The students, faculty, and staff of Franklin Elementary School in Roxbury, NJ celebrated Read Across America Week with some fun and excitement this year. It was a fun-filled week with theme days, a door decorating contest, a sock drive, and a special guest “mystery reader” for the entire school.

ISL Teacher Kathy Diaz and Media Specialist Sarah DiLorenzo decided it was time to get back to some fun and enjoyment all while engaging students in the love of reading.

“We decided to bring back our Third Annual Fox in Socks Sock Drive to support Roxbury Social Services. It’s important to always give back and help others in need, and what better way to do that than by collecting something that is needed but sometimes forgotten,” said Diaz.

“Then we decided to take it one step further and go for a rousing morale-boosting door decorating contest between all of the classes and teachers in Franklin School,” shared DiLorenzo.

Winners of the door decorating contest were announced by Brian Hamer, the school’s new principal, and awarded a trophy and extra spirit days.

The week was filled with theme days, sock collections, voting on the doors, mystery readers, and DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) Time. What rounded the week was when surprise guest/mystery reader Lisa Ferrare, the school’s former principal and newly named Roxbury Human Resources Director came to read to the students and staff.

“It was a great and fun-filled week had by all of the students, faculty, and staff to celebrate Read Across America and the Love of Reading,” said Diaz.

PHOTO courtesy of Franklin School