Schools
Reading - a Tasty Treat at St. Mark School
166 students at St. Mark School, in grades K-8, participated in the 2022 Governor's Summer Reading Challenge, totaling 1,878 books.
Students at St. Mark School in Stratford participated in the 2022 Governor's Summer Reading Challenge - an annual, statewide program encouraging students to read books during the summer months. This year’s theme was “Read Beyond the Beaten Path!”
St. Mark School reports that 166 students in Kindergarten through Grade Eight participated
in the 2022 Challenge, reading 1,878 books this past summer.
Alyssa DiMaio, Fifth Grade Teacher at St. Mark School who coordinated the school-wide
program shares, “I am so impressed - that’s an average of 11.3 books per student! Keeping
students engaged in fun learning experiences over the summer months will set them up for
success the following school year.”
Find out what's happening in Stratfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The State of Connecticut sponsors the program because research shows that reading is
crucial to a child’s brain development and intellectual stimulation. Studies show that when
students don’t engage in learning activities over the summer months they could lose up to
two months of math and reading skills.
Each year, the schools with the highest percentage of participating enrollment and the
highest number of books read by participating students at the end of the summer are
acknowledged for their accomplishments.
Find out what's happening in Stratfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Last year, St. Mark School was recognized as a top-performing school in the 2021
Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge, “Tails and Tales.” They were among the fifteen
elementary and middle schools awarded in the state of Connecticut, among the three in the
category of Private Schools, and the only Diocese of Bridgeport Catholic School recognized.
St. Mark Principal Melissa Warner, “I am very proud of our students and confident they will
be recognized again this year as we broke last year’s record.”
To recognize their achievements, Principal Warner invited Jim’s Ice Cream truck to the
school and treated students who participated in this year’s program to a tasty treat.
St. Mark School is a 2009 Nationally Recognized Blue Ribbon School of Academic
Excellence and a New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accredited
school, serving students in Pre-K through Grade 8. St. Mark School will host an Open House
on Sunday, November 13, 2022 from 10 am – 12 noon and invite prospective families to
tour the school and meet the community. For more information, visit
www.stmarkschool.org.
