By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
Roosevelt School students joined in the celebration of Read Across America by having guest readers throughout the week visit the school to read their favorite books.
Readers who came to Roosevelt during the week included Rachel Brendler, Michael Magliacano, Robin Carver, Jennifer Weber, Dr. James Brunn, Ned and Barbara Panfile, Laurie Corizzo, Dr. Johanna Ruberto, Kim Clelland, Angele Palmer, Jennifer Sanders, Erin Harvey, Katherine Griffith and Louise Upshaw.
Library media specialist Fifi Germano organized the reading event.
”By inviting our school leaders to be readers for the Roosevelt Read Across America Celebration, their shared stories about how they read when they were kids, worked as a reading motivator with our students as well,” she said. “Another message I want our students to get is ‘never give up.’ I reminded them all that Dr. Seuss’ first book ‘And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street’ was rejected 29 times before it was published.”
Read Across America was launched 14 years ago as a way to get kids excited about reading. RAA has grown into a year-long program that culminates every year on Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2. The purpose of motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school and in life.
”Here in Manville, at Roosevelt Elementary School, administrators, Board of Education members, principals, teachers, guidance counselors, nurses, and administrative assistants, all did their part to deliver the very important reading message: Kids who read, and who are read to, do better in school,” Ms. Germano said.
Ms. Germano shared a summary of how the week of readers went.
”When Dr. James Brunn, Manville High School principal, read to the Roosevelt students, he told them that, ‘readers make leaders,’ and he encouraged every student to read every day. He shared his memories of attending Roosevelt School when he was a boy, and said he was not much of a reader until he found just the right book that sparked his imagination. That started his life-long love of reading. Now he reads all the time — every day at work, and when he goes home, he reads some more,” she said.
”Dr. Johanna Ruberto, Manville school district superintendent and principal of Roosevelt School, shared the reading spotlight with the district’s business administrator and board secretary, Kim Clelland. Mrs. Clelland read a story about a golden retriever. She explained to the students that her son is a dog trainer, and he trained his own golden retriever. Dr. Ruberto remembered the very first book she read, and surprised the children with her remembering the titles of a few more of her favorite childhood books.”
”Alexander Batcho Intermediate School Principal Michael Magliacano, former principal of Roosevelt School, enjoyed returning to Roosevelt for a visit to read to the fifth-grade students. He greeted all the students by name and really got them ‘into the story’ he read by incorporating some of them into the Dr. Seuss book, ‘Oh The Places You’ll Go.’ Mr. Magliacano has a wonderful rapport with the students, and he reminded them that he will see them at ABIS next year,” Ms. Germano said.
The Roosevelt Reading Celebration will continue with a month-long Dr. Seuss Book Quote Contest created by Ms. Germano. Every day in March, the morning announcement will include a quote from one of Dr. Seuss’ 46 children’s books. The students will fill out a ballot guessing the title of the book the quote is from and the winners collect their prizes at the end of each day.
”This contest motivates the students to read or re-read Dr. Seuss’ books, so they can gain an advantage with choosing the correct title for the quote of the day,” said Ms. Germano.

