Waco Independent School District’s lead librarian voiced her characters as she read from “Miss Nelson is Missing” on a rainy Wednesday.
Kelly Cunningham had an audience of three elementary school children at the community center of Kate Ross public housing complex, including one squirming on the floor, but she gave them her best.
She recognized the children from previous weekly storytime hours, which often draw 10 to 12 children, as Waco ISD attempts to halt the dreaded “summer slide” that sets young readers back over the summer.
Cunningham said Camp Stories, the district’s new traveling storytime program staffed by school librarians, seems to be engaging kids and making them comfortable with school staff. And it helps that kids get to take home a free book when story hour is done.
“It’s definitely good,” Cunningham said. “It was good seeing the same kids every week, and then they felt kind of comfortable with you.”
Camp Stories rotated locations throughout the week to be closer to where students live from June 1 until July 17. The locations included Barron’s Branch Apartments, Kendrick Park, Kate Ross Apartments and Estella Maxey Apartments.
Camp Stories is among several summer programs that seem to be successful in preventing academic skills from becoming rusty over the summer. Kourtni Parnell, who leads the district’s state and federal programs, said internal testing has shown their value.
“That helps us help students be prepared for on-grade-level rigor,” Parnell said.
Here are some of the initiatives the district has implemented:
- Camp Readalot, a self-paced reading program that encourages students to read or listen to a book for 20 minutes a day. Students in grades first through fifth log their reading times and can receive prizes.
- Camp Mathventure, a math log that allows students to practice math skills through activities using dice and playing cards. Students who complete the log receive a prize.
- A bilingual camp for dual-language students who need extra support in grades prekindergarten through first grade.
- Math for Early Learners Academy, a math camp for dual-language students ages 4-6 through Baylor University.
The district has also encouraged interest in literacy by giving free books to students before summer break.
“We just want our families to read with our students,” Parnell said. “If there’s anything we could ask for our families to do, (it’s) to read with your kids authentic books.”
Campus librarians worked to compile bags filled with five books based on the student’s interests. At the end of the school year, librarians let students pick from two book bag options.
In addition, students were able to pick two books from their bookshop – a new model at most campuses funded from the librarians’ own pockets.
“We know these are highly engaging,” Cunningham said. “These are the ones the kids are always wanting to check out that aren’t on the shelf, and now you can just have it.”
Cunningham hopes to add South Terrace Apartments, another Waco Housing Authority complex, as a location for Camp Stories in the future due to the amount of kids she has seen walking around South Waco.
She said when she goes to community events, the students recognize her.
“It’s wonderful because they immediately remember you, and they immediately are like, Oh, I saw you at such and such.”
