Family Literacy Night brings together Baldwin students, families to explore joys of reading
Event part of district’s commitment to student literacy and preparing youngest learners for success
BALDWIN, Mich. — Baldwin Community Schools hosted about 100 Baldwin Elementary School students and their parents at Family Literacy Night this month in the school gymnasium. The annual event is part of the district’s commitment to literacy as the cornerstone of a high-quality education that prepares students for success in the classroom and beyond.
“We were thrilled to have such a fantastic turnout to help our elementary school students and families explore the joys of reading in a fun and engaging atmosphere,” said Amy StraathofAnderson, a Baldwin Elementary teacher who helped organize the event on Jan. 26. “Our event also helps strengthen our relationships with parents as we partner to help prepare our students for bright futures.”
Family Literacy Night included several family-friendly events that emphasized the importance of reading for Baldwin students and families. The event included a “Book Walk” featuring “Saturday,” an illustrated children’s book by author Oge Mora. During the Book Walk, students were able to view individual pages of the book posted in one of the school’s hallways.
Several community partners helped make the night a memorable one for Baldwin Elementary families. The inspiREading book bus was parked outside the elementary school, offering families books to keep. The West Shore Educational Service District graciously sponsored the bus. LakeOsceola State Bank sponsored a family photo station, providing each family a printed photo to commemorate the special evening and book bags for each student.
The event also included a puppet-making station, prizes and giveaways. The evening was capped off by a sit-down dinner for families.
“I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to all of our community partners who helped make this year’s Family Literacy Night so special and for supporting our commitment to helping ensure every student both learns to read — and learns to love to read in the process,” Superintendent David Forrester said. “This is just one of many events emphasizing the importance of reading that will be hosted in Baldwin schools throughout the year, and I encourage all our families to participate.”