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Literacy camp offered at Souris School

Souris has been granted an opportunity to host a Summer Success Literacy Camp, as the United Way in Regina has provided funding for the camp.
Souris Literacy camp

Souris has been granted an opportunity to host a Summer Success Literacy Camp, as the United Way in Regina has provided funding for the camp.

The United Way has been offering these camps in Regina for many years, but this is the first year that they gave granted this same opportunity to locations outside of Regina. Weyburn was chosen as one of those locations, to offer this camp to the students of Souris School.

The camp’s goals are to provide intensive daily literacy instruction for half a day for two weeks. Three teachers are working with 15 students.

One of the goals of the program is to enrich students reading to empower them to come back to school at a higher reading level and start off the new school year with confidence. It also provides an opportunity for parents to be engaged with reading activities with their children and develop a positive relationship with school staff and feel comfortable in the school building.

The United Way of Regina, along with a donor who prefers to remain anonymous, generously provided all of the funding to make this program possible.

A number of volunteers helped out for the two-week camp, including Ed and Susan Fischer and Maggie Fox of Wheatland Community Church, who provided all the pancakes and served the kickoff breakfast on Aug. 5.

In addition, donations or volunteer efforts were provided by Michelle Schmidt, Bubbins Schmidt and Marjorie McLeod from Zion Lutheran Church, Holly Vogel, John Lawrence, Shannon Seitz, Blackgold Farms Ltd., the Rolling Pin Bakery, Prairie Sky Co-op, and Souris School SCC president Becky Chapman.

Each morning began with breakfast for the participating families and their child involved with the camp. They participated in an oral language activity pre-planned by the teachers involved, and spent time having family reading time, followed by the whole class reading of the book of the day with specific reading instructions for the day.

Students and staff then walked over to Hilltop Manor and students read their books and poems with a senior resident partner.

Back at the school for a snack, the students completed a craft that corresponds with their book of the day, then the students run through three stations. These three stations focused on the book of the day that they took home.

The stations focussed on literary instruction to improve their reading skills and instill confidence to start a new school year. Students were in groups of five and spent 20 minutes at each station.

A special event on Aug. 14 saw the students and their families arrive at noon as usual, but instead of taking their child home, they were provided with a special lunch for students and all family members. After lunch, a bus took parents and students to the Weyburn Public Library (as shown in the photo above) to learn about borrowing books. All involved participated in a read-aloud book experience and participated in a scavenger hunt to learn how to find books in the library.

Then, on the last day of the camp on Friday, Aug. 16, there will also be a special celebration at 11 a.m. The families will enjoy a powerpoint presentation highlighting daily activities during the two weeks of the camp, and will celebrate with their child as they are presented with a “Graduation Certificate.”

Lunch will be provided by School Community Council president Becky Chapman for all students, their family members and all volunteers that helped make the camp possible.