all saints school

All Saints Principal Flys High for Reading

By Henrietta Gomes
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 6/21/07) all saints school

A long yellow caution tape kept students from getting too close to a helicopter landing in the back parking lot at All Saints School in Manassas last week. Students howled and squealed and gave each other high-fives when they realized it was their principal climbing out of the cockpit. Dressed in aviation gear, David Conroy held out his megaphone and greeted the students.
The event was the grand finale of the school’s Operation Read 11,000 project, initiated by the librarian Vickie Coyle, who wanted to reward the students for exceeding their goal in the school-wide reading project.
Throughout the year, students read as many books as possible through the Accelerated Reader Program that uses computerized quizzes to judge students’ comprehension of the books they have read. Upon passing the quiz, students were awarded a certain amount of points based on the length and difficulty level of the book.
“It’s a great way to challenge the kids,” said Coyle, who was the driving force behind the spectacle, made possible with the help of American Helicopters of Manassas.
As the helicopter rose back into the air, the students formed the number 11,000 to pose for an aerial photograph and waved farewell to their principal.
It is a school tradition for students to read and challenge themselves, and strive to do better, said Coyle, noting that it was only natural for them to be awarded with such a surprise.