Afton Central School District is thrilled to announce that our Read Across the Kingdom event on was a huge success! We are so thankful for the students and staff who contributed to our outstanding success! Read Across the Kingdom is an instructional program designed to increase student engagement and collaboration between students across grade levels. We are so thankful for our event organizers Kate Sanford and Bonnie Feltham and their team for their incredible work organizing the event.
In the summer of 2024, our LINKS committee met with student and staff stakeholders to discuss ways to construct positive community experiences at Afton Central School District. Students mentioned that they struggled connecting with students in different grades and they struggled connecting with their classmates. After discussing possible solutions, the Links committee determined that an event where students could read together would overcome this obstacle.
Throughout the discussion, the LINKS committee identified that Afton Central School District has a significant advantage in building community. The whole district is housed in one building which enables middle and high school students to collaborate with elementary students without leaving the safety of the school building. Middle/High School Principal Joel Carle and Interim Elementary Principal Gordon Daniels were supportive of the initiative. By utilizing a 1-hour delay schedule, students could take the first part of the school day to meet and read books together across the Afton Kingdom.
Elementary students brought specially selected books to the middle/high school students. Hundreds of students participated. The feedback from students was encouraging. Elementary students were so excited to be paired with older students. They had great smiles on their faces. Middle and High School Students were also thrilled to connect with elementary students. It was a great opportunity for them to think about others building on the concepts they learned from their lessons with the positivity project. One key lesson our students learned was to focus on other people using the other-people mindset and putting the interests of others before themselves. Read Across the Kingdom proved to be a great way for students to collaboratively learn across grade levels.
Ms. Feltham and Ms. Sanford along with Mr. Carle and the other members of the Links committee eagerly anticipate our next Read Across the Kingdom. The LINKS committee plans to do at least two school-wide reading events next year beginning in the fall. Afton Central School District is so thankful for the incredible work by our students and staff to contribute to the positive learning experiences of all students!
