Students in third and fourth grades at Sheckler Elementary School recently gathered with Mr. Burker to discuss information and topics and get those ideas flowing for what they would like to create and display during the upcoming science fair, which will be held March 1.

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On Jan. 27, students will have their Think First mid-year reward assembly. Students who kept positive behavior and stayed on green for the first half of the school year will be acknowledged and receive a T-shirt for their achievement thus far. Congratulations to those students who have remembered to Think First!

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Feb. 1 is an early dismissal day for students.

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It’s almost time for Sheckler to celebrate Read Across America. As part of this year’s celebration, students will be participating in The Great Mail Race. They kicked off the race by listening to the story “Flat Stanley,” written by Jeff Brown. Since Stanley is flat, he can travel the world by being mailed in an envelope and, along the way, has different adventures.

Sheckler now has its own version of Flat Stanley. Thanks to art teacher Mr. Kotran, we have Flat Roughie. Letters, along with questionnaires, are being sent to random elementary schools in each of the 50 states, along with Flat Roughie. As responses are received, students will create presentation boards that will be displayed at this year’s Sheckler Literacy Night Feb. 23. Students will get to learn about communities in different states and the geography of the United States while seeing where Flat Roughie traveled.

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Also in honor of Read Across America, Sheckler’s readathon will soon be underway for the month of February. During this month, students are encouraged to read or be read to a least 10 minutes each day. All types of reading count. Feel free to read more than 10 minutes if you wish.

The theme this year is “Flat Roughie Across America.” Each minute a child reads will count as one mile traveled. This year’s school goal will be to travel at least 75,000 miles, which would equal 16 round trips from Pennsylvania to California.

Minutes read (which will count as miles traveled) are to be logged on a calendar that was sent home. It should be signed by a parent before returning the completed calendar. All calendars are due to back no later than March 3.

Each student who turns in a signed calendar will be included in a group picture with their grade level for the Sheckler yearbook. The classroom that reads the most minutes in each grade level will receive an ice cream party; however, a child must have participated in the readathon in order to receive the treat. So let’s work together and get all students reading to reach Sheckler’s goal this year and get Flat Roughie traveling!

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The readathon ties in with the upcoming Read Across America Week/ TV Turn Off Week celebration, which will include lots of fun activities for students during the week of Feb. 19-25. Watch for details and dates of events.