WARREN SCHOOLS By going to school, 4th-graders win lunch at Avalon's Tall Oaks
This marks at least the fifth time a class at Alden earned the honor.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HOWLAND -- Che'Naire Williams, 10, says she hasn't missed a day of school in five years.
"I always go to school," says the Henry H. Alden Elementary School pupil.
"When I get sick, I go to the doctor's, but I always go to school."
Che'Naire and the other pupils in Annie Bishoff's fourth-grade class earned the best attendance of the Warren city schools' elementary schools for April.
Their accomplishment as part of Project Good Attendance scored them a lunch of cheeseburgers and french fries Tuesday in Tall Oaks Restaurant at Avalon Inn.
The lunch marked the third time Bishoff's class earned the honor. Gordon Hazen, district supervisor of student and community services, said classes at Alden have earned the best attendance at least five times this year.
"That's the most times of any school in the Warren city schools," Hazen said.
Bishoff takes an active approach in ensuring her pupils come to school.
"If they're not at school by 8:15 every morning, I call them," she said. "Sometimes I go and pick them up."
During one six-week period last fall, the class had 100 percent attendance, the teacher said.
"They're a great group of kids," Bishoff said.
What pupils said
Kieran Nall, 9, said he hasn't missed any school this year. Frederick Williams, 9, would have had perfect attendance this year too if a bout of chickenpox in February hadn't landed him in bed for a few days.
"I had chickenpox when I was 4," Zimmy Emerson, 10, piped in. "I had them bad so the doctor said I wouldn't get them again."
The four point to math as their favorite subject although their views on reading differ.
Che'Naire named reading as one of her favorites, but Kieran thinks it's boring.
"I don't like math, but I'm good at it," Kieran added.
"I like math and reading too," Zimmy explained. "Math is fun. Reading is a little boring, but I enjoy it when I'm bored."
They also say they enjoy school.
"That's why I never miss a day," Che'Naire said, matter-of-factly.
dick@vindy.com