A while back, Scholastic launched the first-ever Leveled Bookroom Transformation Contest, which encouraged K–6 educators from across the country to submit their stories, detailing how a literacy makeover would benefit their school and students.
We received hundreds and hundreds of impressive applications from educators, and Hillcrest Elementary School in Frederick, MD was selected as the grand prize winner for its exceptional resilience and dedication to achieving reading success! To help build a lasting culture of literacy at Hillcrest Elementary, they will receive a one-of-a-kind literacy makeover, including:
- Leveled Bookroom 4.0: This new comprehensive literacy resource increases student access to reading materials with more than 6,000 authentic texts, containing both full-length, leveled popular books and engaging Short Reads for close-reading lessons.
- Professional Development: Educators will receive two full days of customized professional development focused on Guided Reading strategies and hosted by Scholastic facilitators.
- Scholastic Classroom Magazines: Students will receive copies of Let’s Find Out® for kindergarten and Scholastic News® for grades 1–5.
- Literacy Event: A Scholastic Summer Literacy Event will be hosted for grades K–5, designed to engage and empower families to support their children’s academic achievement and help avoid the “summer slide”—the learning loss that takes place during the summer—which research has estimated can account for as much as 85% of the reading achievement gap between lower-income students and their middle- and upper-income peers.
- Learning Supports: Educators and administrators will participate in two full days of Learning Supports workshops focused on identifying and removing barriers to learning that affect student achievement.
Yesterday, we hosted a special literacy event for more than 200 pre-K–5 students and families (and Clifford the Big Red Dog®!) to celebrate Hillcrest’s big win and to unveil the new Leveled Bookroom 4.0 to the school community. Check out highlights from the event in The Frederick News-Post and on WDVM-TV!
How did it feel to find out that Hillcrest Elementary School had won the Leveled Bookroom Transformation Contest? Scholastic Education Chief Academic Officer Michael Haggen sat down with Amy Tucker, a literacy specialist at Hillcrest Elementary School, to ask about her reaction and her outstanding entry to the contest. Watch the video interview below:
Naranca Elementary School in El Cajon, CA was selected as first runner-up in the contest and will receive Scholastic Guided Reading Short Reads Digital for grades K–6. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in Milwaukee, WI was named second runner-up and will receive a selection of Guided Reading materials.
Congratulations to Hillcrest Elementary, Naranca Elementary, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Schools!!
Image via TigerLily Media
