The Flood Team at Triad, a group of reading intervention specialists, has been working with Elementary School Librarian Leslie Gregg since December to plan a Literacy Luau for local students and families. Pictured from left to right are Flood Team members Mrs. Jill Brown, Mrs. Annette Watson, Mrs. MaryBeth Roose, Mrs. Terri Windle, Mrs. Katie Organ, Mrs. Shari Dixon and Ms. Sammi Miesse.
(Photo submitted)
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Even if it is a chilly evening in central Ohio, Triad community members will soon be gearing up for a luau.
Clad in flower leis and tropical shirts, a team of intervention specialists at the most recent Board of Education meeting were happy to invite elementary students and families to an upcoming Hawaiian-themed evening.
Triad’s Literacy Luau on March 9 will focus on getting families into the school buildings and bringing awareness to what family members can do at home to help their children’s reading skills.
Mrs. Katie Organ, a reading intervention specialist at Triad, said the idea originated with Elementary School Librarian Leslie Gregg.
Gregg approached members of the Flood Team, the group of reading intervention specialists which Organ chairs, to ask if they would like to help make her spring book fair more of a family event.
Organ said the Flood Team began working with Gregg in December to create a literacy night that would be engaging to students and family members alike.
She said the luau theme was developed during an open meeting with educators at the elementary school.
“At this time of year, who isn’t ready for warmer weather?” Organ said.
Elementary School Principal Lee Claypool explained that all Title I schools, which receive funding through a federal aid program to provide supplemental instruction to qualified students, are required to host one literacy night per year. Meeting the requirement can be as simple as hosting a booth during parent-teacher conferences, she said.
Organ said it has been nearly 10 years since the district hosted a full-fledged literacy night.
As schools recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, she said the Flood Team felt now was the perfect time.
Organ said it is “really encouraging” to see the community come together to support an in-person, school-based event.
She noted that the Flood Team wanted to “incentivize” families to attend the Literacy Luau.
The Triad Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is sponsoring a free dinner for all who attend. A hot dog, chips, cookie and drink will be prepared and served by members of FFA at Triad.
Organ explained that those in attendance will also have the opportunity to win a variety of prizes, ranging from horseback riding sessions to a voucher for a family bowling night.
Chris Flowers, the Champaign County school/business liaison, helped garner donations from local businesses.
Organ said everyone who attends the Literacy Luau will receive a free ticket that will be entered into raffles for the door prizes.
The book fair will be open throughout the evening, while teachers from the elementary school host interactive activity stations that students can participate in with their family members.
Organ called the elementary teachers the “brains behind the planning” for activities including beach ball comprehension, a volcano craft and book walk imitating a cake walk.
At several of the activity stations, students will make crafts and games that can be taken home for parents to continue using as a tool for developing their child’s reading skills.
The hope is that the Literacy Luau encourages parents and guardians to get involved with their student’s education at home.
“There’s just not enough time in the school day,” Organ said.
She emphasized that early literacy sets young students up for success in all of their school subjects.
Organ added that, even though it can be intimidating, there are plenty of ways for parents to expand upon what their students are learning during the school day.
“You don’t have to be a teacher to help your student at home,” she said.
Organ said the best way parents can promote literacy is simply by reading at home.
Whether that is reading books together or setting up reading time individually, Organ said exposing children to reading and building a background of knowledge will help them succeed at school.
She added that simply seeing a parent or adult read for pleasure can “fuel that excitement for reading” and show children that reading doesn’t have to be work.
“We can model at home that we can enjoy reading,” Organ said.
Ultimately, Organ said she is looking forward to the Literacy Luau not only as a learning opportunity for students, but a chance for teachers to continue building relationships with parents.
“As teachers, we care about our students but we care about families too,” she said.