In the morning on Friday, March 7, Pine Grove School will open all its classroom doors to special guest readers to celebrate Read Across America day. On this day, which is a celebration of Dr. Seuss's life and publications, every classroom from preschool to sixth grade will welcome a local community member into their classroom to read a book.

From Rowley Country Club tavern manager Mitch Mitchell to retired Pine Grove nurse Rita Osborne to retired teacher Dorothy Pecce to the director of the Council on Aging, Mary-Ellen Mighill, the lineup of volunteers to bring a love of reading into the classrooms is pretty impressive.

The Rowley Public Education Fund is sponsoring this annual event.

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The big, wet day is here! The PTO-sponsored day at Coco Key Water Park at the Sheraton Ferncroft in Danvers is Sunday, March 2. Pine Grove families will enjoy the park from 1 to 7 p.m. that day using their previously purchased tickets. No tickets will be available at the door. Get your bathing suit on and get ready to slip and slide.

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The monthly PTO meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 4, at 7 p.m. in the school's library.

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A new session of the popular Afterschool Exploration class called Gym Games begins on March 4 for first- and second-graders. For the fifth- and sixth-graders, the class begins on Wednesday, March 5, and third- and fourth-graders begin on Thursday afternoon. The classes, which run for five weeks, are held from 3 to 4 p.m.

The school's physical education teacher, Kyle Campbell, directs the classes, organizing games like Capture The Flag, Jail Break and Human Bowling.

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Hockmeyer Studios will be at the school on Thursday, March 6, to take class photos.

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Parents of incoming kindergarteners are invited to a Kindergarten Information Night on Thursday, March 6. The classrooms will be open at 6:45 p.m., and at 7 there will be a presentation in the library. Parents will have the opportunity to meet the teachers and hear about a typical day in kindergarten at the Pine Grove School, as well as learn about the screening and registration process. Half-day and tuition-based full-day classes are available.

Children must be 5 years old before Aug. 31, 2008, in order to be eligible for kindergarten.

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Friday, March 7, is an early release day to allow for professional development. Students will be dismissed at 11:40 a.m. Those who usually attend morning kindergarten will have no school that day, and those who are usually in the afternoon class will attend in the morning.

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The Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby, for which the Scouts race small wooden cars, will take place at the Pine Grove School during the weekend of March 7. The races begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning and go throughout the day, until 5 p.m.

Each Scout has made the car he will race from a kit he was given that includes a block of pine wood with notches for wheels, four plastic wheels and four nails. The finished car has to use all nine pieces and meet certain specifications.

The races are run in heats, giving every car the chance to run on each lane. The track usually has two to six lanes and slopes down, as the cars are powered by gravity. Winners receive ribbons, medals or trophies.

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Michelle Pelletier Marshall is a correspondent who covers Rowley and Merrimac. She can be reached at marshallsinmass@comcast.net

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