It’s time to read

Stillwater schools are gearing up to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday by asking community members to come inside and read to students.

The celebration, Read Across America, will be March 2. Stillwater residents can sign up to read at one of the six elementary schools or at Stillwater Junior High. Wherever they go, they’ll be asked to read for about 15-20 minutes to a class of students.

And what will they read?

In the younger grades, readers usually read an entire age-appropriate book. For older grades, they may choose to read a chapter or two out of longer books.

Some read Dr. Seuss books, but others read other childhood favorites. Some teachers will have books on hand for readers who don’t bring their own, and anyone who is unsure about what to read can ask teachers for suggestions.

Stillwater Junior High Read Across America organizers are working on signing up a mystery reader who will read over the intercom to students, who will then have the chance to guess the reader, said Marcia Karns, who is organizing the community reading program across the district.

Students at the school will also have the chance to receive books in a drawing. They’ll get tickets when they go through the cafeteria at lunch, Karns said.

Each school has specified reading times for community members:

• Highland Park Elementary — 9:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

• Richmond Elementary — 9 a.m.

• Sangre Ridge Elementary — 9 a.m.-11 a.m. and 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

• Skyline Elementary — 2 p.m.

• Westwood Elementary — 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

• Will Rogers Elementary — 1:30 p.m.

• Stillwater Junior High — 11:30 a.m., noon and 12:30 p.m.

Anyone who wants to volunteer to read can e-mail or call Karns at 377-4175 or Gina Miller at 533-6300. Anyone volunteering will need to include his or her name, address, phone, e-mail address and the preferred school and time for reading.

Confirmations will be made by e-mail or phone.

The deadline to sign up to read is Feb. 21.