Schools

Weems Elementary Hosts Second One School, One Book Event

Manassas city council members, schools board members, as well as fire and rescue personnel were all at Weems Monday for the reading event.

Manassas school board members, firefighters, rescuers as well as city council members left their warm houses Monday night and ventured out into the cold, autumn air— all for the sake of a hamster.

The city's youngest residents would argue it's not just any hamster, it's Humphrey, the main character in 

The school hosted the second of three community reading nights on Monday. The event was attended by more than 225 students and their family members, said Amanda Wagner, Weems reading specialist.

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" ... At 6:30 p.m. the event was scheduled to begin, however from the moment the doors opened well past this time, the line of students and families extended consistently out the door and down the sidewalk, Wagner said.

Seeing families invested in their child’s reading education is enough to leave you in awe, but to see that many families, along with the support of the pillars of our community is truly beyond words, she said.

Find out what's happening in Manassaswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The evening began with the children gathered, books in hand, near Manassas Mayor Hal J. Parrish II for the reading of Chapter 9. 

Humphrey himself was seated at the mayor’s side, listening to the engaging story right along with the students, Wagner said. 

After the reading, attendees participated in an engineering project: building a cage for Humphrey.

"The results were phenomenal, students created cages of several stories, others with rooms and furniture; all out of masking tape and newspaper," Wagner said. "It is truly amazing what our children are capable of, given the opportunity to showcase it."

The next One School, One Book event is on Tuesday.

Manassas Superintendent of Schools Dr.Catherine Magouyrk will read the final chapter of the book.  An evening of pizza and poetry will follow the reading. 

 


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