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 By  Lauren Wester Published 
10:38 am Wednesday, January 31, 2018

TES celebrates 100 days of school

Part of a teacher’s job is encouraging student participation in all areas of academia, but participation cannot be achieved without attendance. That’s why at Tharptown Elementary School, teachers encouraged and celebrated student attendance with a 100th Day Celebration.

Jan. 26 students, teachers and faculty celebrated the achievement of reaching 100 days of school in many different ways. Each classroom participated in its own activities. Fourth- through sixth-graders, for example, used STEM activities to celebrate and learn.

“In my class they got to pick 100 items of spaghetti noodles and marshmallows and build something that could anchor weight and see whose project could anchor the most weight,” Nichole Ergle said.

Teachers and faculty wore specially-made 100 days T-shirts; hallways were decorated; and at 2 p.m. there was a 100-balloon release. Ergle, who coordinated the day’s celebrations, said students who had a 100 percent attendance record, plus some who had shown good character, were given the honor of releasing the balloons.

“What we’re trying to do is encourage attendance and celebrate with the students so they want to keep up their attendance,” Ergle said.

She said that she is also trying to encourage students to write by adding the school’s name and address to the balloons in the hopes that whoever finds them will write to the school so the students can write them back.

“Letter writing is just not taught anymore, but it’s so important,” Ergle said.

To kick off the day, Principal Kelby Daniel had a surprise for the students. One hundred minutes after the school day started, his voice came over the loud speaker, and he read stories for 100 seconds.

During their P.E. time, the students had 10 different centers with 10 exercises at each to participate in. They were also encouraged to dress up like they were 100 years old.

“We’ve had small celebrations in the past, but I thought it was something that should be schoolwide,” Ergle explained.

Daniel said that he was excited about the celebration and was happy to see the students so involved.

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