Woodward students start year of learning to 'CARE'

Southborough - Students at Woodward Elementary began the new school year with a flurry of exciting programs. On Sept. 5, the second- and third-grade classes filled the school gymnasium for the first CARE assembly of the year, designed to promote care, acceptance and respect for others. The theme for September is acceptance. Students and faculty members wore Hawaiian shirts as part of the theme.

While the teachers were responsible for putting together the assembly for September, students will take over that responsibility in the coming months. Each month they will perform their own skits revolving around a different theme. Future dress-up themes includes wacky hat day, crazy hair day, and Red Sox and Patriots jersey day.

Students also sang songs related to acceptance as part of the presentation. Music teacher Joanne Geeze provided music for the sing-along tunes.

The assembly coincides with another new program at the school, "One School, One Read." Woodward Elementary applied for the grant in June, and received word from the Corridor Nine Chamber of Commerce that it was approved. The program promotes the importance of reading. Principal Jim Randell thinks this will be a big success for the school.

"Corridor Nine supports a lot of our schools and has a variety of grant opportunities for schools," he said. "Each child gets their own book and can bring it back home each night to their parents so they can have that connection."

Each month will bring a new book to read. This month's choice is the old-time favorite "Stuart Little," by E.B. White. At the assembly, teachers performed a skit from one of the chapters. One student played the role of Stuart Little. It was a great way to introduce the importance of literacy to the children, Randell said.

"Reading is the foundation for everything else that they learn and are able to do in their future," Randell said. "We certainly take our literacy and teaching of our reading very seriously at this level because it does build that foundation for learning."

Using diff erent visual approaches, Randell hopes, allows students become interested in reading.

"Whenever you can take the interests of all of the disciplines and bring them together, it helps students who are particularly interested in one area, but maybe not so much in another, be motivated to participate," Randell said.

With that participation brings a learning experience that will stay with the students.

"I think the one thing they remember from this program is that it was something we did as a whole school, so it helps bring community," Randell said. "I think they'll really remember the sense of community, sense of the fun in learning and reading."

Randell feels that the entire faculty will play a large role in getting students excited about this program.

"We want to build a love for reading and a love for learning," he said. "That's why we try to bring in these special programs that help motivate the kids and make reading a fun activity."