Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public Schools Sept/Oct 2016 | Page 14

Summer reading camps create happy endings

Rocky River Elementary third-graders
The program not only addresses students
Students are also allowed to take their
Garrett Stack and Angelle Alsobrooks both
who need help getting on grade level, it
books home. “We want to reinforce reading
say they see the value of attending the Union also helps students maintain their reading
outside of the classroom, as well,” Chandler said.
County Public Schools summer reading camp, skills. There is no cost to the students, and
Even if a student doesn’t attend a
and it doesn’t hurt that it’s fun, too.
breakfast and lunch are provided.
summer reading camp, Chandler said there
“Kids can actually learn to read
are things parents can do at home to
better, and if they have to retake
help keep their student’s reading skills
EOGs, they can actually pass,”
in good shape.
Garrett said. “We do different things
It’s important for students to carve
every day. Some of the books
out some time in their schedules
have tasks with them. Like the one
to continue reading throughout the
today; we have to predict what the
summer. “They don’t have to do this
character is going to do next.”
necessarily every day, unless they
“We get to read a lot,” Angelle
just want to,” she said. “They should
added. “We read Lizzy’s Dream.
continue to maintain some type of
That’s my favorite. And we did a new
literary schedule during the summer
book yesterday. I read at home, too.
like going to the library and checking
I read about 45 minutes every day.”
out books.”
The summer reading camp at
Parents can also play an important
Rocky River, which began July 11
role in summer reading by listening
and ended July 28, is only one of
to their child read and then ask opensix currently under way. Students
ended questions.
on the traditional calendar are
Chandler said it’s important that
Angelle Alsobrooks and Makayla Hood, both third-graders at
also being taught at Porter Ridge,
students have high critical thinking
Rocky River Elementary, read quietly during summer reading
Marvin, Marshville, New Salem and
questions rather than basic knowledge
camp.
Kensington elementary schools.
questions.
Students attend the camps from
“This will make them think deeper
elementary schools in those schools’ clusters.
“Even though it’s for a short amount of
about their reading, rather than just surface
Dr. Cindy Croffut, Director of Elementary
time, it gets these kids engaged in reading
stuff,” she said. “These would be questions
Education, said this is the third year for the
and doing something that will hopefully avoid like, ‘How could this book have ended
summer reading program, which enrolled a
that summer decline in reading,” said camp
differently?’ ‘If a certain character was not in
total of 742 students. Previously, the summer teacher Ashley Downs, who also teaches
the book, would it be the same or would it be
reading camps were only available to third
third-grade at Sun Valley Elementary.
different?’ ”
graders. This year, however, the camps were
“Because it’s a small group, every student
She also suggests the student keep a
open to first and second graders also.
is getting personal attention from a teacher
journal to write about what they read and
Debbie Chandler, the summer school site
every single day.”
reflect on the book.
administrator at Rocky River Elementary, said
To keep things interesting, teachers offer
Even though the summer reading camps
there are 78 students in her site’s summer
a variety of reading activities throughout the
for students on the traditional calendar are
reading camp, which includes students from
day. “We’ve been working on readers’ theater in high gear, summer camps for students on
not only Rocky River, but also Indian Trail,
plays,” Downs said. “That’s where students
the year-round calendar ended June 30. It
Sun Valley and Wesley Chapel elementary
read different parts and will learn how to
was held at East Elementary and included
schools, as well.
act them out. We’re splitting them into two
students from other year-round schools;
“The camp is not for all grades,” Chandler
different groups and they’re going to perform Walter Bickett, Benton Heights and Shiloh
said. “It’s only for those early education
them for each other at the end. They’re
elementary schools.
grades up to third grade. Kindergarten is not
excited about that. They really get into it.”
—This article was provided by the Union
part of it either.”
County Public Schools Communications Office.

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