share favorite books. Parents, community volunteers and representatives of businesses, service clubs and even the police department took time out to read to youngsters.

In teacher Michelle LaRossa’s class at Van Allen, students were racking up words in the ‘readathon’ to help the school reach its 100 million word goal.

Jamie Evans had her TK and kindergarten students “getting the wiggles out” as they watched a video before settling back in for some stories.

On the campus of Dent Elementary, the second grade students of Trent Silva were happy to stay in their pajamas and bring in pillows and blankets for a day of reading .They also were excited that their teacher wore his Dragon suit for the day, as that is the mascot for the school.

“It’s an exciting day, we have some guest readers and they also are supposed to be reading on their own at times,” Silva said of his class.

Guest reader Victoria Ferreira had the second grade students in the team teaching class of Katie Bartelink and Jeanine Panero enthralled with a story and throughout the classrooms, pages kept turning.

“It has been a great day,” said Dent Principal Anthony Varni, noting that the community and parent support for the Read Across America event was strong again this year.