[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6261463,"mediaKeyId","3123638-6d11fde521d0fba25579e9ab51e4e7e3","parentId",3123638,"title","Steuben County Literacy Coalition details Base Camp after-school sites and expanded summer camps","audioSeconds",227,"startMs",1568490,"endMs",1796355,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3123638-6d11fde521d0fba25579e9ab51e4e7e3&start=1568&end=1796","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3123638-6d11fde521d0fba25579e9ab51e4e7e3/thumbnail_1568490.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6261463/Indiana/Steuben-County-Literacy-Coalition-details-Base-Camp-after-school-sites-and-expanded-summer-camps","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261463-faeec710e2c180b1d1131d31df24a559/orig.mp4?Expires=1770532390&Signature=Qep2rklEfabU-QS8JTE9QdvXDMTyeZoqqqMNLrDmvRN0VyzYtZ0kUIvYWUOb3iyb6kGUS4AZNzuj0Z26NVk3NwCDNDGOBZPOITtJHQ~36xy3QI7fBMi2n858DVbqInQwD6L0Hpl26pZ1-7~lbTHZ5qJXgVEmS0GKKjUV6ichXwQKQ5zIx~nIs0gBI3Q6yXbq2kkV9vMExsediN7~H-Yx9wvy01gvILHjvKJDmwWdxSvjxazsoZFBYNkX5phJ3Q9Git9XY4JaZni2rF6v7tos7fQcLZ33gXi7kV-M9Ela8xybjUE4bdJdPgSHwx04M8msHkHlnK5QRC5hwqrL5TcsJA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","MSD Steuben County","date","2025-04-25T14:51:54.097Z","article","Nicole Baumgartner, representing the Steuben County Literacy Coalition, described the coalition's after-school Base Camp program and a series of summer camps the coalition runs or sponsors across local schools and libraries.

Base Camp operates in Henry Park, Carlin Park, Angola Middle School, Prairie Heights, Fremont and Hamilton, Baumgartner said, and the coalition plans to open a new Base Camp site at Ryan Park next school year. The coalition's online programs page lists Base Camp and summer camps; Baumgartner said individual summer camps target specific grades and typically run for one week (STEM camp) or multiple weeks (art camp runs three weeks; drama camp was scheduled for two full weeks).

Camp highlights described in the presentation include a STEM camp (formerly called Space Camp) that uses hands-on activities such as building rockets and exploring buoyancy and symmetry; a drama camp this year producing a staging of The Jungle Book with about 45 participating children; and an art camp held at Fremont Public Library that includes clay work, recycled-material projects, glass painting, resin work and other studio experiences. Baumgartner said the art camp is partnered with the Indiana Arts Commission and led by middle-school art teacher Nora Majors.

The coalition also offers three-week kindergarten-readiness (K) camps in Angola, Grama and Hamilton; Baumgartner said a previously offered K camp at Prairie Heights may not run this year because of staffing issues. She described camp logistics such as snack and lunch service, hands-on transitions practice and handwriting exercises, and said families can sign up using Google forms listed on the coalition website.

Baumgartner said enrollment opens early for some camps, creating occasional wait lists, but staff turnover and early cancellations frequently allow the coalition to fill spots from wait lists. The presentation concluded with thanks and handoff to the webinar host.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Raising Strong Readers 7 Writing","oneSentenceSummary","Nicole Baumgartner of the Steuben County Literacy Coalition described Base Camp after-school sites across the county, a new Ryan Park site opening next school year, and a slate of summer camps including STEM, drama, art (partnered with the Indiana Arts Commission) and kindergarten readiness camps.","taxTitle","MSD Steuben County, School Boards, Indiana","taxId",76368,"location","Indiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6261468,"Carnegie Public Library announces summer reading program June 2–July 12 with weekly events and prizes",419,1147664,1567630,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3123638-6d11fde521d0fba25579e9ab51e4e7e3&start=1147&end=1567","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3123638-6d11fde521d0fba25579e9ab51e4e7e3/thumbnail_1147664.jpg","/articles/6261468/Indiana/Carnegie-Public-Library-announces-summer-reading-program-June-2July-12-with-weekly-events-and-prizes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261468-ebc3c219ed1789c73a5373c697a1de30/orig.mp4?Expires=1770532390&Signature=CFxoeG~HARgcdMsc0H4TfqgEyPdluBp53eMz6hXsgVbMjo08LEb7CeeFXTDHmXA9JBZ21rHe4jTXsdxq3XIU01T1pFiFddccDwPi5jJp2PD8uyQXmVec-zmUYJthEn1YAWLQ8i74Hzj1OkO1two4cYQAWzFgISzK3TsqEH9ghCurWLuIIKhvya73-g28L9sllFHNkK-ajGn-kQZ1o6ATZYNe5HSOD5FOYPuAbdEpWB9up2DM1TdkjO3AAdlCQlGAPzVqRO~T7bV82Xc5dkeAKbMbg2e26S1lz8GYFO-F0OUm2fmVmhEAfArazrc-I2MQj5r-ErWaiqIGWwLNRjBBFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Miss Elizabeth, who oversees the children's department at Carnegie Public Library, said the library's summer reading program will run June 2–July 12 and will offer age-specific reading logs, prizes and in-person events designed to keep children engaged over the summer.

