Belaire Elementary Students Showcase Reading Ability During Inaugural "Watch Me Read" Event

Almost 100 parents visited Belaire Elementary to listen to their child read during the school’s first-ever “Watch Me Read” event on May 24. In the school’s courtyard, parents and siblings, sitting on chairs, blankets or at picnic tables, enjoyed the sunny morning and the sounds of students reading out loud.

“Belaire is striving to include parents and families in academic events to promote student success,” said Laura Eubank, Belaire Elementary Principal. “‘Watch Me Read’ strengthened the bond between home and school, and also created a supportive community around education. Having so many parents and families on campus supporting reading/academics was incredible. Parent/community support makes a big difference in a child's education.”

The “Watch Me Read” event was created to offer Belaire Elementary parents a different and more personal method of gauging their student’s reading progress. “The aim of the event was to provide parents with an authentic reading experience beyond traditional methods such as report cards or data sent home,” said Halie Curtis, Instructional Coach at Belaire Elementary. “Parents enjoyed witnessing their students ‘in action,’ actively practicing the skills they've acquired. Observing their children engage in instructional activities during the school day offered parents a more realistic and insightful perspective into their abilities.”

“The first and second grades mark pivotal stages in a child’s development, laying the foundation for crucial reading, spelling and writing skills,” said Mrs. Curtis. “As a campus, we prioritized meeting students at their individual levels and focused on the specific reading skills they needed to cultivate. Throughout this year, our students showed incredible dedication and perseverance in mastering these skills. We sought to celebrate their growth and provide them with a platform to showcase their progress … Providing students with the chance to showcase their reading abilities at this formative age not only allowed them to taste success but also significantly boosts their academic confidence.” 

The students’ hard work paid off, as 83 first and second grade students demonstrated their literary progress and read several books aloud to their parents and siblings. Some students even read to pre-kindergarten students. 

“The event was everything we expected it to be, as it showcased the year-long efforts of our students and teachers,” said Mrs. Curtis. “Seeing parents and pre-k students read alongside our students, witnessing the excitement in their eyes, reaffirms all of our efforts.”

The Belaire Elementary staff plan to make “Watch Me Read” an annual event. “We aspire to make this event an annual tradition, providing parents with the opportunity to witness their student's growth year after year,” said Mrs. Curtis. “Having this event as a recurring milestone will also give students something tangible to strive towards, further fostering their motivation and commitment to their academic development.”

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