Beach Elementary holds inaugural “Read on the Beach”
Students and staff of Beach Elementary School were ‘off campus’ yesterday morning. Every child and staff member walked across the street to the beach for the first-ever “Read on the Beach” event Tuesday from 9 to 10:30 a.m.
The kids were in five groups and rotated through five “stations” for about 10-12 minutes each. FMB Mayor Larry Kiker was a guest reader at one of the stations, while Councilwoman Jo List sang with kids at another. The other 3 stations included “Reading Buddies;” a choral reading with Physical Education Teacher Courtney Eckman; and a Dr. Seuss “Cat in the Hat” relay race which involved assistance from members of the Beach Fire Department.
“We’re focusing on reading this month,” said Principal Larry Wood, who had the idea for the event while first grade teacher Pam Flowers was the organizer. “We’re celebrating reading. What better place you can actually choose than the beach?”
As a principal in Michigan, Wood used to bring sand into the gym in the winter and gather his t-shirt-and-shorts-wearing staff and students to read on the “beach” and forget the cold weather.
“I thought we could get the whole school over here and actually do some reading activities,” said Wood. “These are the things that the students will remember for the rest of their lives.”
After the event, the staff and children walked back to school and were met by FMB Vice Mayor Herb Acken, who had his Shaved Ice machine set up in the cafeteria and treated everyone to one of his cold creations during the kids’ lunch period.
Kiker, who lost a fun foot race to Wood much to the liking of the students, thought the inaugural event went exceptionally well.
“I would like to say to say (the event went) better than expected, but my expectation level is so high with this school,” he said. “I loved seeing the older kids working with the younger kids. I wish I would have grown up in this school.”