Sometimes it is all fun and games

The students spoke, and they wanted to play board games.

District 13 held its annual student-chosen theme day on June 13, Board Games Day. Children got to vote for a theme day when their parents came for the school budget vote and Board of Education election on May 18. The other two choices on the ballot were Crazy Hair Day, which came in a solid second place, and Historical Figure Dress-up Day, a distant third.

Crazy Hair Day won by a narrow margin at the Willow Road and James A. Dever Schools. Board Games Day got slightly more votes at the Howell Road School, but it was Wheeler Avenue School that pushed it over the top, where students voted by nearly a 2-to-1 ratio for Board Games Day over Crazy Hair Day.

At Willow Road School, children were playing Monopoly, Scrabble, Sorry and a host of other games on June 13. The PTA there donated two board games for each classroom. Principal Stephanie Capozzoli noted that the games were appropriate for each grade level. The younger students got games such as Candyland and Chute and Ladders, while word games like Boggle and thinking games like Mastermind were given to the older students.

Many children also brought in their own games from home. One of those was second-grader Mac Simeone, who brought in Trouble. “I’ve played hundreds of times,” he said.

Patricia Anigba said she voted for Board Game Day because she doesn’t have any games at home but wanted a chance to play. “I like all of the board games,” the second-grader said when asked which one was her favorite.

Sixth-grade teacher Nancy Sferrazza said that Board Games Day was more than just an opportunity to have fun. It was also a learning experience. Watching a group of students play Monopoly, she noted the math skills that the children had to use to count money, make change and calculate percent.

Capozzoli also noted that playing board games allows children to improve their social skills. They have to learn team work, and how to win and lose gracefully. “I think kids need that,” she said, “because that’s part of growing up.”