Book Buddies 2023

March 23, 2023

Windham Tech Book Buddies celebrates its 10 year anniversary with some new faces at Sweeney Elementary School!

Students from Windham Tech’s literacy classes met with fifth grade students from Mrs. Raquel Luna’s class and Mrs. Jennifer Hoboth’s class at Sweeney Elementary School on Monday, March 20th.

Our first Book Buddies meeting was a great success! We look forward to hosting students from Sweeney Elementary at Windham Tech in April!

History of the Windham Tech Book Buddies:

Book Buddies began in 2013 after our school Librarian, Thomas St. George, collaborated with our Electrical Department Head, Mr. Kevin Arpin to create a reading and mentoring program between Windham Tech High School and Windham Public Schools. Mr. Arpin’s wife was a 2nd grade Elementary Teacher for Windham Public Schools at North Windham Elementary. The program went on for the first five years with the Arpins until Mrs. Arpin retired, at which point Windham Tech reached out to partner with the Natchaug Elementary school in an effort to involve more Windham Public Schools students and increase the number of visits between our schools. This became possible because North Windham students were able to walk to Windham Tech for visits. Mr. Arpin continued to participate until 2020 when he retired in the mist of COVID, at which point Mrs. Arpin also participated in our last visit to Natchaug Elementary, attended by our Literacy Consultant/Supervisor, Dr. Fiano, and Assistant Principal Trish Powers.

Throughout the program we have collaborated with the United Way, First Books, our Student Council and our PFO to provide books, snacks and some United Way “Day of Caring” swag for our Book Buddies. Additionally each year we have hosted a celebration of reading on Dr. Seuss’s birthday in March. During this celebration each year Windham Public Schools’ elementary students have been able to visit a trade shop that they are interested in at Windham Tech. Additionally, each year the Culinary Arts shop has prepared a breakfast of green eggs and ham for the buddies, along with Cat in the Hat cookies during their shared book reading at the end of the day. Furthermore, students have been treated every year to a clown performance by retired SAIL instructor David Kohn, who was a former professional clown in the circus. This year we will have this event during National Library’s Week in April.

Please check out our Book Buddies Playlist of videos on the school YouTube Channel and see attached pictures from our last meeting.