Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 4, 1992 TAG: 9202040021
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
PUPILS PLAN LOTS OF WAYS TO LOVE READING
February is National Reading Month and RINER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is doing its part to support it.Several activities are in the works, including reading about the 1992 Olympics, signing contracts that say "I Love to Read" and taking home a calendar that has a reading activity on it for each day of the week.
Parents will receive a letter encouraging them to support their child's good reading habits.
Each week will feature a different activity to keep the pupils involved in reading.
This week, kids will make bookmarks and enter them in design competition. The winner will receive a gift certificate to Books, Strings & Things.
Three classes will be recognized for medal-winning library behavior and on Friday there will be a "Round Reading Rally" with songs and cheers.
Clifford the Big Red Dog will talk about the importance of reading next week. And parents will visit each class to read special stories. Pupils visiting the library during this time can bring a stuffed friend to share in the activities.
The Great American Book Fair will be the week of Feb. 17-21, and it's not just for the kids. Anyone can stop by for a bargain. A poster and poetry contest will be held, too.
Golden readers from the faculty and staff of Riner Elementary will be featured on closed-circuit television each morning during the fourth week of February.
And the month will end with a "Reading Sleepover" at the school on the last day of February.
If you don't go to Riner Elementary and this sounds like a lot of fun, don't worry. Chances are, your school has something exciting going on, too. Just ask your teachers.
The PULASKI COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL players will present a one-act play, "Conference of the Birds," Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. in the high school's Little Theatre. Tickets are $2 for adults and $1 for students.
The play is based on the 12th century poem by Farid Uddi Attar. It depicts the epic journey of a group of birds as they search for Simorgh, their savior. The stage version is by Jean-Claude Carriere and Peter Brook.
The Pulaski County High School players have been winners at district and regional competitions for the past two years. They will perform "Conference of the Birds" again in a competition in Roanoke on Saturday.
Katrina Cometa, JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY kindergarten teacher, has been awarded a $500 Virginia Education Association grant for whole-language teaching in kindergarten. She is using the money to buy books and a class set of beginning readers for the kindergarten teachers at the school.
The grant is designed to involve parent volunteers to work with small groups or individual students. Peer tutors also are used for assisted reading.
Applications are available from the CHRISTIANSBURG HIGH SCHOOL guidance department for Virginia PTA/PTSA scholarships.
The scholarships are for students interested in working with children and who will attend a Virginia college in the fall.
Applications, which must be received by March 1, are judged on academic ability and financial need.
The BLACKSBURG HIGH SCHOOL Athletic Boosters Club will meet Monday evening at 7:30 in the health room at the school.
For more information, call 552-0991.
Fifth- and second-graders at PRICES FORK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL welcomed Lou Kassem to their classrooms last month. Kassem, a Blacksburg author of children's books, told the pupils about storytelling and story writing. She also encouraged the children to write and express their thinking and experiences.
\ CHRISTIANSBURG PRIMARY SCHOOL was selected as the New River Valley Reading Council's site for the Teachers as Readers Project. The project, co-sponsored by the Virginia State Reading Association and the Association of American Publishers Reading Initiative, supplies money for the purchase of professional and children's books.
Teachers will form reading groups and discuss ways to help students become lifelong readers.
Members of the Teachers as Readers book group are J.C. Callahan, Pam DiIoia, Amy Greer-Knowles, Christina Lovern, Judi McBride, Dottie McKinnon, Marjorie Modlin, Kathleen O'Connell-Brown, Laura Williams, Kenita Brugh and Anne Greene.
\ SHAWSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL will have its first Homecoming basketball game Friday at 7:30 p.m. The half-time ceremony will include the crowning of the first Mr. and Miss Shawsville High School. Door prizes will be given during the game.
\ CHRISTIANSBURG HIGH SCHOOL will host the District VI All-District Choral Festival on Friday and Saturday. More than 275 students from 31 high schools will form two choruses.
Guest conductors will be Vincent Lawrence from Towson State University, Md., and Paul Brandvik from Bemidji State University, Minn.
The final concert will be Saturday evening at 7:15. Admission is free.
The Blacksburg Host Lions Club is sponsoring the BLAND MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST on Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. at the Blacksburg United Methodist Church.
The contest is open to any instrumentalist or vocalist in school below college level. Prizes of $35 and $25 will be given to first- and second-place winners. Winners of the local contest may take their talents to district and state competitions. State winners receive scholarships of up to $1,500.
Registration must be received by Feb. 12. Forms can be picked up at the music department in your school. Or call 951-3652 or 552-6500.
The AUBURN EAGLE BOOSTER CLUB will have a bake sale and yard sale Saturday in the high school gym from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. An auction will follow.
There also will be a concession stand with ham biscuits and other foods.
If you have an interesting news item from your school, write to Melissa DeVaughn at P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg 24073.