Dr. Seuss B-Day Party Celebrates Reading At Gilmore

By Lisa E. Crowley
BrocktonPost
BROCKTON—Marilyn Kelly and her 3-year-old grandson Timothy Donaruma made a special visit to the Gilmore School Early Childhood Center to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ 107th birthday by huddling together on a big green bean bag reading one of grandma’s favorites, “The Cat in the Hat”
“Every Friday we go on a mystery ride to do something fun because he doesn’t have school and today we’re here to celebrate Dr. Seuss,” said Kelly, a Pembroke resident who joined the Gilmore School’s Dr. Seuss birthday party Friday, March 4—an event in conjunction with the National Education Association’s Read Across America.. (Kelly and Timothy pictured above)
Timothy, who turns 4 in three weeks, was happy to listen to his grandmother read the catchy, song-like rhymes and look at the brightly colored cartoon characters in the book—at least most of the time.
“I can read with my eyes shut,” Timothy quipped holding his hands over his eyes as his grandmother read the book aloud.
Kelly and about 30 parents and 40 children, including Michelle Conrad and her 4-year-old daughter Ava, (Pictured at right) enjoyed reading beloved Dr. Seuss books such as “Green Eggs and Ham,” “Fox In Sox,” “Horton Hears A Who,” and old faithful, “The Cat In The Hat.”
Kelly said Dr. Seuss is a great way for youngsters to learn a love of reading and for adults to recall their love of timeless classics like “Cat In The Hat.”
“He’s ageless,” Kelly said. “He brings out the child in us,” she said.
When children became fidgety, adults moved to the next activity in other classrooms, including bingo games, and arts and crafts where children like 2-year-old Cate and 5-year-old Lydia (Pictured below from left to right) colored and glued to their hearts content.
Youngsters also had their pictures taken with "the" Cat In The Hat, a costumed and face-painted Ann Hennessey—a teacher at the Gilmore.
In the cafeteria, parents and youngsters ate snacks, sipped drinks and made tall, paper hats that were worn around their heads as birthday hats.
Phuong Nguyen brought her 2-year-old boy Vincent and daughter Britney, 4, to enjoy the morning's party. (Pictured below with Cat In The Hat)
"We liked making the hats best," Nguyen said.
Each participant received a brown paper “literacy” bag full of activity sheets, crayons, and books for students to take home with them.
Jane Feroli, Brockton Public School Specialist for Parent Engagement, and one of the events' many organizers, said Friday’s program is part of the Gilmore School’s Morning Parents’ Academy Workshops--a new program launched in September.
Every first Friday of the month from 9 to 10:30 a.m. the early childhood center—hosts a workshop for parents focusing on preschool and early childhood literacy, language acquisition, social skills, nutrition and parenting techniques.
Parents of children of all ages and learning levels are invited to attend.
The new monthly Friday morning sessions at the Gilmore are an extension of the highly successful evening Parents’ Academy held weekly on Tuesday or Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Arnone Elementary School.
Evening workshops not only include topics like drug prevention, sibling harmony, and teaching children to be better writers, but also special programs like family night, Thursday, March 10 when “Bonnie The Snake Lady” will entertain participants with lizards, snakes and turtles and tell how people can learn to love things they might fear like people in wheelchairs or with disabilities.
“The Parents’ Academy is a wonderful program,” Feroli said. “It’s really centered around the idea that parents are children’s first teachers,” she said.
Click here for a schedule of morning and evening Parents’ Academy Workshops…