With this project we were trying to build community, celebrate reading, have fun, and engage socially around literacies.  

I organized this event with the principal Margaret Jorgensen.  Guest readers were contacted to come to Seymour school to share a story (or two) with each class.  Each class was able to have two guest readers visit them.  Each class was assisted with setting up an individualized schedule that would allow them access to guest storytellers, etc. as well as allow time for enjoying quiet reading with friends.  Our guest readers included two storytellers, a Fire Lieutenant, a Children's Librarian from Strathcona Public Library, and a Receiver from the BC Lions.  To build enthusiasm for the event, contests were held outside the office for all students and staff to enter.  Contests included wordsearches, crosswords, fill-in-the-blanks, and a matching game.  The matching game was to match the staff member to his or her favorite book.  Each day 12 prizes were given to those who entered the contests.  On Camp Read Day we encouraged students to come in their comfy clothes, bring stuffed animals, blankets, pillows, and sleeping bags. 

The day started with a "kick-off" assembly in the gym for all staff, students and parents.  The Junior Kindergarten class were the first performers in the assembly.  They did a dance to celebrate music literacy.  Their dance was followed by a slide show of Seymour students reading around the school.  Margaret and I shared our new favourite books.  The assembly was concluded with a story teller sharing a Brothers' Grimm story "The Queen Bee".  From there classes moved to their first activity.  Popcorn was brought in for a recess snack for the entire school and parents had coffee and cookies available to them.  After that, the classes went to their second activity.  Prizes were drawn throughout the day as well.  The day was marked by a seemingly natural flow of children, parents, guests, teachers, staff from one activity to the next, interpspersed with quiet time for enjoying a book.  Of course, getting such a natural flow required a lot of preplanning and organizing - and it certainly paid of.

The benefits of this event were many.  First, and surprisingly, a large number of parents were able to attend and rearrange their schedules.  Not only were they here, but they very obviously enjoyed the activities and the engagement with their children and the school.  Second, we all came together and successfully connected around literacies.  Third, it brought a sense of joy to the buildings.  Fourth, the activities also connected staff and students on a more personal level who had little previous contact.  Fifth, there is greater conversation throughout the classrooms about books, authors and stories in unstructured times.  Finally, it brought the staff together when we are seperated into two buildings.

Pictures of the various events during Camp Read can be seen in the gallery under Camp Read Images.