[StBernard] The Book Bus visits Arabi neighborhoods: Class Act

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Fri Jul 19 08:10:52 EDT 2013


The Book Bus visits Arabi neighborhoods: Class Act
Print Barry Lemoine By Barry Lemoine
on July 18, 2013 at 7:41 AM, updated July 18, 2013 at 7:42 AM

School buses are as much a part of schools as No. pencils, but at Arabi
Elementary there is a different kind of bus visiting the neighborhood this
summer - The Book Bus.

The Book Bus is a refurnished school bus that serves as a mobile library for
the students of Arabi Elementary School. On Tuesdays through the end of the
July, the bus makes four stops in the Arabi school district, allowing
students to check out books.

Carla Carollo, the Principal of Arabi Elementary, said the idea came up at a
reading conference.

"I heard about about a school doing a book bus to prevent students from
sliding in reading over the summer. I thought it was an awesome concept."

Associate Superintendent Bev Lawrason agreed, and procured the bus, the
driver and a grant for 5000 hardcover and paperback books. Arabi teacher
Melissa Danese spearheaded the project, sorting books, checking in and out
books, and coordinationg the teachers, staff, and volunteers.

Carollo said the appreciates the cooperation of her staff, but knows it's
for a good cause.

"Everything we do here is to promote literacy and life long reading."

Danese and her fellow teachers decorated with huge magnets reading
"Alligator Book Bayou." Carollo said the bus travels to 4 spots and stays at
each spot for 45 minutes. The stops include 4:00 pm the Aycock Barn at 409
Aycock Street; at 4:45 the Old Carolyn Park School at 100 Llama; at 5:30 at
the ARC of St. Bernard at 3700 Jean Lafitte;, and the last stop is at 6:15
at 3620 DeLaRonde, across from the old Chalmette Medical Center.

Carollo said in addition to checking out books, the time also allows
classmates and teachers a chance to visit.

"They eat freezies and sit in these stuffed chairs we bring for them to sit
and read outside of the bus. Teachers, students, and parents are all having
a wonderful time with reading."

Teacher Shelley Lacoste agreed.

"The children love seeing their teachers," Lacoste said. "They run and hug
them like they have not seen them in years. Parents get to see the teachers
in a new light. We wear shorts and our Arabi Spirit shirts. Everyone is
happy and all smiles. It is so awesome."

The Book Bus also serves the students in the district of Smith Elementary
School on Mondays.




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