Community Readers Flock to Southdown School
Southdown Primary School recently held its community read-in and students loved every minute of it. The event seeks to get youngsters interested in discovering the joy of reading and all the adventures and fun that go with it.
Southdown teachers and PTA leaders were joined by district officials and community members for the school’s second annual read-in day. Reading helps students improve their vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, writing, spelling and overall foundation of knowledge, which will serve them well as they move through school and college and into careers.
“Local leaders were selected to read to each of our 16 classrooms at Southdown,” Principal Scott Oshrin said. “This events kicks-off our parents as reading partners program.”
The 16 guest readers shared one or more of their favorite books with the students in their assigned classroom. They discussed their role in the community and why reading is important to them, both personally and professionally.
“It is my hope to instill a love of reading in each and every child at our school,” Mr. Oshrin said. Teachers feel the same way and so do parents. Southdown’s Parents as Reading Partners Committee is determined to spur heightened interest in reading for students on every grade level.
Guest readers included Huntington School Board member Bari Fehrs, State Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci, Woodhull School Principal Traci Roethel, Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky, Assistant Superintendent Kenneth A. Card, Jr., District Clerk Joanne Miranda, New York State Supreme Court Justice David Reilly, Woodhull PTA President Kerry Rinaldi, Southdown physical education teacher and published author Lynn Hefele, Southdown PTA co-Presidents Denise Murtagh and Kerri Rinaldi, firefighter Bruce Smith, Southdown teachers Christina Droskoski and Heather Collura, Huntington School District Director of World Languages Judy Moroff, Huntington YMCA early childcare director Laura Messina and Suffolk Police school resource officer Andrew Fiorillo