Scotland School Students Tops In Conn. Reading Again

For the ninth year in a row Scotland Elementary School is one of the top schools statewide in the Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge.

During the summer of 2010, the 385 Kindergarten through 5th grade students at Scotland read over 12,000 books. This averages over 30 books per child, and every student in the school participated in the challenge.

Reading packets are given to the students in June, and even the incoming Kindergarten students are given packets and asked to participate.

The program is under the direction of Scotland literacy teacher Heather Reed and Scotland’s library/media specialist Melinda Violante. It gets tremendous support from every classroom teacher and all the staff members in the school.

 The Program also gets tremendous support from the PTA, the parents and the Ridgefield Public Library. The real beneficiaries of the Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge are the students because it keeps them reading and growing throughout the summer.

On May 6, a contingent of staff and families will be going to the Connecticut State Library in Hartford to receive the award and plaque in recognition of the school’s achievement from Governor Dannel Malloy, Acting Commissioner of Education George Coleman and representatives from the Connecticut Department of Education.  

Representing Scotland School will be Ms. Reed, Ms. Violante and parents Wendy Gagnon and Bethann McGrath. Joining their mothers as part of the group are Max, Aly and Samantha Gagnon and Madeline and Caroline McGrath.

This will be Governor Malloy’s first time presenting the awards for the Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge.

Besides the presentation of awards to the top five elementary schools in Connecticut, awards are also given at the middle school and high school level. The ceremony also serves as the kick-off for the 2011 Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge.

Mark Solomon is principal of Scotland Elementary School.