This school year, in addition to his regularly scheduled visits to our elementary buildings, Superintendent Dr. Murphy has been making special virtual visits to our elementary classrooms as well. Through his new initiative, “Dr. Murphy’s Monthly Read,” he’s been popping into classroom screens across the district to share stories, laughter, and just the right dash of seasonal silliness.
During each visit, Dr. Murphy takes a moment to share a bit about himself, his family, and, of course, the latest adventures of Dolly and Ruby, his beloved pups. While Dolly’s updates are of which location she’s chosen for slumbering the day away, Ruby is always prepped to “go this way” or that on her next outdoor explorations. But the highlight of every session is the featured read-aloud, chosen to match the season and spark student curiosity and creativity.
To kick off fall, Dr. Murphy read Let It Grow by Mary Ann Fraser, taking students on a pumpkin-powered journey from a tiny seed all the way to a giant, boat-sized pumpkin. Students followed along witnessing the pumpkin's incredible growth, ending with fun and surprising facts. Did you know there are 45 kinds of pumpkins, and that every part of the pumpkin is edible? The story even featured photos from a real-life giant pumpkin regatta.
November’s festive read took a whimsical turn with Fall Mixed Up by Bob Raczka. Donning his turkey hat for the occasion, Dr. Murphy led students through a topsy-turvy world where apples turn orange, gloves warm ears, and months blend into “Septober.” Laughter filled classrooms as students encountered floating leaves, caramel pumpkins (this perhaps should actually be a thing), mummies going bats, and vampires riding brooms. And then there was the month with a bounty of sweets filling the table… hmm, was it Nocember? Maybe it was Devember. Students and Dr. Murphy still aren’t sure, but it looked delicious.