P.S. 8 Read-a-Thon Kicks Off Tomorrow

By on October 20, 2010 4:20 pm in Events, Fun

Hey! Do you still read? Hope so. But if it’s been awhile, why not get reacquainted all the greats at the P.S. 8 Read-a-Thon, starting October 21 at 5 p.m. at the Court Street Barnes & Noble, and ending November 15 at Galapagos.

Book-lovers of all ages will find a way to support the love of reading, as well as our local public school when the P.S. 8 community kicks off its annual month-long Read-a-thon next week. It begins with a book fair at Barnes & Noble and ends with a night for adults at the second annual Celebrate Reading to be held at Galapagos Art Space in Dumbo.

An entertaining evening of children’s readings will take place on October 21st from 5:00 onward at the Barnes & Noble on Court Street. A percentage of any purchase made in any Barnes & Noble store with a Bookfair voucher (available from cashiers at the Court Street store) or online at bn.com/bookfairs with ID # 10314953 from October 21st through October 27th will go toward school programs.

Also keep an eye out at local businesses that will also have sponsor-jars available so that cash donations may be made towards sponsoring our children’s month of reading mania. Students add up the minutes they read during the month and find sponsors to pay per minute. While families and friends sponsor many students, there are some who are unable to find a sponsor. For them, the school looks for donations. Donations toward our busy readers may also be made via check made out to THE PTA OF PS 8 and sent to the school at 37 Hicks Street.

Members of the general community are also invited to join PS8 for a highbrow grown-ups’ night out on Monday, November 15th, when the second-annual Celebrate Reading event will be held at Galapagos Art Space in DUMBO. Readings by local writers will accompany an evening of wine, cheese, and conversation. The evening is not to be missed!

Share this Story:

,

  • John

    I heard most kids at PS 8 are reading below their grade level.
    anyone know why?

  • nabeguy

    My daughter is reading past her grade level. Thank goodness you’re not her teacher. At least she knows to capitalize at the beginning of a sentence.

  • jesse

    the hyper-defensiveness of the moms and dads is not helping the school.

  • bklyn20

    Gee. thanks for the good wishes on the read-a-thon! Here are a few questions for some of those posting before me to read and ponder:

    Has anyone seen the stats on reading levels at the local private schools? No. Private schools don’t have to post them anywhere, as far as I know.

    Do the local private schools have to take ALL children in the zone, or do they get to cherry-pick? Yes, they can choose which kids attend their schools

    What happens if a kid gets into a local private school and is found to have ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, etc? In the case of 2 local private schools in the past few years, parents I know — and their children — were shown the exit sign.

    The hyper-offensive attitudes of some parents/posters here is unfair and disingenuous.

  • It’s for the children!

    Please help support and encourage a love of reading in our children. This is an incredible fundraising opportunity for our school. The money earned will support our arts enrichment programs.

    Our school administration is dedicated to teaching all students at all levels. They feel it is important to keep kids who struggle in the school and give them the support they need to flourish. Other public schools are more concerned with their scores and try to removed under performing students and place them in special schools. That is not the approach PS8 takes. Does it affect our scores, probably. Do we have inclusion classes (special ed and general ed in the same class) at every grade level? Yes we do. It’s a great thing for all of our kids.

  • tb

    Jonn…I’d like to know where you *heard* that.

  • John

    I heard some parents speaking about it at pick up.
    Nabeguy I’m glad your daughter is reading above her
    level, so is my son.I guess they are in a minority.

  • nabeguy

    Well, John, I guess the minority needs to stop being silent and ask for more. To be honest, I’m getting a little weary of the “cycling out” arguments that I’ve been hearing for 4 years. I understand that, as a more inclusive school, P.S.8 has a burden to bear on a curve-grading basis, but it does seem self-defeating as an enticement to future parents.

  • It’s for the children!

    PS8 doesn’t need to entice any more parents. The school is way over capacity.

  • davoyager

    I call upon NY to build a large scale public/private school complex in some of the already designated commercial space somewhere inside the footprint of Brooklyn Bridge Park. It is clear a major Hunter scale school (k thru PHD) could be born here in Brookyn for the 21th century and an grant in the park could spark an idea.

  • nabeguy

    davoyager, totally agreed. With the imminent sale of the Watchtower properties, there is a tremendous opportunity for that very complex. If those properties go residential, which is more than likely, it will only create more of a demand for local schooling. While some have atavistically argued that the city should not purchase the old Squibb Facility, lest it be turned into “public housing”, I can’t think of a better way to circumvent all the arguments over private development and create a first-class school.

  • PS 8 parent

    John, I wonder why you think most PS 8 kids are below grade level. On this past spring’s ELA exam, 49% of the 3rd graders were at the highest level, and 84% of the 3rd graders were at grade level or above. 70% of the 4th graders were at grade level or above, as were 51% of the 5th graders. This would tend to make me think that not only are the PS 8 kids doing fine, but since the lower classes have higher grades, the school is improving from year to year.