Excitement resonated throughout Dayton Avenue Elementary School’s gymnasium as students in grades 3-6 prepared to fly their balloons in a Macy’s Department Store-like parade during the second annual Balloons Over Dayton event.

A collaboration between STEAM and library classes, students worked on their balloon designs for the past two weeks. In library class, the students read Melissa Sweet’s “Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade” and developed a concept and theme for their own balloons. During STEAM class and in the school’s new MakerSpace room, students created a balloon out of recyclables. On Nov. 20, the students paraded their designs through the perimeter of the gym, accompanied by the masters of ceremony Emma Rivera and Scarlett Krieger, to the cheers of schoolmates.

Not only were the balloon designs awesome, the students had a great time seeing some of their characters and quirky themes come to life.

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Date Added: 11/22/2023

Dayton Avenue students in Brittany Ferguson’s class celebrated Veterans Day by honoring those who have served.

The students first read “Heroes in Our Neighborhood” by Valerie Pfundstein and discussed the book and the heroes that the children know in their own neighborhoods. Inspired by the book, the students also wrote letters to veterans in their community and created and signed a colorful poster, thanking veterans for their service.

The third graders also took turns being recorded thanking veterans, and each of their statements were included in a “Thank You, Veterans” book created using Book Creator.

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Date Added: 11/20/2023

Dayton Avenue and Eastport elementary schools’ students received a loud round of applause as they waked down the red carpet during the schools’ individual Readers Walk of Fame. The parallel events were a culmination of the schools’ summer reading program, which encouraged students to read daily and record the number of minutes read.

In all, 111 students (36 at Dayton Avenue and 75 at Eastport Elementary) read a combined 102,660 minutes (37,660 minutes at Dayton Avenue and 65,000 minutes at Eastport Elementary). Additionally, the students completed projects associated with one of the books read that are now displayed in the schools’ hall.

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Date Added: 11/2/2023