John M. Clayton E.S. completes second Family Literacy Program

On Monday, February 27, John M. Clayton Elementary School celebrated the completion of its second Family Literacy Program this school year.

Ten families attended class for six weeks to learn the important reading skills taught in the classroom in order to enhance their support at home. Each week, families read two stories that focused on different literary skills including story elements, compare and contrast, cause and effect, sequence, point of view, and more.  After working with teachers in class, families then took the books home for the week to read together as a family and complete the accompanying activities. The following week, families returned their books, shared their experiences and read two new stories that focused on new literacy skills.

This program has been beneficial in building a reading routine at home, making connections between home and school, building relationships with teachers and families, and reinforcing education in all environments.

After each session, families, teachers, and volunteers enjoyed a meal together in the school cafeteria. Dinners were provided by local realtor Camilla Conlon and her husband Kevin Conlon. Debbie Gora, JMC’s cafeteria manager, volunteered each night to serve the prepared food. JMC is appreciative of the community support that makes these programs possible. The books and materials were purchased using an educational grant from the Freeman Foundation. Local resident Linda Williams donated handmade knitted scarves and hats for each child participating in the program and Mountaire Farms donated educational bags to each child.

The final class was spent celebrating each family for its accomplishments and everyone enjoyed an incredible dinner of meals brought by each family. JMC is extremely proud of its students and their families for their commitment to education and looks forward to hosting its annual literacy program again in the fall of next year.