Ossining Summer Academy Students, Families, Teachers Celebrate Reading

More than 150 families attended a celebration at Park School August 5 to recognize the accomplishments of students who attended the English Language Arts Summer Academy over the summer.

Roughly 270 incoming kindergarten through fifth-grade students participated in the 20-day program throughout July and early August. The Academy targeted children who could benefit from extra instruction in English and language arts.

On August 5, students showcased what they had learned for their guests. Incoming kindergarten students used props to act out books and pre-fifth-grade students presented book reviews to persuade parents and friends to read a new book. All classes involved families in a morning of learning, reading and discussing reading strategies and characters through hands-on activities and rotations to different classroom stations.

August 5 was the second day guests were invited to the Summer Academy. Family and friends attended a “Breakfast and a Book” event one morning in mid-July.

ELA Academy principals Mary Catherine Hillman and Hugo Osorio said the program was a fantastic success and the summer was “filled with hardworking students and collaboration with masterful teachers.”

The Summer Academy focused on reading and discussing what makes a good reader, with teachers using a Reader’s Workshop approach and children reading multiple works by the same author. Students were able to work on specific skills and strategies through small guided-reading groups and independent reading.

The Academy was staffed by 16 teachers and several teaching assistants, as well as student volunteers from Ossining High School.