Storytelling is a powerful way to engage students in learning throughout the year and is one of the many ways in which the school community connects. While literacy is a priority all year in the District, many schools choose Family Literacy Week – proclaimed in BC for January 26 to February 2 – to organize joyful learning and community-building activities. Below are some examples from the week and beyond.
Local author Cale Boudreau visited Chaffey-Burke and taught primary students how to take an idea and turn it into a picture book. Students finished the week by making custom bookmarks and joining in on the annual Read-a-Thon.
As part of the Literacy Week fun at Stoney Creek Community School, staff put on a Readers Theatre performance for students. Athletes from Simon Fraser University’s sports teams were invited to be guest readers in many classrooms, as were Junior hockey players from the BCHL.
Among the festivities at Westridge Elementary, students dressed as a literary character and had a contest decorating their classroom door as a book. In connection with their week-long theme, Uniting Voices through Diverse Means of Communication, they also had ASL and braille explorations and an author visit from Joyce Lo. She shared information about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and multimodal communication.
Special guest readers and ASL storytellers were part of the excitement at South Slope Elementary and the BC Provincial School for the Deaf (BCSD). A staff bulletin board was also among the activities, along with a book swap with literature donated by the community.
There were many activities at Brentwood Park Elementary, including community reading with families and flashlight reading with little buddies. Inspired by the book If I Built a School, a Grade 2/3 class delved into Applied Design, Skills and Technologies or ADST projects focused on what they would want to see in a school. Some designs included a swimming pool, ice rink, soccer field, playground, candy store, dance studio and even a train to get to school.
At Kitchener Elementary, family members were invited into the school to share the joy of story together. Seniors from a nearby residence visited classrooms as guest readers. Outside of Literacy Week, students at the school were also treated to a visit by award-winning Canadian author Kenneth Oppel.
During Literacy Week, children at Nelson Elementary joined in on a “Find the Decorated Door” activity. Recognizing that story is something that can unite and define community, past and present staff and families at Nelson Elementary gathered before the Winter Break. They shared stories with an Indigenous Coast Salish artist, as part of the development of a new school logo.
A group of youth at Burnaby North Secondary became witnesses to the life story of a Holocaust survivor. Lillian Boraks-Nemetz, who is also an author of numerous books, told the students about her unimaginable experience, loss, struggle and survival. She also took the time to answer questions from the engaged audience, who joined the talk as part of their learning in Genocide Studies, Social Justice, English and Leadership classes.
Cariboo Hill Secondary’s English Department is honouring the stories that flow from students’ imaginations and life experiences. Their Voice of the Mind Writing Contest was open to all grades and included poetry or prose options, plus a chance to win a gift card and spot in the yearbook. There were several winners and honourable mentions from Grade 9.
Posted February 2025