Hamilton Township Education Association is promoting a new way to read a good book—for free.
Carolyn Perry, PRIDE Chair and Corresponding Secretary for the HTEA, worked alongside her team of Andrew Chin, Jennifer Smith, Lauren Goldstein and Patricia Adinizio to create “Little Free Library” stands at three elementary schools in Hamilton Township last month.
What exactly are the “Little Free Libraries” gracing the lawns of Langtree, Wilson and Mercerville Elementary Schools? After suggestions from Susan Nardi, the HTEA began the weeks of planning to install the libraries outside of the schools. These stands serve as a place where the community can relax and enjoy a good read choosing from dozens of books. People can either read it there or take it home. The hope is for those people to swap a “book for book.” Everything is based off of the honor system.
“The goal here is to promote literacy and get the community involved,” Perry said. “Little Free Libraries are popping up internationally and we wanted to bring this idea to Hamilton…These three schools were chosen because we thought they represented the East, West and North sides of the district, so that everyone could be involved.”
Mercerville and Wilson Elementary Schools will be equipped with newspaper stands that were redesigned by their respective art teachers and built by Grice Middle School wood shop teacher Michael Friedman. Langtree Elementary will similarly be have a box stand on their front lawn also designed by Friedman and painted by retiring art teacher, Eileen Masterson. Books were chosen with the help of K-5 English Literacy Hamilton Township Supervisor Heather Lieberman.
“I created a list of titles and sent them over to Carolyn (Perry)…We included titles that represented the diversity of students in Hamilton Township including best selling books in Spanish and books about African American heroes,” Lieberman said.
Chin also added that aside from representing the diverse population, the books also feature STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) subjects.
Book donations came from Barnes and Noble, the PRIDE Committee, the Trentonian and NJEA. Teachers and administrators alike all played a role in putting together these three libraries from the construction to the ceremonies.
“I think this is fantastic for community involvement and also getting all of the teachers involved from middle school to elementary school and back,” Friedman said. “It really was a teamwork effort.”
Each library at the three schools has a different theme unique to it. The art teachers of the respective elementary schools created and designed their own theme based off of what they thought best would suit the building.
Hamilton Township School District Supervisor of Fine and Performing Arts Danielle Tan was ecstatic about incorporating other subject areas into the project.
“Each art teacher painted their own stand or box, and we also have the elementary school choirs coming out to sing during the ceremonies…It really is incorporating many different subjects into one area and reminding kids that they all overlap in some way,” Tan said.
The ceremonies at Wilson and Langtree Elementary schools were held in memory of teachers that recently passed in the district.
Langtree Elementary’s ceremony was on May 11 in memory of Joyce Palumbo—a 37-year teacher, administrator, principal and—her most recent and favorite position—librarian in the Hamilton School District. In front of Langtree is a bench donated by the Hamilton PTA that reads: “Mrs. Palumbo’s Reading Bench.” The school’s library also was rededicated in her name. She died of a stroke four months ago unexpectedly.
Langtree Elementary principal Joyce Gallo couldn’t stop sharing about all the good Palumbo did for the district and as a friend and mentor.
“It was not only a professional loss for me and the district, but it was a personal loss…She was a vivacious teacher that made a place in the library where kids were welcomed and loved to go…There’s not one word good enough for her,” Gallo said. “She was such a professional and just had a kind, warm touch—truly one of a kind.”
Wilson Elementary honored Ken McCaffrey, a Hamilton High West math teacher for 27 years, on May 18. He also recently passed away.
“To see Ken was to see a tall, jolly Irishman,” said Doris Wasco, an employee of the school district. “He was an officer in HTEA, went to NEA conventions and just really made the district a better place. He always told the best stories and his students adored him.”
Both will be remembered at Mercerville Elementary during the ribbon cutting ceremony on June 2.
“It’s community building and brings neighbors together,” Pride committee member Andrew Chin said on the new libraries.
Hamilton Township Council president Ileana Schirmer said she holds a special place in her heart for the new libraries. During the event at Langtree, she shared with the crowd the difficulties growing up speaking only Spanish after coming to the U.S. from Cuba as a child.
“Picking up a book is a big deal for many kids…I would love to see [Little Free Libraries] all over the place,” Schirmer said.
And it’s safe to say that many would agree with her.
“I would love to see it in front of all 17 elementary schools,” Lieberman said.
Tan added, “Yes, especially how they would be unique to each school.”
,
