In preparation for a week of reading and ahead of an author’s visit in May, third grade students in teacher Claire DeSisto’s class gave a presentation on Monday, April 6, to kick-off Middle Gate Loves To Read Week.

Two assemblies were held during the day for Ms DeSisto’s students to share their presentation with the full school.

“We hope you enjoy Middle Gate Loves To Read Week,” the students all said together at the end of their first presentation.

As Middle Gate reading specialist Lina Silveira explained before the presentation, the week is a celebration of all the reading activities students do daily and promotes a continued love of literacy.

Middle Gate Loves To Read week planned activities were the entire school holding a One School One Read effort, with each school community member reading Pennies for Elephants by Lita Judge, who is scheduled to visit the school in May.

Other Middle Gate Loves To Read Week events and efforts included book trivia being shared each morning, African safari-themed room visits, and a penny drive to raise funds for renovation and conservation costs for the habitat of a bald eagle named Kodiak at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo.