The large turnout at Highland Elementary School's S'more Family Reading Night is a testament to families' increased involvement in children's learning activities and just how effective that's been.
“We've been trying some creative approaches to get students to read more and to bring parents into their reading activities more, and it shows,” Principal Travis Thorvilson told some 225 people packed into the large group room. “Our students are reading much more and showing great improvement in their reading skills, and you parents deserve a lot of credit for that. Your encouragement is immeasurable.”
Bella's Book Club
The evening began with a free supper and moved on to the first activity, Readers' Theater, performed by Bella's Book Club participants. Under the direction of Beth McDougall, the students gave their interpretation of the book “The Great Kapok Tree” by Lynne Cherry, which has an environmental message built in.
“These students did a really good job with their parts, whether they memorized or read them,” said Kerri Brantner, a fifth-grade teacher who volunteers with the book club. “They're developing excellent reading skills.”
The club is a brainchild of Jeff Perreault, a sixth-grade teacher whose therapy dog, Bella, regularly makes the rounds at schools in the district. He came up with the idea earlier in the fall as an enrichment program for fifth and sixth graders.
“It was named on Bella's behalf because, as a therapy dog, she's been read to many times by students,” he said.
After holding organizational meetings for volunteers, the club kicked off in December with various teachers volunteering an hour (or more) of their time after school on Thursdays, from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. A typical club session, Perreault explained, involves the kids rotating through three reading activity stations such as Readers' Theater and reading aloud in the school library. They've also taken field trips and plan to do more outside activities in the future, like reading to senior citizens.
Involvement in the club is completely voluntary, he added. Thirty-one students are currently registered, although the number of participants each week generally runs in the twenties.
Perreault said the availability of in-town transportation after club meetings has been a boon to attendance.
“That seems to really make a difference. Some parents aren't pick their kids up at that time, so if that's the only thing holding them back, it's no longer a problem,” he said. “The kids are really excited about being here and you can just see how much they've improved in their reading.”
