Students and families of Linden School No. 4 screamed for summer learning on May 31st, 2017. It was a sunny, spring evening that brought out a total of approximately 120 community members, including students, parents, and local dignitaries.
In an effort to involve families in the learning community, School 4 teachers applied for a grant through their local union. The event was coordinated by the Instructional Coaches, Suzanne Olivero and Margaret Zucosky. School #4 was the recipient of a FAST (Families and Schools Together) grant, which provided the funding to cover the entire cost of this event.
Research has shown that children fall behind an average of 2 months in reading during the summer. This is referred to as “summer slide.” Summer slide is the tendency for students, to lose some of the achievement gains they made during the previous school year. Summer slide is cumulative, with these learning losses building up each summer. Teachers in the Linden Education Association, in collaboration with the Instructional Coaches, planned educational, fun enrichment activities that parents could use to assist their students throughout the summer. Families visited a Math Obstacle Course, went on a Book Walk, and played various Math games. In addition, they received Summer Writing and Math journals as well as books for Summer Reading. Members of the Linden Fire Department, Linden Police Department, and Office of Emergency Management attended and provided safety resources for all families. The Linden Public Library also shared free resources available to all Linden families. At the conclusion of the event, families gathered in the cafeteria to enjoy ice cream, while the grand prize raffle winners were announced. Two bikes, donated by the Linden Housing Authority, were given away, along with educational board games.
We would be remiss not to mention the dedicated teachers and staff members of the School No. 4 faculty as well as the support from building principal Anthony Cataline, who helped make this event possible.
Families and students beamed as they exited the event, with new books and resources in hand and an ignited passion for learning!
Photo by Linden Police Department.
Photo by Linden Police Department,
