Carpenter School's Battle of the Books team emerged on March 11 as the 2019 champions in the annual Park Ridge Public Library competition. The teams from Washington and Field came in second and third.
For more than 30 years, the library has partnered with local schools to offer students in grades 4-5 an opportunity to test their knowledge of books and promote the love of reading. Each spring, a reading list of 32 books spanning many topics and ability levels is selected by the librarians to become the basis for the next year’s contest. Schools then form teams to practice and study the books and rehearse for the competition, which is conducted over the winter months as a series of meets, called "battles."
This year, Carpenter's 19-student team narrowly edged out Washington to emerge at the top of what is always a friendly, but spirited and fun competition among the eight local schools that compete.
The Board of Education at its March 18 meeting recognized the teams from all five D64 elementary schools for their hard work and enthusiasm under the leadership of this year’s coaches: Kathleen Loftus - Carpenter; Andrea Hetzke - Franklin; Caroline Schaab and Carolyn Borta - Field; Taryn Handlon, Patty Mayer and Molly Staron - Roosevelt; and, Joy Benjamin - Washington. Park Ridge Library School Services Coordinator Staci Greenwald joined in congratulating our students for their efforts this year.
PHOTO - At the Board meeting, some members of Carpenter's team gathered with coach Kathleen Loftus, the school's Library Information Specialist, to display their first-place award.
