DECORATIVE hats shaded the heads of more than 550 staff and students on Crazy Hat Day at Our Lady of the Angels’ Catholic School, Wavell Heights.
The day was held to celebrate reading for National Simultaneous Storytime and to raise money for Australia’s Indigenous Literacy Project on September 14.
It started with principal Brian Hickey, also in his mad attire, reading Mem Fox’s short story The Magic Hat to the whole school assembly.
Students then read books to each other in the playground and the day concluded with a Readers’ Cup, where teachers were quizzed about books they had taught to students in class.
Library teacher Louise O’Keeffe said despite the fun mood and crazy hats, it was an important occasion to mark.
“It made us and the children aware that there are communities in Australia who don’t have books like we do, so it’s important to help out wherever we can,” she said.
Year 7 student Madeline Moroney had put a lot of thought into her princess-like hat.
“It was made out of yellow cardboard and shaped into a cone with pretty streamers coming out the top and stars glued all over,” she said.
The school raised about $500 for the Indigenous Literacy Project to help improve reading and writing skills in Australia’s remote indigenous communities.