While making his rounds at schools all over Hudson County in celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, the Cat in the Hat made a special lunchtime stop at the Daniel Webster School on March 2, courtesy of the New Jersey Education Association.
During the visit, the children donned “Cat in the Hat” hats and sang “Happy Birthday” to Dr. Seuss while the Cat in the Hat danced, clapped, and sang along. The literacy-inspiring cat also donated a book to the Webster School library and presented the students with a certificate for “excellent reading.”
Each student got a free book.
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In celebration of the day – part of the nationwide “Read Across America” effort – many community members visited Daniel Webster classrooms to read to and visit with the students, including Mayor Richard Turner, Deputy Mayor Robert Sosa, Township Manager James Marchetti, Superintendent of Schools Kevin McLellan, Board of Education President Richard Barsa, and Trustee Paul Salandra.
The children were also read to by Principal Anthony Colasurdo, Weehawken High School’s seventh grade Peer Leadership group, and Webster School’s favorite volunteer reader, Charles Walters.
Excitement among students was at an all-time high that day, since the students had already been inspired on Feb. 25 by a party to kick-start Webster School’s annual Book Fair week.
The carnival-themed party, organized and hosted by the Webster School PTPA, featured carnival games, face painting, bookmark-making, a stilt-walker, and other fun activities. Children and their parents also browsed and purchased grade-appropriate books, with part of the proceeds going to the PTPA.
The night was made possible due to parent volunteers, the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, the district’s student Peer Leadership groups, and the Weehawken Public Library.
Before Book Fair week concluded on March 4, students had each received a book through parent-solicited donations and a book magnet from the Weehawken Education Association (WEA) as a gift for Dr. Seuss’ birthday.
The WEA also gave a special donation of $1,000 worth of books to the district, chosen by the district’s teachers and librarians.
Deanna Cullen can be reached at dcullen@hudsonreporter.com.