Reinhard kids channel literature in Halloween celebration

A child dressed as a wizard clutched a copy of a book from the Magic School Bus series on Oct. 31 at Reinhard Early Childhood Center in Bellmore. Another student dressed as the fictional figure Waldo held onto a copy of the classic search-and-find book “Where’s Waldo?” and another dressed as Wonder Woman brandished a copy of a children’s book about the superhero.

The education center celebrated Halloween with their 20th Book Character Parade, in which students dressed as characters from their favorite books and marched throughout the school’s auditorium in front of their parents and siblings.

“We relate the holiday parade to literacy to emphasize its educational value,” said Joseph Famularo, superintendent of the Bellmore School District.

After marching through the auditorium, students sang Halloween songs under the direction of Randi Andersen, Reinhard’s music teacher. Children sang about witches, ghosts and ghouls as they danced and pantomimed the words of the songs.

Reinhard Early Childhood Center teaches children in pre-kindergarten through second grade. This year, the school began its full-day pre-kindergarten program, in which 36 of its 80 pre-K students are enrolled.