Greenfield-Central teachers poured their hearts into transforming J.B. Stephens Elementary into a tropical paradise, bringing families together to enjoy reading and writing with a beach vibe.
Literacy night at J.B. is just one example of how GC teachers weave fun and excitement into literacy. From glowing jellyfish hanging from the ceiling to beach volleyball in the gym, families enjoyed themed games and crafts while slurping on snow cones.
And the timing was perfect: just days after riding the wave of excitement in the “Shellebrate” beach event, GC administrators and principals traded the Hawaiian shirts for suits and ties to celebrate IREAD testing scores at the Indiana Statehouse.
In an era where testing is important for accountability, GC finds success in the personal touch of reaching students and families through hands-on, joyful activities that bring reading to life.
“All of our GC elementary schools look for ways to involve families, just like the outstanding event put on by J.B. Stephens,” said Devon Marine, GC director of elementary education. “The JBS staff did an amazing job putting together activities for families, and the turnout was fantastic. If you walk the halls of any of our elementary schools, you can see the creative ways our teachers engage students in their learning.”
Teachers give reading challenges, extend activities through take-home books, and sometimes even enjoy a special treat– tea and scones, for example, when learning about America’s colonies.
During literacy night last week, tiny faces lit with excitement when they entered and saw the balloons shaped like coral and the huge papier mache octopus hanging by the library.
Students and staff even dressed up to build the excitement, wearing beach clothes and looking like tacky tourists all week.
“It’s a great way to get them excited to read through the summer,” said Susan Hillman, instructional coach.
Literacy nights have been a tradition at J.B. for years. Administrators from the central office read books to children as they sat on beach blankets; families fished for words by digging through pools of bouncy balls; and music and art were even incorporated into the event.
While the beach event was a great success, teachers are weaving creativity with literacy year-round.
At Eden Elementary School, kindergarteners learned about life on a farm through the book “Little Red Hen.” Children actually threshed grain the teacher had brought in to make flour, and then made bread from the flour, said Principal Joey Johnson. They even churned their own butter to put on the bread.
“It’s important to make reading fun for our students so they will become life-long readers,” Johnson said. “There is something about holding a book in your hand and turning paper pages that brings the story to life. Our students spend so much time looking at screens, it is important to put books in their hands so that they experience the excitement of reading a book, owning a book, and perhaps keeping that favorite book to share with their own children some day.”
At Weston Elementary School, teachers make reading exciting with expressive read-alouds; giving students a choice in what they read; and incorporating creative activities like drawing or acting out stories, said Principal Scott Miller.
“At this age, kids are forming their identity as readers,” Miller said. “If reading feels enjoyable instead of like a chore, they’re much more likely to choose to read on their own. That voluntary reading time is what really builds skills– fluency, vocabulary, comprehension– far more than assigned practice alone. Overall, when reading is social, creative and student-centered, children are more motivated and engaged.”
A United Way literacy grant provides a book for families to take home four times a year. All four of GC’s elementary schools are benefiting from this program. Take-home books tie in the nonfiction information they’re learning from the Wit & Wisdom curriculum and encourage families to go deeper at home through reading and additional activities.
Amy Sutton, principal of J.B. Stephens, said letting parents connect to what their kids are learning at school helps students understand even more. They’re all about engaging and connecting the subjects at school with families at home. While fiction is fun, nonfiction can come to life when they’re engaging with hands-on activities.
“If kids are reading about something they have background knowledge in, then their comprehension is going to be so much stronger,” Sutton added.
The grant also made a way for students to have extra experiences this year: a Hancock Health dietician, for example, came in to share with second graders who had just learned about anatomy.
In the fall, kindergarteners last took a trip to Greenfield-Central High School to see farm animals and plants with FFA students.
Third graders visited the GCHS planetarium, where high school cadet teaching students ran stations and practiced their teaching skills.
“So far, the experiences have really connected us to the community,” Hillman said.
Superintendent Dr. Harold Olin wants GC families to know how much fun reading can be, particularly for younger students. The J.B. literacy night was a great success and teachers did a fantastic job of getting children excited about reading, Olin said. Teachers throughout GC do a good job of modeling that reading can be fun.
The community has a lot to celebrate. This week, Greenfield-Central was honored at the Indiana Statehouse. For the first year, three GC elementary schools surpassed the state’s reading goal of 95% of third graders passing the IREAD assessment. Eden, Harris and Weston elementary were honored.
“This has been a lot of hard work from many dedicated students, staff members, parents and community volunteers,” Olin said. “Eclipsing the goal of a 95% passing rate on IREAD3 is a big accomplishment, and the schools in GC are among the leaders in the state when looking at this metric. This is truly a celebration that all pre-kindergarten to third grade teachers should take pride in.”
For the first year, three GC elementary schools surpassed the state’s reading goal of 95% of third graders passing the IREAD assessment. Eden, Harris and Weston elementary were honored.
By Maribeth Vaughn