Summer camp boosts reading skills for
students in grades 1-3
“Hey readers, how
are you?” On a sunny
summer morning, that
is what Kim Brooks said
to her students as she
welcomed them to class
with a smile.
The first graders
spent the day reading
poems and “Clifford
the Big Red Dog”
books, playing reading
comprehension games
on Chromebooks and
participating in story time
activities with the Gaston
County Public Library.
Brooks, a first grade
teacher from Springfield
Elementary, spent four
weeks in July working
with students during
“Camp Achieve,” Gaston
County Schools’ summer
reading program.
The program served
approximately 1,100
students in first through
third grades at eight
school sites across
Gaston County.
“The goal of the program is to help them maintain their learning
through the summer and improve their reading level,” Brooks said.
In its first year last summer, the program focused only on third
graders, but has expanded this year to include students in first and
second grades. Each day began with breakfast and library time and
then moved to classroom activities. Every class had a dozen or fewer
students, and every teacher had an assistant.
“It allowed us to work one-on-one with children,” Brooks said.
“They were really getting individual, focused instruction in reading.”
Giana McGuire, Brooks’ teaching assistant, said she could see the
students’ excitement each day.
“The group of teachers were promoting an environment where
learning is fun for the children so they want to come to school,”
McGuire said.
Brooks said one of the students’ favorite camp activities was using
the Chromebooks to access the educational website Raz-Kids.com.
This site allows students to read stories, record their own voices as
they read, and earn points for answering questions about the stories.
The site also recorded their answers, which made it possible for Brooks
to identify where the students needed additional help.
In the afternoons, the reading camp also included STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) activities and lessons. The
focus for first graders was force and motion. The students learned
through computer activities as well as a science journal, which
reinforced their reading and writing skills.
“I wanted them to learn and have fun at the same time,” said
Brooks, who was pleased to see her students enjoy the summer camp
experience while improving their reading skills.
Inclement Weather Policy
During extremely bad weather, it sometimes becomes
necessary for a decision to be made concerning the closing of
schools. When a decision is made in the early morning that
schools will be closed for the day, it must be relayed quickly to
all students and parents.
In order to accomplish this task efficiently and with maximum
coverage, school officials are asking students and parents to
cooperate by following the suggestions listed below:
1. Listen to one of the area television stations:
GCS21 - Education Station (Cable 21)
WBTV - Channel 3 (Cable 2)
WSOC - Channel 9 (Cable 4)
WCNC - Channel 36 (Cable 6)
WCCB - Channel 18 (Cable 11)
WJZY - Channel 46 (Cable 8)
News 14 Carolina - (Cable 14)
2. A decision to close schools or to consider a delayed
schedule will be announced by 6:00 a.m.
3. Do not telephone the weather bureau, radio or television
stations, newspaper offices, school officials or school offices.
Announcements will reach you through radio, social media and
television.
4. The absence of any announcement means that the schools
will be open as usual. When a decision to open or close schools
is made, s