An esteemed Ignacio educator once stated, "I have come to see firsthand that family involvement in literacy skill development is perhaps THE most important factor in helping our children develop a strong reading foundation. Reading is the basis for success in all academic areas."
That is so true, and Ignacio Elementary families must believe it, because they participated in Families In School literacy events this school year in greater numbers than ever. In 2010, only 40 families joined us at school. In 2017, 170 family members attended Family Nights, another 55 came to Reading Wednesdays and 83 families requested the Brainy Bobcat Summer Activity Packet.
So, congratulations and thank you.
A final note...beware of "summer slide", where kids can lose one to two grade levels over the summer. What to do? Ignacio Community Library has a summer reading program, as does the Bayfield library. And there are lots of fun math and science websites for kids. Kidspot.org is a good one for science activities. One of my favorites is the "exploding bag" experiment.
Better your kitchen than mine! Have a great summer!
Jackie Candelaria
Families In School Coordinator, Pine River Community Learning Center
