Kamensky Elementary students showcase writing and launch student-led podcast at Berwyn South SD 100 meeting

Kamensky Elementary leaders and students highlighted the school’s emphasis on writing, student voice and early-literacy development at the Berwyn South School District 100 board meeting.

Principal Leticia Valdez told the board that Kamensky’s instruction centers on active learning and a writing “staircase” from preschool through fifth grade. “At Kamensky, we believe that students learn by doing, exploring, and taking risks,” Valdez said, describing targeted instruction and professional learning communities that analyze student work and adjust teaching accordingly.

Valdez and staff pointed to early-childhood practices—play-based exploration, dramatic play and explicit phonics instruction—that they said build vocabulary and foundational writing skills. Presenters named preschool teachers Juana Martinez and Antonia Almanza and cited dual-language kindergarten classrooms led by teachers including Tafoya and Pacheco as examples of culturally and linguistically responsive instruction.

The presentation introduced a student-led podcast, Little Lions, Big Voices, explained by student hosts and framed by staff as a vehicle to amplify student perspectives. President Elizabeth Herrera Jimenez praised the student production, saying she had followed the podcast and that “you are doing a great job.”

Students also took part in the Lion’s Den, a monthly celebration where learners share work; staff members and board members recognized classroom teachers and invited attendees to take photos after the presentation.

The spotlight closed with thanks from the board and an invitation for community members to review student work and related materials in the board packet.