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Guest reader the Rev. David Raymond of St. Mary's Church in Cheshire.
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Digging for rhyming words.
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One Fish, Two Fish Jell-O treats.
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Teacher Lorry Delmolino serves up green eggs.
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Making color patterns.
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St. Stanislaus Preschoolers Learn a Thing Or Two From Dr. Seuss

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Preschoolers at St. Stanislaus School prepare for Read Across America Day.

ADAMS, Mass. — In honor of Read Across America Day, St. Stanislaus preschoolers took a lesson from Dr. Seuss.

Lorry Delmolino's preschool class partook in many activities Monday morning. They heard from guest readers, but only after putting on their Thing 1 and Thing 2 hats and with a belly full of green eggs and ham.

"It's to celebrate the author Dr. Seuss and to bring awareness to kids of how important reading is," Delmolino said. "I think if we make a big deal about it now then they learn how important it is to read."

Delmolino set up multiple learning stations centered on Dr. Seuss and his imaginative world. Some preschoolers worked on their Thing 1 and Thing 2 costumes while the "Seuss Chefs" ate green eggs and ham.

Delmolino's students also celebrated the day with more educational projects. Some students worked on their A and B patterns by creating their own Cat in the Hat hats while others dug through a sand box looking for rhyming words.

"We are turning this center into a rhyming center, and Dr. Seuss is all about rhyming," she said. "They are not quite at the reading level yet but they can still see what words rhyme with each other."

Even snack time was bursting with Dr. Seuss-themed foods including candy fish in blue Jell-O, Cat In the Hat inspired fruit sticks, Yink's pink ink drink, and Thing 1 and Thing 2 cookies.

She said Dr. Seuss was an obvious choice because it is easily adapted to the curriculum.

"It adapts to anything and it makes reading fun and shows reading isn't just homework," she said. "It is teaching them about imagination and getting them excited about the reading aspect of it."

Delmolino said the class has been learning about Seuss, also known as Springfield native Theodor Geisel, all week and have been reading his books. Read Across America celebrates the famed author's birthday on March 2.

"We talked about how he lived so close to us, and how he used different names," Delmolino said. "We talk about picture reading here in preschool and how you get to be the author when you picture read so even if you don't know the words you can still read."

Delmolino said Read Across America Day has been a huge hit so far and the students have really engaged with the material.

"We have had a great time with it so far and some of them are even a little upset because we weren't able to finish all the stations yet before snack," she said. "They have been very excited about it."


Tags: dr. seuss,   preschool,   reading program,   st. stan,   

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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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