Young Authors Read Original Works at School Board Meeting

Young writers from three elementary schools across Norfolk Public Schools Division were selected to read their original works at the School Board meeting on Wednesday, November 13 at the 7:00 p.m.

Second grader, Reema Baetiong, from Sherwood Forest Elementary School read “Smoke Jumpers,” an informative piece connected to the Government at Work unit in Benchmark Advance.

Third grader, Savannah Shannon, from Larchmont Elementary School read, “Fur,” an explanatory essay about how animals use their fur to survive. Savannah wrote this story based on a unit one in Benchmark Advance.

Fifth grader, Olivia Thrasher, from James Monroe Elementary School read, “The Yellow of 1853,” an historical fiction story she personally selected from her literacy portfolio. Olivia originally wrote this piece last spring during unit seven of her fourth-grade year.

Norfolk Public Schools Lisa M. Nash, senior coordinator of elementary English & Language Arts and curriculum & instruction introduced the readers. Nash said, “These students truly represent the creativity and effort we see across our division. Reading specialists reviewed literacy portfolios and shared pieces that showed strong writing and authentic student voice, and from those, three students were selected to read. Their work reflects both solid instruction and their growing confidence as young authors.”

The young authors received a standing ovation. Their parents and friends were in attendance for this special event.

These students and all Norfolk Public Schools students engage in the divisions Literacy plan where strategic, authentic, and engaging literacy instruction has been developed and designed to ensure students are able to read, write, communicate, and think critically in a global society.