Family reading night turns into a Super event at Washington-Monroe

[February 06, 2012]  Family reading night at the schools is an opportunity for parents and children to read together, explore the library and get to know other families. It has always been a quiet and slow-paced event. But after last Thursday evening, it may not be the same.

Washington-Monroe raised the bar and took it over the top. The school scheduled a family reading night, added a chili cook-off and a raffle. And, the result was a jolly good time had by all.

Using the upcoming football extravaganza for inspiration, the event was named the Super Bowl of Chili and Family Reading Night. Eight chili cook-off contestants set the mood with crockpots full of pleasant-smelling secret ingredients. Taste-testers were charged $5 to sample the entries. The school provided its own giant batch of chili, and families had a supper of chili, cookies and soda for a donation.

Each class at the school created a themed basket for a raffle that took place at the end of the evening.

After supper, parents and children wandered down to the library to read, look at new books and decorate the coloring pages provided for them by the library staff.

Students at Washington-Monroe read a total of 100,000 minutes during January. The top four classes with the most minutes will receive a pizza party this month. Winning classes for kindergarten through second grade were Mrs. Petty's and Mrs. Kidd's. The third- through fifth-grade class competition was won by Mrs. Zimmer's and Mrs. Wunderland's classes.

"This was a very creative event," District 27 Superintendent Mary Ahillen said about the evening of food, fun and family time. "It took a lot of work and time for the staff, but they and the families are having a great time. This was a very good idea."

[By MARLA BLAIR]