It may seem a contradiction to enhance Sayville School District’s character-education program by reading students a story on how to get rid of enemies. Not if the selection is the award-winning book entitled Enemy Pie!
Recently, the second grade students in Mrs. Fulton’s class at Cherry Avenue enjoyed a Sayville Rotary Club visitor who also happened to be Sayville’s Superintendent, Dr. Walter Schartner.
As part of their ongoing, learning collaboration, Sayville Rotary Club members go to schools and spend quality time “reading aloud” from select books that support the District’s lessons in character education. Prior to his visit, Cherry Avenue Librarian Allison McDermott had given the Superintendent several age-appropriate stories from which to choose. The literary selection upon which Dr. Schartner decided was a disarming story entitled Enemy Pie by Derek Munson about a little boy’s lessons in friendship.
After library clerk Mrs. Elaine George guided the students to the “readers’ theater” in the new Cherry Avenue Library, Dr. Schartner sat down with the students and introduced himself. He explained the purpose of the Sayville Rotary Club to them, then opened the picture book to began a lively narration. While some of the students were already familiar with the book, they all listened intently to the engaging retelling.
When the story ended, the students raised their hands, eager to share in the discussion about the true meaning of the “enemy” pie with Dr. Schartner and how developing a friendship is a great way to “get rid” of enemies.
Mmmmm, good!
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