Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elementary Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wauchula Elementary showcases library renovation, Bobcat News and literacy gains
Summary
Wauchula Elementary staff and students presented library renovations, literacy incentives and the student-run Bobcat News to the Hardee County School Board, highlighting increased novel and graphic-novel checkouts and literacy events.
Wauchula Elementary School staff and students presented a showcase Thursday describing a renovated media center, literacy incentives and a student-produced news program the school calls Bobcat News.
Principal Mary Sue Maddox, media specialist Miss Bissett and assistant Christy Bellflower described a multi-year library renovation, reorganized collections, incentives tied to Accelerated Reader (AR) and cross-school literacy events. Students demonstrated projects and described activities including a movie night tied to a reading incentive and a large-scale literacy week.
Staff said the media center renovation involved removing outdated materials and reorganizing sections to make series and graphic novels more accessible. The media specialist reported a 30% growth in chapter-book checkouts and said 60 students passed an AR quiz for one book and attended a movie-night incentive. The presentation also noted an increase in students who read at high volumes: the school reported a growth from seven —millionaires— (students who read more than 1 million words) to 16, a 129% increase.
The Bobcat News program is run with significant student input, staff said. Students plan segments, record interviews and produce weekly features, including segments tied to resiliency standards and student work for Black History Month. Teachers use the program for communication with students and families, and school leaders pointed to YouTube view data as evidence of reach within the school community.
Maddox and staff described other student-centered efforts: student data binders that let pupils track attendance and assessment scores, teacher feature segments that recognize staff, and family-oriented events such as —Donuts with Dad— and —Muffins with Moms.— The school credited PTO and community partners, including PRECO, for sponsoring activities such as movie nights and supporting literacy events.
Board members thanked the students and staff for the presentation and excused the students to return to their end-of-year activities.
