Cat in the Hat Visits Woodmont

Woodmont Celebrate Dr. Seuss and Reading

Woodmont Elementary School in Montville is observing Dr. Seuss’ 110th birthday, and Read Across America, with a week of reading celebrations.

The events kicked-off first thing Monday with an assembly. The school’s second graders performed several numbers from “Seussical the Musical” for their peers. Principal Dominic Esposito read “Horton Hatches the Egg”, and The Cat in the Hat himself attended.

Students wore red and white in honor of Dr. Seuss’ most famous character.

The Cat in the Hat and Principal Esposito helped lead the students in a reading oath which included the pledge:

“I promise to read each day and each night, I know it’s the key to growing up right.”

Sixteen members of the Montville Township High School Future Teachers of America club attended the event to assist students and teachers throughout the day.

Following the assembly, students returned to their classrooms for green eggs and ham.

More than 30 guest readers rotated throughout the school during the day. Morris County Freeholder Director Thomas J. Mastrangelo and Montville Township Police Officer Scott McGowan were among the special guests who volunteered to read to students. Other special guests included Montville Board of Education members Dr. Karen Cortellino, David Modrak, and Michael O’Brien, as well as Superintendent Dr. Paul Fried and Assistant Superintendents Dr. Casey Shorter and Andrea Selvaggi. Each guest brought a book to read to one or two of the kindergarten through fifth grade classes.

Other activities scheduled for the week include reading to two Creature Comfort Pet Therapy dogs, dressing in attire from one’s favorite place for “Oh the Places You’ll Go,” wearing one’s favorite winter scarf to celebrate Robert Frost’s “Stopping by the Woods,” and decorating classroom doors to represent favorite Dr. Seuss books.

Woodmont students ended the Read Across America kick-off day by reading in the hallways.