John J. Daly Elementary School in Port Washington held its first Family Literacy Night on April 19, as parents and students were welcomed to partake in a gymnasium filled with fun and educational games geared toward the promotion of literacy, and tours of the school hallways, which were adorned with student-written works from every grade level available for the guests’ reading pleasure.
Each Daly student, including those in pre-K, had a piece of writing on display in the hallway and cafeteria. Bulletin boards were also decorated with written works to celebrate the event. Meanwhile, a series of stations offering interactive, age-appropriate literacy games that incorporated timeless favorites such as hopscotch and twister, were assembled in the gym. One station even provided students with the opportunity to write their names in braille. The games were developed and facilitated by Paul D. Schreiber High School Senior Experience students under the guidance of Schreiber teacher Margaret Rizzo. The Schreiber students created a special t-shirt for the event and served as chaperones for visitors as well.
In the Daly library, a book donation station was coordinated for visitors to drop off gently-used books for distribution to local families who could benefit most from them.
“This was a very special evening that highlighted the wonderful writing program our elementary students are engaged with,” said Daly Principal Sheri Suzzan. “Any chance we can get to showcase our student’s hard work, along with the thoughtful efforts of the district’s older students, is a great time. It’s nice to see the older kids working with the younger children. It shows the cohesiveness and caring of the Port community. This was an incredible experience for everyone!”
Superintendent Kathleen Mooney also praised the event.
“Daly School’s Family Literacy Night provided young students with an opportunity to showcase their writing and illustrations to their families, and receive praise for their projects,” she said. “Kudos to Daly and Schreiber for organizing this wonderful event.”
