Dows Lane Elementary School’s Literacy Night Reinforces Love Of Reading

IRVINGTON, NY — Dows Lane Elementary School recently held its first Literacy Night for first-graders and their families. Sponsored by the Irvington Education Foundation, the event provided students and parents with an opportunity to engage in a variety of literacy activities.

“Fostering a love of reading was at the heart of this event,” Principal Deb Mariniello said. “Having a shared reading experience with children and their parents was a wonderful opportunity to read for enjoyment and engage with text to make meaning.”

The students listened to a reading from the book “An Extraordinary Egg” by Leo Lionni and created their own puppets, using paper bags, to re-enact the story with their families, according to a district spokesman. They also heard from librarian Kate Lalier, who shared with parents a number of resources for book-related activities they can complete at home.

“It was a great experience as students and their families participated in the literacy activities together, listened to and discussed a story, created their own character puppets and re-enacted the story through Reader’s Theater,” said Peggy Barrett, who helped organize the event. “Parents demonstrated their commitment to their children’s learning by coming out to this literacy event.”

Barrett said families play a critical role in instilling the love of reading in their children. At the end of the evening, each student received a tote bag and a packet containing two books, a bookmark, pencil and stickers.

For more information about Literacy Night, visit Lalier’s resource website.

Photo caption: Dows Lane Elementary School first-graders show off the paper puppets they created during the school’s first Literacy Night. Photo credit: Irvington Union Free School District.