Schools celebrate the Seussentennial

CHRIS KELLY staff Robert Hardy, a poet from Red Bank, reads to children at the Red Bank Primary School, Tuesday.

BY CHRISTINE VARNO

Staff Writer

From readings by politicians, authors and celebrities, to stunts by school staff and administrators, the annual birthday celebration of Dr. Seuss has become an affair to remember at schools across the country.

With this year marking the 100th anniversary of the famed author’s birth, some schools are going even further than in years past.

CHRIS KELLY staff David Hallman, principal of the Mahala F. Atchison School in Tinton Falls, takes a leap during a birthday celebration for Dr. Seuss on Tuesday.

Linda Risden, the librarian at Wolf Hill School in Oceanport, said this year’s event for second-graders has been scheduled for today "because it is easier for the students if it is on a Friday. They really have a lot of fun, and it would be hard for them to come back to school on Wednesday."

The actual 100th birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, who wrote dozens of books under the Dr. Suess pseudonym, was Tuesday.

In Oceanport "Dr. Suess’s Birthday Celebration Day" is an all-day activity-filled celebration, that began in 1998 to honor the famous author by promoting reading and showing students that reading can be exciting, Risden said.

"Dr. Seuss has influenced all of us," Risden said. "This is a fun day that lets them know, reading can be fun."

The second-graders come to school dressed in black, red and white, the colors Dr. Seuss’ books are famous for. They are each given a Seussentennial Imagination Pad to jot down any ideas or creative thoughts they may have throughout the day.

The celebration begins at 8:45 a.m. with a day filled with workshops, activities and games ahead of them.

"The students really look forward to this," Risden said. "They use their imagination and creativity throughout the day."

In Tinton Falls, children’s book author Judy Freeman delivered her interactive assembly at the Mahala F. Atchison School, Scyamore Avenue, on Monday, according to Mary Polici, a teacher at the school.

The real action at the Atchison School was slated for Tuesday. In December Principal David Hallman issued a challenge to the students to read 5,000 books by March 1. They easily surpassed that mark by reading more than 6,000 books, according to Polici.

At 2 p.m. Hallman was scheduled to make good on his promise by dressing as the Cat in the Hat, reading the book at a school assembly, and break dancing.

In Oceanport the day is designed to include different learning styles in each of the different workshops, and students go beyond reading to discuss the author’s work and the characters he created in his books.

"It is a great day," said Jim DiGiovanna, Oceanport superintendent of schools and principal of Wolf Hill School. "There are so many wonderful bookswritten by Dr. Seuss. The day helps the children appreciate reading."

Part of the day’s activities includes a DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) Time, that will include readings from Dr. Suess’ books for the children to listen to and discuss any ideas they have.

A Seusseum Mystery is planned for the day, which allows students to exercise their creative writing skills after looking through the books and discussing the characters.

The music teacher also plans to take time to teach a Dr. Seuss-related song to sing at the end of the day.

"This is a fun day," said Risden, Wolf Hill School’s librarian. "The children and the teachers have a lot of fun with it."

Activities in recent years have included a "Jump Up and Down Time" where bubble wrap was laid across the floor and the children would jump all around, popping it.

The school is discussing including the kindergartners and first-graders at the end of the day for the traditional birthday celebration of singing "Happy Birthday to You" and other songs while having treats.

"It is a great learning experience and a lot of fun," Risden said.