Diana Stricker Photo
Babcock, Peraro, Hally.
What could be nicer than a midsummer night of reading and dreaming?
Families and kids of all ages are invited to attend a puppet show on the Branford Green at 6 p.m. on July 24 when the Talking Hands Theatre will present a special adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The puppet show, which is sponsored by the Branford Public Schools and the Branford Education Foundation, will be followed by an hour of leisurely reading.
“Bring your books and just enjoy reading on the Green,” said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Mary Peraro.
The event is to build awareness about the importance of summer reading in an entertaining manner that involves the whole community.
“It’s the midsummer momentum to keep people reading,” said Mary Hally of the Branford Education Foundation (BEF).
“The link between the Branford Education Foundation and the Board of Education is to promote reading and make it a community affair,” Peraro said.
The two Marys were joined recently by Bob Babcock, BEF president, to announce the midsummer event and also the Sept. 14 celebration on the Green when medals will be awarded to students for successful reading efforts. The foundation provides funding for both programs.
File Photo
Similar reading events were held last summer when “celebrity” readers were invited to the Green to read to children. Babcock said he was impressed by the reactions of students, parents and grandparents during last year’s medal presentation. “Just to see those kids get their medals…they were so proud.”( Pictured here is First Selectman Unk DaRos.)
Babcock told the Eagle that the foundation chose reading as one of the primary goals for its fund-raising efforts. “This is an area where we can make a difference,” he said.
Anna Sobel, director of Talking Hands Theatre based in Shutesbury, Mass., will be one of the puppeteers for the program. The theatre specializes in performances that combine education and entertainment.
Hally suggested people take a look at the BEF’s website and consider volunteering or making donations.
“We’re looking for some new board members and some new ideas,” Babcock said.
ONLINE READING SUCCESS
Dr. Peraro also took the occasion to talk about the school district’s participation in a new online summer reading program. The nation-wide program, called “myON reader,” provides students in participating districts with online access to more than 5,000 digitally enhanced books.
Branford students in kindergarten through 8th grade have their own log-in and password that enables them to access the site from any computer. The district also partnered with the two local libraries to add the “myON” icon to the library computers to provide students with easy access in those locations.
Peraro said students have completed more than 900 books through the “myON” program since schools closed at the end of June. The program keeps track of how many books have been chosen and how many have been completed.
“It has taken off tremendously,” she said, adding that the CEO of the company contacted the school district to say Branford had the best start-up of any district in the country.
Peraro said students are acclimated to reading online. “This is a different generation. We have to meet them where they are,” she said.
When students first log on, the program does an assessment of their reading level and recommends books. Students can also make their own choices. The program provides parents with activities to do at home that correspond to the books. There are several enhancements with the books, including a dictionary if students need to look up the meaning of a word.
Peraro said the “myON” program is being funded by the district’s budget, and that it will be continued throughout the school year.
“The kids love it,” Peraro said, adding that it is one more way the district encourages students to keep reading.
For more information about the program, see the Web site at www.myon.com
###
