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Callaway Elementary School Gets a Visit From State School Superintendent Richard Woods
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ecently, State School Superintendent Richard Woods made a special trip to Troup County to visit Callaway Elementary School fourth grade classrooms. He handed out mini booklets of the Constitution to each student along the way. There to help him was: • Senator Matt Brass, District 28 • Georgia State Representative Randy Nix, District 69 • Helen Rice, State Board of Education Third Congressional District • Dr. Brian Shumate, TCSS Superintendent • Dr. Penny Johnson, TCSS Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum • Chip Medders, TCSS Assistant Superintendent of Operations Before passing out the booklets, Woods talked with each class and said, “In this Constitution booklet is also the Declaration of Independence, “The Star Spangled Banner”, and a copy of the “I Have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Each one of you will be able to take this book with you as you go throughout school and each word pertains to you.” The students were excited to receive their signed copy before asking him questions about his cat, Mittens, and about what he actually does as the State School Superintendent. “Well, I go around to schools all across the state of Georgia and talk to different kids. I also make decisions about things that may affect you, like school lunches and school buses… How many of you ride the school bus,” Woods asked before half the classroom raised their hands. He related his job to the students and they enjoyed finding out about how he makes decisions for students. He ended each session with the students proudly holding their booklet high as he stood in the middle or back of the classroom smiling.
Instead of Taking the Summer Off, Take the Summer On!
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he summer slide is a term used to identify the learning loss students experience in June, July, and August due to summer break. The slide this year will be even greater due to the Pandemic. It is imperative that schools, summer camps and any organization working with children during the summer provide learning opportunities to keep students engaged and moving forward academically. The Troup County School System is doing just that by offering a very in-depth summer program this year to address not only learning loss but to fill the gaps socially and emotionally that have developed due the school closures and virtual learning during the Covid-19 crisis. Get Troup Reading is offering free resources and literacy instruction opportunities to youth programs outside of the school setting this summer. Troup-Harris Regional Library will have their regular summer reading program in full swing this year. Troup County Parks and Recreation Department have already slated a wealth of opportunities to keep our kids physically active. In Troup County we are fortunate to have so many opportunities for our youth and parents should take full advantage of these programs. However, the single most important thing for parents to do is make a conscious effort to provide time for their children to read and to be read to while at home. A child’s first and longest teacher is their parent. Parents can engage with their children in fun creative ways to model and implement reading through various activities at home. Building a strong vocabulary is essential to academic success and that vocabulary begins at birth. Reading together with your child increases fluency and comprehension skills that are so important to developing readers. Get Troup Reading
encourages parents to get their kids involved in programs that allow them to take the summer on instead of taking the summer off while making reading a part of their child’s day at home. TIPS TO MAKE READING A PART OF YOUR CHILD’S DAY AT HOME. • Read aloud to your child each day. Ask question about the story and allow the child to ask questions, summarize or ask the child to summarize, and reread hard to understand passages. • Always keep books handy for independent reading. Provide books that are on the child’s reading level. Use the 5-finger rule to determine what books are on the child’s reading level. Simply have the child read aloud a page from the book. Each time they come to a word that they cannot read have them raise one finger. If all 5 fingers go up by the end of the page, then the book is too difficult for them to read by themselves. • Cook together; allow your child to read the recipe and help write out the shopping list. Have them read the menus at restaurants or drive thru windows. • Lead by example; turn the TV off, shut down the computer and put your phone down! Let your kids see you behind a book instead of a screen! www.lagrangechamber.com
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