The students at École Notre-Dame love to read.
The Huntingdon-based elementary school capped off a week-long celebration of reading with a special event on March 19 that brought out around 100 children and their families.
The evening included popcorn and snacks, a book swap, reading corner, and several creative activities for children. Community partners and organizations, such as the Little Green Library and the Centre Intégré de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO), were also on hand with tips and resources for families designed to help encourage more reading at home, help with homework, and reduce screen time. Students were also able to choose a new book from a selection that included titles for all ages in French, English, and Spanish.
“Many of the students were able to come to school in a non-threatening, family-friendly environment, where they could learn,” said Principal Claudel Brault, who noted the students had already been participating in interactive reading activities throughout the week. Teachers and special guests read to students in their classrooms, and on one day children were encouraged to bring their stuffed animals and flashlights to read in special huts built at the school. On Friday, students dressed as characters from their favourite books.
As part of a fundraiser to help stock classroom libraries, the students participated in a read-o-thon, which raised just over $2,500. A book mountain was constructed out of the books read during the week to help students visualize their achievement.
The literary event was organized in partnership with the school’s parent participation organization (PPO). Brault explained that parent involvement is especially important to the school, noting that while the PPO runs important fundraising campaigns, parent volunteers also play an essential role in community integration and fostering a sense of belonging among parents.
“For the first edition, we had no idea what to expect, and we are really pleasantly surprised by the result,” said PPO president Nadya Kovacs. “It was inspiring to see so many teachers involved, with a variety of booths promoting reading and literature both at school and at home. The children were able to take books home with them, which added to the magic of the evening,” she added.
“For us, it was a real success, and we hope to make it an annual event.”