Kindergarten student Madison Rigdon, age 5, enjoys a piece of peppermint-flavor candy shaped like a spoon as she waits for story time to begin in her classroom on Thursday morning at Wyoming Seminary Lower School in Forty Fort.
Mark Guydish | Times Leader
PJs and stories, crafts and games add to the fun
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Head of school Martin Mooney, at right, reads a story about Santa Claus visiting a family of bears to the kindergarten class at Wyoming Seminary Lower School in Forty Fort. Listening attentively are Meredith Mahalak and Julian Biscontini. Children and teachers were encouraged to wear pajamas as part of ‘Let’s Read Day’ on Thursday.
Mark Guydish | Times Leader
Sleeping bags, blankets and pillows helped the kindergarten class feel ‘comfy’ for ‘Let’s Read Day,’ which Wyoming Seminary Lower School observed on Thursday, the final day of classes before the holiday break. Head of school Martin Mooney, wearing stocking cap, at right, is reading to the children.
Mark Guydish | Times Leader
Wyoming Seminary students Sam Barnes, Mary Jane O’Malley and Emma Brodgenski work on making cards for young patients at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
Mark Guydish | Times Leader
Tobi Ojo awaits the start of storytime in the kindergarten classroom at Wyoming Seminary Lower School.
Mark Guydish | Times Leader
School nurse Carol Kollar, dressed as a reindeer for ‘Let’s Read Day’ at Wyoming Seminary Lower School in Forty Fort. With help from other staff, especially Katie Callahan, she transformed the nurses office into a winter wonderland, complete with several reindeer statues.
Mark Guydish | Times Leader
Snuggling into sleeping bags, or stretching out on blankets with pillows, the kindergarten class at Wyoming Seminary Lower School gathered in front of a rocking chair and looked expectantly at head of school Martin Mooney.
But there was one thing the classroom visitor had left undone on Thursday morning.
“I forgot my pajamas,” he told the youngsters, excusing himself to dart out of the room and return a moment later, with a plaid nightshirt covering his shirt and tie.
Well, that was better. Now, as he read a story about Santa Claus visiting a family of three bears, he matched the children and their teachers, all of whom had been encouraged to wear pajamas to school on “Let’s Read Day,” the final day of classes before their holiday break.
“They’re comfy,” 5-year-old Madison Rigdon told a reporter, explaining why wearing pajamas to school was a treat.
And the day was filled with treats, from doughnut holes, hot chocolate and spoon-shaped peppermint sticks that were perfect for stirring hot chocolate — all supplied by the parents association — to stories, trivia games and craft projects.
Perhaps the most poignant project was the chance to create greeting cards that will be sent to young patients at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
“Those are nice flowers you drew,” a bystander told first-grader Mary Jane O’Malley, who was working with crayons in the library.
“Look at mine!” came the eager request from classmate Sam Barnes, who had also drawn some nice flowers.
Eighth-grade student Mary Jane Michaels, daughter of Wyoming Seminary staffer Sara Michaels, said it had been her idea to make cards for the young patients, and that she had been inspired by having been a patient there herself — for two weeks on her longest stay.
“I was there once for my birthday,” she said, noting that wasn’t fun, and she knows being in the hospital over the holidays would be similarly disappointing for other kids who would rather be home with their families.
“It helps to know somebody cares,” she said, predicting the cards will be day brighteners.
The entire day was designed to offer experiences that show that words and language and reading are fun, literacy department chair Kayanne Barilla said.
And it did seem to be fun, especially when the kindergarten class had the chance to correct their guest reader.
Let’s see, the head of school said, as he turned the pages of a picture book. Now Santa’s going to take off in his sleigh with what, 25 reindeer?
“No, eight!” young voices called out. And if you count Rudolph, it’s nine.
Speaking of Rudolph, if you happened to visit the school nurse’s office on Thursday, you’d see that nurse Carol Kollar was sporting a red nose and a reindeer suit as she presided over a winter wonderland filled with reindeer statues as well as a singing reindeer head.
“I’ve had a lot of people getting ‘sick,’ ” she said, motioning with air quotes that her patients were really feeling OK; they just wanted to see her display and maybe get a decorative adhesive bandage.