Arlington Traditional Elementary School (ATS) held its annual “Reading Carnival Day” on Wed, Oct. 27. “Great schools don’t happen by chance, they happen by design,” Holly Hawthorne, long-time principal at ATS, said. “Reading is a civil right for every person! We believe every child must ‘learn to read–read to learn.’”

Reading Carnival Day is a celebration of the ATS summer reading challenge. Every single student reads 50 books and performs 10 good deeds. This year’s theme was “ATS Readers on the Move!” as the school transitioned from its building on Edison Street to a new location in the previous McKinley Elementary School.  The day was filled with reading, moving and grooving dance parties, class pictures, sidewalk chalk, popsicles, choosing a free book to take home and more.

“Our school focus is on the ABCs of Success – Academics, Behavior, Character, and this hallmark program aligns perfectly with our values,” Hawthorne said. Fifth-grade students often comment that Reading Carnival Day was their best ATS memory. The reading challenge, designed by ATS teacher and artist Liz Snead, is such a hit that it has a global reach.

Since 2006, ATS has shared reading challenges with Arlington Junior School, their sister school in Uganda, Africa. We are so proud of our ATS Stars!