The library's program includes tracks for under-5 children, elementary, middle-grade and high-school students. Elizabeth said fifth-graders may choose to be classified as elementary or middle-grade readers if they prefer to log pages rather than minutes. For high-school participants, she described a prize tier that awards $10 gift cards for reading 1,200 pages.

The library plans a slate of weekly programs: Mondays will feature visiting performers such as Raza's Puppets and Science Central presentations; Tuesdays will include artist-led activities tied to the summer theme \"Color Our World,\" and family story times for younger children; Fridays will host hands-on activities including Scoops ice cream giveaways, Relic Emporium pottery painting and a North West Indiana Woodworkers woodworking project for children.

Most summer activities will be drop-in; some special events require registration, which Elizabeth said opens two weeks before each event. She demonstrated how families can use the library's online event calendar (the presentation displayed cpls.org with an on-screen note that a letter was omitted) to filter by age group and date range for summer events.

Elizabeth said the children's department also offers literacy kits, audiobooks, internet access and a sensory room. She invited families to stop by the library to pick up printed schedules or to consult the event calendar on the library website.

The presentation concluded with an invitation for questions and a handoff to the Steuben County Literacy Coalition for information about coalition-run summer programming.","Elizabeth, head of the children's department at Carnegie Public Library, outlined the library's summer reading program running June 2–July 12, with separate tracks by age, prize tiers for page- or minute-based logs and a schedule of Monday, Tuesday and Friday events including visiting performers and hands-on activities.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6261473,"MSD Steuben County presenters outline practical ways parents can support early writing",1094,21635,1115840,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3123638-6d11fde521d0fba25579e9ab51e4e7e3&start=21&end=1115","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3123638-6d11fde521d0fba25579e9ab51e4e7e3/thumbnail_21635.jpg","/articles/6261473/Indiana/MSD-Steuben-County-presenters-outline-practical-ways-parents-can-support-early-writing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261473-5f5208ddc0d7b58b96b72a9a5b8383a4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770532390&Signature=KKAN02tGCDHY1T3LDjnLJ~jxOuU~WPqBqxEVek000eWVycCp2CvXkFMlpTHE8q9~PDJPsALs5M4YvEAs1pBk7-kyKLndutsYQzVmBO9WgquiBnS7BxddC974i88qj~iFWxtVQwiGKF1fJUFpmIorY8fogV8CBuD6bvtSibqLcV5~IQnP5ztupdC4zfiOc8sa8Yn~Zgn6BdtLDoP5qCx55vBMg8v6-bbP5BHTDWCFXX7M5Vv19NVNg8a~basQ~KMTxjNACI7bHQN4e~H3xlDBUJnarx3guJ~CR3zKtO4ga-M~C~H~JtgcRB3285wuSNbwu0UdDWnmjfuvbIyFcRy0hQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jonathan Winslow, director of elementary education for MSD Steuben County, and Kiana Bierwalter, a first-grade teacher at Ryan Park Elementary, told families during a district webinar that writing instruction combines foundational transcription skills with higher-level composition and that both support reading comprehension.

The presenters said transcription — letter formation, spelling and keyboarding — must become fluent before students can focus on composition, organization and critical thinking. \"Writing is a form of thinking on paper,\" Bierwalter said when sharing a Susan Sontag quote she used in the presentation.

Why it matters: the presenters said connecting writing and reading helps students retain vocabulary and think more precisely about text. Winslow described district-wide efforts this year to emphasize the components of what he called the \"writing rope,\" a parallel to the district's reading framework, and Bierwalter showed concrete activities families can use at home.

Practical activities Bierwalter demonstrated include: converting a photo into a caption-writing game; digital \"telephone\" with recorded audio that children transcribe to compare accuracy; sentence-scramble or \"Taco Bell packet\" story games to practice syntax and sequencing; shared writing about familiar experiences such as spring break; short persuasive debates (for example, a class discussion about bedtime); journaling and gratitude lists; and using varied writing tools (lined paper, blank paper, sticky notes, crayons or pens) to motivate children. She also recommended setting a calm, designated writing space and turning off distracting background television.

Bierwalter and Winslow emphasized tying writing practice to content-area work: writing about science, social studies and math as well as narrative and persuasive pieces. Bierwalter noted that speech-language pathologists work with children who receive language services to strengthen oral language, which feeds into writing.

Resources and logistics: the presenters said the session slides were available via a QR code shown during the webinar; Winslow told participants the district recorded the session. They also pointed attendees to the Indiana Learning Lab parent hub (presenter text shown as imlearninglab.com during the webinar) as an additional resource for age-specific writing supports.

The presentation ended with encouragement for families to write more with their children and a note that the evening included two additional community presentations on library and coalition summer programming.","MSD of Steuben County Director Jonathan Winslow and first-grade teacher Kiana Bierwalter described how foundational transcription skills and higher-order composition skills work together and offered games, routines and resources parents can use to build children’s writing and reading comprehension.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Steuben County Literacy Coalition details Base Camp after-school sites and expanded summer camps

Carnegie Public Library announces summer reading program June 2–July 12 with weekly events and prizes

MSD Steuben County presenters outline practical ways parents can support early writing