"That was the best day ever!"

So said our Principal when we crossed paths late this afternoon. This is high praise indeed, given that I think every day at our school is a great day.  This one was special though.  It was a community-wide Poem in Your Pocket Day celebration. 

How did we celebrate?

Every student (K-5), teacher, and staff member had a poem

Every student wrote or chose a poem 

5th graders handed out poems to parents before and after school

There were "poetry moments" throughout the day

The cafeteria became a poetry jam

5th grade students reads poems with kindergarten students 

A few intrepid parents and students joined me in our local neighborhood to hand out poems

Have a look at this incredibly fabulous day!

Poems were printed, rolled into scrolls, and placed into labeled gift bags.

Every student wrote or created a poem during the last two weeks of library classes. I kept them in these folders and delivered them to the classrooms this morning.

I set up a table of poetry books, pads and pens.

 We had all three entrances to the school covered along with the blue zone  (drop off zone). We were armed. With poems!

Library classes were an opportunity for sharing poems and writing new ones!

The lunch periods in our Centre 

became poetry jams:

 Parents sent poems with students in the most creative ways!

Impromptu sharing of poems at lunch:

 Reading poems with kindergarten students at the early release:

The Poetry Slam continued in the lunch room:

 Writing or finding new poems after school:

Handing out poems in Newton Centre

What kind of poems did the students carry?

K students drew a picture to remind them of thie r poems.

A few mentions to people who helped me make this day special: Maureen O. for the cool bags and rolling of poems.

Members of the school council for rolling more poems into scrolls.

Jennifer M. and Rachel C. who offered to chaperone our students on the Newton Centre trip.

Stephanie J. for co-leading the poetry jam in the Centre at lunch.

Our Principal, Mark Springer, for being willing to hear my ideas, see the vision, and lead the way.