West Hempstead students and families will turn the page on summer together Aug. 26, when the school district invites the community to celebrate the start of a new school year with an afternoon focusing on literacy, activities and building connections.
Community Event Day will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. on the fields behind the secondary school, weather permitting. The celebration isn’t limited to students in West Hempstead public schools. Residents from throughout the hamlet are invited, including those whose children attend other schools.
The broader invitation reflects the district’s idea of the “Ram Fam,” which extends beyond the schools to include the wider West Hempstead community. Organizers hope the event will strengthen relationships among families, the district and local organizations before students return to classrooms.
This year’s event is being co-sponsored with a 21st Century grant — which provides funding to support students in high-poverty, low-performing schools through tutoring, enrichment opportunities and family literacy initiatives — and will include several community groups. Literacy will be at the center of the afternoon, under the theme “Our Story Unplugged,” with activities incorporating reading, language, storytelling and movement.
“The upcoming Event Day is going to bring the community together and provide an opportunity to incorporate literacy into different activities that we’ve planned with a group of our administrators,” Dawn Sachs, director of physical education, health and athletics, said.
Among the organizations expected to participate are the West Hempstead Public Library, the PTA, the Parent Teacher Student Association and the Special Education PTA. The Ram Pathways program will also have a booth with family resources and information about the program, so attendees can learn more about services available to students and families.
Attendees will take part in activities throughout the afternoon at a series of stations. Younger students will be encouraged to participate in hands-on wordplay and language games intended to make literacy part of the celebration.
Pioneer Sports, an organization that works with the district’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers and Ram Pathways, will offer activities combining sports and literacy. Students can compete in relay races, letter tosses, sentence scrambles, sprints and a vocabulary relay race.
“We’re excited about kicking off the school year and building ties with the community,” Dina Reilly, the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said, “and fostering that positive community school district relationship, and really building Ram spirit.”
The activities are intended to incorporate literacy into physical activity while giving students a chance to have fun with classmates, families and other community members before returning to school.
Storytelling will also play a major role in the afternoon. In a storytelling photo booth, students can talk about their favorite childhood book characters and pose for photos.
Other activities will include storytelling songs and freeze dances. Students will also be able to share a favorite story through camera, audio or writing, offering different ways for children to participate in the day’s literacy theme.
Ice cream will be offered at the event, and kosher ice cream will be available as well.
In addition to the literacy activities, organizers hope the event gives children and families the chance to interact with administrators, school organizations and one another outside the classroom. And by opening the celebration beyond district families, organizers hope to strengthen relationships between the district and the community. That approach is reflected in the district’s theme for the year, “We Rise Together,” which emphasizes collaboration and building relationships on behalf of students.
It also connects to the district’s idea of the “Ram Fam,” which organizers say includes everyone in West Hempstead, whether their children attend a public or private school. “The district really is looking forward to being together,” Reilly said, “and meeting, greeting, interacting and fostering community relationships with everyone in West Hempstead.”
