Eighty-five students with perfect attendance were among those celebrated at Woodbury Elementary School’s monthly recognition assembly Tuesday, April 30.
Nearly 150 Woodbury students were acknowledged for excellent attendance, missing two or less days during third quarter. Among the 85 students achieving perfect attendance were 12 kindergarteners, all showing commitment to daily participation and engagement with their learning.
Community members from Marshalltown’s initiative Spread the Words – Read by Third were in attendance to distribute handshakes, smiles, and awards to students with excellent or perfect attendance. Students were congratulated by Lt. Ronald Ohrt from the Marshalltown Police Department; Chamber President Ken Anderson; Fire Chief Steve Edwards; Lindsey Upah, Spread the Words – Read by Third coordinator; Carol Hibbs and Wendy Soltero of the YMCA-YWCA; and MCSD School Board member John Johnson. One of the kindergarteners was heard excitedly telling his dad, “We had a great assembly today. I got to see a fire fighter and a policeman.”
The program aims to achieve 90 percent of Marshalltown third graders reading proficiently by 2016 and earned Marshalltown an All-America City distinction in 2012. One of the initiative’s task forces aims at improving attendance, specifically increasing the number of kindergarteners attending school regularly. Anyone interested in being involved with the effort should contact Lindsey Upah, Spread the Words – Read by Third coordinator, at 641-752-7162 ext. 155.
Reading was also celebrated at the assembly, with a group of fourth graders presenting a reader’s theater based on the popular book The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss. The student body enjoyed watching the words from the pages come to life on stage.
“We have a very talented group of actors in our fourth grade class,” said Sue Cahill, Woodbury teacher librarian. “It is great to see them be able to use and develop their talents.”
