DEAR Day April 12
D.E.A.R. — Drop Everything And Read! This year, on April 12, 2006, we will be celebrating National “Drop Everything and Read” Day. This is a nationwide initiative to take the concept of dropping everything to read into our students’ homes. My school NEA leader came by to show me the envelope full of fun stuff to implement this program. We immediately began planning how we could participate at school. Then I started seeing the buzz on LM_NET. Doing a little bit of searching I discovered that the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, NEA, the National PTA, HarperCollins Children’s Books and Reading Rockets are working together on this. The day honors Beverly Cleary on her 90th birthday. I have to ask…. why weren’t the school librarians involved from day one? Where is our voice in promoting this? Do we think that our role in reading advocacy ends when the dismissal bell rings?
To quote from Reading Rockets “on April 12th, families will be encouraged to take at least 30 minutes to put aside all distractions and enjoy books together.”
Let’s move group. Let’s get out there and be visible in supporting this occasion.
