Graham School kicks off reading challenge at Dads Day

Over 100 fathers, grandfathers and father figures walked into school with their children for Graham School’s Dads Day on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. They also joined the kickoff of Graham School’s reading challenge and read with their children outside.

“We wanted to kick off and launch our Graham School reading challenge where we are promoting the importance of literacy school wide,” said Principal Dr. Natasha Hunter-McGregor. “We decided that it would be a wonderful initiative to kick off during Dads Day, where we can have fathers and grandfathers and inspirational male role models involved and play an active role in reading with their children or reading to their children. It’s important for all key stakeholders to be a part in the partnership of helping our children become better readers and develop a love for reading.”  

Upon entering the school, parents were greeted by Dr. Hunter-McGregor in the gymnasium. She introduced them to key figures within the school that will support their children throughout the year. Board of Education Trustee Warren Mitchell and the District’s Director of STEAM Satish Jagnandan also greeted the families to talk about the benefits of being involved in your children’s education. 

Graham School held their Dads Day after the District-wide celebration due to the delayed in-person opening at the school.  

Parents then visited their children’s classrooms. They met teachers, sat in on one of their lessons and learned about what their kids are currently learning about. Dads sat next to their children and even participated in some of their schoolwork.  

“It feels like I’m playing a good role as a father. It feels good,” said Louis Matos, Father of pre-K student Abigail Matos. “I think she sees that her father has an active role in her life and that he actually cares and is trying to make a difference.” 

After classroom visits, the entire school was called out to the playground for the kickoff of the yearlong reading challenge. Students are tasked with reading a minimum of 45 minutes per subject each week in different subjects such as math and English language arts. Every student brought a book outside and participated in a “drop everything and read” session. Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Jamal Doggett greeted the school community to emphasize the focus on literacy District-wide.  

Seventh-grade student Lily Cudjoe stood before the whole school and highlighted the importance of reading before everyone dove into their books. 

“Every day, she (Dr. Hunter-McGregor) says ‘Be responsible, respectful, ready to learn and be of good character.’” said Lily Cudjoe, Seventh-Grade Student at Graham. "Basically, you want to have confidence when you are reading to people; you want to have the clarity and the clear voice to be able to speak in front of a lot of people. And if you're reading by yourself, always keep up that good mindset that you can do whatever you want to accomplish in life.”  

Dads of younger students helped their children with their reading, and dads of older students sat with them and read along to learn about what their children were reading. Students laid out blankets or sat with their friends and opened up their novels.  

Graham School held the reading challenge kickoff during their Dads Day as a way for parents to get involved in the school’s reading initiative and support their children’s academic goals at home.  

“It’s very awesome to be involved with your kids,” said Jerel Fraser, Father of eighth-grade student Jared Fraser. “It brings them up in the right, dutiful way as a young man to be a leader in anything that they are going to do. It’s just an inspiration to help and motivate and be together as a family, growing and being involved in the community as a parent with your child. It brings an awesome outcome.” 

“It feels great,” said Jared about his dad coming to support him at school. “It’s helpful because I get to read, chill outside and enjoy the nice view.”  
 
Teachers will be recording the number of books read and monitoring their students’ reading through the online learning platform i-Ready. Fluency, vocabulary and building comprehension are key foci for Graham School this year, and the reading challenge will encourage students to read every day and continue building those skills. 

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