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Thomas Jefferson students debut a student-written song and Reading Garden to boost literacy
Summary
Thomas Jefferson Elementary students and staff described a cross-curricular project that produced an original NJSLA encouragement song and a new Reading Garden and Book Trail, built with help from clubs, high school students and community volunteers.
Interim Principal Stephanie Martucci introduced a presentation from Thomas Jefferson Elementary highlighting classroom work tied to NJSLA preparation and a newly created Reading Garden.
Katie Martin, the school’s intervention specialist, described a writing strategy using graphic organizers practiced on scrap paper to help students structure essays. She said fifth graders rehearsed reproducing organizers from memory and applied the strategy across ELA curriculum to improve writing performance.
Music teacher Michael Kona described collaborating with students to write an original song and choreographed movements rather than repurposing a popular tune. Kona said every note and lyric came from student ideas, with students iteratively composing and editing in class.
Students read short essays and explained how composing a song and movement helped them remember essay structure, increased engagement, and fostered teamwork. The fifth-grade team then shared a music video developed with the students; staff said the video was also shown to younger grades to energize test days.
Rachel McCauley, a reading teacher, presented the Thomas Jefferson Reading Garden and Book Trail, a community-built outdoor space that displays picture-book pages along a path, with plans to rotate stories, add sensory stations, and host family literacy events. McCauley credited contributions from students, families, local businesses, the high school construction class and volunteers for helping build podium-style displays and landscaping the garden.
Teachers and club advisors described how the Green Club, Future ACTS and STEM club contributed painted rocks, signs, wind chimes and book-trail displays. Administrators noted 33 high school wrestlers and construction students helped lay 21 cubic yards of mulch and install landscape fabric and posts during a single installation day.
Board members and the superintendent applauded the students’ work at the meeting and presented certificates recognizing participants and supporting adults. The board encouraged the community to visit the Reading Garden and use it as an outdoor learning space.
The presentation closed with board thanks and an invitation to the public to tour the Reading Garden in the Thomas Jefferson neighborhood.
