School 9E celebrates 50th birthday with the Beatles

Boardman Elementary School 9E celebrated its 50th birthday on March 14 with a tribute to a group that also celebrated a golden anniversary this year — the Beatles.

Staff, friends and families joined together at a morning meeting to rock and roll with Beatles music. The first graders, conducted by music teacher Erin Degnan, strummed air guitars and sang along as music teachers Frank Maniscalco and Robert Ciuffo, along with first grade teacher Susan Velella and administrative assistant Gail Alazraki, stood in for the Fab Four.

The crowd was on its feet singing, clapping and dancing to timeless tunes such as “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” “Hey Jude,” “Here Comes the Sun” and “Let It Be.”

Following the birthday bash, guests met in the library for a student presentation on Black History Month that had been rescheduled from a snow day last month. Students talked about the life of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes and read some of his poetry. Sixth graders then escorted visitors to classrooms where the guests read to students. Janet Meltzer, the district transportation coordinator, read “Dear Beatles,” a compilation of fan letters, to an appreciative fourth grade audience.