⭐ Wonder — R.J. Palacio
⭐ The Wild Robot — Peter Brown
⭐ The One and Only Ivan— Katherine Applegate
⭐ How to Steal a Dog--Barbara O'Connor

⭐ The One and Only Ivan — Katherine Applegate

📖 Reading opens doors to adventure, imagination, and discovery all summer long!

🎧 Audiobooks count too!

Long car ride?
Quiet time at home?
Rainy afternoon?

Listening to stories helps build vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Scout stopped by our local United Way today to pick up some books to restock the Little Free Libraries in our CP neighborhoods. Be sure to stop by one of these to take a book or leave a book this summer!

🌟 PAWZ's First Grade Favorites

⭐ The Big Cheese— Jory John
⭐ Narwhal and Jelly — Ben Clanton
⭐ Elephant & Piggie books — Mo Willems
⭐ Frog and Toad Are Friends — Arnold Lobel
⭐ Jabari Jumps — Gaia Cornwall

Quick Summer Reading Tip:

Let your child choose books they LOVE.

Comics, nonfiction, sports books, joke books, graphic novels — it ALL counts as reading!

Books can take you ANYWHERE this summer! 🌎📚

Where has reading taken you lately?
🐉 A dragon castle?
🚀 Outer space?
🌊 Under the ocean?

Tell us in the comments!

Reading together creates lifelong memories.

Even older students enjoy listening to stories read aloud!

Today's challenge:
Turn off screens for 20 minutes and enjoy a family reading time together.

🎯 SUMMER READING CHALLENGE

Can you:
✅ Read with a flashlight
✅ Read outside
✅ Read to a stuffed animal
✅ Read a joke book
✅ Read for 20 minutes today

How many can you complete this week?

📚 PAWZ Recommends!

For rising 2nd & 3rd graders:
⭐ The Bad Seed by Jory John

Funny, relatable, and perfect for summer reading!

Have you read it yet?

PAWS' community cat ambassador, Scout, is out and about!! Today, it was time for a Little Free Library restock! He was excited to make new reader friends in the community as he spied several readers enjoying summer reading in the parks! He was also excited to see that the Little Free Libraries needed restocking because readers are reading!! Scout shared some crayons, frisbees, and other items as well to help our community stay unplugged this summer!

📸 SHOW US YOUR READING SPOT!

Where is your favorite place to read?
🏖️ Poolside?
🌳 Under a tree?
🛋️ On the couch?
🚗 In the car?

Post a picture in the comments!

PAWS sent one of his cat ambassadors, Scout, out into the community today to visit our local public library. Scout had a blast experiencing the summer reading program provided by our community library! He thinks everyone should "check it out" and participate in their summer reading challenge and program offerings!

Did you know?

Children who read during the summer are more prepared and confident when school begins again in August!

📖 Read together
📖 Visit the library
📖 Listen to audiobooks
📖 Read recipes, comics, magazines, and signs

Every kind of reading counts!

SUMMER READING STARTS RIGHT MEOW!

Just 20 minutes of reading each day helps children grow stronger reading skills all summer long!

Join PAWZ and City Park Elementary as we READ ALL SUMMER! Share photos, favorite books, and reading adventures with us!

As summer kicks off this Memorial Day weekend, PAWZ couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate freedom and the beginning of summer than by celebrating the freedom to read! PAWZ traveled around City Park neighborhoods visiting four Little Free Libraries established by our local United Way and filled them with books for summer reading fun. We are so blessed to have these libraries right where many of our students live — and there may be even more out there! If you know of additional Little Free Libraries in City Park neighborhoods, drop their locations in the comments so PAWZ can visit them this summer and help keep them stocked with books for our students. PAWZ plans to continue venturing out all summer long to make sure our neighborhood libraries are filled and ready for readers. If your family visits one, share your photos in the comments! Remember — you can take a book, leave a book, and help spread the joy of reading all summer long!

Congratulations to the City Park Certified Staff Member of the Year, Kimberly Jimenez, and the Classified Staff Member of the Year, Kassie Ayers!

It's hard to believe but our last day of school will be here before we know it! It will be on Friday, May 22 and will feature our last PAWS and Applause Pep Session at 9:00 AM and our annual 5th Grade CATwalk at 11:00 AM.

The last day is also an early dismissal day, so please remember there will be no ASP. Students will be released at 12:15 PM.

When you come to awards day today, be sure to check out the art installation in the lobby of our auditorium!

We are excited to celebrate our students’ dedication and achievements with our upcoming Brain Boosters—a special reward for all their hard work this school year!

Throughout the week, each grade level will report to the playground during their regularly scheduled specials time (except on the day of their awards ceremony). Students will have the opportunity to enjoy extended outdoor time with their entire grade level—a fun way to relax, connect, and celebrate together.

To make things even more exciting, we will have an inflatable slide for students to enjoy as they “slide right into summer!” This special addition has been made possible thanks to student participation and purchases from our Book Fairs, Santa Shop, and PAWp Up Shop—thank you for your continued support!

Please help your child come prepared each day by ensuring they wear comfortable clothing and appropriate shoes for the playground.

We’re looking forward to a fun and memorable week for all!