The
Phillips Avenue School’s Annual Story Night is a celebration
of reading as the staff, students and family members put
on their favorite pajamas and come together for a pajama
party. This year it was one special night of a weeklong
celebration of reading referred to as the "Phillips
Avenue Reading Week."
“It’s a fun event to encourage families to read
together before bed,” explains one of this year's
coordinators, Jennifer Simoes, a fourth grade teacher at
Phillips. It was also a labor of love for the other coordinator,
Jennifer Barth, who according to Ms. Simoes went into labor
right after the event.
The students travel from story time to story time to snack
time in a group. They hear stories read by teachers, administrators
(Assistant Superintendent Nancy Carney and Mr. Payton),
board members (Kathy V. Berezny) and community members,
who have volunteered to be readers for the event. Some groups
added theatrics, props and costumes, but the books take
center stage.
In addition, Officer Lois Smith and McGruff, the Crime Dog,
from the Southampton Police, guard the snacks and hand out
coloring books and other goodies in the cafeteria. The Phillips
Avenue Parent Association (PAPA) donates the refreshments
and there is a face painter.
In the final event of the evening, a student, Andrew Ott,
playing Arthur pulled a sword out of a stone, but decided
he was too young for a Queen. Out stepped Patrick McDonald
(who played all three pigs in The True Story of the Three
Little Pigs--see picture above) now dressed as a knight.
Mr. McDonald fell to one knee in front of the Queen (Phillips
teacher, Lauren Farber) and asked, "Will you marry
me?"
She said, "Yes!" But later asked, "That was
for real, right?"
"Yes," her knight replied--a happy ending!
Before departing, each child receives a children’s
book and a bookmark from volunteers from PAPA and the teaching
staff. Finally, with a yawn, a goodie bag, and a book tucked
under their arm, the kids go home to bed--happy little readers.
