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Our Residents

Last day of school in August for T/R/S! pupils

Last day of school in August for T/R/S! pupils

School ended in song and celebration this month for nearly 60 Springfield Housing Authority children who participated in a nature-based summer program aimed at boosting literacy.

Hailed as another successful session, Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative ended its five-week run at Boland and Dorman Elementary Schools. Due to construction at Dorman, those children and teachers held classes at the former Our Lady of Sacred Heart School, now Balliet Elementary School.

Most families whose children attended the summer program are participants of  Talk/Read/Succeed!, which unites the two schools with feeder housing developments Sullivan Apartments and Robinson Gardens Apartments. Starting its fourth year, T/R/S! is a comprehensive family-based approach to literacy among young children, working together with two dozen local agencies and groups that deliver educational, health and other services.

At the recent celebration, children, parents and teachers agreed that the summer of 2013 was a good one for reading, writing and fun.

“I love it here,” said seven-year-old Cianna Seery, who will be a second grader at Dorman School. “We got to do arts and crafts. We got to write and read books. We got to play. And we went to the zoo.”

Cole Seery, 8, mom Melissa Seery, and Cianna Seery, 7, celebrate the last day of Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative at Dorman Elementary School.

Cole Seery, 8, mom Melissa Seery, and Cianna Seery, 7, celebrate the last day of Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative at Dorman Elementary School.

Cianna attended with her big brother Cole Seery, who will be a third grade at Dorman.

Their mother, Melissa Seery, said she knows the summer program works because she saw how well her children did in school last fall after their first Hasbro summer session.

“The kids love it. They love the field trips, and they’re always happy to be going in the morning,” said Seery, who lives at Robinson Gardens. “I like that they’re able to stay at the same reading level. Last year, they went back to school in the fall at higher levels than they were at in June.”

Each program had an enrollment of 30 children, who were tested for literacy skill levels before and at the end of the sessions. In previous years, participants either retain or gain reading skills during the two-month vacation, when many children lose the skills. The Hasbro program also serves to make strong connections between parents and their children’s schools.

Boland Elementary School teacher Miranda Wells helps out during the last-day performance for families and friends.

Boland Elementary School teacher Miranda Wells helps out during the last-day performance for families and friends.

In fact, program coordinators at each site say the connections made with parents and their schools are one of the highlights of the Hasbro summer sessions. Those benefits last into the school year and beyond, strengthening with time.

“The biggest gain in the program is parent involvement,” said Domenica Nooney, coordinator of the program at Boland. This was her second year running the Hasbro program at the school in the Liberty Heights neighborhood.

“We can communicate with parents on a different level. This gets them into the building, and helps them to feel comfortable being here. It’s huge for the school. The relationships continue. We see them helping their children with homework, they come to parent-teacher conferences,” Nooney noted.

Boland parent Jennifer McNally was another happy customer after her six-year-old son, Jonathan Alvarez, jumped up two reading levels during the five weeks of Hasbro.

“I really liked it. I could just tell they were doing good things, and he loved it,” McNally said.

Jennifer McNally with her son Jonathan Alvarez at Boland Elementary School.

Jennifer McNally with her son Jonathan Alvarez at Boland Elementary School.

Among the T/R/S! partners are the Springfield School Department and its teachers union, the Springfield Education Association. Both have been key in zeroing in on improving literacy. While T/R/S! works with entire families, its main goal is to achieve reading literacy by the end of grade three.

The Hasbro summer program infuses literacy learning into curricula based on nature. Children have learned outdoors, and have taken field trips to places like Look Park, the Springfield Science Museum, Quabbin Reservoir and Lupa Zoo.

Dorman program coordinator Elise Mitchell said children are engaged, having fun, and working on all skills related to literacy – reading, comprehension, analyzing, communicating and writing.

“It’s been going very well,” she said. “Everyone’s enjoying it.”

The Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative is a program of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, a partner in T/R/S!

 

Childrren made binoculars, insect rubbings and more during their five weeks in the Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative.

Childrren made binoculars, insect rubbings and more during their five weeks in the Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative.

3892 days ago / Our Residents
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