A campfire flickered under a starry night sky, and folding chairs scattered around encouraged parents and their children to sit down, grab a forest-themed book and use a flashlight to read every word.
Nearby, three nonfiction books about different forest animals gave kids options as they made paper bag puppets.
Over from there, they could grab a fishing pole and look for words that rhyme in one of three small ponds.
In another area, they could cut pieces of paper with words on them to make a story retelling cube.
To round it all out, students and their parents filled out a survey to provide feedback and signed a reading pledge before grabbing a S’mores snack and a free book.
On Tuesday night in the Seymour-Jackson Elementary School cafeteria, the Camp Read-A-Lot Title I Family Night was a free, fun activity for families.
“I like that they get to come to school and do something fun outside of the regular learning day,” Kristi Burbrink, the school’s instructional coach, said during the third Title I Family Night of the school year. “It gets them back in here with their families. Especially the last two years (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), they haven’t been invited into the school, so getting them back in and seeing their faces is good.”
Margaret R. Brown and Seymour-Redding elementary schools hosted Camp Read-A-Lot events before spring break. Those schools’ instructional coaches, Tiffany Bruce and Ashley
Murphy, respectively, collaborated with Burbrink to develop what the stations would look like.
“We got ideas from other instructional coaches and people who had already planned these events,” Burbrink said.
All three schools had virtual Title I Math Night in the fall, and Jackson had an in-person Storybook and STEM Night in the winter. Burbrink said nearly 80 students attended the latter event.
Camp Read-A-Lot was advertised on the school’s website and Facebook page and also included in the morning announcements. It was open to all students.
“It’s to get parents involved in their child’s education,” Burbrink said of the purpose of the event. “We hand out a parent information piece tonight about tips for reading at home. Then each student will receive a free book, so getting more books in the kids’ hands.”
That puts learning at the forefront at home and shows how important education is, she said.
“We are here to help our families, so if they are struggling how to support their kids at home, they can reach out to us,” Burbrink said.
Joseph Burnette and his children, Gavin, a fourth-grader, and Sidney, a third-grader, attended Title I Family Night for the first time Tuesday.
“Puppets, and um, well, of course the treats,” Gavin said of what drew him to the event. “You’ve got to have treats.”
For the puppets, Gavin made a frog, Sidney made a rainbow raccoon and Dad made a fire-breathing dragon.
“I like reptiles, but a snake would be too hard,” Gavin said.
“I think a snake would be too easy,” Joseph said.
Dad was drawn to the event because of his “very persistent children,” he said.
“I didn’t know about this until (Monday), but they didn’t give me an option,” he said.
Gavin said he likes going to school and didn’t mind returning there for the event because he needed a break from the standardized testing.
“It’s time for a break and fun,” Gavin said.
“I tested four groups today,” said Joseph, a special education teacher at the Seymour Middle School Sixth Grade Center. “I am ready to play with crayons.”
Joseph had a good time with his kids.
“It gives me a chance for my son to show me his school and his teachers and his friends,” he said. “It’s an interesting time to be able to interact. You get to interact, but it’s more of a mingle.”