CHSD170's Washington-McKinley School Family Reading Night Enthralls Students and Their Families

Chicago Heights School District 170’s Washington-McKinley School recently hosted its annual Family Reading Night in the school’s gymnasium.

The event showcased a theme of Summer Reading Fun with the goal of promoting and showcasing summer reading opportunities in the community and at home.

“Family Reading Night is an important event for our school on many levels,” said Washington-McKinley Principal Gretchen Sutherland. “Our team of teachers work so amazingly well together and makes every effort to create a fun and engaging event that promotes the importance of reading while also nurturing parent and community involvement as part of the learning experience."

All students in grades K-3 and their parents and families were invited to participate in a night full of reading activities and fun.

Each activity focused on enhancing the students reading experience by providing ideas and games that parents and students might use during the summer.

Activities showcased at the event included Sand Digging for Sight Words, Campfire Card Games, Rhyming BINGO, Fishing for Sight Words, and Sidewalk Chalk.

A highlight of the evening saw the first-grade teachers demonstrate a technology app entitled “ChatterKid,” a fun, interactive “app” that permits the user to add a mouth and voice to any picture. The teachers demonstrated how to enhance student writing by using the program to bring animals to life to tell student stories in the students’ own voice.

A representative from the Chicago Heights Public Library also was on hand to provide information regarding free summer reading programs available for all Chicago Heights students.

"Family Reading Night is one of my favorite nights of the year!” said Reading Teacher Kathy Young.

“It is very uplifting to see students, parents, and teachers come together to share and encourage the love of reading."

Reading Teacher Carmen Del Toro agreed with Young saying, "I always enjoy seeing the excitement and joy on the faces of our student and parents when they enter the gym, beautifully decorated to reflect our reading theme."

The first photo accompanying this article shows Washington-McKinley School staff members Carmen Del Toro, Lori Barberi, Ashley De Young, Angelica Corral, Misty McCullough, Lyn Reardon, Cristina Soto, Patty Stocks, Kathy Haywood, Kathy Young, Meredith Parker, Breanna McGee, Juana Aldape, Maricay Mauro, and Katie Kvasnicka.