Barth Elementary students received a big assist in having plenty of reading material. Diane Haws, a recently retired Barth classroom assistant, has coordinated efforts to purchase thousands of books to give away to Barth students. Diane’s program has been in full gear for the past five years. She enlists the aid of seven to ten people every year who go to yard sales, flea markets, and auctions to purchase gently used children’s books. Members of the parent/teacher organization then help to sort the books by topic and grade level. Each year, over 5,000 books are donated to students to be taken home and used for recreational reading. This year, because of renovations to the Barth building, fifth grade students who were reassigned to Franklin Elementary School, also received their share of reading books. The program was so successful this year that each student received a total of ten books. Ryan Oxenford, Barth Principal, expressed his pride in Ms. Haws’ efforts to help promote reading for our students. “We are so fortunate to have a caring, dedicated person committed to ensuring that our students receive the best possible education. Providing these books for home reading will help students learn to enjoy reading and be successful academically.
