Cragmont students spent the day on Feb 3 immersed in reading and listening to books during the second annual Read-a-thon.  Students also chose a book to keep from the abundant donated titles and received a commemorative bookplate.  To date, pledges totaling $8,000 have been turned in.  Said third grader Charlotte Worman: "I loved it!  There was peace and quiet, and I got to read all day!"  Classmate Ruby Levine agreed: "It was fun to read with my friends and wear pajamas to school.  It felt like a big sleepover!"

Cragmont's reading support program, which works with first and second graders, has just received a $500 special education resource grant from the Thomas J. Long Foundation.  These monies will go towards books, printing costs and materials that will benefit the students in this program.

PTA hosted a Mosaic Program Review on Feb 10.  Lara Mendel, Mosaic's Executive Director, gave a presentation on the week-long residential camp that Cragmont 4th graders have been attending for many years.  In addition, she addressed questions and concerns posed by both 4th grade parents whose children went last Autumn and 3rd grade parents looking ahead.  For more information, please see www.mosaicproject.org, 4th grade teacher Carolyn Dobson, or TWI4 parent Robert Cohen.

A special parent education night for Cragmont families took place on February 18 at Longfellow School.  Teachers and staff members led small group discussions on ways to support children at home and at school, fostering self-esteem and academic achievement for all students, and raising awareness of various support systems available at Cragmont. Turnout was excellent: 60 parents, 50 children, nine staff members, six teachers and five parent leaders attended.  Several families signed up for a nine-week parent education course directed by PIQE (Parent Institute for Quality Education).  Info: 644-8810.

This year's quilt is a "Log Cabin."  We've got about 25 blocks that need to be sewn. Pick up blocks after in the volunteer/PTA room (217a).  Please sign out if you take a bag. We also looking for folks to help put the whole quilt together. Info: Suzanne Marr, Bethany Schoenfeld, Nancy King. volunteeratcragmont
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