Leaving Fletchville & Canadian Disasters blast off at Redstone Public School

Redstone was a type of rocket when I was young... We used to dream of getting inside a capsule and blasting off into outer space. Instead, I was involved in another type of Redstone blast-off last Friday.

Congratulations to the students and staff at Redstone Public School in Richmond Hill! You are to be complimented for an excellent welcome for me and the others involved in the R.O.@.R. (Reading Only @ Redstone) Conference on April 9th. All of you were kind and attentive and the teaching staff, especially Marguerite Gervan and Ronda Dietrich, made us feel at home. Great Starbucks Coffee, BTW.

I did three presentations; to mixed classes of Grade 8, Grade 7 and Grade 6 and I was impressed by the questions and insights. Some of the smaller students got to wear my old mining gear as we discussed child labour laws and the first Springhill Mine Disaster of 1891.
This school has excellent programs in place to promote reading, especially for boys - a passion I share. Much media coverage was there, as well as such 'heavyweight' education professors & theorists Michael Fullan and Barrie Bennet, plus authors Bob Barton, Andrea Beck, Lucy Falcone, Allan Foster, Michael Wade and 'yours truly'. Also in attendance were local politicians, trustees, and school officials, and most of the Richmond Hill fire department. These firefighters were not there to answer any alarms but these brave young men were on hand to visit and read their favorite books to students.

I wish all schools took reading this seriously!