Reading Interventionist Shawna Puustinen writes:
At Kaxdigoowu Héen, Elementary Family Fridays start with a family assembly. Students and their families fill the gym to sing the school song, play games, and learn something new together. Because that is what being a school family is all about.
Family Fridays was inspired by a fellow Juneau teacher, Barbara Dude, who started Family Fridays in her classroom last year at Sít´ Eetí Shaanáx Glacier Valley Elementary School. Barbara invited families in weekly to share experiences, stories, and special skills with her students. Kaxdigoowu Héen Elementary teachers heard what she was doing and wanted to join the fun.
This year, the school is hosting three Family Friday events during the school day. The first was in recognition of Orange Shirt Day. The most recent took place last week, kicking off the school’s Iditaread Challenge.
The event started with a family assembly in the school gym. Students, teachers, staff, and family members sat side-by-side on the school’s bleachers. The energy was infectious. When the skin drum started, every voice lifted to sing the school song. A quick lesson on the Iditarod, thanks to Alaska Public Media’s YouTube video, “What is the Iditarod?” and then the races began. Brave teachers mounted their trusty sleds (donated bed sheets), and excited dog teams (students) were put into place. On “mush,” teams raced across the gym floor to the roaring crowd.
As the assembly closed, families were invited to join their child for a variety of Iditarod-related activities back in their child’s classrooms. As part of the Alaska Family Engagement Center Family Reading Night Toolkits, over 300 students received a copy of the children’s book Howling for Huskies and Other Ways to Feel Good by Dr. Linda Chamberlain and a new stuffed “dog” to start their Iditaread Challenge. Engaged, happy, and included were clearly written on the faces of students, teachers, staff, and family members.