Abigail Adams Middle School Literature Cafe teacher Kate McCue-Day drops off books to her students during the school closure. (Photo Courtesy Weymouth Public Schools) 
Abigail Adams Middle School sixth-grader Jocelyn Keating received a book delivery from McCue-Day during the school closure. (Photo Courtesy Weymouth Public Schools) 
Abigail Adams Middle School sixth-grader Adrian Alviarez received a book delivery from McCue-Day during the school closure. (Photo Courtesy Weymouth Public Schools)
WEYMOUTH — Superintendent Jennifer Curtis-Whipple is pleased to announce that Weymouth Public Schools teachers and staff are going above and beyond for their students during school closures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout the school closure, Weymouth Public School teachers have ensured that their students have the necessary resources to continue to learn during these unprecedented times.
Abigail Adams Middle School Literature Cafe teacher Kate McCue-Day has ensured that her students have the resources they need to read by dropping off more than a dozen books to them at their homes.
Since the school closure, McCue-Day has been bringing her students books to read while libraries and bookstores remain closed. This week, McCue-Day dropped off “Friends or Fiction” and “Sticks & Stones” by author Abby Cooper to students’ homes.
Cooper was originally scheduled to visit McCue-Day’s Literature Cafe classroom, but the visit was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, McCue-Day took the opportunity to pick up Cooper’s books from the Blue Bunny Bookstore in Dedham and drop them off to students with personalized autographed bookplates from Cooper.
McCue-Day began delivering books to her students after they started to reach out and request new reading materials. Following this, McCue-Day reached out to other students as well to ensure every student in need of a book would receive one.
When books are requested, McCue-Day contacts the students’ parents to ensure that she has permission to make the home delivery. To abide by social distancing guidelines, McCue-Day wears a mask and drops the books off at students’ front steps to limit personal contact.
“A highlight of dropping off the books to my students is getting the chance to see them again,” said McCue-Day. “Some kids and their parents have come outside to chat from a safe distance. It’s been great to have the chance to talk to people outside of our families during these difficult times while supporting the student’s reading habits.”
A majority of the books McCue-Day has delivered have been new releases she’s been buying herself to support authors and independent bookstores during this uncertain time for the book industry. She has also received books from online giveaways, and an author who donated books after seeing her book delivery initiative on social media.
McCue-Day has been a staple in the Weymouth Public School District for the past 23 years. Prior to her position as the Literature Cafe teacher, McCue-Day taught English Language Arts and Social Studies.
Throughout the school closure, McCue-Day has been conducting remote learning for her students where she posts fun resources from authors and links to book-related activities. Approximately 200 students visit her Google Classroom meetings.
“I was inspired to create the Literature Cafe due to my love for middle grade books. In my classroom, students have the opportunity to read whatever interests them, which results in an increase in children wanting to read,” said McCue-Day. “Since the school closure began, I’ve kept in contact with my students by discussing their current reads and by providing enrichment activities for them.”
McCue-Day plans on delivering books to students’ homes for the rest of the school year. To see her adventures, click here.
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