Article by Ainsley Hall, September 27, 2023
SPRING MILLS — Spring Mills Primary School is hosting Pete the Cat Week to encourage students’ love of reading and build a school community.
Pete the Cat is the main character of a book series of the same name, which was first created by an artist named James Dean. Each day throughout the week is themed after one of Pete the Cat’s adventures.
The idea came from Stacy Alt, library media specialist at Spring Mills Primary. She reached out to Cheyanne Mulligan, president of the parent teacher association (PTA) and computer operator at Berkeley County Schools’ Department of Transportation, and the rest of the PTA. Alt asked if parents would be interested in coming into the schools to read Pete the Cat books to students during lunch. Mulligan thought it was a great opportunity and was excited to participate herself.
“Pete the Cat keeps kids engaged, because he’s relatable,” Mulligan said. “They like the jokes and mischief he gets into. It makes them ask, ‘What’s next?’ They all listen so intently, which can be difficult for young kids. It gives us hope that they will continue reading on their own.”
Parents who volunteer to read get to eat lunch with their kid as a special incentive. After reading the story, Alt asks the students questions about the book. Whichever student answers the most questions about the story gets a special prize.
In addition to reading to the students, the school cafeteria also serves food themed after the books, and students and staff dress up depending on the theme for the day. For one of the days, everyone wore baseball jerseys for “Pete the Cat: Play Ball,” while another day, everyone wore fun sunglasses for “Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses.”
“My favorite part is how it gets everyone involved in the schools,” Mulligan said. “We are still picking up the pieces after COVID, so it was nice to get involved again. It’s nice to remember how important it is for the students to see their parents involved. It’s exciting for them and makes them want to be there.”
The pandemic made it difficult for parents to get involved in schools, but Spring Mills Primary continues to help them get connected again. Seeing their parents get involved gets the students excited about school. This event helps kids enjoy reading and builds a community for the teachers and parents.