Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Andy Hanson chauffeured six outstanding readers to a complimentary lunch, on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. The vehicle was no squad or school bus! One at a time, each student rode in the 1977, scarlet, Corvette Stingray convertible, decorated with free-hand painting. This is one of 14 cars seized in the early 1990’s during a drug arrest.
The Parent Teachers Organization paid for the children’s pizza lunch at Happy Joe’s, 109 W. Main Street, Morrison, IL.
To earn this unique recognition, Southside students were encouraged by Reading teacher Lori Kennedy to read books independantly; score well on accompanying comprehension quizzes; accumulate Accelerated Reading (AR) Program points. Third graders needed 150; fourth graders needed 200; fifth graders needed 250. This year no fourth graders met the goal.
The children posed with Deputy Henson before he departed at approximately 11:00 a.m. Shown left-to-right in front are third graders Annabelle Blevins, Conrad Eichman, and Ivan Zhang. Fifth graders behind them are Geneva Connelly, Dylan Anderson, and Cooper Bush. Connelly was the first to depart in the D.A.R.E. car.
On Wednesday, May 17, five fifth graders will receive special treatment to honor their career reading achievement. During their elementary years, they accumulated at least 500 AR points. Principal Jennifer Oetting will chauffeur the students to DQ Grill & Chill, 200 N. Sawyer Road, Morrison. Their lunch, too, will be compliments of the PTO. Oetting will drive the five students to Morrison-Rockwood State Park for “recess” overlooking Lake Carlton.