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As the adage goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” On behalf of the Wilton Education Foundation, it is with great pleasure that I share the news that Read Aloud Day, which took place at Cider Mill School on Monday, was a great success!
The twice-yearly program encourages community leaders to spend the morning reading aloud to elementary school children from books hand-selected by school librarians/media specialists to promote the importance of literacy and impart the joy of reading.
This meaningful initiative would not be possible without the generous support of the Village Market. We are most grateful to Nancy Dolnier and the Village Market for their continued generosity and sponsorship of this event, which allows the books to remain in the classrooms after they have been read.
We extend our appreciation to Cider Mill Principal Ginny Ricco, Assistant Principals Ellen Tuckner and Catherine O’Keefe, along with the entire teaching staff for being such gracious hosts, opening up their classrooms, and supporting this event year after year. A heartfelt thank you goes to Cider Mill School Media Specialists Linda Green and Lisa Hibbard for their wonderful book selections and assistance with the event.
We would be remiss if we didn’t recognize the Cider Mill PTA Hospitality Committee for providing a delicious breakfast for our volunteers. Read Aloud Day is a wonderful example of community supporting education!
Read Aloud Day volunteers come together to emphasize the importance of reading aloud to children and enhance the educational experience of Wilton’s youngest citizens. Considerable gratitude goes to the 45 volunteers who took time out of demanding schedules to read to third- through fifth-grade public school students.
This year, we received an overwhelming response from members of Wilton’s business community, town and local government, volunteer and nonprofit organizations, school staff and administrators, as well as from our town residents. The many dedicated volunteer readers included: First Selectman Bill Brennan; state Sen. Toni Boucher; state Rep. Gail Lavielle; Wilton School Superintendent Gary Richards; officers from Wilton Police Department and Wilton Fire Department; Wilton Library; and Woodcock Nature Center. Many of these individuals are regular participants in Read Aloud Day, offering support of the literacy initiative each year.
The Wilton Education Foundation is dedicated to enriching the learning experience for our students, and Read Aloud Day absolutely helps to fulfill this mission.
The organization, which is comprised wholly of volunteers, offers its sincere appreciation to everyone who so enthusiastically supported this very significant event. We are so fortunate to live in a town where our community embraces educational initiatives and programs that enrich the learning of our children!
Gratefully,
Marybeth Gioffre Nisco WEF Read Aloud Day Chair Wilton Education Foundation
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